Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
November 21, 2023: SOAP #5101: Matthew 8-10

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew (NIV) 8:23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24 Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” 26 He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. 27 The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

OBSERVATION:  We remember the disciples were seasoned fishermen when Jesus callee them.  They left their nets and boats to follow Him.  They had experienced many storms on the seas, but this one caused fear.  It was a furious storm, and they were alarmed. 

They should have remembered what Jesus said before the teacher offered to follow Him and before the disciple wanted to have time to bury his father.  Jesus had “given orders to cross to the other side of the lake.”  (verse 18)

APPLICATION:  When the Lord showed me to write a SOAP and post it on Facebook New Year’s Day 2010, I thought, “If I do it today, I will need to do it every day this year! Would God give me something every day of the year? Can I trust God for a SOAP thought every day for a whole year?”  After 5,000+ days, I can say, “Yes, God can enable me to do what He tells me to do!” 

The Lord often gives us assignments that are too big for us, but not too big for Him.  When Jesus is “in our boat,” he can take us through any storm we may face.  The key to victory in the storm is having Jesus in my boat.  I cannot move ahead of Him, nor lag behind.  I must keep in step with HIM!  

PRAYER:  Lord, you are the Master of the wind; you are the Peace-speaker.  You are the Trouble-calmer and the Food-multiplier.  You have not given your son or daughter a job that you cannot help us through.  May you receive glory from our obedience.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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