Detailed Example of How to Use the S.O.A.P. Method When You're Studying the Bible

In today's episode, I'm giving you a detailed example of how to use the S.O.A.P.  Bible Study Method. 

Below, you'll find the transcript that has the steps in bold to help you go along and practice this on your own. 

 

Denea (00:01)
Hello, hello, it's Denea, host of the Faith-Filled Mom podcast. Thank you so much for listening. Thank you for being here. Real quick, I just wanted to say, it is such a gift, a privilege, an honor that God meets you and I where exactly where we are. He did this with us when we first met him.

If you think back to your journey of the first time you really prayed or the first time that you had this idea of God saving you, right? That just that idea felt personal to you. Think back to that moment. God met you exactly where you were. He didn't expect you to become perfect in that moment, right? He knew that over

Over time, the sanctification process was going to happen with you and I, and that is such a privilege that you and I received that. And I also want to say it's a gift for us to give it to ourselves and other people. Mama, wherever you are, whatever you find yourself doing today, I hope you know that it is a gift to meet yourself exactly where you are right now. Maybe there are 50 million things that you want to accomplish today, but the capacity is just not there. Meet yourself where you are. Be kind to yourself, knowing that today, yes, you try, but today you don't have to be perfect. And give that gift. See if there's anyone around you. Ask God to lead you in giving that gift to someone else around you.

Like I said, thank you so much for being here. I am so excited about today's episode, but I feel like I say that about every episode. think this season of the podcast, I mean, I've been excited every single episode that I have recorded. I've been excited, but I think this season I'm really tapping into Bible teaching. Bible teaching is something that was in within the past year. I think I've had an awareness, that I was really passionate about. Like I wasn't able to articulate it before, but within the past year I was like, I really like this. And so this season of the podcast, have really been praying and I've been trying to be obedient and I've been trying to be bold and I've been trying to be brave because I definitely do not do this in my own strength. I don't prepare these episodes in my own strength. It's just something that I am passionate about.

And today, we are going to use the soap method in real time. Now I say in real time, this is not live. You are listening to this after I've recorded it, but I'm going to walk you through how to do that and here's why. I have talked about the soap method before. I've even kind of like given examples, but not to the extent of looking at the text in its original language and then connecting that to how we can apply scripture because that's how you and I get context out of the Bible. When you and I search the scriptures and when you and I also search the internet and looking at and all of these tools that we have and trying to get to that original language and trying to understand what the author of the text meant and when we understand that and kind of connect it to how we can apply it to everyday life that's how you and I get context out of scripture.

We don't really get context reading one scripture face value and trying to connect it to how we can apply it. Can it be helpful? Absolutely. Read your word.

Right? Like it can absolutely be helpful. I'm not saying that just reading the Bible at face value is not helpful. That is absolutely what I'm not saying. What I am saying is if we want to go deeper as far as getting context and meaning behind the original way what was written was intended and then apply that, to how we can apply it to our everyday lives and connect that to how we can apply it to everyday lives, that is how you and I go deeper. So I'm gonna do that today. We're gonna do that today. I'm going to write this out or type it out step by step.

So if you are not able to do this with me right now, that's perfectly fine. Girl, come back later. That's fine. It'll be typed for you right now. Just listen and do whatever you are. That is so fine. I'm gonna pray this in real quick. Father, thank you that you left us with your word. This book, Father, is alive and it's active and you breathed on these words, Father. Thank you that we, one way that we can know you, one way that we can learn more about your character, one way that we can learn more about our identity is studying the Bible.

Holy Spirit, we invite you right now. We want you to know that this is an atmosphere, our hearts, our minds, our spirits. We are open to you doing the work within us while we are studying. Help us to recall scripture. Help us when we don't understand what we're reading, help us to go back.

to you, to God, to Jesus, knowing that you give us deeper understanding. You can help us when we feel stuck in studying the Bible, you are here and we invite you in. We love you, Father, in Jesus' name, amen. Okay, so tip, whenever you are reading or using a Bible teaching method, which the SOAP method is a, excuse me, Bible,

studying method whenever you are using a Bible studying method for the first time. Or I think even when you're like still kind of getting the hang of it, I think it is a really great practice to use it on a scripture that you have heard before that you have read before that you are familiar with in some in some kind of way. So today we are going to do that with Psalms 23 one.

Y'all know that is is my one of my favorite groups of scripture. I have talked about this before. So if you've listened to previous seasons or previous episodes, you've probably heard me talk about Psalm 23, maybe not verse one, but maybe another verse in Psalm 23. So that is what we are going to do today.

I had to get a sip of my matcha. I do apologize. All right, Psalm 23, one and no. I'm sorry. Let me review what the soap method is in case you have not seen that before or heard before. Okay, so the soap method, it is a Bible study method. I personally, this is just my personal opinion here. So do with that what you will.

I think this particular study method is great for people who need a little guidance in studying, but who also need a little bit of freedom and creativity when they study. I'll just name some other methods. The word study method.

That particular one, I think it is great if you love doing historical deep dives. There are a lot of different ways and methods to using that one. Verse mapping, that is great if you have a lot of, I feel like, and ability to focus and a lot of creativity. Soap, the soap method, it just works well for me.

I've talked about it before. I've posted about it before. have ADHD. I am also autistic. So when it comes to focusing, I'm challenged by that, but I do, I need a little bit of freedom when I study. I need some guidance, right? I need some structure, but I also need a little bit of freedom. So the SOAP method, just works for me. It stands for, each letter is an acronym, stands for a word. Scripture.

observation, application, and pray. When you look this up, you might see scripture observation, apply, praying, some variation, that's what it stands for. So that's what we're gonna work through today.

So S, we're gonna start with that scripture. And this is when we are going to read the scripture or write it out. So, the Lord is my shepherd. I have all that I need. And I am reading from the NLT. That's the translation anyway that I'm using. The Lord is my shepherd. I have all that I need. And when you're at this stage, the S, we are not looking for anything right away. We are just simply reading the scripture. We're simply writing the scripture. Oh.

And it's also important to say I'm moving right along with these. But in your private study time, do with your time as you wish, whatever works for you. If you just also think that that S stage is also really good to just kind of like meditate on a scripture. So if you want to sit on that scripture, sit on that stage for just a little bit longer, that step.

Absolutely feel that freedom to do that. I'm just moving right along with these. So S, saying it, reading it, writing it, the Lord is my shepherd. I have all that I need. observation. So with O, we are, and this is kind of where the creativity comes into play. So we're observing anything that catches our attention. Now I will tell you what catches my attention.

There is a good chance that there's something else that catches your attention. Also, there can be multiple things that catch your attention. For the sake of just recording and podcasting, I'm only going to be going over one thing that catches my attention. And that is the Lord. That grouping, that word, those two words. I absolutely love that David says that because

To me, it puts emphasis right on like, who is the shepherd? Like, why is it that David can say that he has all that he needs? because the Lord is his shepherd. That's why, right? It doesn't say like, my brother is my shepherd. I have all that I need. My friend is my shepherd. I have all that I need. It says, the Lord is my shepherd. I have all that I need. So that kind of stuck out to me when you're observing.

Maybe you notice that words are repeated in a scripture. Maybe you notice all of the adjectives or the adverbs in a scripture. Maybe you notice that the tense changes. Maybe the writer goes from present to past tense. Whatever catches your attention, that you just make a note of it. You can circle it, just make a note of it. So that's what catches my attention.

Now, the application step. So you're gonna look at whatever you observed, whatever caught your attention. And this is where you get to do a little bit of a deep dive, which I love. Okay, so the Lord, I wanted to see, remember, we're trying to get back to that original language, that it was written in, because the original language, is going to help us understand what the writer David what he meant how he meant it Before it was translated into you know other versions of the Bible still the scriptures, but just translated differently, The Lord translates to I'm probably going to pronounce some of these wrong. So please bear with me Adonai Roi, which means the Lord My Shepherd. And the interesting thing that I thought was that the root word of RoI is rahah, which means watches over their flock, connecting the idea of seeing with care and protection.

Just think about that, y'all. How amazing is that? Put that in the context of who our God is. We know that throughout the Bible, we are described as his sheep, right? We know that in previous verses, or excuse me, we know that in other verses of the Bible, you and I are referred to as his sheep. How beautiful is it that our God, your God, watches over his flock, that's you, connecting the idea of seeing with care and protection how he nurtures you. I think that is just so beautiful.

Now, when we talk about the application step, how can we apply this, right, to like, live it out to our everyday lives? One thing I wanted to see was how many times and in what ways Adonai Roy appeared in scripture? Whenever you're studying scripture, it is a great practice if you can, right? If time permits, because we all know life be life and kids be kids and we all know grocery runs be grocery running. Like we all know how this works, right? So please. by all means, you know, I'm sitting here and I'm giving you tips, but know that in one Bible study session, you don't have to go through all of these tips if you don't have the time for it, or you can maybe do some of it and then have a part two. Have a part two. That is completely fine. So one thing that I wanted to see was how many times and in what ways Adonai Roy appeared in scripture. And you can Google this or you can use apps like the Blue Letter app. No, Blue Letter Bible app. There you go. It's really, really helpful for Bible occurrences and it's really helpful for getting the original language as well.

And so in looking at that, I noticed that there is a theme. This is God's Character like it is his character to nurture us as his sheep I noticed that with these Bible occurrences it is God's Character to oversee us it is his character to notice us We are not unseen by God. It is his character to see us to protect us to guide us.

That is who our God is. We are his sheep. He is our good shepherd. And I gathered from that that God wants to provide and tend for us. I'm going to make that personal. wants to provide and tend to you. God wants to provide and tend for me. You are cared for. God oversees your life, not just you, but all of the aspects of your life. And I also gathered that I am not in control. Now, I will be honest here because I am human. I want to be in control all of the time. do. I do. I am not one of those people who go with the flow.

I can't if you tell me what time we are starting to go with the flow and then I need to know how long we're going to be going with the flow. And then I need to know are there going to be snacks? I need to know if we're going to have water and I need to know then what time are we going to stop going with the flow so that I can get back to whatever I need to do. I want to be in control. But the thing is I'm human and as much as I want to think that I am good at being in control, I'm really not. Like there have been so many times where something has maybe worked out in another way and I was like, huh, well yeah, that tracks actually. Like that's actually better than I had imagined, right? It's not like that every time. That certainly is not the case. We live in a broken and fallen world, but I can admit there are certain things that work out and I'm like, oh, well.

Good thing I am not running this show because that is not what I had in mind, right? Like we are not good. We were not created to be in control because that is a very, very heavy God-like burden. That is a heavy God-like burden that you and I are not supposed to carry. God never wanted us to carry that. So we don't. So we're not always in control. That's a good thing. That's good news. It's greater news that God is the one.

Our good shepherd is the one who's in control. And then we pray. Holy Spirit, thank you.

for connecting us, always pointing us back to God. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for always pointing us back to Jesus and reminding us and showing us and revealing to us who God is and his character. We thank you, God, that you are our good shepherd, that you nurture us, that you see us. it's good to be seen by other people, Father, but there is something that is so...magnificent and Holy about you being the one who sees us. Thank you for nurturing us, for protecting us, for guiding us, for overseeing our lives. Thank you Father for controlling our lives. You're the one who's in control. You have given us will, but you are the one Father who is in control. We don't always understand it, but we are thankful Father that you are the one.

Who knows all?

We ask Holy Spirit that even after we have studied the scripture, keep revealing to us things about God's character. Even after this time has passed, keep revealing to us and help us to be sensitive to your voice. In Jesus name, amen. All right, mama, to recap, the SOAP method, scripture, observation, apply, pray. We're going to read the scripture. We're going to write the scripture.

We're going to say the scripture. we're going to observe, we're going to apply, and that application step, we're gonna look to see how the writer, what they might have written in the original text, whatever we observed. We want to know what did that look like in the original language. And then if you have the time, look and see how whatever you observed.

How does that occur in other places of the Bible? Is there a theme here? Does it reveal something about God? Does it reveal something about Jesus? Does it reveal something about God's redemption plan? Does it reveal something about our identity? And then think to how you can apply that in your everyday life and pray. I always think it's a good practice to pray before and afterwards. That is not in the acronym, but I do think that's a good practice.

I also want to say if you get stuck on any of these steps, do not give up. Don't stop studying. This happens. If you get stuck on a step, go to the next one. If that doesn't work out, I think it's a good practice to just stop and meditate on that scripture. What does that mean? That meditate? I think it means different things to different people. But I think if you get stuck on a scripture or, you know, in this Bible study method, if you get stuck on a step or a phase, just think about the scripture. You can repeat it over and over to yourself. You can look at it. You can just keep reading it over to yourself. You can pray and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal something to you.

He'll do it then or later. But don't think that you have failed by any means. Studying the Bible is a life long journey. We don't just study the Bible and then boop, we're done. We've read the whole Bible up, we're, no. Even if you've read something 50 times, you might go back and read it 51 and see something that you've never seen before.

That is because the Bible is real. That is because the Bible is alive and it's active. And that is because studying the Bible is a lifelong journey. Don't give up. Share this podcast with someone, someone who's trying to maybe get more context out of the scriptures, someone who maybe wants to start studying the Bible, but doesn't really know how, what that looks like, or someone who just needs some encouragement. Thank you so much for listening.

Talk to you next time. I love you. Bye.

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