S.O.A.P.

Daily S.O.A.P Blog

Shadows

I know God’s love for me, and so I choose to react with eager anticipation when God is doing something that I don’t fully understand.
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Scripture
Hebrews 10:1
“The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming–not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.” 
Observation
The law is a shadow of good things. What an insight Paul had, in his perspective on God’s law! Where so many people saw only rules, judgement, and condemnation, Paul saw humanity’s need for redemption, and the promise of God’s sinless sacrifice yet to come.
Where others saw fear, Paul saw hope. 
Application
Shadows give us a very incomplete picture–and so our reaction to the shadow is a result of our understanding of the thing casting the shadow. The very same shadow can fill our heart with anticipation or dread, depending on our understanding.
Our ability to know and understand God is limited, because He is God and we are not. When God moves, we can react with fear or anticipation depending on our understanding. The same God who gave the law to Moses, is the same God who loved me enough to pay the price I could not pay.
I know His love for me, and so I choose to react with eager anticipation when God is doing something that I don’t fully understand. 
Prayer
God, thank you for daily revealing more of your heart to me, as I spend time with you. Thank you for being the sinless sacrifice, the ‘reality’ of which the law was only a shadow. I choose to trust your love, even when I don’t fully understand your plans. 
 
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More Than Enough

His payment for our sin is not a payment plan which must be repeated in order to keep up with our debt–his death was the perfect, sinless sacrifice, the complete payment for all time, for all sin.
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Scripture
Hebrews 9:27-28
“Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgement, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” 
Observation
With the same finality as death without Christ, so is the finality of the salvation we have in Christ. His payment for our sin is not a payment plan which must be repeated in order to keep up with our debt–his death was the perfect, sinless sacrifice, the complete payment for all time, for all sin. But his payment did not use up and exhaust his power–because he overcame death, and is coming back again so that I could also live in His power.
Application
Christ’s power is more than sufficient for my every failing. Not only to cover my sin, but to raise me to life with Him. What amazing news, and what incredible peace and hope that gives me!
I don’t want to keep such incredible news to myself–I want to tell someone about the Savior whose power is more than enough! 
Prayer
God, thank you for paying my debt! Thank you for your power, which is more than sufficient for anything I could face. Help me to live a life of gratitude each day for your grace, and give me wisdom and boldness to share your good news with those around me each day. 
 
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Faith

Our faith in God must not be “I trust you if“, but simply “I trust you.”
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Scripture
Hebrews 11:13
“All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.”
Observation
I love reading this chapter of Hebrews–this celebration of the heroes of the faith. I love the stories contained here, of great exploits for God, of adventure, and great determination. And yet these men and women of the faith are not remembered primarily for living a life of ease, or of perfection resolution on the plot of their story. They are remembered for unwavering faith through struggle, suffering, and not-yet-fulfilled promises of God.
They are not honored as an example for what they saw, but for their faith in what they could not yet see. 
Application
My faith in God must be established on His identity, not on my own senses and experiences. My trust in my Heavenly Father must depend on who He is, not on the balance in my bank account.
His greatness is established by who He is, and His love for me was forever confirmed on the cross.
This week, I choose to place my trust in Him. Not in the fulfillment of my own desires, but simply in Him.
My declaration is not “I trust you if“, but simply “I trust you.” 
Prayer
God, thank you for your goodness and your greatness. I choose to place my trust in you, not in what I can see and feel.
Thank you for your love, and your promises! 

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The Starting Point

Taking a stand for righteousness begins with getting my own heart in step with the heart of God.
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Scripture
Psalm 101:3-4
“I will not look with approval on anything that is vile. I hate what faithless people do; I will have no part in it. The perverse of heart shall be far from me; I will have nothing to do with what is evil.”
Observation
Our world is full of truly vile and perverse things. From the entertainment being produced, to the actions being celebrated and upvoted on social media–there is no shortage of vile behavior. The psalmist seems to have been living in a similar time–but instead of merely grumbling, he drew a line in the sand. Instead of merely pointing with self-righteous indignation at others, he drew a boundary in his own life. 
Application
It’s easy to point out the flaws in others–and there is a time and place to proclaim truth and confront evil head-on. But publicly confronting evil accomplishes nothing, if the privacy of my heart doesn’t support my public stance. I may take a stand for what is pure–but do I secretly look with approval on that which is vile, when it agrees with my own opinions?
Taking a stand for righteousness begins with getting my own heart in step with the heart of God. 
Prayer
God, thank you for the truth and righteousness that I find in you. Help me to walk with a pure heart before you–not trying to achieve perfection on my own strength, but daily course-correcting closer to you. Give my boldness and courage to stand for righteousness–in the privacy of my own heart, as well as in my public actions. 

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Perception

The cure for the blindness of envy, is time spent in the presence of God. His presence reveals truth, uncovers lies and assumptions, and brings priorities into sharp focus.
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Scripture
 Psalm 73:2-5, 16-17
“As for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills.”
“When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.”
Observation
Envy distracts us from what is truly important, and blinds us to reality. Envy makes false claims and promises, and fails to deliver every time. The cure for the blindness of envy, is time spent in the presence of God. His presence reveals truth, uncovers lies and assumptions, and brings priorities into sharp focus. 
Application
The more time I spend away from the presence of God, the more skewed my perspective becomes. Truth becomes harder to perceive, and temporary/fleeting things seem to grow in importance. When I make time for God, His presence and His voice begin to make sense of the confusion. The temporary things of this world shine a little less brightly, and eternity becomes more visible.
This week, I choose to make time for God. I choose to spend time in His presence, so that I can walk in His truth. 
Prayer
God, thank you for your presence! Thank you that I have access to your throne room because of Christ. Help me to keep my eyes on you instead of the glitter of this world, so that my life would be built on truth and not error. 
 
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The Blessing is Better


Swallowing my pride and aligning with His plan works out better, every time.
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Scripture
2 Chronicles 25:9
“Amaziah asked the man of God, “But what about the hundred talents I paid for these Israelite troops?” The man of God replied, “The Lord can give you much more than that.” 
Observation
King Amaziah had spent a vast sum, hiring mercenaries to go into battle with him. He was sure his plan was a good one…but he didn’t consult God. The prophet warned him that God could not bless his present course of action, but gave him the assurance that God’s favor would more than outweigh his financial loss if he course-corrected back to what God wanted. 
Application
It’s no fun to admit when I’m wrong. It’s frustrating to be invested in something, and then realize that I’m headed the wrong direction. This scripture reminds me that God’s blessing is worth so much more than the resources I could lose by course-correcting away from the things that are not his best for me. 
Swallowing my pride and aligning with His plan works out better, every time. 
Prayer
God, thank you for loving me enough to show me when I have stepped outside of your best for me. Thank you for supplying me with everything I need for following your ways! 

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Trusting

Today’s SOAP journal is brought to you by Stacey Fukushima:

Scripture
1 Timothy 4:10 NKJV
“For therefore we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God.”

NLT
“This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers.”
Observation
Paul went through a lot to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. He wasn’t the first person to suffer for God, and he wasn’t the last. Paul did point that out, but he ended this statement with pointing to the “why” of it all. He gave us hope, pointing us back to God.
To quote Wesley from the Princess Bride, “Life is pain.” We will have hardships and we will struggle, BUT we have HOPE! We have a Heavenly Father who loves us, really loves us. So much in fact, he sent his only begotten son for us (John 3:16)
Application
I will struggle, and will labor, but I know I can put my hope in God. He loves me, and cares for me, and he does have a plan, a good plan. I know things won’t be easy, but several times in His Word God reminds me to trust him, and to let him carry my burden. Paul reminds me to put our hope and trust in Him.
Prayer
God, at times I feel heavy, and my load feels like too much. I feel frustrated, and confused. But even with all that, I am putting my trust in you, that you work everything for your greater good. You are a good God, and your plans are good and so I trust you, even in my hard seasons. Thank you for your grace to walk out each day in your presence. Amen. 

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Put it into Practice!

Health, life, and strength in the Body, starts in my own daily walk with God.
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Scripture
1 Timothy 5:4
“…if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God.”
Observation
The church, the corporate gathering of believers, is the thing which Christ instituted and established on earth to carry on the mission of leading mankind to reconciliation with the creator. The church cannot corporately carry out its mission though, without believers who are each individually living out their faith, and putting their religion into practice at a personal level. 
Application
I love the church! I love gathering with followers of Christ, people that I know and love and walk in unity with. I love seeing what can be accomplished when we work together for the glory of God! I love watching the transformative power of the gospel at work among us, as we share the good news of Jesus Christ with our community.
I love all these things–but the truth is that we cannot succeed corporately, if my personal walk with God does not reflect the same health, growth, and values.
Am I growing in God each day?
Am I caring for my family, the way God wants?
Am I investing from my own time and resources, to help those who need assistance?
Am I willing to be inconvenienced by the needs of others, so Christ’s love can shine through me?
Health, life, and strength in the Body, starts in my own daily walk with God. 
Prayer
God, thank you for your church! Thank you for the privilege of gathering together as your children to learn, grow, and share the good news together. Help me to daily live out my love for you in practical ways. Show me the people in my life who need a helping hand. Show me how I can let your love flow through me in my own life, so that the Body would be strengthened and not weakened by my presence. 

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In Training

God’s word doesn’t coddle me or reinforce my preconceived ideas-rather it reveals where I need to grow, and makes me uncomfortable enough to cause me to change.
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Scripture
1 Timothy 4:7
“Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be Godly.” 
Observation
God is the God of truth, not the God of urban myth. His kingdom is built on the solid foundation of His word, not on legend and rumor. Paul instructed Timothy to ‘train yourself’, rather than coast along on the convenient shallows of groundless tall tales.
Application
Our world is full of stories, rumors, legends, and myths. From chain letters, to endless email forwards, to social media reposts and tags…I can always find a story to support my opinion and viewpoint. But is it true? Maybe…maybe not. Who really knows?
God’s word doesn’t mirror my opinion. It’s not an echo chamber of opinions and voices that agree with me. Rather, God’s word challenges me to dig in and grow. It trains me to think critically and with intentionality, through the lens of God’s character. It doesn’t coddle me or reinforce my preconceived ideas-rather it reveals where I need to grow, and makes me uncomfortable enough to cause me to change. This week, I choose to welcome the discomfort of the training that God’s word brings.
Prayer
God, thank you that your word is true. Thank you for bringing growth to my life, instead of simply reinforcing or affirming my own errant ideas. I choose to welcome your training in my life, and the growth that you bring! 

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Something Great, Something Small

God required Naaman to engage in the process of the miracle by obediently fulfilling the instruction he had been given. Naaman could not ’cause’ the miracle, but he had the power to ‘hinder’ the miracle.
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Scripture
 2 Kings 5:13
“Naaman’s servants went to him and said “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!”
Observation
As the army commander who served the king of Aram, Naaman was accustomed to doing great things. His career and identity hinged on his ability to put it all on the line, beat the odds, and achieve greatness on the battlefield. He must have proven his ability to do these things, because the king had appointed him to command the army. Now Naaman was facing a situation that was out of his grasp, and beyond his ability to solve. His leprosy was a foe that no amount of determination or physical training could vanquish. God was preparing to perform a great miracle, but first Naaman had to come to an understanding of his role in the situation. Greatness was about to be displayed, but it was to be God’s greatness–not Naaman’s.  A ‘great thing’ was about to be done, but God would be the one doing it–not Naaman.  Naaman’s role was to be obedient in the simple, small, routine, non-glamorous task of washing. Naaman was not going to perform the miracle, but God required him to engage in the process of the miracle by obediently fulfilling the instruction he had been given. Naaman could not ’cause’ the miracle, but he had the power to ‘hinder’ the miracle.
Application
I want to see God’s power at work in my life. I want to see Him perform miracles, solve the unsolvable problems, and make a way where there is no way.  It’s easy to pray for a miracle, but then begin stressing over how I’m going to make it happen. How can I strategize? How can I work a little harder, a little longer, a little more effectively? What is the silver bullet, the missing ingredient?
God is not honored by a spirit of pride and arrogance, nor yet by complacency and laziness; but rather by simple, heart-first obedience even in the simple things. My God does great things, he simply requires me to walk in obedience to him. He alone gets the credit for the great things He is doing.
This week, I choose to walk in obedience to God. I choose to do the small, mundane, daily, routine things with excellence and a heart of gratitude to my heavenly Father–knowing that He is accomplishing what only He can do.  I choose not to allow my disobedience or complacency to limit the miracle that He is preparing to perform.
Prayer
God, thank you for your presence and power in my life! Thank you that you are strong when I am weak, and you are able to solve the things that are beyond my own ability to fix or affect.  I choose to walk in obedience to you with humility. You alone deserve glory and acclaim. Help me to live each day with intentionality and excellence in the responsibilities you’ve given me, so that I would not hinder the miracles that you are preparing to perform. 
 
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