The W.O.R.D Bible Study Method
In July of 2016, I began Scripture Writing as part of my morning devotional time with the Lord. I have grown so much in my faith over the last few months Inscribing the Word. I look forward to writing the Word each morning, journaling my prayers, and just being with the Lord. I don’t read many devotionals because I want to discover the Word for myself. While there are many wonderful devotionals out there, written by wonderful men and women, I find that most people turn to their daily devotional more than they turn to the actual Word of God.
This is why I Inscribe the Word daily. I want to find Jesus for myself. As I write, the Lord speaks the wisdom I need for the moment. Inscribing the Word has created a hunger inside me for more and more of the Word. I have desired to DIG DEEPER.
In Digging Deeper, I have developed The W.O.R.D Study Method.
I’ve used many different Bible study methods in the past, but always come up feeling like I missed something crucial in the passage. I also find that some of the methods out there leave too much room for personal interpretation. Proverbs 18:2 says, “A fool has no delight in understanding, but in expressing his own heart.” I don’t want to be that person! So, I developed the W.O.R.D as a comprehensive study method to deepen our understanding of The Bible.
Proverbs 3:13-18
Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding. For wisdom is more profitable than silver, and her wages are better than gold. Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. She offers you long life in her right hand, and riches and honor in her left. She will guide you down delightful paths; all her ways are satisfying. Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her; happy are those who hold her tightly.
How to use The W.O.R.D Method.
Before every Bible Study, pray that the Lord would open your eyes, open your heart, and open your ears to Hear His Voice.
1. WRITE. Write your daily verse in your Inscribe the Word journal.
Proverbs 3:1-3 says, “My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands; For length of days and long life And peace they will add to you.Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart,”
The first step, after prayer, is to WRITE the Word in your journal. Write and then read over the passage at least once or twice.
2. OBSERVE. Observe the keys to the passage.
Psalm 119:33-34 says, “Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, And I shall keep it to the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law; Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart."
I love this portion of the study. It is so much fun! You are going to learn so much about the different passages of Scripture! When reading a passage, you have to know the context of the passage! You have to know who is writing, who they were writing for, and when it was being written. In OBSERVE, you understand the context of the verse.
When we observe, we use the “Five W’s”:
W - WHO: is the author, WHO are they writing about and WHO are they writing to?
W - WHAT: type of genre are of literature are you reading? Is this a book of law, history, poetry, an epistle, etc.
W - WHEN: was the book written?
W - WHERE: was the book written?
W - WHY: did the author write the book?
3. RELEVANT. How is this verse relevant and applicable to your life today?
Romans 15:4 says, “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”
During this portion of your study, you ask how is this relevant to your life. Some questions you can answer include:
How can you make this passage personal?
How can you apply it to your daily life?
Does the passage instruct, encourage, or correct?
What changes in your life does this verse encourage you to make?
How can you apply this verse to your life to make your life sparkle and shine with the glory of the Lord.
4. DECLARE. Pray and declare the Scriptures over your life.
Psalm 118:17 says, “I shall not die, but live, And declare the works of the Lord.”
In this final portion of Scripture, we are going to declare and pray the passage over our lives. We are going to declare life. Some journaling prompts to consider:
Declare the promises of this verse over your day.
Declare the changes you are going to make as a result of the verses correction.
Declare the encouragement and teaching over your walk with the Lord.
Resources for the W.O.R.D Study Method.
This method can take as much or as little time as you’d like. There are a few resources you will find handy to really get the most out of this method.
1. BIBLES
There are wonderful study bibles available, but one of my favorites is The Life Application Study Bible by Tyndale House. It has been a great resources for the W.O.R.D Study Method.
Here are some Study Bible's I have used and recommend.
3. NOTEBOOK
A Notebook. Any notebook will do. I use the Leuchtturm1917 journals and I love them. Any notebook will work so long as you can take notes and refer back to them when needed.
3. CONDORDANCES and COMMENTARIES
I could not do this study without my Strong's Concordance. If you want to know the original Greek and Hebrew for the Scriptures, a Strong's Concordance is a must! You can find an online version of The Strong's Concordance, HERE.
I love Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary of the Bible. Originally written in 1706, Matthew Henry's six volume Complete Commentary provides an exhaustive look at every verse in the Bible. You can find an online version, HERE.
Another fabulous resource is the John MacArthur Bible Commentary. It is a wonderful resource and one I highly recommend. You can find it HERE.
4. ONLINE SOURCES
There are some great online resources for in-depth Bible Study. The two I use most often are BLUE LETTER BIBLE and BIBLE STUDY TOOLS. Blue Letter Bible (dot) org is an INCREDIBLE resource. It is packed full of commentaries, videos, a Strong's Concordance, and an excellent cross reference tool.
Bible Study Tools (dot) com is another resource I use every time I do my W.O.R.D study. It is an amazing resource that includes various Bible versions, commentaries, concordances, dictionaries, and encyclopedias.
5. CHARTS and PRINTABLES
For quick reference, feel free to print out the following charts. Add them to your notebook or your Bible for quick and easy access.
I hope you are inspired to use The W.O.R.D Method along with your Inscribe the Word Scripture Writing plan. The plan can be adapted to fit your study time and style. Bookmark or Pin this page so you have easy access to the study method.
