How to Enjoy Reading the Bible

Decide where to start. Most begin at the new testament, but if you want to read some exciting stories and learn more about human nature, start in the Old Testament. Or if you want to read some poetry and other deep writings, read Psalms, Proverbs, Isaiah, Daniel, or Songs of Solomon. Try to read parts of the Old Testament in order because the stories are in sequence. You may feel lost, if you start in the middle; if so go back a few chapters, or look for the part that you wonder about.

Imagine the story in your head. These are real stories, so it shouldn't be hard. Take your time when reading it and visualize the setting, the people, and their actions. This will turn the story from reading into a video. It would also make it easier to understand the stories.

Look up words you don't know. Don't continue your reading if you don't understand a chapter because of foreign words. Some parts would not make sense unless you know what certain words mean. Depending on your version, there may be many old English words, or it may be completely comprehensible. If you are reading the King James Version, keep a Bible dictionary or the Internet nearby.

Watch a cartoon or movie about a story. When you are done reading a book, try to find a video on it. A good anime/cartoon is "Superbook". It is about two children who get sucked into Superbook (a.k.a. the Bible) and get to see and participate in the stories of the Bible. It is very accurate, so it can help you and young people understand most of the stories more.

Go to Bible study. If your church has one, attend! Or invite a few friends over and open the book. You can read ahead of time or during Bible study, and then have discussions about the interpretation of unclear parts or analyze the characters to try to understand why they did what they did. This will make the Bible more fun to read because you get to learn more with others, and you are not alone. Even the best, heroic persons in the Bible made many and some horrifying mistakes by failing to follow the Father's principles of patience, love, forgiveness, making peace, overcoming doubts and all the odds (try checking God's word before and after conflicts).

Take notes. Keep a Bible journal nearby to record your sightings and things you learned from the books. Don't forget to write down verses you like, or highlight them so you can find them later. The Bible is your guide to life, so take those verses to heart, and use them when you feel depressed, lonely or scared.

Remember what the Bible is all about. Many just look at it as a myth, others as a religious book, but in reality, it is the word of God. There are many messages God is trying to tell you that you won't know unless you read it. Anytime learning about God should be enjoyable.