The Old and Curmudgeonly SOAP #1

Okay guys, I recently joined up on an online Bible Study group via Facebook.  There are some awesome godly ladies in this group and I’m excited about being a part of it.  I have already been blessed and looking forward to future blessings.  Part of the accountability of the Bible Study involves posting a SOAP.  Instead of The Bold and the Beautiful, or the Young and the Restless, my soap is titled, The Old and Curmudgeonly.  But really, I jest,  it’s not that kind of soap.   It’s a Bible study method using the SOAP acronym to help spend more time in God’s word and understand what He is saying to us.   S stands for scripture that I’ve read.  O stands for observations that I made while reading the scripture.  A stands for application and how that scripture written many moons ago applies in my life today, and P stands for prayer which is a very personal prayer that I’m letting every one else hear.

I’ve been dilly-dallying around about this Bible study, worried about doing this on my blog, even though I do allow this blog to get all Jesus-y at times. 
But we are here to please God and not man, so I pray that my weekly SOAPS will speak to you in some way.   

God wants to speak to us, I know that fo’sho’.  So I’m going to let Him.

I’ve been reading my Bible through in a chronological way in the order of events as they happened.  So far this year I’ve read Genesis and Job, and now I’m in Exodus.

S—Scripture:  Exodus 3:1-2 (The Message)Moses was shepherding the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. He led the flock to the west end of the wilderness and came to the mountain of God, Horeb. The angel of God appeared to him in flames of fire blazing out of the middle of a bush. He looked. The bush was blazing away but it didn’t burn up.

 ^9-10 “The Israelite cry for help has come to me, and I’ve seen for myself how cruelly they’re being treated by the Egyptians. It’s time for you to go back: I’m sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the People of Israel, out of Egypt.”

^19-22 “I know that the king of Egypt won’t let you go unless forced to, so I’ll intervene and hit Egypt where it hurts—oh, my miracles will send them reeling!—after which they’ll be glad to send you off. I’ll see to it that this people get a hearty send-off by the Egyptians—when you leave, you won’t leave empty-handed! Each woman will ask her neighbor and any guests in her house for objects of silver and gold, for jewelry and extra clothes; you’ll put them on your sons and daughters. Oh, you’ll clean the Egyptians out!”

O–Observation:  Moses was just hanging out being an ordinary person, doing his ordinary day-to-day job of shepherding his sheep when God appeared to him.  He wasn’t anything special, just a regular ol’ Moe.  God approached Moses and gave him a charge:  Go to Egypt and tell Pharaoh Let My People Go!  Which makes me start singing this song right here, which has some pretty awesome dancers in it as well.

And then God begins to tell him in verses 19-22 exactly, step by step, the troubles he will encounter, that God will intervene, and how it will end up when he obeys Him.

A—Application:  God is all-knowing.  God is ever-present.  God is in-the-know.  He knows our past, forgives our sins (after all Moses was a murderer), continues to love us and use us for His glory.  He knows every hair on our head, and each step we are going to take.  Nothing catches Him off guard.  He is not surprised when life throws us a curve ball.  Just like in this scripture passage, God knew that the Egyptians would not be agreeable with His plan.  He knew Pharaoh’s heart would be hardened.  He understood what it would take to change his mind.  And it all came to pass.  Just like in my life.  He’s got my road map in His hand.  He is directing me in the ways He wants me to go.  Even when I don’t understand why events are happening or not happening, He is working behind the scenes, orchestrating my life.  He will use me in my everyday life, in my job, or when I’m doing my thing, I can hear from Him.

P—Prayer:  Dear Lord, help me to always trust in You.  When You speak to me, help me to recognize your voice, follow your ways, acknowledge You in my life.  You have my life in your hands, you are the author and finisher of my faith, your plans for me are for good and not for harm.  Help me not to fear my future.  Help me not to be afraid.