S.O.A.P.

Daily S.O.A.P Blog

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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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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Stable, Steadfast, Unshifting

  • December 7, 2022
Spiritual health in Christ comes from a daily walk that is stable, steadfast, and unshifting–not rising and falling with the tides of impulse and emotion. This steady, daily walk with Christ is where his transformation takes place day by day in my heart.
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Scripture
Colossians 1:21-23
“And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
Observation
Christ doesn’t want my walk with Him to be merely a moment in time that is quickly left behind and forgotten. His redemption and transformation is part of the lifelong process of a stable and steadfast heart which is rooted and grounded in Him.
Application
It’s easy to confuse emotion with faith. Intense worship services, gatherings where we experience the gifts of the Spirit, and conferences/events are wonderful experiences on the journey–but they are not the foundation of a strong and healthy walk with God. Spiritual health in Christ comes from a daily walk that is stable, steadfast, and unshifting–not rising and falling with the tides of impulse and emotion. This steady, daily walk with Christ is where his transformation takes place day by day in my heart.
Emotions will rise and fall, but Christ is steadfast through every season.
I must walk steadfast in Him.
Prayer
God, thank you for your steadfast love! Teach me to walk steadfast in you, not controlled by emotion but guided daily by your heart and growing daily in You.
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The Most Important Thing

  • December 6, 2022
Tension and conflict in the Body should not be ignored, but neither should they be allowed to cause catastrophic division within the Church. The most important thing is that Christ is proclaimed!
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Scripture
Philippians 1:15-18
Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. 16 The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.
Observation
What amazing humility Paul shows here! Not every church leader like him, or supported him. Some were even leading in ways intended to cause further affliction to Paul! Paul doesn’t go into detail about what exactly this looked like, but he was up-front and honest about the mistreatment he was enduring. Yet in all of this Paul continues to rejoice that the gospel is being preached, and lives are being transformed.
Application
Conflict and discord within the body of Christ is inevitable. It’s doesn’t make God happy, but it’s simply the reality of interacting with imperfect humans. At times, I may have to clearly recognize and acknowledge the ungodly and carnal actions of those around me in the church. I shouldn’t just ignore these things, but neither does it have to lead to insurmountable chasms and fractures in the Body of Christ! The truth is that I am also imperfect, and God daily shows His grace and patience in dealing with me. If He is willing to be patient with me, then I have no right to lash out at those around me who are also imperfect. If my feelings are hurt, or someone else has a problem with me…I can still rejoice that God is moving in their life, and trust that He will receive the glory in the end.
Tension and conflict in the Body should not be ignored, but neither should they be allowed to cause catastrophic division within the Church. The most important thing is that Christ is proclaimed!
Prayer
God, thank you for your patience with me! Help me to be patient with others, even when I’d rather let my feelings be hurt and wallow in a pity party. Teach me to be humble, and to keep my eyes on the objective–that YOUR name would be proclaimed, so that the world would come to know the savior!
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Own It

  • December 5, 2022
God is good, despite my imperfection: and He does good, despite my flaws.
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Scripture
Psalm 119:66-68
“Teach me good judgement and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments. Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word. You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.”
Observation
The author of this Psalm has been through some hard times, and he attributes it to going ‘astray’, and exercising poor judgement. Instead of getting bent out of shape and blaming God, he owns his mistakes and uses it as motivation to keep the word of God and use better judgement in the future. He concludes that God is good, despite his own imperfection.
Application
I can empathize with the author of this psalm! I’ve at times done what I thought was right in the moment, and then realized that I had used very poor judgement. At times I’ve had to live with the results of my decisions, knowing that I had caused my own issue. It would be much more enjoyable at these moments to look for someone else to blame–but instead, I must ‘own’ the mistake and seek wisdom from God so that I could use better judgement the next time.
God is good, despite my imperfection: and He does good, despite my flaws.
Prayer
God, thank you for your goodness and for your patient mercy despite my imperfection. Teach me your wisdom so that I could use good judgement each day, and give me determination to daily align my life with your Word!
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Giving Glory

  • November 30, 2022

When I give glory to God, my faith in God grows stronger. I cannot wait until the fulfillment of the promise in order to give glory to God–I must start today!
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Scripture
Romans 4:19-21
19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. 20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.
Observation
I love this description of Abraham’s faith, and God’s response to it. What unwavering trust he had, that God was able to overcome every obstacle and impossible circumstance in order to fulfill His promise!
According to this verse, Abraham “grew strong in his faith”–this means that as time progressed, his faith became stronger instead of weaker. How did this happen? His faith grew, because Abraham “gave glory to God” since he was convinced that God was able to do what He had promised.
Despite the challenges, the issues, the odds, and the impediments…Abraham gave glory to God.
Application
Words are powerful–not only in how they affect those around me, but in the way that my words affect my own heart. When I verbalize doubt and uncertainty about God’s power, I weaken my own faith in the Father. Conversely- when I speak out and give glory to God no matter the circumstances, my faith in God grows stronger. I cannot wait until the fulfillment of the promise in order to give glory to God–I must start today!
When life hits me hard…God deserves the glory.
When another obstacle arises…God deserves the glory.
When it seems like there’s no way for His promise to be fulfilled…God deserves the glory.
His promises are true, and His love is constant–and His word will come to pass, in His time.
Prayer
God, thank you for your faithfulness! Help me to give you glory in every situation, instead of merely when things look like they are going well. Teach me to speak life with my words–not only to encourage those around me, but so that my own faith would be strengthened as well.
I believe you are able to fulfill all that you have promised, no matter what challenges life may throw in the way.
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Loving the Truth

  • November 29, 2022

When truth is not loved, lies, error, and deception become acceptable. When lies are acceptable, Satan’s work flourishes.
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Scripture
2 Thessalonians 2:9-10
The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
Observation
Truth: It’s such a simple concept, and yet so vastly powerful. Jesus declared himself to be ‘the truth’, and truth is at the center of God’s very nature. Those who do not ‘love the truth’ have separated themselves from God, because they have decided not to align with the core of who God is. When truth is not loved, lies, error, and deception become acceptable. When lies are acceptable, Satan’s work flourishes.
Application
What a sobering reminder of how critically important truth is! It’s easy to say ‘truth matters’ on the big stuff…but a love for truth must permeate every part of my heart and my thinking, if I am to follow God.
I must approach God in full truth about my own sinful condition. I must build my marriage and my relationships on truth, and not on hidden secrets. I must interact with the world on an unshakeable foundation of truth, not living my life with duplicity and hidden motives or agendas. I must value truth in the things which I allow to occupy my mind–instead of letting my thoughts be saturated by the false ideals and teachings of the world. I must celebrate truth in what I propagate–not sharing or spreading information that is false, or of questionable origin…even if it seems to support my opinions. When God is confronting areas in my heart that need to change, I must be willing to acknowledge truth about my imperfection so that His transformation can be accomplished in me.
When I love the truth, I will pursue it above all else–and the Spirit of Truth will lead me closer each day to the Father from whom truth flows.
Prayer
God, thank you that you are true. Help me to live each day with an unwavering love for truth, which guides my steps and defines my words and actions. Help me to discern truth when I am uncertain, and give me the courage to walk confidently in truth even when error would be easier. May the work of Satan never be given an opportunity to flourish in me, as I walk daily in the Spirit of Truth.
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Shake, Rattle, and Roll

  • November 28, 2022
Even though the circumstances were unsettling, God was at work and still accomplishing what only He could do. The chaos didn’t prevent God’s plans–instead the chaos accommodated God’s plans.
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Scripture
Matthew 28:2-6
And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.
Observation
What a terrifying morning for the disciples and these women! Jesus has been crucified and buried, they are all at risk of arrest by the temple leaders, and now a huge earthquake has struck! Now as the women approach the tomb, an angel appears and begins to speak to them–they would have understandably been terrified! Yet the words that the angel spoke brought peace, and not fear. Even though the circumstances were unsettling, God was at work and still accomplishing what only He could do. The chaos didn’t prevent God’s plans–instead the chaos accommodated God’s plans.
Application
This morning we woke up to some unsettling news–Mauna Loa has erupted, for the first time in almost 40 years! Our home was rocked by a series of earthquakes last night as the eruption began, and today the community is all abuzz with news reports, social media posts, speculation, predictions, and theories.
The chaos this morning is the volcano–but chaos is nothing new…it is simply part of life! The type of chaos may change, and the way I experience it may be different from week to week, but chaos is just part of the journey.
In the middle of the chaos, God is still doing what only He can do. He is still speaking peace to those who are troubled, and still offering hope to the hopeless. He is never caught off-guard, and never uncertain in His plans. Though things may be unsettled and in turmoil around me, He remains constant.
This week, I need to still my heart before God and allow Him to direct me with His peace. Though circumstances change and seasons get crazy I must remain rooted in Him, moving as He leads me.
Prayer
God, thank you for your peace which never fails! Thank you for remaining the unchanging one, no matter what may change around me. Lead me this week, and help me to keep my eyes on your unchanging love even when the world shakes and rattles around me.
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You can also read past devotions on our website, by visiting https://www.newhopelegacy.com/soap/
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