HOW TO JOURNAL

PURPOSE OF JOURNALING: To know God, not just to get sermon notes or ideas to share in connect group but allowing God to speak into your life in a very personal way so that He can bring change into your life the way He desires.  S.O.A.P. is good acronym to remember so it can help you journal.

Scripture

Find a Bible verse or passage to read.

Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you from His living words, to teach you and reveal Jesus to you.

Believe that He will and EXPECT Him to speak to you.  Expect God to speak – words of encouragement, direction and correction (2 Tim 3:16)

Click here to see this month’s Journaling Schedule

Observation

 ‘Look-out’ expectantly for what He is going to say

Read with an open heart, underline anything the Lord impresses on you as a personal word to be applied.  It helps to look for the Who, What, When, Where and How in the story/ passage.

Ask yourselves these questions:

  • Is there an example for me to follow?
  • Is there a warning for me?
  • Is there anything new I can learn about God the Father, or the Holy Spirit or the Lord Jesus Christ?
  • Is there a sign mentioned here that I must confess and repent of in my own life in order to live the holy life that God has commanded?
  • Is there a promise in this passage from which I can find comfort and help?
  • Is there a biblical pattern in which God is reminding me of?

 Application

WRITE IT DOWN

Write down in your journal all the things that God tells you from His Word.  This is a sure way to help you remember it and also helps make things clear in your mind.  It will take longer but it is well worth the effort. “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Write down for the record everything I have said to you, Jeremiah.” Jeremiah 30:2.

 Prayer then pass it on

Pray over the words you have just received from God and put into practice what you have heard from God.

Unless it is very personal, pass on what you have just learnt from God.  Share with your connect group or through whatsapp chat or even by emailing a friend.  You may find that it will be more precious and real to you when you share it and it could even bring encouragement into someone else’s life as well.