One Approach to Hearing From God - SOAP

Years ago I was sharing with my brother Dan about the fact that I didn't feel like I was hearing from God. He made the comment to me, "Patti, you ought to read Wayne Cordeiro's book, Christ, the Divine Mentor." In the book, Corderio uses the example of two students taking a class, we'll say in Chemistry. One takes notes. The other does not. When it comes time for the test, who do you think will perform better? Yes. The one who took the notes. He asks that in our reading of God's Word, why wouldn't we take notes? In life we face challenges. What better way to prepare for those challenges than by knowing God's Word. Reading it and forgetting what we read is not helpful. Reading it. Studying it. Knowing what it says. That is helpful! He then goes on to outline an approach to taking notes when reading God's Word. 

The SOAP approach:

For this example, we'll say you're reading one chapter at a time. It can be one verse, one passage, etc.

1. After reading a chapter, you ask yourself, "What verse stood out to me the most?" You write that Scripture. S=Scripture. 
2. Then you answer the question, "What observations can I make about this scripture or this passage/chapter of scripture?" You write your Observations. O=Observations. 
3. Then you answer the question(s), "What do I need to apply here? How do I need to be different because of what I just read? What is God telling me?" Your write your Application. A=Application. 
4. Then you write your response to God, your Prayer. P=Prayer. 

Lastly, you give your lesson from God a title. And if you really want to remember it, share what you learned that day from God with at least three other people and it will plant in your memory. 

Hebrews 11:6 (AMP) reads: But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that He exists and that He is a rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out]. 

SOAP - one way to earnestly and diligently seek Him.