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Front Sliding on SOAPy ROADs

And God permitting, we will do so. Heb 6:3 



We've now moved to Syracuse and I'm coming to the end of the time where I could reasonably claim hiatus. I'm always at my best, most Christian self, when I am daily getting Godly input and putting into practice those things that I hear and see. And so now, by faith and prayer, it is time to get back into the swing of things. As I sat and thought about what has worked and not worked as far as a morning routine, I think that a missing element was the "connected" part. What I mean is that I spent so much time being clever with my writing that I somehow didn't connect the Gospel to my day in a way that was meaty and life-changing. So I began simply just listening to the Bible on audio, but there the issue became that I didn't have a concretized experience through reflection and writing. I pray that Syracuse is the place for the integration of a lot of things. Marriage, fatherhood, work, family, and, yes, the grounding Center for it all, my faith in Jesus. 

Honestly, I'm in need of a stretch of my faith because I'm at a place where it has become more fictional than mythical. When I'm sitting in Church and thinking to myself, "who can believe this stuff?", it's time to dig deeper and to enter in. In pursuit of entry, I am recalling a few methods of Bible study which may prove fruitful. 

1st is one that came from our small group with PJ and Haley called ROAD: Read, Observe, Apply, Depend. Jamin had dug this up from his Christian travels somewhere and it's a goodie. The next, from Memphis Tabernacle's Pastor David, is SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer. This one seems to have a lot more supporting web content. Both methods are basically the same thing, the ROAD method having the advantage, perhaps, in making a clear plan for dependence. However, dependence is implied in prayer, and the SOAP method seems to line nicely to devotional writing. As they are both a part of my Christian journey, and no decision needs to be made today, I will try both and see where it leads. 

A quick search on methods also turned up the Sword Method, which I like. It's very clear in it's delineation from God to Action. 

What do I learn about God?

What do I learn about People?

What does God want me to Do?


Lord's Prayer - Different Versions

The Message 
Our Father in heaven, 
Reveal who you are. 
Set the world right; 
Do what’s best— as above, so below. 
Keep us alive with three square meals. 
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others. 
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil. 
You’re in charge! 
You can do anything you want! 
You’re ablaze in beauty! 
Yes. Yes. Yes.

NIV
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,[a]
    but deliver us from the evil one.
14 For yours is the Kingdom 
and the Power and the Glory, forever. Amen.


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