Using S.O.A.P for simple, easy-to-do Bible Journaling

Last week, we were introduced to a method of daily bible study to help us renew our minds, taking out the rubbish thoughts that prevent us from receiving God's best, and replacing them with God's thoughts in the Bible. We learnt that 'As a Man thinks in his heart, so he is." (Proverbs 23:7). Let's take time everyday to mediate on God's Word.

Here's a good way to do it: Bible Journaling.
Choose a time of the day that you feel your best, and mark out that time, everyday for your bible reading. 10-20minutes. It is important to decide now and arrange your day around it, not the other way round. Buy a notebook you like. Start everyday on a fresh page and use the following to journal your reflections:


S = Scripture
Read the Scripture or a passage of Scripture. Write it
down in your journal. Or, when reading large passages,
write down the “gem” passage, the one that seem to jump
out at you.


O = Observation
How would I explain the Scripture if I was teaching it to
someone else? Write it in your own words. Check out
any Scripture references and read them and write them
in your own words.


A = Application
What does it mean to me? Meditate on the Scripture.
Say it out loud. Apply whatever method helps you to
understand what it means to you and how it applies to
your life today.


P = Prayer
Pray for God to give you understanding of how He
wants to use this Scripture in your heart and life. Ask
Him to help you to hear and understand His Holy Word.
Pause and listen!!! Ask Him to give you direction for the
day, for the week, for your life. “Speak Lord! Your
servant is listening!”


In summery, during your bible reading time, read a passage of scripture and highlight a verse or phrase the Lord impresses on you as a personal word to be applied. Next make an observation about it, write a paragraph of application to your own life, and then finish by writing a prayer, asking God for strength and wisdom to live according to what you've just experience.

The goal is to see a change taking place, renewing our minds with the words of God so that we become fertile in our hearts like a tress growing and bearing fruit. It is a daily-feeding programme consistent with a relentless pursuing of God, inspired by this promise, "You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart." Jer 29:13

Here's a Sample:

Date: 16/02/08

Scripture
"May my meditation be pleasing to Him as I rejoice in the Lord" Ps 104:34


Observations
God cares about what I think not just what I do. He is pleased or displeased by what I think about. He knows and hears my thoughts. Sometimes I think that just because others can't hear them, God can't also. This verse seem to say that if I make God the source of my joy, I will think thoughts that are pleasing to Him.


Application
I want to think about what I think about. I will choose the thoughts I allow to stew in my mind. I will stop when i drift into thoughts that are impure or negative. I want my thoughts to be full of Faith, hope, optimism and love so that it will please Jesus.


Prayer
Lord Jesus, from this day, help me to guard my thoughts. Extent the gift of self-control to the realm of my thinking. May even what I think about please you. Amen.



God Bless,
Amplify Ministry