Journaling Through the Bible
Journaling through the Bible is a transformative spiritual habit. It allows you to know more of what God is like through intentional study and reflection on His word. The SOAP method is a strategy that is helpful in developing this practice and growing in your relationship with Christ.
Here are the steps:
SCRIPTURE
First, begin with reading the scripture. Ask the Spirit to point out one specific thing during your time in the Word that He wants you to pay attention to. Write this down.
OBSERVATION
Next, study the passage. In this section the goal is to dig, think, and meditate. You don’t need to answer a set list of question, but here are some examples of questions to consider: What is the context of the passage? What is the genre? What stands out to me most? What am I noticing in this passage for the first time? How is this connected to other passages in the Bible?
APPLICATION
Next, answer the question, “how does this apply to my life?” The goal is to translate what you’re reading into action, and the more specific you make it, the better. For instance, “today I’m going to do the dishes after dinner” is a better next step than, “I should love my wife more.”
PRAYER
Lastly, write out a prayer based on what you’ve read and written. This will help focus your prayers and give you things to pray about that you might not normally think of. If there is extra time, you can pray through other issues as well. But don’t skip this step of writing a prayer based on what you’ve studied. We need the Holy Spirit to apply His Word to our lives.
EXAMPLES: From Pastor Jared
Some tips:
Mark (circle, underline, box, etc.) words or phrases that are repeated throughout the text.
Cross reference concepts, ideas, or phrases that you find within the book of the Bible you are studying.
Cross reference concepts, ideas, or phrases you have read in other books of the Bible.
Print out these instructions to keep in your journal or Bible and refer back to as you get used to using the SOAP method.
The journal used in the examples above is an ESV Scripture Journal of Ephesians. Below are links to purchase scripture journals for some other books of the Bible if this resource would be helpful to you!
Old Testament:
Genesis Psalms Proverbs Isaiah
New Testament:
Gospel of Matthew Gospel of Mark Gospel of Luke Gospel of John
Romans Philippians Galatians 1-3 John
Complete Sets:
We pray that this resource helps you grow closer to Christ. Send us an email, and let us know if this is helpful to you! We would love to hear what God is doing in your life.