When we as Christians decide to read the bible, or any other book on that matter that contains doctrine, how do we approach it?

Do we forget who we are and read it like anything else? We need a basic attitude when we read the Bible.
• I’ll tell you what I do, I always pray first.That is basic, on how to do bible studies.
When it comes to other books, a very simple prayer: “Father open my eyes and mind to whatever is from you and you want me to learn and close it to whatever it is not, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”
Go ahead do it right now, I do not want anything that might be wrong to get into your mind, you are unique and have a personal relationship with God, do not let my views alter that, but also give God a chance just in case I say something right, so pray now.

If you are unfamiliar with the abbreviations used for the books of the Bible you can check the FAQ .

When it comes to the Bible itself, I also try to remember:
• I am a Christian, I don’t allow my mind to take the lead.
2Cor 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

The word of God is written in another language, with another vocabulary, a spiritual one, it is not meant to be understood by all, but we do have an interpreter.

1Cor 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned

So let us not forget that, and let us not approach the Bible like another book. It is not.

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

When we stumble upon a verse, or we do not understand, lets remember that we can see.

• I love the Book of books, don’t you?
job 23:12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

Necessary food he says not a snack. When you are hungry you eat, when you are full, it is not needed. Do I really want to know this? Do I really care? Or do I just want to feed my intellect, show off, see how much I know, fulfill my curiosity, and learn something new. Ask your self the same thing.

jer 15:16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.

Is it your need? Really, ask yourself as you open the Word to find a subject. Ask WHY, why am I pursuing this? Why do I want to learn this? Is it really my need? Do I really care? If you are hungry it does help. Why on earth should I study the garments of the levite priests, for example, if I don’t give a darn about it? If I do, however, I should ask another question.

• Do I use my brain?
pro 2:1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; 2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; 4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; 5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

What do these verses say? Use your brain. Seek, search, google it :)

ps 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Meditate he says, not scan through it, or browse it, the bible is not the web. If I really care to find out the truth I’m seeking I must stop and think. Write it down, take notes, use your brain, and don’t take anything for granted. Do not care what Rev. so and so has said, think for yourself

It doesn't matter what your tradition or your particular brand of Christianity says, use your brain.

josh 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Day and night? Sure I don’t do that, I bet you don't either. It’s ok, its good advice it gives us the right tone, the pattern of thinking, don’t take it too personally and too seriously, you’ll end up not living for God just studying about Him.

luke 2:19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

She thought about it. Do I want just a quick answer to my question and a quick fix to my problems? Do I really want an answer? That’s a tough one you know. And that brings me to the next point.

• Am I prepared to do the truth that is revealed to me?
john 7:17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

That’s really hard. It is a difficult thing to judge others that talk about God. When and if, we want to DO His will we know whether the other person is talking truth or not. When it comes to the Bible we do know already it is God’s word, but…And that’s a big but. It all boils down to this. Do I really want to do what I’ll find and what I’ll learn or I just what I want to hear it?

It brings me to the next point I try to remember

• Am I willing to obey? Am I reading so I can live for God or so that I can know
james 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

There’s a strange thing with mirrors, we see our tiniest fault in them. How many times have you had a pimple or a scratch and you thought everybody was looking at it, when you were the only one that really noticed? Our how many times have you thought how great you looked and everyone else just ignored you? If you are like me, you’ve done that many times, I bet.

That’s exactly what happens when we hear and do not. We either see our shortcoming or our fault and we don’t like it at all and we do not want to obey, so we just forget about it. Yeah, sure we do know what the verse said, but who cares… we might feel a bit guilty but life goes on, we never search for that subject again, we water it down and we go to our next Bible quest.

And of course inside ourselves we say that it did not really mean that, we did not exactly understand it, we’ll check it another time, funny isn’t it? Like we expect that He will change the Book for us next time and we will read something different, something that will agree with our view. Which reminds me of the next point.

• Do I receive it like a child?
mt 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

We all know children that are either bad or good, but no one doubts the fact that they take things for granted when mom or dad says something, the younger they are at least. Let’s see an example of the opposite in the bible and please try to see your self there too.

mr 9: 31 For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day. 32 But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.

What is so hard to understand? He said facts, things that they as good Jewish boys should have already known. Think about it a bit with me. It did not fit their idea of the messiah. It does not say they did not believe him, it says they did not understand. They were afraid to ask, exactly as we do when we don’t understand what does not fit with our doctrine or with our own unique situation. Remember, they are the same guys that wanted to be governors and heads of state. The hope of Israel was always the land and the kingdom, not a dead messiah.

I want an answer to my prayer, my way, not God’s, I have figured out the best solution to my problem, I know the answer and I go to the Word to find it, don’t I? I search for the confirmation of my thinking and suddenly ooops, God says something different. Do I accept it as a child or I go on and say “well, sorry I don’t get it” and continue until I find a verse or a commentary or a book that fits with my viewpoint? Very unfortunate but that’s what we all do most of the times and apart from that we think we’re better than those 12 that spent a few years with Jesus himself. It’s getting harder you know.

• Do I remember whose word this is?
1th 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

Oh, you mean to tell me that the Word does not always work? Were not all those old Hebrew guys that wrote it inspired by God? Well, I guess not. take it or leave it, go on, hit the browser’s back arrow if you like ;) But if you stay, think. Does an infinite God need my finite acceptance or yours? Is my understanding make it more credible or not?

• Do I accept what I read even though I don’t get it?
Rom 9:20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?

Do I disagree with God? Well, I do, many times. I do not like some things I read, some look anachronistic some just look weird. Do I say to God ‘you’re wrong’? no way. He cannot be wrong and He is not. That leaves me just one option.

• I pray, again.
ps 119:10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

Back to were I started from,that is.

Jm 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

So I end up asking the author of the Book.Prayer is the most basic attitude on how to read the Bible, after all. Do I always get an answer? No I don’t. but when I do get it, it is always the right time. It’s the time I’m willing to obey, it’s the time I really need it and it’s an answer of peace.