SOAP

SOAP is an acronym for: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. As you prepare for participating in City Group this week, we invite you to write down your thoughts in a journal. Journaling is a great way to record and process your thoughts & what God is sharing with you.

OVERVIEW

To help us navigate this life of living in true freedom with jesus, we have been exploring over the past weeks; How our frame of view, our choices, our approaches, affect our daily lives, how walking with Christ (eating from the tree of life) helps us to walk in freedom rather than in shame, guilt, and with a victim mindset. We've also explored what it means to understand how God designed us (spirit, soul, body) and how this understanding helps us to live purposefully in spiritual order as He desires for us.

For our time today, let’s look at what prevents us from living in this overflowing and abundant life, to the fullest, in the tree of Life, in Christ Jesus. This is critical to our continued discovery of what it means to walk in Freedom! Scripture says, "What a man thinks in his heart so is he " (Proverbs 23:7) It’s truly powerful to be able to experience God designed freedom in our hearts as our frame of view, our perspectives, our mind sets, our paradigms, and our hearts are being transformed by the Holy Spirit in us. We can experience life to the fullest!

KEY POINTS

• Thoughtless words have a lasting effect that can change the course of a persons life.
• The words we speak are a spiritual gauge. Words often reveal how much of our soul we have surrendered and submitted to God. Is our mind, will, and emotions dictating our lives?
• Our words can betray us, revealing our heart conditions and spiritual order. When are our souls are not in submission to God, our tongues will be the first to sell us out.
• The heart blockage of rejection is often caused by words that were spoken over you. In turn, when we are delivered/healed from rejection, we too can speak life instead of speaking death.
• When we have suffered rejection, it will often result with our own hearts responding through our tongue in ways that brings harm to ourselves and to others.
• Jesus said“ The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." Do your words reflect that God lives inside of you?
• The Scripture reveals to us the power of words. God spoke the world and universe into existence. Jesus calmed the storm by speaking to it. Jesus cast out demons, healed the sick, and raised the dead by speaking words.
• There are two kingdoms at work in the earth today. The Kingdom of light, and the kingdom of darkness. Every time we open our mouths to talk, we either advance the kingdom of life or we advance the kingdom of death.

SCRIPTURE

As we read aloud through these verses, let's pause, reflect, and listen for what Holy Spirit might be saying to you through the Word of God.

Key scriptures from Sunday. 

• John 8:32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
• John 8:36 “if the Son sets you free from sin, then become a true son and be unquestionably free!”
• Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue”
• Luke 6:45 "The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks”

Additional Scriptures

• Hebrews 11:3 “By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we may now see did not come from anything that can be seen”
• John 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2  He was in the beginning with God. 3  All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4  In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 
• John 1:10-14  He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11  He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12  But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13  who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 14  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 
• Matthew 8:26 Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then He got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.”
• Matthew 8:32 “‘All right, go!’ Jesus commanded them. So the demons came out of the men...”
• John 11:43–44 When he said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out.”
• James 3:2-10  For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3  If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4  Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.  5  So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6  And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7  For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8  but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9  With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10  From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 

OBSERVATION

Our heart for you in taking a "Next Step" is to help you grow in becoming more and more like Jesus.

• Invite. Everyone is only one invitation away from coming to church with you. We are here to reach 1% of our city. Take a step, be bold, bring someone to church with you Sunday.
• Invest. Investing financially at BeLoved helps us to stay on mission. You can find the best way to give at belovedchurch.ca/give Take a step, start your faithful practice of tithes and offering.
• Discover. Embark on the journey at belovedchurch.ca/grow Take a step and invest into your discipleship journey at BeLoved.
• Serve. Jesus came to serve rather than to be served. Love on others like Jesus by jumping on a team and serving on the weekend at BeLoved. Help move God's great Church forward.
• Get baptized. Congratulations! Take a step to "Go ALL IN for Jesus." Register online at belovedchurch.ca/baptism