S.O.A.P.

Daily S.O.A.P Blog

Knowing

Scripture
Luke 13:26-27
“Then you will say, “We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.” But he will reply, “I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers.”
Observation
Jesus warned these people that there is a difference between spending time around Jesus, and truly knowing Jesus. Though these people had spent time in his presence, they were still “evildoers”, and had not allowed their lives to be changed by the presence of the savior. 
Application
I want to know Christ! I don’t want to merely spend time around him and then leave unchanged-I want to know him, and allow him to transform me into His image.
How do I get to know him? By being a ‘doer’ of his word, and not merely a ‘hearer’ of his word. I come to know Christ by spending time with him, and allowing him to shape and mold my heart through that time we spend together. 
Prayer
God, thank you for making a way for me to know you! Help me not to settle for merely being ‘around’ you, but instead welcome your transformative power into my life to shape me into your image. 

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The Blame Game

Scripture
Genesis 30:1, 23-24
“When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she became jealous of her sister. So she said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!” 
“She became pregnant and gave birth to a son and said, “God has taken away my disgrace.” She named him Joseph, and said, “May the Lord add to me another son”
Observation
Rachel was hurting, and she lashed out at her husband as the perceived source of her pain. “Give me children–or I’ll die!”  The problem was that her husband wasn’t the cause of the problem–God himself had intervened to give Leah children, but not Rachel. She and her sister Leah ended up in a bitter feud back and forth, using their children as leverage in a twisted game of seeking validation in all the wrong places. After all the scheming and conniving were finished, God enabled Rachel to have a son of her own. She finally realized that the situation was in God’s hands–and gave God the glory.
Application
When life hurts, it can be easy to lash out at the most convenient target. Unfortunately, that’s usually the people closest to me.  Even if it’s not their fault or their responsibility, it’s easy to cast blame for my frustration.
Whatever the situation though, God is working to accomplish something through the circumstance–whether or not I am yet able to see what that might be. Casting blame and lashing out at those around me, merely makes me part of the problem instead of the solution.
This week, I need to take time to understand before I react or lash out at those around me. Even if I don’t understand the reason or the purpose of my pain, I need to remember that God is accomplishing His plans and purposes–whether or not I presently see the whole picture. 
Prayer
God, thank you that you are at work in each situation and each circumstance. Help me not to react and lash out at people when I’m uncomfortable, but rather that I would trust that you have the situation under control and will bring your solution when the time is right. 

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The State Within

Scripture
Luke 11:39-41
“Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But now as for what is inside you–be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.” 
Observation
Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for putting a glossy finish on an ugly and decayed interior. Though they tried to keep up a perfect facade, their actions merely revealed the greed and wickedness inside them. Jesus told them that the solution was to give generously to the poor. Greed cannot survive a dose of generosity! 
Application
God cares about the condition of my heart. My actions may be an effort to conceal the state of my heart, but the two are inseparable. Instead of trying to hide an ugly heart with glossy actions, I must surrender my actions and my heart to God, to accomplish the heart-change that He desires in me. 
Prayer
God, thank you that you see me inside and out! Thank you for loving me enough to accomplish Your transformation in me. 

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The Source of Joy

Scripture
Luke 10:19-20
“I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” 
Observation
Jesus’ disciples were excited by the authority they had been given to fulfill their calling. Jesus cautioned them that true joy doesn’t come from having authority, but from fully submitting to the authority of God–which we enter by faith and thereby become heirs of eternal life 
Application
Living for God is exciting! There is always a new challenge, a new lesson, a new season, a new assignment. My source of joy though, must come straight from my submission to the authority of God. He will equip me with all that I need in order to succeed on my assignment, if I keep my heart submitted to Him.
This week, I need to simply focus my heart back on my relationship with the savior-and find joy in the certainty of His love for me. 
Prayer
God, thank you for being my Lord and my God! Thank you for your covenant of love, and for writing my name in heaven! 

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After The Flood

Scripture
‘So Noah came out, together with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives. Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. ‘ Genesis 8:18,20 
Observation
The headlines could have been taken straight from 2021:
“40 days to flood the earth!”
“4 months to run aground on the mountain!”
“4 more months until release of raven!”
“Noah says ‘3 more months’ until ark opened…”
 
Noah and his family were stuck in isolation, and the date of their release kept getting pushed back farther and farther! 40 days had stretched into a full year, by the time Noah opened the ark and allowed his family to walk back down the gangplank.
Instead of moaning and complaining about how long the process had taken, their first reaction was instead to sacrifice to the Lord out of gratefulness for His protection and provision.
Application
The goalpost keeps getting moved!  “Two weeks to flatten the curve”, has turned into a never ending series of community restrictions.  If I focus on my own inconvenience, it’s easy to let myself get discouraged. The difference between me and Noah is that he was stuck in a darkened boat for a full year, with herds of stinking animals to keep him company! It would have been only natural for him to slip into a pity party by the time they left the ark…but instead we find Noah reacting with a heart of gratitude for God’s goodness and His provision.  Even in a difficult and drawn-out season, Noah’s attitude demonstrated gratitude toward God.

As I step into the year 2022, I choose to have the same attitude as Noah–and choose gratitude instead of grumbling. I serve a great big God who has provided everything that I need, and He deserves my praise! 
Prayer
Thank you God for providing all that I need! Thank you that nothing catches you off-guard, and that you see the end from the beginning. Help me to stay grateful and trust you even when things don’t go as I expected–knowing that you are accomplishing your plans in my life. 

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On God’s Time

Scripture
‘When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been. ‘ Revelation 6:9-11 
Observation
These souls that John saw under the altar were the souls of those who had been killed for the sake of the Gospel. They asked God to avenge their deaths, but God said ‘not yet!’  Vengeance was coming, but it was coming on God’s time, not on their time. There was still more tragedy yet to happen, still more injustice yet to occur before God stepped in to put a stop to the carnage.
God was going to fix the problem, but He was going to do it on His time–not on theirs.
Application
I’ve never been killed for the sake of the gospel, but there have been plenty of times that I’ve asked God to fix a problem for me. It’s easy to get frustrated when God doesn’t do it my way, or on my time.
I need to trust God not only to fix the issues, but to do it at the ‘right time’. His perspective is higher than mine, and I need to trust His divine plan.
This week I need to surrender to God’s plan, on God’s time. 
Prayer
God, thank you for being on-time, every time. Thank you for being big enough to handle every problem or dilemma I could face. Help me to trust you even when I’m in the middle of the process, and surrender my life to your ways and your schedule.
 

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Pursuing the Presence

Scripture
‘You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. ‘ Revelation 3:17,20 
Observation
The church at Laodicea looked at their acquisitions and material success as a sign of spiritual health. God told them that despite all the good results they were seeing, they had missed the most important things. They had so much wealth that they didn’t even realize they were wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked! They were so caught up in what they had, that they didn’t realize what they didn’t have–they didn’t have the presence of Christ!
The solution for their problem was to open the door and allow Christ in.
Application
Wealth, resources, and ‘success’ are great–but they cannot replace the presence of God. On an individual level, and as a church, we must use the presence of Christ as our gauge of success. Wealth, resources, and other tangible measures of success will come and go–but is Christ here among us?
Walking with Christ will lead us to victory. Pursuing ‘success’ will leave Him standing out on the porch, and leave us slipping toward ultimate defeat.
This week, I need to watch for the presence of Christ. Is He here with me, or have I left Him standing out on the front porch?
Prayer
God, thank you for your patience, your mercy, and your blessings! Help me to never get so distracted by your blessings, that I forget to pursue your presence. I invite you into every facet of my life, to reign as the sovereign authority over me. This coming year, help me to pursue your presence in all that I do–and not merely pursue the external signs of ‘success’.

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For God’s Glory

Scripture
John 9:2-3
“His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man, nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

John 11:3-4
“So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” 
Observation
Bad things happen. God is not surprised or caught off guard by this, nor is He left stammering and trying to articulate a reason–because the end result is that God will be glorified through it all. The blind man who was healed and Lazarus both accepted their role in the story, because they were willing to glorify God through the tough seasons. 
Application
There are days that everything seems to be going great, and also days when everything seems to fall apart. When tragedy strikes, when things are uncomfortable, and when things don’t seem “fair”, I need to remember that the purpose is for God to be glorified in my life. I may be stumbling in blindness, or lying on my deathbed, but I can still rest in complete confidence that He loves me, and that He will prove Himself once again in my life as I surrender to His divine plan for me. 
Prayer
God, thank you that you are not surprised or caught off guard by any situation that I face. Thank you that your plans for me are good! I pray that you would be glorified in my life through every circumstance and every season. 

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Truth and Freedom

Scripture
‘To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. ‘ John 8:31-34 
Observation
If we hold to Jesus’ teaching, then we will know the truth–and the truth will set us free. Not merely free from physical bondage and oppression, but free from spiritual bondage to sin. The ‘holding to Jesus teaching’ comes first, then the ‘knowing’ and the freedom. We are saved by faith, not by perfect knowledge. Not merely by ‘faith’, but faith in the God of truth. As we live out our faith in Him, He will lead us into truth and freedom.
Application
God desires me to follow him in obedience–whether or not I understand everything that He requires of me. My obedience of God can’t be dependent on my level of understanding of His reasons and motives, it must instead be based on my faith in Him–faith that trusts His love for me, and trusts His perfect perspective.
This week, I need to hold to the teachings of Jesus in my daily walk–trusting that He is daily leading me in His truth, and into His freedom. 
Prayer
God, thank you that you are worthy of my trust and my allegiance. Help me each day to hold to your teachings and walk in obedience to you, trusting that you love me perfectly and will lead me perfectly into your freedom. Thank you for your truth! 

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God’s Special Possession

Scripture
1 Peter 2:9-10
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” 
Observation
“God’s special possession”–what an amazing reminder of how the Savior sees us! Once we were lost, unsaved, unholy, and nothing special–and yet the Savior saw us, chose us, loved us, redeemed us, and values us!
What an incredible thing, to be the “special possession” of God! 
Application
Identity and self-worth is such a huge topic right now. There are days that I feel awesome, and days that I feel…not so much. If I let my self worth be dictated by my emotions, or the attitude of the clerk at the store, or by the guy driving behind me on the highway, then my worth will be in constant flux. This verse reminds me that my value is not based on my performance, or my emotion, or by those around me. My value doesn’t depend on my fans or my critics. My worth come from the God who loves me and gave His life for me, and who considers me to be His “special possession”.
This week, I need to remember who I am in God’s eyes. 
Prayer
God, thank you for loving me!
Thank you for valuing me, and seeing worth in me.
Help me to daily let You define my worth, instead of letting it be defined by my emotions or the world around me. 

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