Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
November 12, 2023: SOAP #5092: Job 37, 38; 1Corinthians 12

SCRIPTURE:  1Corinthians (NIV) 12:27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And in the church, God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But eagerly desire the greater gifts.

OBSERVATION:  In this chapter Paul is teaching us about the body of Christ. Here he used our physical bodies to teach us about HIS body. Our bodies have many members (hands, feet, ears, etc.) but we have only one body. That is the way it is with Christ. Though each part is different, we are joined as only one body.  Just as each member of a physical body is uniquely different from all other members, so in the body of Christ, a person’s uniqueness makes them useful to the whole body.   None of us are the same even though we all share the same life. 

APPLICATION:  The truth Paul presents above is obvious in every church—and especially in the SOAP ministry.  Some have used their resources and contacts to provide computers and printers.  Others have installed them where they can receive the internet. Others program them to receive the SOAPs.  Still others print copies of the SOAPs.  In Freetown two motorcycles are used to distribute them to locations around the city.  Someone takes the copies and distributes them to individual readers.  Others read them and pass them along to their friends and neighbors.  The people printing are doing something very different from those on the motorcycles, or those traveling to various locations to install computers and printers.  But we are all members of one ministry.  The SOAP ministry would be very limited if God only relied on Leon’s resources and abilities.

PRAYER:  Lord, You are the head of this SOAP ministry.  I started writing them because of your specific direction.  You are the One who assigned others to translate and post or to print and distribute the SOAPs. You are the provider to which we all look.  It is our privilege to honor and serve the name of Jesus.  Amen 

Pastor Leon
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