S.O.A.P.

Daily S.O.A.P Blog

Completely Different

Scripture
Mark 10:13-14
“People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” 
Observation
Jesus was a confusing guy! His disciples knew what it meant to be the follower of a rabbi…you listen to their speeches, you follow them around, you stroke their ego, you guard their public image, and you prevent unimportant people from tying up their valuable time.
Unfortunately for the disciples, Jesus broke the mold. He had a different mindset, a higher standard, a larger mission, and a greater love than anyone they had ever known. 
Application
God’s ways are different than mine. If I try to serve God based on my own opinions and perspectives, I will soon find myself at cross purposes with my savior. I cannot merely do things for God, I must take the time to learn his heart and let him teach me his ways.
My way is shallow, temporary, and limited.
God’s way is deeper, unending, and limitless. 
Prayer
God, teach me your heart! Teach me to see like you see, and love like you love. Thank you for loving me, and please make me daily more like you. 

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The Bare Necessities

Scripture
Mark 9:30-31a
“They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because He was teaching His disciples.” 
Observation
Jesus had important work to do. Not healing the sick, not raising the dead, not cleansing lepers, not driving out demons. The thing at the top of his priority list this day…was teaching his disciples. All of those other tasks were urgent, but this one was necessary. Jesus had a limited amount of time walking this earth, but the mission was important enough that it had to continue after he was gone. He could not spend all of His time driven by the urgent tasks, if he was going to set his disciples up for success when He was gone. 
Application
There will always be something critically urgent that needs to be done. There will always be someone whose legitimate issue is the top thing on their mind. If I allow my life to be controlled by what is urgent, I will let the necessary things slip by. To fulfill the mission God has given me, I must take the time to identify that which is necessary, and make sure that those things are accomplished…even if some of the urgent things must wait.
This week, I need to identify which things fall in which category. 
Prayer
God, thank you for the practical wisdom which I find in your word! Help me to not allow my life to be consumed and ruled by that which is urgent, at the expense of that which is necessary.
Give me wisdom and understanding, to know the difference between the two. 

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Imperfection, Perfectly Loved

Scripture
Mark 8:14-15
“The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. “Be careful”, Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.” 
Observation
Someone on the planning committee screwed up. The disciples and Jesus were in a boat headed across the sea, and someone had forgotten the picnic basket at home!
Instead of getting upset and chewing them out, Jesus used it as a teaching opportunity.
He was less concerned about the logistics than he was about the influences affecting their hearts. 
Application
Sometimes the ball gets dropped. Plans go awry, and strategies fail. The same God who multiplied the loaves and fishes in the Bible, can still make a way today. The bigger question is, what is the condition of my heart? Am I relying on God to sustain me and make a way, or am I trying to live life with a carnal works-based mentality, trying to earn my way through life based on my own efforts?
God is not afraid of my shortcomings, but He desires me to course-correct back to Him instead of trying to forge ahead on my own. 
Prayer
God, thank you for seeing my shortcomings and yet loving me anyway. Help me to daily rely on you, and not slip into a works-based mindset like the Pharisees. Thank you for supplying all that I need, even when my best efforts fall short. 

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Next

Scripture
Numbers 27:15-16,18,20
“Moses said to the Lord, “May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all living things appoint someone over this community…”
“So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership, and lay your hand on him”
“Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him.” 
Observation
Moses recognized the need for a leader to be raised up to replace him and lead Israel forward into their next season. When he brought this need to God, he discovered that God had already supplied Joshua as that “next” leader. Joshua already had the “spirit of leadership” in him, and had demonstrated the heart of a Godly leader in the situation with the spies. God had prepared him, now it was up to Moses to empower Joshua, mentor him, give him an appropriate measure of authority, and publicly affirm the calling on his life. 
Application
God has prepared leaders to guide His people forward through each changing season. This continuing succession of service and leadership is rooted in God himself. It must begin with a humble heart before God, and a “spirit of leadership” from God himself.
In this church, God has put leaders in place for this season, and He is already preparing leaders for the next season. My job is to fulfill my calling in this season to the best of my ability with the help of God, while also pouring into the leaders of the “next” season.
As God gives opportunity, I must be ready to affirm the “next” leaders, and give them a measure of authority in this current season–so that the Gospel may be shared without hindrance or interruption, and so the kingdom would grow and the Body be strengthened. 
Prayer
God, thank you for the privilege of serving in your kingdom! Help me to fulfill what you have called me to do with excellence, and give me wisdom to pour into leaders who will lead the Body forward into things even greater than my own capacity or ability. 

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Fighting Who?

Scripture
Numbers 14:2,4,26
“All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness!”
“And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”
“The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “How long will this wicked community grumble against me?” 
Observation
Moses was not a popular guy. God had called him as a leader, but the nation was rejecting him. They didn’t like what was happening, so they began grumbling against Moses and Aaron. God heard the grumbling, but He didn’t see it as a rejection of Moses–He saw it as a rejection of Himself.  And He judged the nation accordingly. 
Application
Following God does not automatically mean popularity, or absence of conflict. Following God means that He will fight the battle on my behalf, when I stay aligned with Him and submitted to His ways.
This passage is also a reminder to me, to fervently seek God’s heart even when I disagree with a leader over me. I don’t want to allow rebellion in my heart to put me at odds with God himself through fleshly conflict in His kingdom. 
Prayer
God, thank you for leading and guiding me. Thank you for the certainty that you are fighting on my behalf as I submit to you, and that the battle is yours. Help me to keep my heart right before you, and not allow seeds of rebellion to grow within me. 

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Heart Disease

Scripture
Numbers 12:1-2,4
“Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t He also spoken through us?” And the Lord heard this.”

“At once the Lord said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “Come out to the tent of meeting, all three of you.” So the three of them went out.” 
Observation
The issue was not the issue. Aaron and Miriam had begun to undermine and discredit the leadership of Moses for very spiritual-sounding reasons, but the truth of the matter was that they were harboring racism within their hearts. God saw the heart of the issue, and He confronted it head-on. 
Application
Disagreements will happen. When disagreements degrade into gossip, backstabbing, and rebellion, it reveals a deeper heart-issue happening beneath the surface of the situation. When people gossip or stab me in the back, I must respond like Moses and trust God to reveal the truth…then be bold enough to confront the issue head-on as God leads the way.
On the other hand, I must watch for gossip or backstabbing behavior in myself toward others. I may have very spiritual-sounding excuses, but this kind of ungodly behavior is a warning sign of deeper, unresolved ‘heart disease’ within me.
When I see symptoms of heart disease, I must allow God to deal with that issue in my life–painful though it may be. 
Prayer
God, thank you for revealing truth and being the God of truth! Help me to seek you with humility when others hurt me, and give me wisdom to confront these situations boldly as you lead.
Help me to never allow heart disease to fester within me, and show me the warning signs in my life so that I would continue to become more like you. 

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Confidence

Scripture
Psalm 27:13
“I will remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” 
Observation
David was confident–not only that God was good, but that he would see the goodness of God. He was confident not only that he would someday see the goodness of God in heaven, but also that he would see the goodness of God “…in the land of the living”. 
Application
I am confident that God is good, and I am confident that I will see His goodness–indeed, I do see His goodness each day! On tough days though, I can slip into a mindset of thinking of God’s goodness in a more general or ethereal way: “Someday I’ll see God’s goodness–maybe in heaven…”  I need to maintain my confidence in the goodness of my heavenly Father. He is good, and He loves me…and I will see the goodness of God in the land of the living–in this life. His goodness may not always appear in the way I hope it will, but I will see the goodness of God. 
Prayer
God, thank you for your goodness and your love for me. Not just a vague or general goodness, but specific and present goodness which affects my life and changes my present season. 

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Light in Darkness

Scripture
Acts 24:25-26
“As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control, and the judgement to come, Felix was afraid and said “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.” At the same time he was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe, so he sent for him frequently and talked with him.” 
Observation
Paul had to have known that Felix’ motives were not right. But instead of giving in and offering an illegal bribe for his freedom, or refusing to continue speaking with him, Paul instead seized the opportunity to continue sharing the gospel with this man. The correct response to corrupt situations, is to walk in the gospel of the incorruptible savior. 
Application
Not all situations will be ‘right’. People will try to manipulate and spin things for their own purposes– It’s just human nature! Through it all, I must just keep walking with Christ, and sharing His good news. My job is not to decide if they ‘deserve’ the gospel or not: I’ve simply been called to carry light to dark places. 
Prayer
God, thank you for this reminder that it is your gospel, not mine. Help me to carry your light to each situation I face, regardless of the motives or heart of those I encounter. Thank you for loving me, though I don’t deserve it. 

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Ownership

Scripture
Leviticus 25:23
“The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you reside in my land as foreigners and strangers.” 
Observation
The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof. All that we have is his, he has simply entrusted it to us. This knowledge was to affect the way that the Israelites interacted with the land, and managed their resources–because it truly all belongs to God.
Application
All that I have is his. He has given me the responsibility of managing the things he has placed in my hands, but it still all belongs to him. My home, my possessions, my finances, my wife, my children, my job…it is all his. Knowing that it all belongs to him should cause me to take my responsibilities seriously, so that he would be pleased with what he finds when I return these things to his hands.
This week, I need to direct my focus. Not to merely use the things I have for my own enjoyment and fulfillment, but with the intentionality of seeking God’s desire and purpose for the things he has placed in my hands. 
Prayer
God, thank you for entrusting all of your blessings to me. Help me to never forget that all I have belongs to you, to be used for your glory. 

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Now What?!

Scripture
Acts 21:11-12
“Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the gentiles’.”
“When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.” 
Observation
God spoke…and it sounded like bad news. If Paul continued on to Jerusalem, he was going to be arrested. The people reacted with understandable concern, and begged Paul not to go. …but God had not told Paul not to go, He merely warned Paul what would happen when he got there. Paul received the word that God had given, and then had to use Spirit-led discernment to decide what he was supposed to do with that information. 
Application
God speaks in many different ways, and His voice is always there for me to hear when I stop and listen. Merely “hearing” God’s voice is not enough however–I must also seek discernment to understand what to “do” with the things that God says. Do I “go”? Do I “stop”? Do I “wait”? Or do I simply “pray”?
He will let me know, if I seek understanding.
Instead of treating God’s word like an Ikea assembly manual (read the first page and ignore the rest), I need to continually seek understanding to live and move in the way He desires. 
Prayer
God, thank you for your word and for leading and guiding me. Help me to live with wisdom and understanding, so that I would respond in the right way when you speak. 
 
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