S.O.A.P.

Daily S.O.A.P Blog

What God Says

Scripture
Matt. 1:22 “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet”
Matt. 2:5 “In Bethlehem Judea”, they replied, “For this is what the prophet has written.”
Matt. 2:15 “And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet…”
Matt. 2:17 “Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled…”
Matt 2:23 “So was fulfilled what was said through the prophet…”
Matt 3:3 “This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah…”
Matt. 4:14 “…to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah…”
Observation
When God says it, it happens. God does not live in ‘reaction mode’. He has plans and purposes, and He will see them through to completion. All of the political, social, economic, and physical forces in the world cannot sway the outcome…when “God says”.
Application
Circumstances and external forces affect me. They impact my decisions and outcomes. But the God I serve is mighty, and I can trust that His promises will be fulfilled in my life. As I make His purpose my purpose, and His plans my plan, then I can trust that His word will be fulfilled in my life. No matter the obstacles, no matter the challenges, and no matter the storms.
God said…and it will come to pass.
Prayer
God, thank you for having plans and purposes, and thank you for having plans and purposes for my life. Help me to trust you, and rest in the peace of knowing that Your word will be fulfilled no matter the obstacles that arise.
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Help!

Scripture
Psalm 124:8
“Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” 
Observation
The Lord is my help, because I need help. My help is not from this world, or from any earthly source. My help is in the Almighty God–the God who created all things, and sustains all things. His help never runs short, and never reaches its limit. 
Application
When I reach the limit of my own ability, I need to reach out to the right source for help. My heavenly Father is the creator of the universe, and He loves me. His strength is made perfect in my weakness, when I turn to Him.
This week, I need to be intentional about where I turn for help. Not merely help with physical limitations, but help to sustain my heart and my soul when the path is not easy. 
Prayer
God, thank you for being my help. Thank you, that your strength never runs out, and your supply is never limited. Help me daily to turn to you for strength on the journey.  Thank you that you have never let me down, and you never will. 

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Seeing the Unseen

Scripture
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 
Observation
When everything around me seems to be falling apart, it can be easy to lose heart. When challenges rise, when health fails, when tragedy strikes, discouragement is usually not far behind. Paul however instructs us to “fix our eyes…on what is unseen.” How do we choose to see what is unseen? By choosing to put our faith and our hope in the unseen savior. Though physical and “seen” challenges rise, He is achieving His glory in us as we steadfastly put our trust in Him. 
Application
Seasons keep changing. Some seasons are easy, some are hard. Some feel joyful, other seasons would try to drag me down. If I allow the condition and health of my heart to be dictated by my present circumstance, then I’ll find myself on a never-ending emotional roller coaster. My attention and my heart must be firmly fixed on the solid rock, so that He can accomplish the things that he desires in me. The truth is that the emotional roller coaster will someday end, along with all other things of this world–and all that will remain is the relationship that I have built with my savior.
Prayer
God, thank you for being steadfast and constant no matter the circumstance or present obstacle. Help me to keep my eyes fixed on you and give you my heart, so that I would not lose heart when difficulties rise. 
 
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Reliance

Scripture
2 Corinthians 1:9
“Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.” 
Observation
God desires me to rely on Him. At times in life He will allow me to face impossible circumstances, so that I will be reminded to lean on His strength. His intention is not to crush me or destroy me, but rather to teach me the true magnitude of His strength and power. 
Application
I must choose to rely on God. The inescapable truth is that I must rely on God, so why fight it and pretend that I can make it through on my own strength?
This week, I need to decide daily to rely on Him. Through every circumstance and every decision, He must be my first reaction- not my last resort. 
Prayer
God, thank you for loving me. Thank you for being my source of strength, when my own strength runs out. Teach me daily to rely on You, and thank you for being the Savior who conquered death! 

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Being the Body

Scripture
1 Corinthians 11:20-22
“So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper you eat. For when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter!” 
Observation
Our time together as the Body of Christ is more than just social time, or a chance to get together and hang out with our clique. It is a sacred time for us to “be” the body, and to “function” as a body. It is a time for us to feed those who are hungry, heal those who are hurting, love those who are lonely, and provide for those facing poverty.
We glorify God, by taking care of His body. 
Application
Paul was concerned about those slipping through the cracks in the church at Corinth. It’s easy to show up at church and love on those that I’m closest to, but what about the rest? Do I take the time to show Christ’s love to the whole Body, or merely to those that I’m closest to?
This week, I need to keep my eyes open to see the needs, and meet the needs around me. We are each members of the Body, and I want Christ to be glorified in the way that I treat his Body.  
Prayer
God, thank you for the Body of Christ! Thank you for my church ohana, and the blessing that they are to me. Help me to honor you in the way I treat your Body, so none of your children would slip through the cracks due to my inattention. Thank you for empowering each of us, to be a blessing to those around us. 

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Home Responsibilities

Scripture
1 Corinthians 7:32-34a
“I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs-how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world-how he can please his wife-and his interests are divided. 
Observation
Paul is dealing in this passage with the urgent danger of the time in which he wrote this letter.  But the lesson he gives here, applies to all seasons and times. God knows that marriage takes work–He created it that way!  It would be un-biblical to interact with ministry with the same level of focus and intensity as an unmarried man, for a man who is married. It is honoring to God, for a husband to exert time and effort in pursuing a healthy marriage-even when that means that boundaries on ministry are required. 
Application
God wants me to take my marriage seriously. God created the family, and he has put the responsibility in my hands of exerting my time and attention to strengthen my marriage. Not merely to “provide for” my wife, but also to “please” my wife. Within the bounds of scripture, my efforts to please my wife…also please God. 
Prayer
God, thank you for my wife! Thank you for the blessing and support that she is to me. Help me to always be faithful to the responsibility of taking care of her and being a blessing to her, and not settle for merely bringing home a paycheck. 

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Right and Responsibilities

Scripture
1 Corinthians 4:20, 6:19-20
4:20 – “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power”
6:19-20 – “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own, you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” 
Observation
The gospel is more than merely nice and pleasant words. It is the power of God at work in our lives When we say all the “right things” but our lives do not honor God, we put ourselves in opposition against God. We bring honor to God, by walking in the power of the gospel–toward God, and away from sinful desires. 
Application
The power of the gospel gives me the ability and the choice to bring honor to God with my actions-not merely my words. I have the “freedom” to choose however I please…but I do not have the “right” to choose my way instead of God’s. He made me, He bought me, He saved me, He owns me…and He loves me.
This week, I choose to walk in the power of the gospel, and bring honor to my savior with the decisions that I make each day. 
Prayer
God, thank you that your Good News is not mere words–it is your power at work in my life, empowering me to live in a way that is pleasing to You. I choose to live my life with your help, in such a way as to bring You honor. 

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In Our Midst

Scripture
1 Corinthians 3:16-17
“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple. 
Observation
Heavy words! God not only dwells in each of us, He dwells “in our midst”. Our unity as the Body of Christ invites the presence of God and creates a temple for Him to inhabit. Through disunity and petty squabbling, we destroy that temple and drive away God’s presence. Unity in the family of God is not just a good idea, it is sacred. 
Application
God cares about unity. The church is His body- and when we become agents of discord in that body, we are in truth rejecting God himself. If I want to experience the presence of God, then I need to become a facilitator of unity, not an agent of discord. This week, I need to look for opportunities to protect the unity of the body. 
Prayer
God, thank you for your presence! Thank you for the privilege of being part of your body. Help me this week to promote and protect the unity of your body, so that your holy presence will always feel at home in our midst. 

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Gospel Actions

Scripture
Galatians 2:9-10
“James, Cephas, and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along. 
Observation
Showing Christ’s love in practical ways is a Big Deal. Paul and Barnabas had a completely different focus in ministry than the apostles in Jerusalem, and there were many opportunities for them to have division–indeed, Paul and Peter did have conflicts on various occasions. But they agreed together that despite the difference in mission and focus, they must remain in unity on the subject of showing Christ’s love to the world in practical ways. Cultural differences meant that Paul’s ministry looked very different than the apostles’ ministry–and yet there were hurting people in great need, no matter the place and no matter the culture.
Love is the universal language of the Gospel. 
Application
In ministry today, there are many things we can focus on. We can focus on evangelizing, on teaching, on kids, on men, on women, on students, or on kupuna. We can focus on this culture, or that culture. We can focus on this town, or that region.  But the one thing that remains constant through it all, is that our world is full of hurting people who need to be shown the love of our savior in very practical ways–because truly, they won’t care about what we have to say…until they know that we care about them. 
Today, I need to keep my eyes open to see the opportunities to show Christ’s love to those around me. Sometimes that will be with an encouraging text or a phone call–but sometimes it also means showing love with $20 for gas, and a plate lunch from L&L’s.
Prayer
God, help me to love people like you do. Not only with my words, but also with my actions. Help me to see the opportunities you’ve placed around me, for me to be your hands and feet to a world that needs to know you.  Thank you for loving me enough to express your love with your actions.
 
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Taking Notice

Scripture
Mark 15:43-44
“Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died.”
Observation
Pilate was the one who passed judgement on Jesus, and turned him over to be crucified. It seems like that would have been on Pilate’s radar to keep tabs on the crucifixion as it unfolded, but he apparently didn’t even give it a second thought. To him, Jesus was just another average criminal that deserved to die, and didn’t deserve a second glance. The miracle of salvation was unfolding in front of him, and he never even noticed. 
Application
God is at work in my life, and all around me. He is accomplishing the things He desires, whether or not I am taking the time to notice. If I am not mindful of His presence, I will miss the miracles taking place around me. I want to live in such a way as to see what God is doing! Not disregarding His presence as average or common, but taking the time to notice and recognize what he is doing. 
Prayer
God, thank you for your presence in my life! Help me to see you at work, and not live life so casually that I miss seeing what you are doing right in front of me! 

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You can also read past devotions on our website, by visiting https://testing.newhopelegacy.com/soap/

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