Counsel: Finding Meaning in Scripture – SPEAK
Recently, I gave a great tool for personal Bible study using the “Bible Study and Application Format” worksheet. It’s a simple exercise using 2 Timothy 3:16-17 as a pattern for looking at Scripture. To sum up, you take a passage of Scripture and do four things with it. First, record what the passage is teaching. Secondly, examine self to see how you might be failing to live according to the standard of it. Thirdly, identify the correction in which you need to get back on track with Scripture. And fourthly, outline a plan of action to put the correction into real living.
Sometimes it’s difficult for people to determine what the principles are. This tool is designed to help you. It’s an acrostic – SPEAK. Each of the letters represents a word that will help you determine what the principles are from the passage.
S – Sin to confess or avoid
P – Promise to claim
E – Error to avoid/example to follow
A – Action to take/attitude to change
K – Knowledge of God to apply or praise
By using each of the letters, you can more easily identify principles from the Word. As you can see, the acrostic also is great for identifying the “reproof” and the “correction” aspect of the Bible Study and Application Format worksheet.
Use this on several passages and you’ll gain tremendous confidence in making observations and applications from God’s Word. AND you’ll be doing your own personal study, which will stick with you a much greater time than if someone just spoon-fed you. Happy studying!
Just in case you needed the questions from the four columns of the Bible Study and Application Format Worksheet, they are below:
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Teaching– What is the commandment or principle?
Reproof– How have I failed to live by it?
Correction– What do I need to do?
Training in Righteousness-What is my specific plan- how will I do it?
Shepherding Truth 