Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 12, 2023: SOAP #5031: Daniel 3-4; Psalm 81; Revelation 17

SCRIPTURE:  Psalm (NIV) 81:8 “Hear, O my people, and I will warn you—if you would but listen to me, O Israel! 9 You shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not bow down to an alien god. 10 I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.
11 “But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. 12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.
13 “If my people would but listen to me, if Israel would follow my ways, 14 how quickly would I subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes!

OBSERVATION:  God is a God of relationships.  He wants more than to have people hear Him; He is more than able to make people hear Him.  He can make enough noise for people to hear Him!   But God wants people to listen, to hear AND understand the message.  I believe I hear a touch of sadness as God speaks of His children not answering. 

APPLICATION:  To think that the creator of the earth has something to say to me!   What could be more important than understanding what He is saying.  Listening to Him should be my number 1 priority each day. 

Not always, but usually God uses His Word (the Bible) to speak to me, so saying I want God to speak to me yet not reading the Bible is foolish. 

Having a place to write down what I hear God saying to me serves two very important purposes.  First: It shows God that I value what He says and do not want to forget.  Second: Having a pencil and paper (or an open computer document to note what I hear) shows God I expect He will be saying something to me.  It is an action of faith. 

PRAYER:  Lord, I am honored and humbled to know that you want to talk with me.  I trust that you find me to be a good listener.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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