S.O.A.P.

Daily S.O.A.P Blog

Seeking His Favor

  • April 12, 2023
To walk in God’s favor, I must submit to God’s kingship.
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Scripture

1 Samuel 13:12-13a
“I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.” And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly.”
Observation
Saul acknowledged that he needed the favor of God-but he sought the favor of God by doing things that caused him to lose God’s favor. He wanted the favor of God, but he wanted it on his own terms. He wanted the blessings of God on ‘his’ kingdom, but neglected to honor the kingship of God.
Application
I need the favor of God! The things he has entrusted to me are too much for me to do without divine favor and guidance. I must pursue his favor–and his favor is mine when I acknowledge his kingship and walk in the ways that his favor can accompany. He cannot favor that which is contrary to his nature.
This week, I need the favor of God–and so I must walk in the ways of God.
Prayer
God, thank you for giving me strength and favor to do all that you’ve called me to do! Help me to never forget your kingship, and give me wisdom to walk in your ways. I need your presence and your Spirit, not merely your blessings.

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Communication

  • April 10, 2023
Paul did not fear the voice of his critics, because he walked and communicated with consistency and integrity.
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Scripture

2 Corinthians 10:11
“Let such a person understand that what we say by letter when absent, we do when present.”
Observation
Paul did not fear the voice of his critics, because he walked and communicated with consistency and integrity. His views, opinions, commands, and expectations expressed in his letters were the same things that he communicated when with them in person. His communication was planned and proactive, not impulsive and reactionary. His stance was reasoned and prayerful, not hasty and mercurial.
Application
Effective kingdom leadership requires effective communication. New situations arise, but must be met with consistent values and principles–because God is unchanging. Our society seems to be built on reactions, impulses, and communication intended to appease the moment, rather than shape a better future. We have become accustomed to unfulfilled political campaign promises, PR spin, and leadership that will move fluidly with the tides of public opinion. Effective, Christ-like, Godly communication doesn’t need a PR firm or a spin tactic. It is gentle but unyielding. It is loving but uncompromising on truth. It is applicable, but not reactionary. It is humble, but fearless in the face of criticism.
This week, I need to be mindful and prayerful in my communication so that Christ’s will would be accomplished in and through me.
Prayer
God, thank you for being the unchanging God who loves me! Help me to honor you in my communication, instead of following the patterns of this broken world you came to save!

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Prayerfully Involved, Personally Invested

  • April 5, 2023
As Boaz invested himself to be a part of God’s blessing to Ruth, God blessed him in return.
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Scripture

Ruth 2:11-12
“But Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother in law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!”
Observation
Boaz understood the law of the harvest, and he knew that Ruth would reap a harvest of blessing for the way she had taken care of Naomi. He prayed God’s blessing on her, but didn’t see himself as a mere observer in the situation. God had given him the opportunity to directly be a blessing to Ruth, and so that’s what he did. As he invested himself to be a part of God’s blessing to Ruth, God blessed him in return.
Application
Prayer is powerful, and prayer is always appropriate. But God has given each of us the ability to make a difference, and to invest our own energy and resource to be a part of His blessing to others. As we allow God to use us to accomplish His plans on earth, His blessing is made complete in our lives.
This week, I must allow God to use me. I must be willing to be inconvenienced, to be interrupted, to expend my own resources and cheerfully give when God directs. When I do this, eternity is affected and God’s blessing is released to others and to me.
Prayer
God, thank you for blessing me abundantly! Teach me to be a cheerful giver, so that your plans would be accomplished in and through me. Help me not to miss an opportunity to impact eternity for your glory!

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Right for you, right for me…

  • April 4, 2023
Godly leadership points back to the heart of God. It defines what is right and what is wrong, what is Godly and what is self-serving. It changes the status quo, and establishes a clear direction.
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Scripture

Judges 21:25
“In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”
Observation
What a sad lament of the state of Israel! No king, no unifying leader. No loyalty to God’s law, no moral compass. The only thing remaining, was for each one to do what was right ‘in his own eyes’.
Godly leadership points back to the heart of God. It defines what is right and what is wrong, what is Godly and what is self-serving. It changes the status quo, and establishes a clear direction.
Application
Mankind chafes against restriction. There is something in us that seems to automatically respond “but I want to!”, when we are told “you can’t”. The purpose of Godly leadership is to point people in a different direction than they would have gone. The purpose is to bring unity out of chaos, so that greater things can happen.
…Yet it is so easy to resent, push back, and reject those whom God has called to lead. In my life, I must choose to welcome those that God has placed in my life to alter my direction. I must desire to please God more than my own desires–because “I want to” isn’t a good enough justification.
In the areas where God has called me to lead, I must be courageous to establish a course and direction toward the heart of God–knowing that conflict and disagreement is inevitable on the journey, and must be navigated in a Christlike way. The world doesn’t need more leaders who turn a blind eye to wickedness, but rather who will model and teach a life that does what is right ‘in the eyes of God’.
Prayer
Help me Lord to align my heart with that which is right in your eyes! May pleasing you always take a higher priority than my own desires and motivations. Help me to lead well, where you have called me–to always point people to you, and not turn a blind eye to disunity and sinful decisions. Thank you for your righteousness, and your patience with me!

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I can see clearly now the veil is gone…

  • April 3, 2023
Because of Christ, mankind has the opportunity to be reconciled with God and have the veil removed in order to see and perceive clearly.
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Scripture

2 Corinthians 3:12-17
“Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
Observation
Those who are not walking in relationship with God, cannot clearly perceive and understand the things of God. Because of Christ, mankind has the opportunity to be reconciled with God, and have that veil removed in order to see and perceive clearly.
Application
I’m very rough on my sunglasses. A few months of mistreating them, and the lenses are clouded, scratched, and difficult to see through. Walking, driving, and working all become more difficult, because my vision is obscured.
The same is true in my spirit. Without Christ, I trip over things I should have seen…and get distracted by obstructions that don’t exist. Even the light which should illuminate my steps, becomes a blinding haze and fog. Christ’s desire is to remove the obstructions from my heart, so that I could walk in the freedom of clear vision and understanding. His desire is to reveal his glory to me, as I walk in covenant with him.
This week, I must walk in relationship with my savior so I could see clearly. I must allow him to remove anything from my heart which would obstruct my ability to see and perceive the things of the Spirit.
Prayer
God, thank you for the privilege of walking in covenant with you. Open my eyes to see you clearly, and thank you for the freedom you give me to walk with understanding. May your glory shine through me this week, to bring hope to someone who does not yet know you!

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Opening the Door for the Spirit

  • March 29, 2023
If we want to see the Spirit move in power, we must each do our part to create an environment where He is welcome.
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Scripture

1 Corinthians 14:12
“So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.”
Observation
Paul doesn’t discourage the church from seeking manifestations of the Spirit, but he does give some guidance. Instead of each one selfishly focusing on ‘their own’ gift, he instead told them to ‘build up the body’. As each one focuses on building up those around them, the Spirit will move. Verse 26 repeats this, “Let all things be done for building up.”
Application
Life in the Kingdom is not a solo, it is a symphony. When we each seek our own glory, chaos ensues and the spirit of God cannot bless our work. When we each come with the heart of a servant, with unity of purpose and vision, the Holy Spirit is free to move and to manifest in supernatural ways. This week, I must seek unity of heart and direction in the body. In the way that I work and lead, ‘building up the body’ must be the focus–not personal advancement, personal vision, or personal acclaim.
I want to see the Spirit move in power! …and I must do my part to create an environment where He feels welcome.
Prayer
God, help us to grow as a body, and help me to do my part to build up the family in unity, love, and maturity.
May you always be welcome to move and manifest your Spirit among us!

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Boundaries

  • March 24, 2023
Boundaries don’t create distance—they define how to walk closely in unity together.
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Scripture

Joshua 18:11-12
“The lot of the tribe of the people of Benjamin according to its clans came up, and the territory allotted to it fell between the people of Judah and the people of Joseph. On the north side their boundary began at the Jordan. Then the boundary goes up to the shoulder north of Jericho, then up through the hill country westward, and it ends at the wilderness of Beth-aven.
Observation
God wanted to give the Israelites an inheritance to be a blessing–but boundaries were necessary. Without boundaries, the blessing would have turned to bedlam. Without boundaries, the blessing would have led to conflict and disunity. The boundary didn’t create disunity or distance between the tribes–instead it defined how they were going to walk in unity together.
Application
Just because God initiates a thing, or gives a thing, doesn’t mean that it will flow along perfectly with no opportunity for conflict. We are imperfect people, and can allow even the blessings of God to become a curse if we don’t use Holy Spirit wisdom. Healthy boundaries may not ‘look’ holy at first glance to some people…but the reality is that they are pleasing to God, and one of the ways we can fulfill Christ’s prayer for unity in his church. Healthy boundaries don’t create distance between healthy people–rather, they allow for closer unity without conflict.
This week, I need to seek God’s guidance to create and enforce healthy boundaries in my life–so that I and those around me could enjoy the fulness of God’s blessings in our lives.
Prayer
God, thank you for the wisdom that I find in your word! Help me to walk in unity this week with those around me, employing healthy boundaries so your blessings would never become a curse in my life.

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A Question of Rights

  • March 21, 2023
Marriage is not about what we ‘demand’, but about what we give.
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Scripture

1 Corinthians 7:2-4
“But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.
Observation
Marriage is not about what we ‘demand’, but about what we give. Paul tells husbands to give their wife her rights, not to demand their own rights…and vice versa. This seems so backwards from our world’s perspective of rights–but this is the kind of love that marriage must be built on.
Application
It’s easy to slip into a mindset of “I want, I need, I expect” in marriage. This is how earthly relationships work–with a list of the things I expect to get out of it. God has instituted marriage to be more than that–because it is a symbol of our relationship with God himself!
This week I choose to honor God in my marriage by giving instead of getting, and serving instead of demanding to be served.
Prayer
God, thank you for loving me! Help me to honor you in my marriage by loving the way that you love. Create in me the heart of a servant!

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Defeat and Victory

  • March 20, 2023
The thing that had been an insurmountable problem without God’s anointing, was no longer something to fear now that the hearts of the nation were aligned with God.
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Scripture

Joshua 8:1
“And the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear and do not be dismayed. Take all the fighting men with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, his city, and his land.”
Observation
The Israelites had just experienced defeat in battle for the first time–and it shook them! God dealt with the hidden sin, and now he was sending them back to face the exact same enemy again! Understandably they were nervous–but God told Joshua, “Don’t be dismayed!” The thing that had been an insurmountable problem without God’s anointing, was no longer something to fear now that their hearts were aligned with God.
Application
Past failure can be a deadly enemy. Not because it holds ‘real’ power, but because it can stop us in our tracks and discourage us from continuing to walk forward. If allowed, past failure will prevent future victory. Yet God told Joshua, “Don’t be dismayed!”
A heart submitted to God doesn’t have to fear the failures of the past. A heart aligned with God is free to face the enemies of the past, with confidence in God to provide the victory.
This week, I need to examine my heart when hesitations and fears arise. Am I letting past failures hold me back from stepping forward into the victory that God wants to give me, or am I confidently following his leading as I surrender my heart to his?
Prayer
God, thank you that my past failures do not define my future! Thank you for bringing me back into alignment with you each time I stray, and empowering me to overcome the obstacles that once overcame me. May you be glorified in my life as I live through your strength instead of my own!

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The Power of the Spirit

  • March 17, 2023
Paul didn’t lead people to faith in his own oratory skills or charisma, but rather to faith in Jesus Christ.
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Scripture

1 Corinthians 2:3-5
And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
Observation
Paul led people to salvation through Christ all over the known world of his day–but not with convincing arguments, elaborate philosophies, or doctoral dissertations. Paul didn’t try to ‘convince’ people to put their faith in Jesus–he simply walked in the power of the Spirit. He didn’t lead people to faith in his own oratory skills or charisma, but rather to faith in Jesus Christ.
Application
We live in a world of marketing experts. From toothpaste focus groups, to market research firms, to PR experts…the public are accustomed to messaging that is dialed-in, nuanced, focused, and persuasive.
They are also accustomed to hearing smooth-talking salesmen representing products that can’t back up the sales pitch!
The presentation of the gospel should not be like this. It requires no manipulation on my part, no massaging of the data, no shady fine-print. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God to salvation! It is an expression of the love of God expressed in power and action, to transform the life of every person who puts their faith in Jesus Christ.
This week, I need to pray for anointing and boldness to walk in the power of the Spirit–because THAT is how hearts are led to saving faith in Christ.
Prayer
God, thank you for your Spirit in me! Thank you for the power to walk in your ways. Help me to fully utilize every gift and talent you’ve given me for your glory, but never slip into the trap of thinking that my own skill or talent would be enough. I need the power of your Spirit, and those that you’ve called me to reach also need to experience the power of your Spirit–not merely a smooth sales pitch! Use me this week I pray, to make a difference in your kingdom!

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