THE DEVOTIONAL METHOD OF BIBLE STUDY

The Devotional Method of Bible Study involves taking a passage of the Bible, large or
small, and prayerfully meditating on it until the Holy Spirit shows you a way to apply its truth to
your own life in a way that is personal, practical, possible, and measurable.

Four Steps

STEP ONE: Pray for Insight on how to apply the passage. Ask God to help you apply the
Scripture you are studying and show you specifically what he wants you to do. Tell God
that you are ready to obey what He will show you and that you are willing to share that
application with others.
STEP TWO: Meditate on the verse(s) you’ve chosen to study. Meditation is essentially
thought digestion. You take a thought god gives you, put it in your mind and think on it
over and over again.

Practical ways to meditate:

1. Visualize the scene of the narrative in your mind. (e.g.John 4)

2. Identify yourself with the writer. (e.g. Paul in prison writing Philippians) (2 Tim 4:7)
3. Emphasize words in the passage. (Phil. 4:13) Read through the passage aloud several
times.
4. Paraphrase the passage under study.
5. Personalize the passage you are studying.
6. Use the SPACEPETS acrostics. Is there any…

Sin to confess?
Promise to claim?
Attitude to change?
Command to Obey?
Example to follow?
Prayer to Pray?
Error to avoid?
Truth to Believe
Something to praise God for?

7. Pray the verse or passage back to God. (Ps. 23)

STEP THREE: Write out an application

Your application should be PERSONAL, PRACTICAL, POSSIBLE,
PROVABLE

STEP FOUR: Memorize a key verse from your study.