Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
December 11, 2023: SOAP #5121: Philemon; Hebrews 1-4

SCRIPTURE:  Hebrews (NIV) 3:13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.

OBSERVATION:  One of the main goals I see in this chapter is that we finish with a faith as strong as when we first started to believe.  

What is considered “little sins” can creep into our lives and deceive us into believing that “little sins” will not hurt us.  We then, little by little, become hardened to the things of God.  The things of the world are not quite as dangerous as we once thought, and the things of God are not quite as important as we once thought.   Encouragement helps keep us on course.

A simple word of encouragement can help carry a heavy load.  It can lift a person over discouragement and disappointment.                                                        

APPLICATION:  I need to be encouraged daily by the input of others into my life. 
And daily I need to encourage those around me. 

I am encouraged to be faithful as I remember the saying on my parent’s wall: “Only one life, will soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last!”

I have found two great sources of personal encouragement:  daily Bible reading and singing songs of worship.

PRAYER:  Lord, help me to be open to encouragement from others and make me an encourager.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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