S.O.A.P.

Daily S.O.A.P Blog

The Personal Ambition Trap

  • April 3, 2024
Personal ambition is a tricky thing, and must at every moment be submitted to God’s heart and to Kingdom purposes. If that order ever gets reversed, then eventually I will find myself instead submitting God’s word to my own desires…and that can only lead to disaster.
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Scripture
Judges 18:19-20
“And they said to him, “Keep quiet, put your hand on your mouth and come with us and be to us a father and a priest. Is it better for you to be priest of the house of one man, or to be priest to a tribe and clan in Israel? And the priest’s heart was glad. He took the ephod and the household gods and the carved image and went along with the people.”
Observation
What a sad tale of a diverted destiny! This young Levite was destined to serve the one true God, but allowed his heart to be swayed by a profitable business opportunity. Now, not content with the deal he had made, he betrayed his employer’s trust and struck another deal for a promotion.
When his purpose shifted to personal advancement, no compromise on God’s word or God’s law was off limits in pursuit of his new goal.
Application
Personal ambition is a tricky thing, and must at every moment be submitted to God’s heart and to Kingdom purposes. If that order ever gets reversed, then eventually I will find myself instead submitting God’s word to my own desires…and that can only lead to disaster.
Today, I choose to seek first the Kingdom of God instead of my own opportunities for personal advancement.
Prayer
God, I want you to be pleased with me! Whether I serve in obscurity or visibility, may your kingdom and your desires be my highest goal!
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Seeking Counsel

  • March 21, 2024
The voice of the Holy Spirit is available to guide me. I must choose daily to seek counsel from the Counselor so that I can walk with confidence through the things that are unknown to me.
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Scripture
Joshua 9:14-15
“So the men took some of the provisions, but did not ask counsel from the Lord. And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore to them.”
Observation
The men of Israel considered, but they did not consult God. They pondered, but they did not pray.
Though divine wisdom was available to them, they instead navigated by their own understanding.
Application
Some situations don’t seem like a big deal, but they have far-reaching consequences. When I live life by my own understanding and knowledge, it’s like driving at high speed down a dark highway with only a single dim headlight to illuminate the road…I simply don’t have enough foresight about what lies ahead, to avoid disaster!
The Holy Spirit offers me wisdom and counsel about the road ahead, far in advance of my own limited understanding. Yet I must seek His voice and pay attention to His prompting in order to benefit from His presence.
This week, I choose to seek counsel from the Counselor so that I can walk with confidence through the things that are unknown to me.
Prayer
God, thank you for your voice and your holy wisdom! Help me to remember each day to seek your voice to lead and guide me rather than leaning on my own wisdom.
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Aware of the Presence

  • March 20, 2024
I want to notice immediately when something has gotten off track in my heart, and I have stepped outside of God’s blessing. I don’t want to keep on trying to do things on my own power, but instead take the time to get my heart right before God. I don’t want to go, without his blessing and power leading the way!
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Scripture
Joshua 7:4-5
“So about three thousand men went up there from the people. And they fled before the men of Ai, and the men of Ai killed about thirty six of their men and chased them before the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them at the descent. And the hearts of the people melted and became as water.”
Observation
Thirty six people out of three thousand doesn’t sound like a lot to be killed in battle–yet it was enough to shake the Israelites so badly that they turned and ran from the enemy. God had been giving them such amazing victories that even a loss of thirty six men was enough to show them that God had removed his hand and his power from them. They instantly stopped what they were doing, and turned to God instead of working harder and harder to achieve their goal on their own strength. Once they regained God’s favor, they moved forward in victory again.
Application
For all their faults, the Israelites showed great situational awareness in this story but noticing when God’s favor left them. I want to be like that! I want to notice immediately when something has gotten off track in my heart, and I have stepped outside of God’s blessing. I don’t want to keep on trying to do things on my own power, but instead take the time to get my heart right before God. I don’t want to go, without his blessing and power leading the way!
Prayer
God, thank you for your love which confronts me when I stray from you. Help me to remain sensitive to your presence and your anointing, so that I would quickly course-correct back to you instead of relying on my own strength!
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Steadfast Through the Changes

  • March 18, 2024
Even in painful moments, there’s a peace and a certainty in knowing the things that will never change. God’s love for me will never change. God’s promises for me will never change. God’s faithfulness will never change.
Instead of allowing my life to be shaken by the things that change, I choose instead to stand firm on the God who will never change.
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Scripture
Joshua 1:2-3
2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses.
Observation
Moses was dead. There were some things that had changed for Israel, and would never be the same as they had been. Moses was dead, and he would never again lead them across the wilderness. Moses was dead, and he would never again walk down from the mountain with tablets from God to give instruction to the people.
Moses was dead…but there were some things which would never change. God’s promise would never change. God’s future for his people would never change. God’s faithfulness would never change.
Though everything seemed to be changing for this generation of people who had only ever known Moses as their leader, there was certainty for their future because of the things that would never change.
Application
Loss is never enjoyable, and change is rarely fun. When people on whom I’ve leaned and trusted move away or die, there’s a void left behind and an element of pain in the grieving process. There’s an aching knowledge that some things will never be the same again.
Yet even in those painful moments, there’s a peace and a certainty in knowing the things that will never change. God’s love for me will never change. God’s promises for me will never change. God’s faithfulness will never change.
Instead of allowing my life to be shaken by the things that change, I choose instead to stand firm on the thing that will never change. I thank God for those who have gone before me and lived a life of faithful service in the Kingdom, and I choose to follow their example of steadfast commitment to the God who does not change.
Moses is dead…and it’s time to take a step of faith into the Jordan river.
Prayer
God, thank you for being the unchanging God! Thank you for giving me peace and certainty when everything seems to be changing, and thank you for the reminder that you are faithful through every storm and every season! Help me today to have the courage to step out in faith when you give the command, so that I could experience the fulness of your promises in my life. Thank you for the example set by those who have gone before me, and for leaders who have demonstrated a life of faith!
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The Ways and the Blessings

  • March 15, 2024
God’s blessings and God’s ways go hand in hand, inseparable from each other. His blessings always accompany his ways, and his ways always invite his blessings.
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Scripture
Deuteronomy 28:8-9, 12
8 The LORD will command the blessing on you in your barns and in all that you undertake. And he will bless you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. 9 The LORD will establish you as a people holy to himself, as he has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in his ways.
12 The LORD will open to you his good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands. And you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.
Deuteronomy 29:18b
Beware lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit, 19 one who, when he hears the words of this sworn covenant, blesses himself in his heart, saying, ‘I shall be safe, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart.’ This will lead to the sweeping away of moist and dry alike.
Observation
God has amazing blessings in store for his people…when his people follow his ways. The problem is that God’s people decide from time to time to claim God’s blessing…while rejecting his ways. It doesn’t work! God’s blessings and God’s ways go hand in hand, inseparable from each other. His blessings always accompany his ways, and his ways always invite his blessings.
Application
What an encouraging and uplifting reminder of my Father’s blessings, and what a sober reminder that there are strings attached to them! When I pursue the heart of God and walk in his ways, I cannot help but experience his blessing–in fact, Deuteronomy 18:2 says that his blessings will ‘overtake’ me when I walk in his ways. I can’t outrun them even if I try!
It makes me remember afternoons walking along the train tracks in Oregon as a young boy, and hearing the sound of a train behind me–there would be no way for me to outrun the locomotive as it approached. Yet just like that train locomotive, I can avoid God’s blessings in my life if I step off of the path on which they are found. And just as it would be unrealistic for me to step away from the train track and still worry about being struck by a train, so it is illogical for me to live my life outside of the ways of God and expect his blessings to follow me off the tracks defined by his word.
Whether in simple and obvious ways (like living in financial debt), or in more subtle ways (having an arrogant and prideful heart)…God’s blessings cannot follow me when I step outside of the path on which the blessings are found.
Today, I choose to walk in God’s ways. I choose to live my life to the best of my ability in a way which is pleasing to him, and I choose to rely on his strength to empower me when my own strength runs out.
Prayer
God, thank you for the blessings that I am promised in your word! Thank you for your ways which guide me, and your word which challenges me daily to grow and develop in you. Help me today to quickly realize when my feet are drifting from your way, so that I could experience all of the blessing that you desire to pour into my life.

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Free to Serve

  • March 14, 2024
Scripture
Galatians 5:13
“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
Observation
Through Christ we have freedom–but not freedom for the purpose of self-indulgence, but rather freedom for the purpose of loving rightly and serving well.
Application
Freedom is a popular topic in our nation and our culture–but usually the focus is on personal freedom to pursue my personal desires. The freedom I have in Christ is greater and deeper. It is the freedom to serve, the freedom to love, and the freedom to live out God’s purpose for my life.
Today I choose to walk in the freedom of selfless service, rather than the freedom of selfish ambition.
Prayer
God, thank you for your freedom in my life! Teach me to walk in freedom, so that I could be a light for you and a conduit of your love. May I serve you well by serving others, so that you would be glorified in my life.

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Accountability and Confidence

  • March 11, 2024
Accountability is not merely a starting-line strategy, but rather a permanent way of life for a Godly leader. Accountability is not merely a guideline for the novice, but rather a strategy which ensures long-term health for the experienced veteran. If I want to ensure God’s blessing on my life for the long run, then accountability must remain my default mode of operation.
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Scripture
Galatians 2:1-2
“Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain.”
Observation
Paul displays such humility and strength in this passage. After fourteen years of ministry, one would think that Paul wouldn’t be seeking much input or discussion from the leaders in Jerusalem on his ministry to the gentiles–yet here he is, again making the trip to Jerusalem to seek perspective and input from the other Apostles and to keep himself accountable to them. He didn’t view his length of experience in ministry to be a license to operate without accountability. Yet at the same time, Paul didn’t throw open the door to public opinion and crowd-think in evaluating these important questions. He specifically sought input from Peter, James, and John. Others surely had opinions as well, but Paul knew whose wisdom he trusted.
Application
Accountability is not merely a starting-line strategy, but rather a permanent way of life for a Godly leader. Accountability is not merely a guideline for the novice, but rather a strategy which ensures long-term health for the experienced veteran. If I want to ensure God’s blessing on my life for the long run, then accountability must remain my default mode of operation.
Yet not all voices in my life are created equal! There is never a shortage of people ready and eager to give an opinion, but there are a relatively few voices that God has placed in my life to speak into me at a deeper level. Allowing every voice equally into my life leads to me being a people-pleaser. Allowing no voices into my life makes me a loose cannon and a danger to everyone. Somewhere between the two is the God-honoring balance of being humbly accountable to the right voices.
This week I choose to walk humbly, with prayerful discernment to remain accountable to those whom God has placed in my life to point me back to His word and His ways.
Prayer
God, thank you for Godly and wise leaders who speak truth into my life and guide me closer to you! Give me wisdom to seek counsel from the right voices, and give me discernment each day to kindly but decisively reject the input of voices which would not lead me closer to you.

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Disappointing Responses

  • March 7, 2024
People, even those close close to me, will not always feel the weight of my season. I cannot look to them for my strength, but neither should I discard them from my life. They have a role to play, but my strength must come from God alone.
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Scripture
Mark 14:36-37
“And he said, ‘Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.’ And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, ‘Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour?'”
Observation
This was surely one of the most intense moments in Jesus’ life, as he grappled with the weight of what he was about to endure. Though the disciples were with him, they could not comprehend the weight of this moment. Jesus could have reacted in anger and offense, and called off the whole thing–instead he confronted them in love, and kept moving forward on his mission.
Application
People, even those close close to me, will not always feel the weight of my season. I cannot look to them for my strength, but neither should I discard them from my life. They have a role to play, but my strength must come from God alone.
Prayer
God, help me to respond with your heart when people display imperfection! May I always look to your for the strength I need on the journey.

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Be On Your Guard

  • March 6, 2024
Jesus tells me to expect hardship, but he warns me to keep a right perspective. When facing the fire, I am not there merely to suffer: I am there to shine brightly for my King!
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Scripture
Mark 13:9
“Be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them.”
Observation
All of these uncomfortable and challenging things can be expected to happen, according to Jesus. Persecution, opposition, inquisition…all of it is going to take place for a specific reason: for the church of God to carry Christ’s light, into dark places. Jesus said to be ‘on our guard’: not in thinking that we can avoid hardship, but rather that we would not miss the opportunity to be a witness.
Application
Perspective changes the whole situation. Perspective makes the difference between an obstacle and an opportunity, between a problem and a possibility. Jesus tells me to expect hardship, but he warns me to keep a right perspective. When facing the fire, I am not there merely to suffer: I am there to shine brightly for my King!
Prayer
God, help me to be on guard not to miss an opportunity to testify to your greatness. Even when the situation feels adverse, and even when I am facing hardship, may my perspective allow me to see (and seize) every opportunity to point the world to you!

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Boundary Markers

  • March 4, 2024
God’s blessings are not limited by his capacity to give, but rather by my capacity handle what he gives me. He knows my heart and my capacity, and so I must trust his sovereignty and his love for me when he defines the boundary of my blessing.
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Scripture
Numbers 34:1-3
1 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Command the people of Israel, and say to them, When you enter the land of Canaan (this is the land that shall fall to you for an inheritance, the land of Canaan as defined by its borders), 3 your south side shall be from the wilderness of Zin alongside Edom, and your southern border shall run from the end of the Salt Sea on the east.
Observation
God was giving an incredible blessing of inheritance to his people. He was fulfilling the promise made to Abraham, for which the Hebrew people had waited for so long! What an exciting time for them–but God doesn’t start by simply turning them loose to go and claim whatever land they desire. Instead, he begins by very clearly defining what portions of land will NOT belong to them.
Their ability to walk in God’s blessing, was directly related to their willingness to acknowledge the boundaries of what God would bless.
Application
I can walk confidently in the blessings of God with absolute certainty that He loves me and desires to bless me abundantly. But His desire to bless me, does not give me the right to claim or demand his blessing in places that He has not given to me. There are boundary markers between the ‘blessed life’, and a life which God will not bless. When I demand what I want instead of surrendering to His sovereignty, I am effectively stepping beyond the boundary of my inheritance.
Walking in God’s blessing is not merely about claiming his blessing, or having faith to receive his blessing. Walking in blessing is about allowing God to define the blessings that he is putting into my hands. His blessings are not limited by his capacity to give, but rather by my capacity handle what he gives me. He knows my heart and my capacity, and so I must trust his sovereignty and his love for me when he defines the boundary of my blessing.
Prayer
God, thank you for blessing me so generously! I don’t deserve your love, but I am grateful for it. Help me to walk confidently and not hesitantly in my inheritance, but with a clear understanding of the boundaries you have defined. You know my capacity to handle what you give me, and so I choose to walk humbly and trust you with the boundary markers.

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