S.O.A.P. 30 Day Challenge in 28 Days - Day #28 - February 28, 2023 "God's Amazing Gift That Keeps On Giving."

S. Acts 13:9-10 (NIV) “For we know in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.”

O. Paul has been describing the gifts (1 Cor. 12) and the attitude with which we express them (1 Cor. 13). He describes the great virtue of love - Other things will cease but love will never fail. Paul describes a perfect state of all things which are ushered in by Jesus’ return - and in this time, love will certainly abound (my term) or continue.

A. I am so thankful that Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit and how He flows His gifts through us. I desire that my expression of these gifts will be with His love - love for Christ, love for His word and love for others. It is this love of Christ that will stay with us throughout eternity.

P. Thank you Father for your Word today. Thank you Jesus for sending us the Holy Spirit to flow His gifts through us. I pray that as I exercise His gifts, people will the love of the Lord Jesus in and through me. I ask this and pray this in Jesus’ name!

S.O.A.P. 30 Day Challenge in 28 Days - Day #27 - February 27, 2023 "Trusting God With What You Have"

S. Mark 6:37, 41-42 (NIV) 37 But he answered, “You give them something to eat.”

They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages[a]! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?”

38 “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.”

When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.”

39 Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. 42 They all ate and were satisfied,

O. Jesus wanted them to feed this huge crowd of people (5,000 +). He realizes the cost of this endeavor and then asks them to give to Him what they do have (five loaves of bread and two fish). Jesus then blesses and multiplies the bread and the fish so that ALL ate and were satisfied - and there were left overs.

God wants us to trust Him with what we have. He doesn’t expect us or need us to go into debt to do what He has called us to do. He simply wants us to place in His hands what we do have. He has the power to redeem the rest (or all of it)!

A. I am always amazed by God’s miraculous leading, intervention and blessing. I should not be. He is so faitfhful and true. I will continue to give God what I have and trust Him for His miraculous leading and provision. I know when I place it in His hands, He is able to bless it and multiply it.

P. Thank you Father for your word today. Holy Spirit fill me and guide me to trust God with what I have, so He can bless it and multiply it. In Jesus’ Name!

S.O.A.P. 30 Day Challenge in 28 Days - Day# 26, February 26, 2023 "Pausing From the Plan"

S. Mark 5:30-34 (NIV) 30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”

32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

O. Jesus was on His way to Jairus’ house to minister to his daughter. One the way crowds of people are following Jesus, bumping into Jesus, trying to get close to Him. A woman who had been sick, (bleeding for 12 years) with no hope previous in sight, sees Jesus. She sees hope in HIM. She reaches out to just touch Him. Power goes out from Jesus. He’s aware that someone touched Him.

Jesus pauses from a planned ministry opportunity to minister to this woman. He does not let His “planned ministry opportunity” keep Him from this moment. He pauses and is in the moment witht his woman and she received healing.

A. At times I can be preoccupied with my planned activities. Yet I desire to be like Jesus in this way. I desire to not be so preoccupied with what my planned activity is that I miss opportunitites to pause, be in the moment with someone and to share Christ with them.

P. Thank you Father for your word today. Holy Spirit fill me and guide me to be aware of the opportunities that may surround me while I’m on my way for the planned activity. I know that when we pause and consider such opportunities, great blessing can happen. Thank you. In Jesus’ name!