Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
October 06, 2023: SOAP #5055: Esther 9-10; Luke 19

SCRIPTURE:  Luke (NIV) 19:5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner’.” 8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now, I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

OBSERVATION:  Not only was it good for Zacchaeus that Jesus would come to his house, but it was also good for others.  The poor would benefit from his generosity.  People who had been cheated would be refunded.  When Jesus comes into someone’s life, not only do they get forgiveness, peace, and joy in their lives, those living around them will benefit from their new attitudes.

APPLICATION:  Jesus works within me by removing the heavy load of guilt and he also gives me peace and joy.   But not only is His presence good for me, it is good for those around me.  They benefit from the attitudes that Christ brings with Him and begins expressing through me.

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, may it be easy for those around me to see Jesus living in my life. May they be blest as I accept and forgive them, just as I have been accepted and forgiven.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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