About Me

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Granbury, Texas, United States
I love God and His people; starting with Yvette, my wife since '77, our family, congregation, community, state, nation, and continuing around the world.

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

PRIDE IS NOT A GOOD GUIDE (S. O. A. P. Meditation)

    Last week’s Devotional sought to demonstrate how one can benefit from meditating on the Scriptures by using a simple and prayerful 4-part approach to Journaling called SOAP; which is an acrostic for Scripture, Observation, Application and Prayer.
    Beginning and ending with prayer and praying at every step, this easy discipline involves one’s own Bible, a notebook and a pen.  Once again, here is an attempt to share how this can easily work for any believer wanting to enjoy life-changing Bible reading.

    As explained earlier, in my example below of an actual meditation, I started by praying first before reading the Scriptures, which this time was PROVERBS 28.  While prayerfully reading the Chapter the second time I looked for what seemed to speak to me the most.  On this particular day, verse 26 seemed to be one that caught my attention, so I copied it word for word in my journal beside the letter S.  This then became my meditation Scripture.
    Then I read what I had written again while praying for my own words to say the same thing in another way; which was then written beside the letter O for my own Observation.
    After that, I read both the Scripture and Observation that I had written; while asking the Lord to help me see how this applies to my everyday life.  Then I began to write my personal understanding of this passage’s Application, beside the letter A.
    A few minutes later, after being challenged by my application, I began to repent and pray for more understanding and my obedience.  Then I wrote a summary of my Prayer beside the letter P.
    In the following is what was actually written during my Journaling that day. Giving each Journal page a title, helps me to remember its truth.

S - He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered.      
PROVERBS 28:26
O - Trusting in ourselves sets us up for failure, because doing so can prevent our pursuing
        the wisdom we need from others. 

A -  Just because I think I see things as they really are, should not stop me from seeking the  
         perceptions of people who may have different viewpoints than mine.  Making this my life's
        practice will prevent disasters of many kinds.  Seeing from my own perspective only - no
       matter how good I think it is - as a great resource for guidance will risk exposing myself and
       those  who trust me to all sorts of danger.   

PFather, Forgive me for being prideful.  Help me be quick to remember there is much to learn  
        in many situations.  Remind me to ask questions at every opportunity and always seek You at 
        every juncture.  In Jesus' Name,  Amen!                                                                ..

So there it is, an example of how simple this kind of Journaling can be when coupled with prayer.  It is amazing how the truth we meditate upon will change our lives.                                                             ..

JAMES 1:5.                    If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.