S.O.A.P.

I wanted to share a great way to study our Bible that is simple but so effective.  It is what I do now and have used over the past several years.  I love it because you really only need your Bible and a notebook. 

Chose a book or chapter to study and break it up into small sections - only 1-4 verses at a time.  

S - Scripture
--Write out the scripture for the day.  Right now I am studying Colossians through Good Morning Girls and wrote out verses 5-8 of chapter one on Tuesday morning.  By writing out the verses it helps you focus on them more and also, by the time you finish your study, you will have written out an entire book! 

O - Observations
-- Write down one or two observations from the reading. I look for simple things that the author points out through the verses.  

A - Application
--This is where the rubber meets the road.  How does it apply to you! I like to look at my observations, since I obviously thought they were important, and then turn those into applications for my life, today. 

P - Prayer
--Take time to pray and ask God to help you, lead you, and guide you through those applications that you wrote down.  It is suggested that you write down your prayer . . I don't always write it down because sometimes prayers are a private matter between just God and I. 

Personally, I usually keep one other book with my study materials and that is J. Vernon McGee Study Book that pertains to the Book of the Bible I'm reading.  If I get stumped or just need some inspiration, I will read the section from his sermons that apply to what I'm reading.  It's a great way to get another view on the passage. 

If you are looking for an a simple but effective way to study your Bible - try this method, you may find it is the perfect way to study for you! This is also a great way to get older elementary students and above studying their Bible.