Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 03, 2023: SOAP #4869: Judges 17-18; Psalm 89; 2Corinthians 3

SCRIPTURE:  2Corinthians (NIV) 3:1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. 3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. 4 Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God.

OBSERVATION:  Some people like to have letters of recommendation to introduce themselves and their work to others.  In the above passage, Paul claims that the believers in the city of Corinth are his letters of recommendation.  They are not letters written with ink on paper or on a stone tablet but written by the Spirit of God on their hearts.  The presence of God in their lives made noticeable changes—changes that cannot be missed! 

The emphasis that I get from this chapter is that the Law of Moses could only change our outward actions like what we wear, and where we go to worship, but the Spirit of God changes the person on the inside.  The Spirit changes a sour-spirited person into a sweet-spirited person.  The Spirit within changes a hateful person into a loving person; a pessimist into an optimist; a frowner into a smiler. 

APPLICATION: What do people read in the letter known as Leon?  Does God get a good recommendation?  Will they want the Spirit of God living in their life?  Will they want the righteousness, peace, and joy the Spirit brings? (Romans 14:17)

PRAYER:   Holy Spirit, live in me in a way that is noticeable to others.  You and I working together, let’s make God look good!  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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