Curt Daniel's "Helpful Hints on Reading the Bible" (Part 7)

Here is the seventh installment of Pastor Daniel's helpful hints on reading the Bible:

7. TAKE NOTES WHILE READING THE BIBLE.

"We retain more if we read something than if we merely hear it, but we retain most if we write it down. Hence, taking notes on the Bible is one of the most profitable ways of studying it. This can be done in personal study, hearing a sermon, attending a Bible study, in Sunday School, listening to a tape or the radio, and so on. Though a few preachers do not like their listeners taking notes, most encourage the practice. What does one write down? You can write down an exact quote, a new idea, a story, the meaning of a word in the original language, or any other useful piece of information. It can be especially good to write down your very own thoughts. Some Christians write their notes in a notebook and save them for future reference. In effect this becomes their own Bible commentary. Others keep a spiritual journal in their private devotions. These can be very rewarding to read later on. Wouldn't it be interesting to read what you were thinking shortly after you became a Christian when the Bible was so brand new to you? Or, you can take notes directly in your Bible itself. Some Christians say we should not write in our Bible because it shows disrespect. That is half true. We should not doodle or write jokes in our Bibles. But there is nothing wrong with recording your reverent and personal thoughts on a passage while you read it. Some Bibles are printed with extra wide margins for this purpose. Underlining a key verse can be useful, especially if you think you'll want to refer to it later on (such as in memorizing key verses). Some Christians underline with different colors. A well-marked Bible usually indicates hours of study. One Christian not only filled all margins and blank pages with notes, but went back and wrote additional notes across them at a different angle in a different color ink. Ever read someone else's Bible notes?