S.O.A.P.

Daily S.O.A.P Blog

That’s Not The Devil In The Details

  • September 18, 2023
Worshiping God often involves communication and planning as much as it involves sacrifices and altars. Our worship was not intended to be a solo sport–it was intended to involve every one of us glorifying God as only we can, in unity together. This kind of unified worship can only happen when those who are called to lead fulfill their calling with excellence in the mundane details behind the scenes, as well as in the highly visible and public ways.
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Scripture

Ezekiel 45:10-12
10 “You shall have just balances, a just ephah, and a just bath. 11 The ephah and the bath shall be of the same measure, the bath containing one tenth of a homer, and the ephah one tenth of a homer; the homer shall be the standard measure. 12 The shekel shall be twenty gerahs; twenty shekels plus twenty-five shekels plus fifteen shekels shall be your mina.
Observation
In this passage, God is giving instructions to the princes of Judah on how to honor God as a ruler of the nation. He gives specific instructions on leading the people with justice, respecting personal property, and other things that pertained to the life of a prince–and then God gives specific instructions on the establishment of accurate units of measurement. Why was this such a big deal to God? Why did He care about how many ephahs go into a homer?
The answer seems to be in verse 13. The standardized units of measure that God prescribed, were then used to give detailed parameters for the offerings that God required. Without honest units of measurement, business could not be conducted with integrity. Without honest units of measurement, tension and accusations would have flared between merchants and traders. And without honest units of measurement, the people would have been left without a way to know if they were fulfilling God’s instructions for worship.
Application
It’s way more fun to be the guy wheeling and dealing and making sales, than to be the guy who arrives at the store before sunrise to make sure that the produce scales are calibrated. It’s more glamorous to be the one charging the enemy line, than to be the one verifying map coordinates and distances. And it can seem much more exciting to be the one praying with people, sharing God’s word, and teaching the Good News than to be the one working late to pray over strategy, send emails to the team, and make sure the calendar is updated.
But the truth is that worshiping God often involves communication and planning as much as it involves sacrifices and altars. Our worship was not intended to be a solo sport–it was intended to involve every one of us glorifying God as only we can, in unity together. This kind of unified worship can only happen when those who are called to lead fulfill their calling with excellence in the mundane details behind the scenes, as well as in the highly visible and public ways. This kind of unified worship requires servant-hearted leaders who care enough to keep the weights accurate, the scales calibrated, the calendar updated, and the communication accurate and timely.
This week, I need to worship God in every facet of what I am called to do–both in the public and visible things, and also in the mundane details which allow the Body to worship in unity.
Prayer
God, thank you for this reminder that the devil isn’t in the details…You are! Help me to serve you with excellence–with my communication, with my planning, with my time management, and with the details of my day. You are worthy of the best that I can give!

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Seeking God

  • September 1, 2023
Knowing that God is my help is not enough: I must ‘seek God’. I must invest time in discovering his heart, and in finding His intentions and motivations. I must be bold to carry my dilemmas and problems to him, and ask my Father to help me. His help and deliverance is available…as I seek him.
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Scripture

Psalm 70:4-5
May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you! May those who love your salvation say evermore, “God is great!” But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay!
Observation
The psalmist knows who God is (his help and deliverer)…but he knows that he is not yet experiencing the full measure of what God has made available to him. God is his help…but his help is not yet fully realized. God is his deliverer…but he is not yet delivered. Merely knowing that these things are available is not enough: the full measure of God’s help and deliverance is only found in ‘seeking God’.
Application
I need God’s help! I am not able to accomplish everything that needs to be accomplished in my life. I am not able to win every battle that I fight. I am not able to provide every resource that I need. This week has made it abundantly clear to me again, just how much I need God’s help.
Knowing that God is my help is not enough: I must ‘seek God’. I must invest time in discovering his heart, and in finding His intentions and motivations. I must be bold to carry my dilemmas and problems to him, and ask my Father to help me. His help and deliverance is available…as I seek him.
Seeking God is not about figuring out where he is hiding, like a game of spiritual hide-and-seek. God is not hiding from me, he is ever present and faithful. If I can’t see him, then it means that I have turned around and am looking in the wrong direction.
Prayer
God, I need you! I can’t solve every problem, or fill every need in my life. I humbly bring my burdens to you today, and ask for your strength, provision, deliverance, and wisdom. Thank you for being my help and deliverance, and I choose today to seek you and daily turn my heart back to you so that I could walk in the full measure of your provision and strength. Thank you for your faithfulness!

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The Lamb is Worthy!

  • August 31, 2023
Because of his sacrifice, Christ has declared us righteous and holy before God…no longer controlled by godlessness, but now priests to God, and walking in His authority on earth! Truly, He is worthy to be praised!
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Scripture

Revelation 5:9-10
“Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”
Observation
What an amazing thing Christ has done! Because of his sacrifice, he has ransomed people from the power of sin. Because of his sacrifice, he has established the redeemed as a kingdom–and because of his sacrifice, he has declared them righteous and holy before God…no longer controlled by godlessness, but now priests to God, and walking in His authority on earth!
Truly, the lamb is worthy to be praised!
Application
When I take time to understand and remind myself what Christ has done, I can’t help but lift my voice in praise to declare his greatness! While my mind can acknowledge that he should be praised, my heart must be reminded from time to time that he deserves every praise, every song, every accolade, every bit of worship that I can give. When I remind myself of what Christ has done for me, I can’t restrain myself from joining with the angels, the elders, the beings around the throne, and every living creature in heaven and on earth to lift my voice in a song of praise!
Prayer
God, you are so worthy of my praise! Thank you for redeeming me! May I never forget or lose sight of your greatness and the magnitude of what you’ve done for me. Help me today to seize every opportunity to lift up your name and declare your greatness–so that those I meet today would also have an opportunity to be redeemed and join their voice with the unending song of praise.

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

Speak Life!

  • August 29, 2023
I want to let God use me to speak life into those around me. Not by avoiding difficult conversations, but by speaking life where death has begun to take root.
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Scripture

Revelation 3:1-2
“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. “‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.”
Observation
The church in Sardis had a reputation of life…but the reality was grim. Though appearing to be alive, they were instead dying spiritually, dying as a church family. God identified the uncomfortable truth about their situation, but didn’t just point out the problem–he pointed them back to ‘life’. He called them to wake up, and choose the life that had been freely made available to them.
Application
Everyone has ‘blind spots’. We all have things that we think or assume are true…but reality tells a different story. It takes a true friend to call out those blind spots, and bring awareness to the uncomfortable truths that would destroy us if not dealt with. There’s a difference though, between merely pointing out a problem…and pointing toward the solution. It’s easy to sit back and point out problems-but true love will point toward the solution. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life!
This week, I want to let God use me to speak life into those around me. Not by avoiding difficult conversations, but by speaking life where death has begun to take root.
Prayer
God, thank you for loving me enough to confront the uncomfortable truths in my life! Help me to love others enough to engage the hard conversations–but always with a heart to point them toward your life, and not merely to point out a problem.
Thank you for making your life available to me! I choose to walk in your true life, instead of in the death that sin brings.

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When God Gives You a Hard Head

  • August 28, 2023
God has designed me exactly the way he wants me, to carry out the purpose for which he created me. As long as my heart is fully surrendered to him, then he will be glorified even through those aspects of me which cause me frustration when I look in the mirror.
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Scripture

Ezekiel 3:8-9
8 Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces, and your forehead as hard as their foreheads. 9 Like emery harder than flint have I made your forehead. Fear them not, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house.”
Observation
It’s usually not considered a compliment to tell someone they have a hard head–yet that’s exactly what God told Ezekiel! In fact, God emphasizes twice in this short passage, just how extremely hard-headed Ezekiel was…because God created and designed him that way. God had a plan for Ezekiel’s life, to speak through him to a nation of people who were stubborn and hard-headed to an extreme degree–and God knew that his chosen messenger would have to be just as stubborn and hard-headed to carry the message that they needed to hear. Though we often tend to see hard-headedness as a flaw or a character defect, God saw this as one of the greatest strengths he had given Ezekiel…as long as Ezekiel used this aspect of his nature for the glory of God.
Application
Sometimes I look in the mirror and think, “Why, God?! Why did you create me this way? Why couldn’t I be more like ‘that’, or more like ‘this’?” I see the strengths that God has placed in others, and often begin to wish that I could be more like them. Surely I could serve God better if I was more like that person over there! Surely I could be more successful on my mission if I could imitate this one over here!
God’s words to Ezekiel give me so much hope. God has designed me exactly the way he wants me, to carry out the purpose for which he created me. As long as my heart is fully surrendered to him, then he will be glorified even through those aspects of me which cause me frustration when I look in the mirror.
Sometimes God needs a stubborn messenger with a hard head.
Prayer
God, thank you for instilling in me the things that I need, to fulfill your plan in my life! Help me to daily surrender all that I am to you, so that your purposes would be accomplished!

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Walking In Authority

  • August 25, 2023
Because the king abdicated his power, the prophet Jeremiah was unjustly imprisoned. Because the king abdicated his power, his family and royal officials lost their lives. Because the king abdicated his power, the entire nation suffered.
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Scripture

Jeremiah 38:5
“King Zedekiah said, “Behold, he is in your hands, for the king can do nothing against you.”
Observation
What a pitiful statement for a king to make!
“Do whatever you want to do, there’s nothing I can do to stop you. After all…I’m only the king!”
The king wasn’t omnipotent, but neither was he impotent. He carried authority and power from God, to be used for the benefit of the kingdom. Because the king abdicated his power, the prophet Jeremiah was unjustly imprisoned. Because the king abdicated his power, his family and royal officials lost their lives. Because the king abdicated his power, the entire nation suffered.
Application
God has given me both authority, and responsibility to be stewarded and used for his glory. There are plenty of things that I can’t fix about the world, but I can’t just sit back and say “nothing I can do about it!”
In my family, on the job, in my church family…there are moments when a stand must be taken for that which honors God–and these are the moments for which God has entrusted authority to me. If I step back and abdicate my role, then I and those under my care will ultimately suffer for my inaction.
Like Zedekiah, I’m not responsible to fix every problem–but I am responsible to steward and use the authority God has given me, in a way which honors him.
Prayer
God, thank you that your strength is enough! Help me never to slip into the trap of thinking that I am the savior, but also not to become complacent and abdicate the responsibilities that you’ve given me. May you be glorified in my life!

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Which Way?

  • August 23, 2023
I want my life to be defined by the God that I point people toward, not merely by the enemies that I stand against.
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Scripture

Jeremiah 31:6
“For there shall be a day when watchmen will call in the hill country of Ephraim: ‘Arise, and let us go up to Zion, to the Lord our God.'”
Observation
The job of a watchman is to warn of danger–so why would the watchman be calling the city to go up to Zion?
The people needed the watchman to warn them of danger–but equally important was the question of where they were being called ‘toward’. It was not enough that they defend against attack–they needed to continue drawing closer to God.
Application
It’s easy to see danger in the world, and sometimes there’s even a sense of gratification to take a stand against issues and attacks. But the deeper question is, what am I calling people ‘toward’? Am I merely taking a stand against what is wrong, or am I pointing people toward the savior?
I want my life to be defined by the God that I point people toward, not merely by the enemies that I stand against.
Prayer
God, thank you for this reminder! Help me to daily point people to you, instead of merely taking a stand against unrighteousness. Help me this week to see the opportunities you give me to point people to you!

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The Voice of Truth

  • August 21, 2023
I know that God loves me, and so I know that his voice is the voice of love even when he speaks things that I don’t like. This week I choose to listen for the voice of the Father instead of the voice of my own preferences, so that I can walk in his blessing.
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Scripture

Jeremiah 27:9-11
So do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your fortune-tellers, or your sorcerers, who are saying to you, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon.’ 10 For it is a lie that they are prophesying to you, with the result that you will be removed far from your land, and I will drive you out, and you will perish. 11 But any nation that will bring its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will leave on its own land, to work it and dwell there, declares the LORD.”’”
Observation
God’s people wanted to hear a message of deliverance, freedom, and blessing. What they got was a message of judgement, discipline, and bondage. Their rejection of the one true God led to them being separated from the blessings that he wanted to give them. The message that they received from him was not the message they wanted or expected to hear…but it was still the voice of God speaking. Though the message wasn’t what they hoped for, God’s voice offered a way for them to again walk in his favor.
Application
God’s voice doesn’t always speak what I want to hear. Whether because of correction that he is bringing, or because he’s stretching me out of my comfort zone…his voice doesn’t always say things that I like. It’s easy to fall into the trap of listening for a voice saying what I want to hear, and assuming that it’s the voice of God–but he has not promised to say what I want to hear.
I want to hear the voice of God. I don’t want my life to be led by an echo chamber of voices that agree with my preferences, opinions, and desires! I know that God loves me, and so I know that his voice is the voice of love even when he speaks things that I don’t like. This week I choose to listen for the voice of the Father instead of the voice of my own preferences, so that I can walk in his blessing.
Prayer
God, thank you for speaking truth instead of merely agreeing with my preferences! I know that you love me, and so I choose to listen to your voice and walk in your ways instead of seeking voices that merely agree with me. I would rather experience your love through your correction, than live my life ruled by my own selfish wants.

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

Giving and Receiving

  • August 2, 2023
It’s easy to get so focused on the small things God asks from me, that I miss the fact that what He truly wants is to give me something: his love, his grace, his blessing, and his provision.
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Scripture

John 4:10
“Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you ‘give me a drink’, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.'”
Observation
The Samaritan woman was shocked that Jesus asked her for a drink–but Jesus told her that the real objective wasn’t about what he asked from her…but about what he wanted to give her.
Application
Sometimes I look at God and say “you want WHAT from me?!”
It’s easy to get so focused on the small things he asks from me, that I miss the fact that what He truly wants is to give me something: his love, his grace, his blessing, his provision…
There is truly nothing that I could give to God that he lacks–so the only direction things can actually flow is from him to me.
This week I choose to willingly give what God asks of me, eagerly anticipating and confidently asking to receive all that he wants to give me.
Prayer
God, thank you for giving me so much! I could never repay you, but I choose to cheerfully give what you ask of me. I want to receive all that you want to give me!

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

Searching and Finding

  • August 1, 2023
God is not hiding or concealing himself. He is eagerly looking forward, anticipating the day that we turn to him–not just those who are ‘called by his name’, but all mankind.
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Scripture

Isaiah 65:1
“I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, “Here I am, here I am,” to a nation that was not called by my name.”
Observation
What an amazing, sad, inspiring passage! God is not hiding, or concealing himself. He is eagerly looking forward, anticipating the day that we turn to him–not just those who are ‘called by his name’, but all mankind. Yet how sad, that many have chosen to ignore and disregard the savior as he calls “here I am!”
Application
There have been moments on the journey when it seemed like God was nowhere to be see. As I’ve looked back on each of these moments, it’s become clear that God never went anywhere. He is unchanging! The only question is, ‘where is my heart in relation to him?’
He wants me to seek him. He desires to be pursued by me–and the truth is, he has already sought me and pursued me, so that I can find him!
This week, I want to see God and discover all that he wants me to find. I want to know him the way he wants to be known, and find him just as he wants to be found.
Prayer
God, thank you for making a way for me to find you. I choose to seek you with my whole heart, and I want to know you better each day.

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

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