Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 20, 2023: SOAP #4886: 1Samuel 23; Psalm 31,54; Matthew 7

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew (NIV) 7:7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

OBSERVATION:  How amazing to serve a God who wants to be asked!   Earthly fathers love to fill the requests of their children.  And the same is true of our Heavenly Father.  He loves to express His love in tangible means.  He wants others to see that His children are blest!   They will want to be His children too! 

Each verse in the passage above has an emphasis on “asking.”  To whom does God give the good gifts in verse 11?  …”to those who ask him!”  

APPLICATION: With a passage of scripture like the above, why would I ask someone else?  Am I really His child?  Do I really believe that His word is true?  Do I believe that He can provide my needs?  Do I believe that He loves me enough to take care of me?  Do I think God needs my help to answer my prayers? 

If I promised my son that I would give him money needed for a special project, and then the next day I overheard him asking his uncle for money for the same project…I would wonder if my son really trusted me.  Did he doubt my word?  Yet, I have done that to God, many times.

PRAYER:   Heavenly Father, I am sure I have often offended you by ignoring your promise and then trying to get people to do what You have promised. Holy Spirit, help my faith to be grounded in the Scriptures.  Help my faith to keep growing. You have many ways to answer my requests.  I trust you to use the one which will bring you the most glory.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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