S.O.A.P.

Acts 7: 1- 2

“And the high priest said,”Are these things so?” And Stephen said, “Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran…”

Observation

Application

Prayer

God, thank you for leading and guiding me through each season. Help me to see opportunities for Kingdom wins, and give me the courage to pay any price that you would require of me.

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Ezra 3:12

“But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ houses, old men who had seen the first house, wept with a loud voice when they saw the foundation being laid, though many shouted aloud for joy.”

Observation

While the city celebrated the construction of God’s house, these men mourned. While the rest of the people celebrated what God was now doing, these men mourned for what used to be.

Application

It’s right and appropriate to remember heritage and history…but not at the expense of seeing what God is doing today. So long as I draw breath here on earth, God’s work in and through me will not be completed. So what is God doing today? Am I watching with awe and wonder what God is doing, or am I blinded by tears for what used to be?

Today I choose to honor and remember miracles and victories from my past–but I choose to live in the miracle of what God is doing today.

Prayer

God, thank you for your faithfulness! Help me never to forget what you have done, but help me also not to miss out on what you are doing today by allowing yesterday to consume my attention.

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Daniel 11:1

“As for me, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to confirm and strengthen him.”

Observation

This angel of God ministered to king Darius on God’s behalf, by confirming and strengthening him. There were specific things he needed as king. God knew the need, and supplied the need.

Application

Today I choose to learn how to speak with the heart of God. Not with shallow and self-serving flattery, nor yet with harsh criticisms…but with honest truth which confirms the calling of God on people’s lives and leaves them strengthened from having been around me.

Prayer

God, thank you for your confirmation and strength in my life! Help me to carry that same heart in my speech and interactions, so that others would be strengthened and elevated from having spent time with me.

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Ezekiel 47:21-22

“So shall you divide this land among you according to the tribes of Israel. You shall allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the sojourners who reside among you and have had children among you. They shall be to you as native-born children of Israel. With you they shall be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel.”

Observation

Although God’s people were to be holy and distinct from the nations around them, God didn’t want them to have a superior or clique-ish attitude. Not only were they to welcome foreigners and immigrants into their land, they were specifically commanded to welcome them into the family! They were not merely to show hospitality to others as guests: they were to welcome them into their lives and their community.

Application

Letting someone into my life is risky business. As long as they are a guest, I can keep strict boundaries in place: guests don’t get to wander in and out of my home unsupervised, or dig through my pantry. They don’t get to stay for indefinite periods of time. But when I let someone into my life, those boundaries change. I still have boundaries, but now that person is part of the family, and they have all of the rights and privileges that go with being part of the family. They also have far greater ability to cause me frustration and pain. It’s far simpler and safer to merely be hospitable to people as guests–but God calls me to welcome people into the family.

In the kingdom of God, it’s easy to welcome people as guests and visitors: “Here’s where you can put your jacket and slippers until you leave, and the bathroom is down the hall.” …but it’s different to welcome them in as part of our future and our family. That requires accepting their issues and baggage, and letting them share the inheritance. It means giving them ownership, not just an open door.

Today I choose to open my heart to allow people in–not just as guests, but as family.

Prayer

God, thank you for welcoming me into your family! Give me courage and wisdom to welcome others as you have welcomed me, so that your family would grow as you desire. May the halls of your house show the marks and mess of a growing family, instead of the sterile spotlessness of a museum exhibit!

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Ezekiel 2:7

“And you shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear, for they are a rebellious house.”

Observation

Ezekiel was appointed as a watchman by God, and given responsibility to share a life-and-death message. God knew that his audience was stubborn and rebellious, and he gave Ezekiel this reminder: “Their response is not your responsibility, Ezekiel. Just be faithful to do what you’re called to do, and let me work in their heart.”

Application

There’s a fine line in obedience, between taking responsibility for ‘my part’ vs. trying to take responsibility for someone else’s decisions. I should own my choices and decisions, but I cannot own the choices of others.

This realization gives me confidence to boldly obey my Lord even in the face of rejection. My purpose in God is still my purpose, and I must trust him with the outcome rather than trying to control others. When others turn a deaf ear, I must keep speaking truth. When others turn away, I must choose obedience instead of discouragement. When others ridicule, I must be faithful.

Prayer

God, I trust you with the outcome. Give me strength and courage to serve you faithfully, regardless of what others may choose. I would rather be approved by you, than agreed with by all others.

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Jeremiah 48:30-31

30 I know his insolence, declares the LORD; his boasts are false, his deeds are false. 31 Therefore I wail for Moab; I cry out for all Moab; for the men of Kir-hareseth I mourn.

Observation

The prophet Jeremiah is recording God’s words of judgment toward Moab, because of their wickedness. God’s judgment and wrath was about to fall on them…yet God says that He was ‘crying and mourning’ for them. His righteousness demanded that there be a correction and consequence for their wickedness…but His love still mourned for them as people that He had created in His own image.

Application

When we talk about righteousness, holiness, wickedness, and judgment…it’s easy to just stop when we get to judgment. Wickedness is wickedness, judgment is judgment…end of story.  But that’s not how God sees it! Yes, there are times when His righteousness requires a correction of those who have turned away from him…but He mourns for those He must judge.

In my interaction with those around me, it can be easy to get very task-oriented and process-oriented. “If you do ‘x’, then I’ll have to do ‘y’.”  When I let myself become focused merely on tasks and processes, I start to become hard-hearted toward those that that I’m dealing with. I become just a little bit less loving, a little bit less caring, a little bit less merciful.  There are some lines that must be drawn, and some boundaries that must be enforced: but if God can mourn as His judgment falls on the wicked Moabites, then I must learn to care just as deeply for those around me.

Today I choose to let my heart rejoice, celebrate, mourn, grieve, and ‘feel’ for those around me–instead of reducing my interactions to mere processes and tasks.

Prayer

God, help me to love the way that you love! Help me to care about people: Not merely when they do what they should…but even when they turn away from you and when they let me down. Thank you for loving me, even when I’ve turned away from you!

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As Jesus said in Matthew 6:10, “Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven!”

Jeremiah 14:11-12

The LORD said to me: “Do not pray for the welfare of this people. Though they fast, I will not hear their cry, and though they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence.”

Observation

What a curious instruction God gives in Jeremiah 14:11 – “Do not pray for the welfare of this people!”

Why would God not want him to pray for them? What reason could God have for not wanting the prophet to pray God’s blessing on them?! Quite simply, God didn’t want Jeremiah praying prayer that were misaligned with His plan. God’s desire was not simply to bless them here on earth: He wanted to draw their hearts back to Him, so that their eternal future could be blessed.

Application

As I navigate situations in life, I often find myself praying for specific outcomes: “God, bless that person in this way.” Or maybe: “God, you see the healing needed in this situation…and here’s how you should heal them.” Or sometimes: “God, you see the problem over here…and here’s how you should fix it.”

The problem with praying this kind of prayer, is that I’m going beyond identifying the need and asking for God’s help: I’ve now begun to insert my own ideas, thoughts, and plans into the situation–because clearly, I understand the situation fully and I understand exactly how it should be handled…

Instead of telling God how to be God…I must bring my prayers to Him with an open hand: “God, here’s the situation. It’s out of my control, but I know you are sovereign. I’m inviting you into the mess, and I’m asking you to resolve this in a way which fulfills your plans and desires, and brings glory to you!”

As Jesus said in Matthew 6:10, “Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven!”

Today I choose not only to bring my needs to God, but also to trust Him with the outcome. He is wise, loving, and sovereign…and I must trust Him to be God.

Prayer

God, forgive me for trying to tell you how to do your job! I invite you today into the mess of each situation that I navigate this week. May your plans be accomplished, and may you receive glory as you draw hearts to you! I trust you, and I choose to follow you instead of trying to talk you into following me.

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Psalm 107:27-28, 31-32

“…they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits’ end. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.”

“Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.”

Observation

No one likes talking about their mistakes…but God’s people are encouraged to share their inglorious moments to bring glory to God! The worst decisions become an opportunity to point the world to him, when those bad decisions are surrendered to him.

Application

I prefer to focus on my ‘wins’ instead of my losses. I’d rather draw attention to the times when I exercised wisdom, than the times I acted a fool. But those less-than-flattering parts of the journey are precisely the moments when God’s goodness and faithfulness are most clearly seen.

Today I choose to let God be glorified by my life: Not just the great parts, but all of it.

Prayer

God, thank you for being faithful when I have been faithless! I pray that you would impact someone this week through me–not merely through my victories, but through the victory that you have won. Not because of my own greatness, but because you are great!

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Isaiah 60:1 – “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.”

Isaiah 61:1 – “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound…”

Observation

Christ has shined his light in the darkness–not just for those who currently walk in it, but so that they can then share his light with others. His Spirit is upon His people–not only to transform them, but also to anoint them for effective service in His kingdom to share His good news with the world.

Application

I am so thankful for the blessings and anointing of the Holy Spirit! How awesome to receive His power and provision! But the things that I receive from God are not merely a ‘benefits package’ for my own exclusive enjoyment: He has entrusted these things to me so that others would also come to know him.

This week, I need to watch for ‘God moments’: opportunities to shine His light, share good news, minister healing, proclaim liberty, and help others to see the prison doors that He has already opened.

Prayer

Thank you God for your anointing, and the way you bless me daily! Help me to effectively use everything that you’ve given me, to introduce others to the Savior. I don’t want to merely enjoy a personal ‘benefits package’ from you: I want to wisely use what you’ve entrusted to me for your glory!

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Isaiah 58:6,8

“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?”

“…Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.”

Observation

God is less interested in what I sacrifice, than he is in how I align my heart with him. The Israelites were ‘seeking God’, fasting, asking for his blessing…but they were merely asking him to bless the sinful path that they had already chosen. God wanted to bless them, but his blessing accompanies his ways. God told them to first align their hearts with his ways, and then his blessings would follow.

Application

I want to experience God, and I pray often for His blessing. But I must be mindful to seek alignment with his ways first, before I ask him to bless me.

Where am I withholding my heart from him? Am I yielding to him in my thoughts, plans, desires, disciplines, speech, and imagination? Or am I merely seeking God in ‘some’ areas, while holding back another part for me to be lord of?

Today I choose full surrender. I want to fully yield to him and fully seek him, so that he can fully bless me.

Prayer

God, thank you for this reminder that you are not Lord of ‘some’, you are Lord of ‘all’ of me. I choose today to align my heart with you, and I want you to be pleased with my life!

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