Daily Time with God

Like any close relationship, a growing relationship with God requires our time. Traditionally, daily time with God has been called devotional time, and this really is a beautiful picture of what time with God can be. As we come to God each day our ultimate focus is not intense Bible study or an intellectual exercise. It is about devotion to God – our relationship with him and our love for him. The Bible is crucial to this, as it is God’s
revelation of Himself, His story and His heart to us which means it helps us grow in intimacy with God. It has been said that Bible study is the wood that allows the fire of worship to grow and burn bright.

There are many models for reading and understanding the Word of God and different people connect with different models. Throughout this book we will be using the SOAPS model which focuses on Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer, and Share. This model is useful whether you have lots of prior knowledge of the Bible or none, and is very helpful for connecting Biblical truths to daily life. We hope it will be great
for you!

The Bible Passages

Each day we will be reading a chapter of the Bible. Before coming to scripture, invite the Holy Spirit to come and help open you heart to understand the passage. Jesus said, ‘When
the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.’ (John 16:13).

Note – As you’re reading, if there are things that you don’t understand or that are confusing to you, try not to worry about it too much! There are scholars who have been studying the Bible for most of their lives who are still discovering new things about the Bible. Don’t expect yourself to understand everything right now. Remember, the Holy Spirit is with you, and He will show you what God is wanting to teach you today. If there are things you have read that you really want to understand better, try talking to a friend or leader who might know more about the passage than you, or have a look for a resource that addresses this passage or concept.

SOAPS Model of Study

Scripture
You have just read a whole chapter of the Bible! Go you! It’s powerful, life changing, Spirit breathed stuff. Now, you want to take something away from this passage and apply it to your life. Start by choosing a verse or a couple of verses within this passage that really stood out to you and write them down. This helps you focus and think about the verse more deeply.

Observation
After you have written the verse down, observe this verse to gain understanding of it for yourself. God doesn’t just reveal Biblical truths to scholars in dusty libraries, his Holy Spirit will help you understand his Word for yourself! What is this verse saying and what does it mean? How do the words used (eg. verbs, symbols, repetitions, patterns, lists) shape the meaning of this verse? What are the implications of this verse? Consider the surrounding context of the verse in the passage you have just read to help you understand. In the next step you will consider how this passage applies to you specifically, but for now, consider what timeless truths God placed in this passage for generations of believers to see.

Application
In this step you apply the scripture directly to you and your life. God may have written the Bible to be read by billions of people, but he wants to speak to you directly through His Word! This is your chance to write down specifically what you feel he is saying to you and how you can apply this in your life. Consider if this is something you can apply in your daily routines (eg. have a thankful heart) or if this is something you feel prompted to do something specific about (eg. call a friend to encourage them).

Prayer
This is really an extension of your application! You take what God has spoken to you and turn it into a prayer and thanksgiving. You can ask God to help you believe these truths deep in your heart and to apply them in your life. If there are things you have found
confusing or confronting, take them to God too. As we read the Bible we discover more of who God is and what he is like which helps us grow in intimacy with him. In prayer we get a chance to turn the fuel of what you just read into the fire of worship and thanksgiving for God.

Mondays

1st Monday of the Month Share Focus
2nd Monday of the Month Persecuted Church
3rd Monday of the Month Church Vision and Value
4th/5th Monday of the Month Prayers for your family and extended family and personal needs

Tuesdays

Prayer for the Illawarra, Australia and the World

Wednesdays

Prayers for your Oikos Map

Thursdays

Prayer for all churches & the persecuted church using the monthly focus

Fridays

Prayers for those in leadership and those with authority

Share
Share is all about loving our neighbour as ourself and being available to share the good news of Jesus as we interact with people throughout the week. Each month in the daily devotion we are challenged to seek God for opportunities to share the love of Jesus with others. There is joy in seeing God use us to bless others. Small seeds planted in people’s hearts lead to harvest and maturing faith in the future. Sometimes we get to be the one who sees the harvest. We hope you enjoy the monthly challenges!

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labour. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
1 Corinthians 3: 7-9