5 Systematical Study Ideas for Your Devotional Time

For many people, getting into a groove with devotions can be daunting!  The Bible is a weighty book; you can read the same thing a hundred times and still learn something new each time.  Where do you even begin?

 

The Basics

  There are 2 basic ways to study Scripture: topically and systematically.  I tend to lean towards topical studies: keywords and themes.  Systematic study would be reading straight through books of the Bible, chapter by chapter. Each method has value.  Today I’ll be giving 5 ideas for systematic devotional study.

 

5 Detailed Ideas for Systematic Study Devotions

  If you’re not sure where to start, here are 5 detailed plans for devotions that reflect the systematic method of studying.  These are not “perfect” plans by any means; they are simply intended to give you some inspiration and direction if you’re stuck.  You should personalize your devotions to fit your individual needs and learning curves, and you should never approach these wondering if they’re “enough” to constitute a “full” day’s devotions.  These things are between you and the Lord.

 

1—Proverbs in a month.

  This is perhaps the simplest Scripture-reading plan out there.  The book of Proverbs has 31 chapters, which corresponds perfectly with 31-day months.  Read a chapter a day.

>> Suggestion: read along with a devotional book like Be Skillful by Warren Wiersbe.

>> TIP! Proverbs is a book of practicality.  You can take a principle from the day’s chapter and find a practical way to apply the instruction to your everyday life.

 

2—Read through John.

  Reading through John is one of the first suggestions many learned scholars of the Word recommend to new believers.  If you are a young Christian, this is a great place to start.

>> Suggestion: ask a seasoned believer to read through John with you for accountability, discussion, and explanation where needed.

 

3—Read through a book of the Bible with the Lifetouch Series.

  The president of Bob Jones University, Steve Pettit, has a series of devotional books which go in depth on certain books of the Bible.  These devotionals may be helpful companions to your reading.  Some of the current available options cover Colossians, Psalms, Ephesians, and James.  You can find these books on Amazon and at Christianbook.com in either eBook or paperback format.

 

4—Read through a book in 4 different versions.

  This works well with shorter books of the Bible like James or the Timothy’s.  Read through the book 4 times, using a different version each time to gain a fresh perspective.  I do the majority of my reading in KJV, but sometimes switch to ESV or NASB to hear the same thing explained in slightly different wording.  Sometimes reading in a different version is all you need to make something come alive.

  One way you can do this is reading the book straight through in one version and then repeating it over with a new version each time.  Another way is to read one chapter in all 4 versions before moving onto the next chapter.

>> Suggestion: journal your observations as you read from the different perspectives.  Note the wording differences, and if one version explained a particular passage with greater clarity to your understanding.

 

5—Memorize what you read.

  This will generally take longer to get through a section of Scripture, as you would only read at the pace you’re memorizing, but committing passages to memory allows you to keep truth with you 24/7.  If you use this method, I would recommend going at a pace that challenges you.  You’ll probably be spending less time reading than you normally would, but that extra time will be spent in memorization.  When all is said and done, you will have memorized a whole portion of Scripture in consecutive order.

>> Suggestion:  Listen to the passage on repeat, and write it out on an index card to review often.

>> TIP!  Record yourself or someone you know reading the passage aloud.  Listening to a familiar voice with inflections that you will recognize can help you memorize phrases quicker.

 

What are some of your favorite ways to systematically study Scripture?