Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
July 08, 2023: SOAP #4965: Hosea 13-14; Psalm 100, 102; Hebrews 5

SCRIPTURE:  Hebrews (NIV) 5:12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

OBSERVATION:  Our spiritual life grows through stages as does our physical life.  The truth of God’s word is our spiritual food.  We need it as much as we need meat, vegetables, fruit, etc.  When we were first born, we were given food appropriate for an infant.  And then began the daily process of weaning us off the milk, off the baby food, to food that needed to be properly chewed and digested. Verse 14 indicates a part of spiritual maturity is being able to distinguish “good from evil.”  That maturity comes from “constant use” as we are faithful in applying God’s Word to every situation in our daily lives.

APPLICATION:  As the food I just ate is being processed over the next few hours, so God’s word that I am now pondering will need to be processed into my decisions and actions as I go throughout this day.  Growth takes time.  It is a continual, on-going process. 

I may not get it right the first time, or much better the second time, but if I do not quit, I will improve.  Maturity does not come through church-time use, or devotion-time use, but through “constant use.”

PRAYER:  Lord, may I be as desirous of growing as you are of seeing me grow.  May I not be content with where I am, but always have a desire to live more like you.  May I be constantly aware of the need to “use” your Word in every situation I face today.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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