People tend to pick up the Bible verses by topic and read them like it's an encyclopedia. While there's nothing wrong in doing that, you won't get a good understanding of the Bible unless you read it for what is – the Bible, the Words of God.

You can't go on expecting to know everything about God in Chapter 1, then everything about Jesus Christ in Chapter 2, etc. Bible verses by subject wasn't written that way.

If you wish to get a better understanding of the Bible, you need to set up these ground rules:

1. First and foremost, pray to God. Ask Him for guidance as you are about to read His Words in hopes of applying the teachings to your daily life.
2. Never read the Bible in hopes of trying to prove something about your beliefs on any subject. Too many people try to do this and end up understanding nothing at all about God and Jesus Christ and His plans for us. It's human nature to take things out of context, to see what they only want to see, so beware of this pitfall when reading the Bible.
3. If you come across something you don't understand, go back and reread the portion again. If you still don't get it then write down the chapter and verse and continue reading forward. The portion might start to make more sense later on as you go on reading.
4. Refrain from reading large amounts of text in one sitting. Take regular breaks. A good rule of the thumb is to stick to four to six chapters per day.
5. This might sound crazy to some purists, but it is suggested you start with the New Testament. It is closer to how we live today compared to the Old Testament, which was intended for the Jews.
6. Forget everything you know about God, Jesus Christ and what you've heard about the Bible from other people. It is best to start reading with an open mind and a clean slate. Believe what you read in the Bible.

Follow these tips to get a better understanding of what you read in the Bible.