S.O.A.P.

Daily S.O.A.P Blog

The Role of the Spirit

  • January 4, 2023

Although we are called to walk in relationship, I must daily make sure that my relationships point people to the power of the Holy Spirit– rather than trying to become his replacement.

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Scripture

Luke 4:42-43

“And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the Kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.”

Observation

The people were responding…but Jesus had to leave. The people sought him…but Jesus must depart.

Why?!

This seems so counter-productive to the mission of Christ.

Jesus knew a secret: His Good News was not constrained by his physical location, and indeed he would not be physically walking the earth much longer. He could not allow the present crowd to cost him his opportunity to share the Good News with the next community. He could not allow his present success to cost him his future success.

Application

I am called to share the good news of Christ, with those who need hope. I love seeing people respond to the love of God, and watching lives be transformed–but even that cannot stop me or distract me from continuing to share the gospel! The power of the gospel is not in how I walk alongside someone, but in how they allow the Holy Spirit to work within them. Although we are called to walk in relationship, I must daily make sure that my relationships point people to the power of the Holy Spirit– rather than trying to become his replacement.

Prayer

God, thank you for relationships and the daily presence of your Holy Spirit. Help me to daily fulfill the call to share your good news with others, and never let anything hinder that from happening. Thank you that the seeds of your word keep on growing long after being planted, as you bring increase!

 

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The Role of the Spirit

  • January 4, 2023

Although we are called to walk in relationship, I must daily make sure that my relationships point people to the power of the Holy Spirit– rather than trying to become his replacement.

================

 

Scripture

Luke 4:42-43

“And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the Kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.”

Observation

The people were responding…but Jesus had to leave. The people sought him…but Jesus must depart.

Why?!

This seems so counter-productive to the mission of Christ.

Jesus knew a secret: His Good News was not constrained by his physical location, and indeed he would not be physically walking the earth much longer. He could not allow the present crowd to cost him his opportunity to share the Good News with the next community. He could not allow his present success to cost him his future success.

Application

I am called to share the good news of Christ, with those who need hope. I love seeing people respond to the love of God, and watching lives be transformed–but even that cannot stop me or distract me from continuing to share the gospel! The power of the gospel is not in how I walk alongside someone, but in how they allow the Holy Spirit to work within them. Although we are called to walk in relationship, I must daily make sure that my relationships point people to the power of the Holy Spirit– rather than trying to become his replacement.

Prayer

God, thank you for relationships and the daily presence of your Holy Spirit. Help me to daily fulfill the call to share your good news with others, and never let anything hinder that from happening. Thank you that the seeds of your word keep on growing long after being planted, as you bring increase!

 

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

Light in Darkness

  • December 30, 2022

Until God calls us home, our job is to continue walking as children of God– carrying light into dark places.

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Scripture
Revelation 18:4
Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues;
Observation
Though we are not of the world, God has put us into the world to carry His name and His light in dark places. Even in the last days when evil and wickedness is overflowing, God wants His people to remain set apart to Him–in our thinking, in our speech, in our walk. God knows the limits of our endurance and our strength–and at some point, He will call His people out of Babylon so that we will not ‘take part in her sins’. Until then our job is to continue walking as children of God, carrying light into dark places.
Application
“In the world but not of it”–this is such a simple concept, yet so profound. In the midst of the greatest evil and wickedness, God has placed me where He wants me to be in order to carry His name and His image. When worldly philosophies and humanistic ways of thinking dominate society, it can be daunting to remain steadfast. Yet God knows my heart, my love for Him, and my weaknesses–and He knows the limits of my strength. If He has placed me where I am, then He has also given me all that I need to remain faithful to Him right where I am. If He has not removed me from my circumstances, then my job is to simply remain faithful and continue shining brightly for Him.
Prayer
God, thank you for the privilege of serving you! Help me to not allow my thinking and my actions to be tainted or corrupted by worldly philosophies. Help me to remain set apart for you, even in the middle of a sinful and fallen world. Thank you for giving me all that I need to walk in your ways, and thank you for knowing my limits and imperfections. May you be glorified in my life, as I shine your light in darkness!
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You can also read past devotions on our website, by visiting https://www.newhopelegacy.com/soap/

 

The Power of Prayer

  • December 28, 2022
This week, I need to cultivate the daily discipline of prayer–not because my words have inherent power, but because the One to whom I pray has ALL power.
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Scripture
Revelation 8:3-5
And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.
Observation
What an amazing visual picture of the power of prayer! Prayer may seem to us as insubstantial as a wisp of smoke, lacking the power to change or accomplish anything–but when directed to God, in a way which honors Him and captures His attention, it generates a response from the Father that is earth-shaking and powerful.
Application
God has been calling me to prayer. He has been drawing my attention to situations and circumstances over which I have no control, and only limited influence. Prayer may feel insubstantial in the face of specific, measurable, quantifiable problems…but the power of prayer is not in the prayer itself–the power of prayer resides in the One to whom my prayers are directed. When I offer my prayers as an incense before God, with a heart submitted to Him, His response is nothing short of earth-shaking and miraculous.
This week, I need to cultivate the daily discipline of prayer–not because my words have inherent power, but because the One to whom I pray has ALL power.
Prayer
God, thank you for this reminder of the power of prayer! Help me to cultivate the daily habit of prayer–not just talking to you, but listening also to your voice as you speak to me. Thank you for hearing my prayers, and for loving me enough to respond in power when I pray!
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You can also read past devotions on our website, by visiting https://www.newhopelegacy.com/soap/

Seen, Known, Loved

  • December 27, 2022

God calls me to serve Him with a heart of Brotherly Love, trusting that He will make a way when I cannot: …Because He sees me, He knows me, and He loves me.
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Scripture
Revelation 3:7-8 7
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.’
Observation
What an encouragement this letter must have been, to the church in Philadelphia! Reading between the lines, I can almost hear the fatigue of this church family–working, laboring, fighting the good fight, and sharing the Good News with a wicked world. How amazing, for God himself to recognize their faithfulness and to write this letter to them through John!
Though their strength was little, their faithfulness was great. Though their power was small, their hearts were mighty. Though they faced insurmountable obstacles, God himself was making a way.
Application
I love this passage. There are many churches listed and mentioned by God in the book of Revelation. There are mighty events happening, great conflicts occurring, and all of the forces of heaven and hell on display. …And there, in the middle of it all, is the little congregation of Philadelphia: The church of Brotherly Love. They weren’t the biggest, or the most famous, or the mightiest…but they were faithful. They had ‘but little power’, but they used what power they had, in pursuit of God. Instead of bemoaning their limitations they simply kept serving faithfully, and following God steadfastly.
AND GOD NOTICED!
God didn’t need for them to be somebody different. He didn’t need for their circumstances to be different. He didn’t need for their power to be different. He simply needed them to faithfully serve Him–and He was more than sufficient to make up for what they seemed to lack.
This week, I need to serve God with that same heart: Not waiting for my circumstances to change, or for more resource to appear–but simply following God faithfully and steadfastly with what I have, even when the things that I have don’t seem to be adequate. I need to serve Him with a heart of Brotherly Love, trusting that He will make a way when I cannot:
…Because He sees me, He knows me, and He loves me.
Prayer
Thank you God for seeing me! Thank you for loving me, even when I don’t feel adequate or capable. Thank you for making a way through impossible circumstances, as I follow you. Help me to walk steadfastly, trusting in Your power and not my own.
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You can also read past devotions on our website, by visiting https://www.newhopelegacy.com/soap/

 

People, not Problems

  • December 21, 2022

The community saw the beggar’s problem, but Jesus saw him.
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Scripture
John 9:1,8
1 – As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth.
8 – The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?”
Observation
The neighbors and community saw him “as a beggar” but Jesus saw him.
They couldn’t say for sure if this was even the same man…but Jesus knew him.
They saw him as an inconvenience and interruption to their day, Jesus saw him as a broken person who was made in the image of God.
Application
Do I see people, or do I merely see their issue, and the way they interrupt my life? Every one of us is broken in some way, and yet we are also all created in the image of God. Do I take the time to recognize His image?
His desire is that I would follow His example: giving generously as He gave, loving as He loved, and caring as He cared.
This week, I need to be intentional to see people–not just problems.
Prayer
God, thank you for seeing me and loving me. Help me to see people the way you do, so I could love the way that you love.
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You can also read past devotions on our website, by visiting https://www.newhopelegacy.com/soap/

 

Who, not Where

  • December 20, 2022
Jesus didn’t stand on the foundation of his birthplace, his family’s reputation, his social status, or his community connections. He stood on the certainty that he had been sent by the Father, to perform a very specific mission.
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Scripture
John 7:25-29
Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? 26 And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ? 27 But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.” 28 So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, “You know me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. 29 I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.”
Observation
The Jewish people thought they understood the possibilities and the limits in Jesus Christ’s life, because they knew where he came from. The truth was that they drastically underestimated who Christ was–because they knew where he was from, but not who he was from.
Jesus didn’t stand on the foundation of his birthplace, his family’s reputation, his social status, or his community connections. He stood on the certainty that he had been sent by the Father, to perform a very specific mission.
Application
Life is full of limitations. We each face limitations of income, time, opportunities, relationships, language barriers, and jobsite politics. For anything that needs to be done, plenty of reasons can be found as to why I can’t do it. Jesus Christ faced these same limitations when the community looked at his birthplace, family history, and social status. “Surely this man can’t be the Messiah!”
Jesus let none of their words discourage him from his mission, because his authority was grounded in who he was from, not where he was from. The Heavenly Father had sent him–and so none of the limitations mattered. The words, insults, insinuations, and assumptions had no effect on him–because he knew who had sent him.
I want to live with that kind of confidence! Not teetering on the unstable ground of family history or social connections–but standing firm on the knowledge of who sent me, who leads me, and who loves me.
Prayer
God, thank you for the confidence that I have in you! Not because of my own merit, connections, or qualifications–but because you have a plan and a purpose for my life. Help me to stand daily with confidence in you, so that you would be glorified in my life.
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Mercy Wins

  • December 15, 2022
When I remember the depth of God’s grace toward me, how could I ever hold a grudge against someone for the small ways that they have wronged me? His grace has triumphed over judgement in my own life–and grace still triumphs over judgement, as I let His mercy flow through me to those in my life.
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Scripture
James 2:12-13 – So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Observation
‘Mercy triumphs over judgement’: This seems so backwards! Judgement is strong, judgement is harsh, judgement is about exerting correction on someone else–how can mercy be stronger than that?! Yet scripture teaches that this is how it works. Mercy doesn’t just ‘compete’ with judgement…mercy ‘triumphs over’ judgement.
Application
I have needed so much mercy in my life! God has been merciful to me, and He wants me to show mercy to others. My natural instinct is to react harshly when things don’t go the way I want: When people don’t fulfill their commitments, when they speak hastily or lash out in anger, when their selfishness causes inconvenience in my own life…it’s easy to react with judgement toward them. Yet when I take a minute to remember Christ’s mercy toward me, it shows me how inconceivable it would be for me to live in a judgemental way toward others. In Christ, I am judged by the law of liberty–not by the law of sin and death. In Christ, I am offered forgiveness even though I don’t deserve it. In Christ, I live in the daily blessing of God–though my sin should have separated me forever from him. When I remember the depth of God’s grace toward me, how could I ever hold a grudge against someone for the small ways that they have wronged me? His grace has triumphed over judgement in my own life–and grace still triumphs over judgement, as I let His mercy flow through me to those in my life. This doesn’t mean that I am supposed to ignore sin, or to pretend like the actions of others never hurt me–but it does mean that my savior has been astoundingly patient and forgiving toward me…and I need to pass that on to those around me.
This week, I need to be intentional to walk in the triumph of mercy.
Prayer
God, thank you for your mercy toward me, which triumphs over judgement! Help me to be patient, merciful, and forgiving toward others–always remembering the depth of your love for me.
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You can also read past devotions on our website, by visiting https://www.newhopelegacy.com/soap/

Proven Faith

  • December 13, 2022
The strength of my faith is revealed not when I get what I want–but rather when I trust God even though the situation looks hopeless.
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Scripture
Hebrews 11:13
“These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.”
Observation
Hebrews 11 details the lives of some amazing heroes of the faith–men and women who put it all on the line, gave up the illusion of safety and security in their former life, and stepped out boldly into the greater security of a life surrendered to God. Many of them died without seeing the fulfillment of their faith–yet Paul commends them for living a life of strong faith, despite them not having yet received the promise.
Their faith was proven–not by the fulfillment of that which they awaited, but by their faithfulness even while the promise remained unfulfilled.
Application
It’s easy to develop a distorted view of faith.
“If I just had enough faith, then God would…”
“If you just had enough faith, then the situation would have turned out differently…”
The truth is that God is faithful, and my faith in Him is not misplaced–no matter whether I see the fulfillment of the promise yet or not. His promises are true, and His word is unfailing.
The testing of my faith is not a measurement of whether I have enough faith to produce the outcome that I desire. If my faith could produce the desired outcome, then I would be the hero of the story. God alone can bring the fulfillment of His promises–and my faith in Him is proven when I choose to trust Him even though the situation is messy, impossible, unfixable, and out of my own control.
This is the kind of faith that can move mountains: Not because I have any power to move mountains on my own, but because true faith in God acknowledges Him alone as God, and keeps my heart submitted and centered on Him. When my heart is properly aligned in this way with Him, then He is free to move mountains, bring the dead to life, fulfill His promises, and accomplish all of the things that I cannot accomplish.
The strength of my faith is revealed not when I get what I want–but rather when I trust God even though the situation looks hopeless.
Prayer
God, thank you for who you are. Thank you for being more than enough to handle anything that life could throw at me, and for being faithful and true. Thank you for your promises in my life!
Help me to trust you in every circumstance. Not merely when things are going the way that I want, but also when I don’t see any solution or chance of success. Thank you for proving yourself time and time again in my life!
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Practicing

  • December 12, 2022
We all start out as infants in the family, but God’s desire is that we would choose to grow instead of remaining an infant forever.
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Scripture
Hebrews 5:14
“But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”
Observation
God loves all of His children alike–but His children are not all alike. Some are mature, some are immature. Some are trained, some are untrained. Some are able to discern good from evil, some are not. We all start out as infants in the family, but God’s desire is that we would choose to grow instead of remaining an infant forever.
Application
God has given me everything necessary for me to grow. He’s given me the right environment, the right nourishment, and the right resources–but He expects me to use what he’s given me in order to become strengthened and mature.
As I practice the things of God and practice following God, my spiritual muscles are strengthened–and my ability to discern between that which is Godly and ungodly is increased.
This week, I need to take full advantage of the resources God has given me–and make the decision to daily grow in God by practicing that which pleases and honors Him.
Prayer
God, thank you for giving me all that I need in order to grow in you. Help me to grow daily in you, that I would not remain stagnant in a state of weakness and spiritual immaturity.
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You can also read past devotions on our website, by visiting https://www.newhopelegacy.com/soap/
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