SOAP Devotions
PRAYER IS THE KEY
A STATE OF PREPAREDNESS - written by Ps Kev
SCRIPTURE Colossians 4:5-6 “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” (NIV)
OBSERVATION The Holy Spirit, through Paul, has instructed us to devote ourselves to prayer so that God might open up doors for us to share the message of Christ working within us. Paul gives us practical advice on how to do this: 1) be wise in the way you act towards others. 2) make the most of every opportunity. 3) make the most of every conversation and let it be full of grace.
APPLICATION I must continue to develop a lifestyle of prayer so my heavenly Father can keep me in a state of preparedness, which will allow me to be wise in my actions towards others, to make the most of every opportunity and to make the most of every conversation, filling them with grace and seasoning them with salt; just as Paul instructed. Without devoting myself to prayer and being in a state of preparedness, I will struggle to engage with those who are in my world and on the rhythms and routines of my life, resulting in missed opportunities to share the light of Jesus.
PRAYER Father, allow me to continue developing my lifestyle of prayer with you so that I can be ready at all times to engage with those in my world, to be wise in my actions, to make the most of every opportunity and to bring grace and salt into my conversations. Amen.
WALKING IN GOD’S WISDOM - written by Anita Rossow
SCRIPTURE Colossians 4:5-6 “Walk in the wisdom of God as you live before the unbelievers, and make it your duty to make him known. Let every word you speak be drenched with grace and tempered with truth and clarity. For then you will be prepared to give a respectful answer to anyone who asks about your faith.” (TPT)
OBSERVATION Paul wrote this letter whilst in a prison cell when hope was absent in his environment. No matter where you live or what your circumstances are, when you know Jesus, there is a burning hope inside your soul that does more than just carry you through, it releases the heavenly Christ within.
APPLICATION Verse 2 talks about living a life of prayer- when we do this it means that we need to be persistent and devoted in prayer with an attitude of thanksgiving. Prayer is the key to my ability to walk in the wisdom of God. When I walk in God’s wisdom my conversations are different and I have the ability to show grace and speak with truth. When unbelievers look at me they should be able to see Jesus because of my love for people. This has challenged me this week. How am I loving others? I can do this when my speech is drenched with grace, tempered with truth and clarity. When I love others, I demonstrate God’s love and those who don’t yet know Him can see Him through me. This is my daily challenge as a disciple of Jesus. How much love am I showing others?
PRAYER Lord I pray that people will always know that I am a follower of Jesus because of how I love others.
At OurChurch, we follow the Life Journal Reading Plan and use the SOAP journaling method - Scripture, Observation, Application and Prayer.
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