We want you to BE DEVOTED to Jesus Christ. Being devoted to Jesus is a life-long journey and we are committed to helping you along the way. Devotion to Jesus comes through devotion to the Bible, which is His Word written to you personally. We encourage you to use the SOAP personal daily devotional process. SOAP is an acronym: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer. While doing this, write your thoughts down in a journal. Journaling is an excellent way to record and process what God has spoken to us. Without writing our experiences down, you may forget those blessings and some very important lessons!
S-Scripture
Write down the Bible passage you’ll be studying.
This can be one verse or several. I’ve found that writing helps me focus on each word individually and on the passage as a whole. It also helps me soak it in and meditate on it.
(And for those who have short attention spans this really helps hone our focus on the task of studying Scripture instead of looking at the cobwebs in our kitchen.)
O-Observation
Examine the text and write down what you notice.
-
What jumps out to you in the passage?
-
Who is it written by? Who is it written to?
-
What’s one thing you didn’t notice before?
-
What seems interesting or unusual?
-
What comes before and after the text?
-
Is there repetition, comparison, or contrast?
These observations may start with the obvious (i.e., Jesus spent time with his disciples), but will gradually become deeper.
A-Application
Apply God’s Word to your life in a practical way.
This is the part where you personalize your study of Scripture. As you read over the text, how does it apply to you? Is there a specific action you need to take or a confession you need to make?
If it’s an action, try to make it SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound.
P-Prayer
Respond to God’s Word with your own words.
Accumulating head knowledge about God is of little use; it’s heart transformation He’s after, and that’s only possible through the work of the Holy Spirit.
Pray that the seed (the Scripture you just studied) falls on good soil in your heart, so that it will take root and produce fruit. Praise God for His attributes revealed in the passage. Confess any sin that has come to light during this time of studying.
Thank Him for His Word and His care. And ask the Holy Spirit to continue growing you into a disciple of Jesus.
