Coming Together Around the WORD

I believe we are beginning one of the most effective and yet simplest ministries a church can offer in making daily devotions an easy thing to do and to share with others. The apostle Paul made a point of writing the same thing to the churches at Ephesians and Colossians on this subject. "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God." (Colossians 3:16 and Ephesians 5:15-21)

The SOAP method causes us to read the scripture, observe, apply to our lives, and respond in prayer and obedience. What follows is an illustration of how I used this method with a few verses of Scripture that were part of this day's reading.


Title: Always Do the Right Thing

SCRIPTURE
Exodus 1:17, 20,21

OBSERVATION
The understanding that God is "pro-life" was inherent even before Moses was given The Law. And God honored those who "feared Him" more than what a powerful Pharaoh might do to them for disobeying him.

APPLICATION
If God made His will so clearly known to people who had so little to go on, and rewarded their obedience, how much more are we accountable for our obedience to what has clearly been revealed, and how much more should we be confident that God will reward obedience!

PRAYER
Lord, help me to seek to always know your will and faithfully do it. Amen.

I look forward to posting many SOAPs from my study of God's Word and reading posts from many of you. I have been encouraged and challenged by the posts of several from LifePoints and Freedom who have been doing this on a couple other sites for some time. God's Word is alive and powerful, and it will never fail. (That promise from Luke 21:33 also happens to be in today's reading) So there is no better investment we can make than spending time getting into God's Word so it can get into us. See you here later. :)