Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer

October 12: Nehemiah 7-8; Acts 1

Scripture: Nehemiah (NIV) 8:10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Observation: “…the joy of the LORD is your strength” is one of those phrases in the Bible that many can quote but only a few of us remember the context. In the context of this verse we find that the people were beginning to grieve because they heard God’s word read to them and they were beginning to understand how much they had sinned. The LORD gets joy when people listen to His word and gain understanding in what it means. The LORD gets joy when people respond properly to His word. And what gives joy to the Lord is the same thing that gives strength to His people. So the people were told to stop grieving and start celebrating. Like a small child likes to repeat things that brings a smile to its parents face, so we should enjoy doing things that causes our Heavenly Father to smile!

Application: One way to bring joy to my Heavenly Father is to become familiar with His word and to gain understanding in what it means and how it should be applied to my life. And I am finding that what brings joy to Him brings strength to me!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for providing your Word and making it available for me to read. Jesus, thank you for giving me an example of how I am to live out the Word in my daily life. Holy Spirit, thank you for providing understanding as I read. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!