S.O.A.P.

Daily S.O.A.P Blog

Pass It Forward

I don’t control the future, but I can affect it by the way that I lead today.
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Scripture
Deuteronomy 34:9
“Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the Lord had commanded Moses.” 
Observation
There is a time to lead, and a time to pass the torch. Passing the torch is simply another part of the process of leading. Moses knew the time was fast approaching for him to pass the torch, and yet his desire for the well-being of God’s people reached beyond the date of his own departure. Because of this, Moses reached beyond the duration of his season to affect their course in future days. He sang a blessing over them, proclaiming God’s greatness and abundance over them–and he also invested into a young leader named Joshua, pouring wisdom into him that he would need for the days ahead.
The intentional way in which Moses set Joshua up and established him, caused the nation to give him their respect and allegiance. 
Application
Every season has an end. Accepting God’s call and his anointing in this season, is to also care and prepare for the same mission under the next leader who will follow me. I don’t control the future, but I can affect it by the way that I lead today. I can speak blessing over those I lead. I can lead them closer to God, to be able to receive his blessing. I can watch for future leaders to raise up and invest in, who will pursue the mission beyond my own capacity and my own reach. Most of all, I can keep the main thing, the main thing in my own life–and walk honorably before God as an example to those who will come after me. 
Prayer
God, thank you for your faithfulness in my life- faithfulness which will continue when I am gone. Help me to invest in those who will come after me-to speak your blessing over them, and to raise up leaders who are called by you and gifted to carry the torch into the next season. Thank you for the privilege of serving in your kingdom! 
 
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Love and Obey

He first loved me, and I can do no less than love him in return!
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Scripture
‘Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach.’
‘For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. ‘
Observation
 God is not in the business of punishing us for not meeting unrealistic expectations. His desire is that we would “live and increase”, and that He would be able to bless the things that we do. These things are able to come to pass in our lives when we love God, obey Him, and keep His commands, decrees, and laws.  Today we are free from the old covenant with its ceremonial restrictions and limitations–but God’s desire to bless us as we follow and obey Him has not changed.
Application
 My heavenly Father desires to bless me. His ability to bless me is limited only by my submission to Him. His expectations for me are clearly defined, and achievable. Even when my own strength runs out, his Holy Spirit is within me to lead, guide, strengthen, and empower me. Walking in His blessing doesn’t start with me trying to ‘earn’ his favor, but simply with loving him–and accepting his love for me.
This week, I need to center my heart on daily living out my love for God. He first loved me, and I can do no less than love him in return!
Prayer
 God, thank you for loving me! Thank you for not setting unrealistic expectations or demands for my life–but rather, you love me and desire to bless me. Help me to daily walk in love for you instead of trying to earn your favor. I love you, and I want to demonstrate it each day that I live!
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The Harvest

Scripture
Galatians 6:9-10
“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone-especially to those in the family of faith.” 
Observation
Salvation is by faith, not by works–and yet God blesses the “right things” that we do. His blessing comes in His time, not when we expect or demand it. Understanding that He is preparing a harvest of blessing should cause us to daily sow seeds of blessing into the world around us. 
Application
Life is a process of sowing and reaping. We reap what we sow, and we reap more than we sow. God’s desire is to bring a harvest of blessing in my life–and so His desire is that I would sow seeds of blessing. The seeds of blessing that I sow, become part of the harvest of blessing that He is bringing in the lives of those around me.
This week, I need to be intentional to recognize the seed that He has given me–because I can only plant from what I have. Then I need to watch for opportunities to sow seeds of blessing in those around me with perseverance, trusting God to bring a harvest in my life at the right time. 
Prayer
God, thank you for your blessings! Thank you that my salvation is not based on my works, but on my faith in you. Thank you for opportunities to display my faith in you, by becoming a conduit of your blessing in the lives of those around me! Help me to serve you with perseverance, trusting you to bring a harvest in my life at the right time. 

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In Step

Scripture
Galatians 5:24-25
“Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” 
Observation
Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh–and now we live by the Spirit. Since we now live by the Spirit, we must keep step with that which gives us life. 
Application
My old nature is dead and gone–crucified on the day that I became one of His! His Spirit is now that which gives me life and sustains me. Christ has given me freedom where once I was a slave. I can either use my freedom to walk away from the source of life, or I can choose to walk in step with the heart of God–moving when He moves, stopping when He stops, in tune with His pace, His rhythm, His direction. How do I walk in step with Him? By watching Him closely, and paying attention to what He is doing! 
Prayer
God, thank you for freedom! Thank you that my old sinful nature is dead and gone, and that I now walk in your Spirit which sustains me!
Help me to daily keep my eyes on you, to move when you do, and to live with your pace and rhythm.

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The Guide

Scripture
‘Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly. ‘ Deuteronomy 16:18
‘If cases come before your courts that are too difficult for you to judge—whether bloodshed, lawsuits or assaults—take them to the place the Lord your God will choose. Go to the Levitical priests and to the judge who is in office at that time. Inquire of them and they will give you the verdict. ‘ Deuteronomy 17:8-9 
Observation
God has given us wisdom in His word, by which to live and make decisions. The principles of His word are to guide our daily life, rather than us seeking a new revelation and sign from heaven for every decision we face. But He has not left us unprepared or without aid in facing the hardest questions and greatest quandaries. His Holy Spirit is available to us as a resource when our wisdom and understanding runs short, to guide when we don’t have the answers.
Application
God’s will is revealed in my life as I faithfully apply God’s word and God’s wisdom in the small, daily, insignificant decisions and situations that I face. He has given me all that I need, to navigate life in a way that is pleasing to Him. The Hebrews of the Old Testament had to go through the priests in order to hear from God on questions too great for them to handle, but today I have God’s Holy Spirit living inside me as a daily guide for the situations that I face. His presence is constant, and His voice is sure no matter the situations that arise.
This week, I need to walk with confidence in the wisdom that I find in God’s word…and with the peace that comes from knowing that the Holy Spirit will guide me whenever the path gets murky.
Prayer
God, thank you for the assurance that there is no situation I could face, which is too complicated for your wisdom to handle, or too complex for your voice to guide me through. Help me to live daily with your wisdom, and turn to you above all else when I am unsure of the next step. 

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Faith in Action

Scripture
Galatians 5:6,13-14
“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”
“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 
Observation
I am not saved by works, but by faith. My faith in Christ though, should result in me interacting differently with the world around me. Real, living faith is displayed in the way it affects action. The faith we are commanded to have is a faith which results in Christ’s love being shared with the world. 
Application
My faith in God is not supposed to be limited to merely a hidden, private change which goes unnoticed by everyone around me. Christ desires that my faith in Him would result in me becoming a conduit of His love to the world around me. This kind of faith changes the way I see people, the way I speak to people, the way I care for people, the way I love people.
This week I need to watch for opportunities to live out my faith in God, by loving people. 
Prayer
God, thank you for loving me enough to take action! Help me to grow in my faith in you, with a faith that causes me to love the way that you love! 

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Disproportionate Favor

Scripture
Deuteronomy 11:22-23
“If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow–to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him and to hold fast to him–then the Lord will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and stronger than you.” 
Observation
Honoring God, leads to disproportionate favor and blessing. This is not a heavenly quid pro quo, but rather the lavish generosity of a heavenly Father who desires to bless us. Our obedience and faithfulness to Him is a compounding cycle of growth upon growth, and blessing upon blessing. 
Application
God has given me the ability and the freedom to serve him. He has given me every resource that I need, to do what He has commanded me to do. I must be faithful to Him with my mind, my heart, and my actions. As I walk in obedience to Him, He will pour out disproportionate favor and blessing on my life. This week, I choose to love the Lord, obey Him, and hold fast to Him. 
Prayer
God, thank you for your favor and your blessings in my life! Help me to make the daily decision to honor and serve you in all I do, and hold fast to you through every season. 

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The Giver

Scripture
Deuteronomy 8:17-18
“You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.”
But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms His covenant, which He swore to your ancestors, as it is today.” 
Observation
Blessings come from God–both the blessings that arrive ready-made and complete…and the blessings that arrive through careful and wise use of the blessings He’s already given.
Forgetting the giver of the blessing does not lead to a blessed outcome. 
Application
God has blessed me abundantly! He has blessed me with the resources that He’s placed in my hands, and He has blessed me with the ability to experience further blessing by wisely using the blessings I already have. All of it comes from God though!
I must make the daily decision to “remember the Lord my God”, from whom all blessings flow.
This is an active choice on my part, to walk in humility and gratefulness instead of pride and discontent.
Prayer
God, thank you for the blessings you have given me! Help me to make the daily decision to remember you, and walk in humility before you. Thank you for not only blessing me with resources, but also with capacity and ability to grow into further blessing.
Help me to use these blessings wisely for your glory. 
 
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Clear Communication

Scripture
Deuteronomy 5:22
“These are the commandments the Lord proclaimed in a loud voice to your whole assembly there on the mountain, from out of the fire, the cloud and the deep darkness; He added nothing more. Then He wrote them out on two stone tablets, and gave them to me.” 
Observation
God values clear communication. He spoke on the mountain “in a loud voice”, then said “nothing more”…but then he went ahead and gave them not just one written copy of his expectations, but two copies–written on stone, unchangeable, and permanent.
God wanted to leave no room for anyone to miss what He had said. If it was important enough to say, then it was important enough to say clearly. 
Application
Communication is important! I know the thoughts running through my head…but no one around me does, unless I clearly communicate it to them.
I need to be deliberate and intentional with my words, instead of spouting poorly-communicated and half-formed ideas. If it is important enough for me to say it, it is important enough for me to say it clearly.
Clear communication and expectations pave the way for positive outcomes.
This week, I need to listen carefully to the things that God has taken such care to speak to me…and then I need to speak with that same intentionality as I interact with others. 
Prayer
God, thank you for taking such deliberate care to speak clearly to me! Help me to hear and understand your voice. Teach me to communicate well with others, so that your plans would be fulfilled through my life. 

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Goldilocks Blessings

Scripture
Numbers 34:1-2
“The Lord said to Moses, “Command the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter Canaan, the land that will be allotted to you as an inheritance is to have these boundaries:” 
Observation
God’s power and resource are limitless…and yet He put boundaries and limits on the inheritance for His people. Why? God knew exactly what His people needed, to supply their needs. The inheritance He gave them was large enough to provide the resources they needed.
The inheritance was not just a gift and a resource for God’s people though, it was also a responsibility. They were to take care of the land, farm the land, and protect the land for future generations.
God put boundaries on the inheritance, so that they would not be overwhelmed with the weight of their responsibility and the blessing become a curse in their life. 
Application
God has blessed me immensely! He’s given me a wife and sons, a home, a job that I love, resources to manage, and dreams to pursue. I have exactly what God has determined that I need, and that I can handle.
I must not allow discontent to make me crave and covet what God has not given me, because He knows exactly what I need.
I also need to trust Him when I begin to feel overwhelmed, because He also knows the limits of my capacity. 
Prayer
God, thank you for giving me all that I need. Help me to live life with gratefulness, and not discontent. Help me to remember that your blessings are accompanied by responsibilities, and trust you to give me strength and guidance on the days when I feel overwhelmed. 

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