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

October 21: Job 9-10; Acts 13-14

Scripture: Acts (NIV) 14:19 Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead.
20 But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.

Observation: To me this is amazing. In verse 19 we read about Paul being stoned to the point he was considered dead. His body was drug outside the city, probably to some cemetery or garbage dump. In the next verse, we see the disciples of Lystra gathering around Paul, probably praying, and God worked a miracle. God restored Paul and he was able to go back into the city. One would think that he would take a few days to recover from the stoning, but that is not what we read. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derby. They were not traveling in some comfortable coach, but walking! The distance I read in Robertson’s Word Pictures was 40 miles!

Application: Sometimes God delivers us before the trouble arrives; sometimes God delivers us while we are in the trouble. Sometimes God delivers us after the trouble is over.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are my Deliverer! I can count on you even when it seems it is too late. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!