Courage for Life for Women - Flipbook - Page 7
INTRODUC TION TO THE COUR AGE FOR LIFE ™ STUDY BIBLE FOR WOMEN • A19
The Inductive Bible Study Method
I believe the best way to study the Bible is inductively. Studying inductively simply means asking investigative questions of the text to discover its intended meaning. When you approach God’s Word inductively,
you begin with the Bible text, apply established Bible study steps, and discover truths that can either confirm or change the way you think. In other words, you begin with God’s Word and learn the truth communicated there. Then you can apply God’s truth to what you are experiencing— not the other way around.
It’s all about asking the right questions.
When you ask questions of each verse of Scripture (such as “Whom was the message originally delivered to?” “When was the message first given?” or “What did the message mean to its original audience?”), you begin to put the verse in its proper context and prepare yourself to discover a more accurate
understanding of God’s intended meaning.
Four Basic Bible Study Steps
Four basic steps allow you to study the Bible inductively so you can accurately interpret and apply God’s
Word. These four basic steps are important for studying Scripture with courage and confidence. In time,
these steps will become as natural to you as breathing. Just remember P- O-I-A:
1. Pray: As you approach God’s Word, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth.
2. Observe: Ask, “What does the Bible text say?”
3. Interpret: Ask, “What does the Bible text mean?”
4. Apply: Ask, “As I reflect on what I’ve read in God’s Word, what do I need to do?”
As Christ’s disciple, you should include these steps in your daily reading habits. And as you put these
Bible study steps into practice, God will transform you into the image of Christ, our King.
In this study Bible, I want you to focus on individuals and events that demonstrate courage in action. To
that end, you will encounter practical teaching about courage on each page as you read through the books
of the Bible. Make it your practice to read through each book as you would any other book— straight
through and in large chunks, rather than reading verses at random. When you are studying the Bible, I
recommend that you commit to focusing on one book at a time. Keep in mind that the authors recorded
what God revealed to them, so you are entering a specific point within God’s story each time you open
God’s Word. Fun fact: Chapter and verse numbers were not added to the Bible until hundreds of years
after the books were written. Although they weren’t in the original manuscripts, these numbers do serve
as helpful tools for locating specific content.
