How to Study the Bible - Bible Study Made Simple

Today is our first deep dive in our new series called "The Old Testament Highlight Reel: Dysfunctional People and Divine Promises." We're starting at the very beginning - Genesis 1. Join Rev Rachel and Nicole as they look closely at Genesis 1 and unpack what God has for us. Download the FREE 9-Week Reading Plan! https://nicoleunice.com/oldtestament/ . RESOURCES: Sign Up for Nicole's Newsletter: ht...

Hi Friends - we are doing something a little DIFFERENT in our new series called “The Old Testament Bible Highlight Reel - Dysfunctional People and Divine Promises.”  You’ll actually hear from us TWICE a week - first, on Mondays, Rachel and I are going to read a longer passage of Scripture. Today, we're reading all of Genesis 1. We encourage you to read along with us - using the reading guide that...

This week, Nicole is answering your questions on all things prayer! We're diving into our Bibles and wrestling with what Scripture has to say about prayer. Some of the questions we cover today: How do we wait for God successfully? How do I pray for my unbelieving child? How to pray intentionally without it being a “wish list” type of prayer? RESOURCES: Sign Up for Nicole's Newsletter: https://nico...

Intercessory prayer - or praying for or on behalf of others- is one of the greatest privileges of our Christian faith. In this episode, we're making a case for praying for others by diving into a bible study on Jesus' words on prayer throughout the gospels. WHAT DOES IT SAY? Praying For The Ones Who Bother You: Matthew 5:44 43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’[q] and hate you...

Have a question about prayer that you want Nicole to answer in an upcoming episode? Send your prayer related questions to nicole@nicoleunice.com !  This week, we are looking at one of my favorite chapters of the Bible - it is so relatable! What do we do when we're disappointed in ourselves? How do we pray? Romans 7 gives us a blueprint forward. WHAT DOES IT SAY? Romans 7 BACKSTORY? Paul (who used...

The Bible has some very clear truths about what happens when we are angry and what to do about it. In this episode, we'll study what the bible has to say about anger and how we can manage our angry feelings. 1. WHAT DOES IT SAY? Psalm 4:4 (NIV) says, "In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent."  Proverbs 14:29 (NIV) says, "Whoever is patient has great un...

Let’s talk about sadness. It really does feel so bad, which is why we often ignore it. But sadness is as part of the human condition as breathing: Crying: One of the most noticeable physical reactions to sadness is crying. Tears are the body's natural response to emotional distress, and crying can help release built-up tension and provide a sense of relief. Changes in Facial Expression: Sadness of...

In this episode of How to Study the Bible, host Nicole highlights the power of God's Word to transcend cultural differences and unite people in their shared journey of faith. Nicole emphasizes the ever-evolving nature of studying the Bible, encouraging listeners to adopt a lifelong posture of growth and alignment with God's Word. She candidly discusses personal changes and challenges, especially d...

Nicole is taking time off this summer to enjoy her family and rest. In the meantime, we're re-airing one of her most popular series from the past year - enjoy! Your life is meant to change when you begin to follow Jesus. But for so many of us, that doesn’t happen. Why the disconnect? This series is all about unlocking the good life in Christ, and what it really means to be changed by him. Secrets...

Have you ever wondered how your fear overlaps with other people’s fears? I think we’d find we are far more fearful that we realize. There is healthy fear, and unhealthy fear. One of the roles of Christianity is a new way to understand what fear is and how God helps us be confident even in the most trying circumstances. Today, we’re going to look at what God has given us to fight the fear in our li...

Today, we’re going to be working through Psalm 51, and we’re going to work through it as a devotional using the Alive Method. I encourage you to get out your bible and journal as you listen. NOTE: If you missed the episode about the first secret of the good life, you can listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify !    WHAT DOES IT SAY? Notice what you notice. Write down what stands out to you – tha...

What does the good life look like, according to Jesus? We have an opportunity to be a winsome follower of Jesus. If people were to see that hope in me and ask me about it, what would I say? How would I describe what the good news of Jesus is and the true, full life he offers us? The spiritual questions of this generation are centered on personal and societal pains, and how to choose joy, purpose a...

In the episode, Nicole emphasizes the importance of celebrating as a spiritual practice and its impact on experiencing life with freedom – celebration is God’s design for human flourishing. She explains that celebrating is not just a mindset, but also a practice. We work through a Bible study on Luke 15 to see God’s heart for celebration and why it’s a practice we ought to regularly engage in. WHA...

Do you need refreshment? Do you need rest? Most people would say “yes.” We’re not talking entertainment or leisure here. We’re talking about deep, restorative rest. Join us this week as we work through a Bible study on the Sabbath, reading about how they worked out the Sabbath law in the Old and New Testaments, and learning how it was applied then, so we can look at how we can find deep, regular S...

One of the paradoxes of Jesus is that he lived a perfect life without sin and had perfect communion with his Father, yet he still needed to withdraw from ministry success and pray. This observation challenges the notion that rest and solitude are only necessary for those who are burnt out or overwhelmed. Instead, it suggests that even in the midst of busyness and productivity, intentional rest and...

One of the most fundamental beliefs of the Christian faith is that the Bible is God’s Word—and these words speak to us . The Scriptures spoke to generations before us, and will speak to generations after us until Christ returns. This is why we love to study the Scriptures inductively—taking into account the context of the text, making observations, drawing reasonable inferences, and applying these...

Jesus brings quiet and stillness that's powerful and substantive. Jesus calms storms, metaphorical and spiritual and physical ones. We need his quieting power, especially in our digital lives.   What does your everyday life look like, particularly when it comes to your digital rhythms? This week, we're inviting you right into the place where it hurts and asking the question: how much are you scrol...

Check out my free download to walk through these practices together: nicoleunice.com/spiritualpractices The right pace creates the right perspective. The right perspective is wisdom and peace. The purpose of our series: 1. Take a minute to think about the pace of your own life. What do you notice? 2. What does the way you spend your time say about what you care about the most? 3. Is there any aspe...

It can be challenging to find time for rest and relaxation. We are often consumed with work, and the busyness of life makes it hard to slow down and connect with Jesus. However, it is essential to recognize that work and rest are complementary. They are not opposing forces, but rather two sides of the same coin that draw us back to the same source. In his new book, Sacred Strides, speaker, musicia...

This week, we’re wrapping up our time in the Sermon on the Mount – a part of scripture that is rich, profound, and full of depths to plumb. In a world that can make us feel ambivalent, this is what Jesus wants us to know about following him. WHAT DOES IT SAY? Our verses this week are Matthew 7:13-14: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destructi...

In Matthew 7, Jesus speaks of not judging others, of not giving away what is holy to dogs, and of seeking and asking the Father for help. These three points, when taken together, create a powerful message about how we should live our lives. This is the passage of scripture that liberates the church from experts. It’s not too hard to interpret, but it’s challenging to truly apply and live it out. W...

Jesus consistently shows us the importance of authenticity. And not in a cheap social media way; he wants the person on the inside to match the person on the outside. He wants your prayer life, your generosity, your spiritual disciplines, everything to be consistent inside and out. In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus speaks to what is one of the most defining and important habits and...

Do you wake up anxious first thing in the morning? Does your mind race with thoughts of what you need to get done today and what you failed to do yesterday? If this is a pattern for you, we challenge you to break the morning cycle of worry with prayer! In this episode preview from Teach Us to Pray, host Christina Patterson shares what to pray in the morning for a worry-free day.   Discover More Ep...

Context: This is King Jesus’ Inaugural address. He starts with who belongs in the kingdom of God and builds on that to describe what those people are like on the outside (salt and light) and on the inside. Now, Jesus turns up the temperature – this is some of the hardest ethical teachings in world history. WHAT DOES IT SAY? “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have...

Salt and Light make everything better. Do you make every room better that you come into? Want more from Nicole? Sign up for Nicole’s free newsletter: nicoleunice.com/realtalk WHAT DOES IT SAY? Matthew 5:13-16: 13  “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14...