S.O.A.P.

Daily S.O.A.P Blog

Who Gets The Credit?

Scripture
Exodus 17:12
“When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up–one on one side, one on the other–so that his hands remained steady till sunset.” 
Observation
The Israelites were engaged in battle against the Amalekites, and Moses was leading the battle from a hilltop with the staff of God in his hand. Staff went up, Israel prevailed. Staff dropped down, Amalek prevailed. Aaron and Hur observed Moses’ arms becoming tired, and ran to help. They could have fought over who should carry the staff, or squabbled in order to take the credit and gain prestige. Instead, they recognized that the mission was more important than the question of who got the credit and the recognition. 
Application
It’s nice to receive credit or recognition when I’ve worked hard on a project. If I allow that desire to influence my behavior and decisions though, the mission will be hindered. The mission is the important thing, not my own ego.
Like Aaron and Hur, I must be quick to support what God is doing–even when He is using someone else to accomplish His will. 
Prayer
God, thank you for the privilege of serving in your Kingdom! Help me to always celebrate and support the victories and successes of others, instead of merely feeding my own ego. Help me to be quick to give credit, and swift to take blame–so that the mission may continue unhindered. 

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Be Still

Scripture
Exodus 14:13-15
“Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.” 
Observation
The Israelites were all in a frenzy. They wanted freedom, but they wanted security. They wanted deliverance, but they wanted to avoid conflict. They wanted the freedom to worship God, but they didn’t want to rely on Him. The instruction they received was, “Stop! Stop moving, stop pacing, stop complaining, stop worrying. Stop, and still your heart before the Lord.”
Once they did this, the very next instruction God gave them was, “Move on!” 
Application
It’s easy to live life in reaction mode, torn between desires- panicking as questions appear, uncertainties increase, obstacles rise, and enemies advance. When this happens, the Spirit calls me to stand firm and be still. God is fighting on my behalf, and before I do anything else I must still my heart before God. Once I have done this, I give Him the opportunity to intervene and guide me. Then His word comes, “move on!”
After I still myself in His presence and center my heart on Him, He can direct my steps to move forward in the peace that He gives–secure in the certainty that He has made a way for me. 
Prayer
God, thank you for this reminder to stand still when things get crazy, and center my heart on you. Thank you for your leading and guiding. Help me to clearly hear your voice, so that I may “move on” in step with you as you make a way for me. 

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Traditions

Scripture
Exodus 13:8,14
“On that day tell your son, “I do this because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.”
“In days to come, when your son asks you, “What does this mean?” say to him, “With a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.” 
Observation
“Why, Daddy? Why? How come?”
This question is often heard in our house, and it seems that children in Moses’ time had the same habit. God told his people to establish habits and traditions which would call their attention back to the greatness of God, to capture the attention and curiosity of their children. The purpose and intention was not for it to become a boring, meaningless repetition “just because,” but rather that it would create opportunities to teach the next generation about the goodness of God. 
Application
People often criticize “tradition”…because all too often we allow traditions to lose their heart and meaning, and become dry and empty repetition. In my home, I need to take the time to create habits and family traditions which bring our attention and focus back to God–so that my sons will learn of His greatness and goodness. This can’t happen though, if I become irritated or impatient with their questions and curiosity.
Consistent conversations about God, create opportunities for generational change. 
Prayer
God, thank you for my family, and for the privilege of raising my sons! Help me to daily seize every opportunity to teach them your greatness–so that they may go on to serve you and carry your light to the next generation. 

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Hope

Scripture
Luke 24:21a
“but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.” 
Observation
Hope.
Hope can give us strength to carry on during the darkest days and most difficult seasons. Losing hope is enough to defeat the greatest of us, regardless of how well things may be going. These men had ‘hoped’ that Jesus would redeem Israel from the rule of Rome, and now they felt that their hope was gone. Jesus had been crucified, and it was all over and done as far as they could see. The truth was, their hope wasn’t gone–it simply was too small! Christ did come to redeem Israel–not just from Rome, but from sin itself! …and not just Israel, but all of mankind as well! 
Application
There have been times that I’ve felt hopeful, and days when all seemed hopeless. No matter how I feel though, hope in Christ is never misplaced. He has a plan and a purpose for me, and He has defeated every enemy–even death! When my hope in Christ does not seem to be fulfilled, He may just be working out the situation differently than I expected…or, my hopes may be too small–and they may need to expand to match the greatness of our God.
Regardless of what I may see with my eyes, He is the God who brings hope. Not empty, shallow hope–but real, dependable, trustworthy hope. 
Prayer
God, thank you for hope! Thank you for having a plan and a purpose that is even greater than my hope can currently glimpse. Help me to trust you in every season, and not allow my hope to be shaken by the temporary things that my eyes see. 
 
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Defense

Scripture
Luke 21:13-15
“And so you will bear testimony to me. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.” 
Observation
Defensiveness. We’ve all felt it, all experienced that same reaction as our heart rate goes up, and our mind starts scrambling to find the best words to use or the best actions to take, to defend ourselves and ‘spin’ the situation in our favor. Christ tells us to expect these moments, but reminds us that we serve a higher purpose–not to merely defend ourselves, but rather to bear testimony to the greatness of God. As we continue to bear testimony and point others to God, He will give us the words to say, and He will defend us. 
Application
I get defensive. I don’t like being attacked, or accused, or judged. But God has not placed me where I am, merely to spend my time defending myself. He has placed me here to be a witness, and to bear testimony to His greatness. I can’t do that, if all my energy and focus is taken up by defending me. This week, I need to focus on lifting His name high, and let Him fight my battles. Battles come and go, but He remains worthy of my attention and my focus. 
Prayer
God, thank you for your faithfulness! Thank you for defending me and fighting my battles. Help me to keep my focus on you, and just keep pointing others back to your goodness and your greatness. 

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Pure Praise

Scripture
Psalm 8:2
“Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.” 
Observation
Spiritual strength doesn’t depend on age, but on our relationship with God. Teaching our children to worship God is not only an investment in the future, it also has the power to shift the spiritual atmosphere today. 
Application
Children matter to God! He loves them and cares about them, and he also hears them. The simple faith of a child has the power to change the spiritual dynamic in a situation. As a parent, I must do everything in my power to point my children to God. As a church, we must consistently recognize the awesome responsibility we have to introduce children to the Savior, and teach them to praise.
Heaven rejoices, and the enemy trembles when children praise Him. 
Prayer
God, thank you for having the heart of a father and for loving the smallest of your children. Help us never to forget the importance of teaching children to worship, or lose the urgency of introducing them to you. 

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Secure

Scripture
Psalm 10:14
“But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless.” 
Observation
God is not looking for those who have picked themselves up by their bootstraps. He does not just help those who help themselves. God sees the trouble of the afflicted, and he sees the plight of the victim. He helps those who cannot help themselves. 
Application
I am so thankful to serve a God who cares. He is not waiting for me to fix my problems before I come to him. He is the helper of the fatherless. He sees the problems that are too big for me to handle, and he sees the problems that I have not yet seen. This week, I need to relax in His peace–trusting that He can handle the things that I cannot, and He loves me enough to step into my situation and work on my behalf. 
Prayer
God, thank you that you care. Thank you that you are never caught off-guard, and you are never surprised by the events of my day. Help me to rest in the peace that you bring, trusting that you are big enough to handle whatever the day may hold. 

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Fingerprints of God

Scripture
Genesis 45:7-8
“But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.” 
Observation
Joseph had suffered terrible things at the hands of his brothers, and as a result of their actions. Even so, he chose to recognize the fingerprints of God in his situation instead of just focusing on the injustices he had suffered. 
Application
Sometimes I’ll be treated well in life, sometimes poorly. If I choose to merely focus on the negatives, then that is all that I will see. But whether I take the time to recognize it or not, God IS working in my situation, accomplishing His will in me.
This week, I need to take the time to look for the fingerprints of God. Not just in the pleasant and fun circumstances, but also in the struggle, the heartbreak, and the battles. 
Prayer
God, thank you for not only being with me, but also for actively working in my life through every circumstance and every season. Help me to take the time to recognize your fingerprints in each situation, and maintain an attitude of gratefulness in my life. 

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Expectant

Scripture
Psalm 5:2-3
“Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice: in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” 
Observation
David had stresses on his mind. It was morning, and he was “crying for help” from God. That sounds to me like the result of a long and sleepless night. Nevertheless, he was now putting it in God’s hands, and “waiting expectantly”. 
Application
I’ve had sleepless nights, when the worries swirl and the anxieties pile up on top of each other in an overwhelming heap. Like the psalmist, I must choose to take all of those things and lay them before my Lord. Only then can I wait ‘expectantly’ for His provision.
This week, I need to make the decision to lay my cares, stresses, and worries at the feet of Jesus–and then wait expectantly, knowing that help and salvation is on the way. 
Prayer
God, thank you that you can handle whatever I am facing. Whatever the stresses keeping me awake at night, you are strong enough to handle it. Help me to lay my burdens at your feet, and help me to wait in peaceful expectation for you to move. 
 
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Burdens

Scripture
Genesis 35:17-18
“And as she was having great difficulty in childbirth, the midwife said to her, “don’t despair, for you have another son.” As she breathed her last-for she was dying-she named her son Ben-Oni. But his father named him Benjamin.” 
Observation
Rachel was dying. Labor had been hard, and the available medical care was simply inadequate. She apparently knew this was the end of the road, and named her son ‘Ben-Oni’, meaning “son of my trouble.” Jacob must have also been in great grief, but he stepped in to change the child’s name to Benjamin, meaning “son of my right hand.”
The grief, the fear, and the trouble were all real…but it was not the child’s burden to carry. 
Application
There are stresses, weights, fears, and grief that I must carry from time to time. Sometimes they might even be caused by my children. It can be easy to dump my burden on my family, and put that emotional weight on them if I’m not careful. With God’s help, I need to avoid dumping that weight on them. God is my rock and my strength, and my relationship with my sons needs to be one of encouraging them and building them up-not of me dumping my load on their shoulders.
This week, I need to speak life into my children–and release my troubles to God. 
Prayer
God, thank you for my sons! Help me to daily speak life and encouragement into them, instead of carelessly dumping my emotional weight and trouble on them.
Thank you for giving me strength for each season! 

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