The Bible is an absolutely amazing book.  The more I study the Bible, the more I am convinced of its incredible uniqueness and its amazing power to transform me for the better!  It was written in three languages, on three continents, over a span of 1500 years.  It was written by dozens of authors from every walk of life–fishermen, kings, a tax-collector, a doctor, and prophets–just to name a few.  But despite this wide variety, its central message remains clear throughout–that God has provided salvation for his created people through Jesus Christ. 

As Christians we are to be people of the book.  We believe that God is truth and he has revealed his words to us through the Bible.  We believe that God used human authors to write what he wanted through using their personalities, situations, and experiences.  They wrote poetry, stories, parables, wisdom literature, letters–just to name a few.  God used his Holy Spirit to work with the authors of the Bible so that they wrote his inspired words to us.  This is why the Bible is so powerful for us.  God’s words are truth and they are life, therefore they have the power to change me and speak truth into my life situations and into my view of who I am.

This is why it is important for us to know how to handle the Bible well.  Its books were written to specific people and situations with an intended meaning.  Understanding this intended meaning is crucial.  Before I can properly apply the Bible to my life, it is important to know the intended meaning for the original audience.  From this comes the universal principles and personal applications, not the other way around!  Attached below is a very good, concise resource on the basics of Bible study based on the observation, interpretation, and application process.  Applying the principles I have learned from this resource has been very fruitful in becoming more confident in my study of the Bible.  I hope it can help you too.

Getting the most out of Bible study

https://equipthepeople.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/bible_study_methods.pdf

 Resource from Grace Bible Church in College Station, TX.