Greers Chapel United Methodist Church

09/05/2026

S.O.A.P.Y Daily Journal:

Saturday, September 5
OT: 1 Samuel 9:1–27
NT: Galatians 5:1–26
Ps/Prov: Psalm 49:1–20

S — Scripture
Galatians 5:13 — “Through love become slaves to one another.”

O — Observation
Paul has spent much of Galatians defending Christian freedom. In Christ, we are set free from trying to earn our place with God.
But Paul makes it clear that freedom isn’t permission to live only for ourselves.
Christian freedom turns us outward. Because we no longer have to spend our lives proving ourselves, we are free to love and serve other people.

A — Application
I usually think of freedom as being able to do what I want.
Paul describes something different.
The freedom Jesus gives isn’t just freedom from something. It’s freedom for something.
I’m free to serve without needing recognition.
Free to forgive without keeping score.
Free to put someone else’s needs ahead of my convenience.
Free to love people who can’t do anything for me in return.
That’s a very different kind of freedom.
Jesus doesn’t set me free so that my life can revolve around me. Grace frees me from constantly asking, “What do I get out of this?”
Instead, I can ask:
“How can I love someone well today?”
The strange thing about the gospel is that some of the greatest freedom I experience comes when I stop making everything about myself.

P — Prayer
Lord, thank You for the freedom You have given me through Christ. Keep me from using that freedom selfishly. Make me attentive to the people around me and willing to serve them with patience, humility, and love. Amen.

Y — Yield
Today I will look for one opportunity to serve someone when there is nothing in it for me.

09/04/2026

S.O.A.P.Y Daily Journal:

Friday, September 4
OT: 1 Samuel 8:1–22
NT: Galatians 4:1–31
Ps/Prov: Psalm 48:1–14

S — Scripture
Galatians 4:7 — “So you are no longer a slave but a child.”

O — Observation
Paul reminds the Galatians that their relationship with God has fundamentally changed.
Through Christ, they aren’t outsiders trying to earn a place in God’s family. They have been adopted as God’s children.
Their identity comes before their effort. They don’t obey in order to convince God to accept them. They live faithfully because, through grace, they already belong to Him.

A — Application
It’s easy to turn faith into a performance.
Pray enough.
Serve enough.
Be good enough.
Try harder.
And somewhere along the way, I can begin acting as though God is keeping score and I’m constantly trying to prove that I deserve to be here.
But grace tells a different story.
I am a child of God.
That doesn’t mean how I live doesn’t matter. Actually, it gives me a better reason to live faithfully.
I don’t serve God because I’m afraid He’ll stop loving me if I fail.
I serve because I am loved.
I don’t pray to earn His attention.
I pray because my Father listens.
I don’t have to spend today proving that I’m worthy of belonging to God. Christ has already opened the door and invited me into the family.
My job isn’t to earn my place.
It’s to live like someone who knows where he belongs.

P — Prayer
Father, thank You for welcoming me into Your family through Christ. When I begin trying to earn Your love, remind me that Your grace has already made me Your child. Help me live today from the security of knowing that I belong to You. Amen.

Y — Yield
When I catch myself trying to prove my worth today, I will stop and remember: “I am a child of God. I don’t have to earn my place.”

09/03/2026

S.O.A.P.Y Daily Journal:

Thursday, September 3
OT: 1 Samuel 7:1–17
NT: Galatians 3:1–29
Ps/Prov: Psalm 47:1–9

S — Scripture
1 Samuel 7:12 — “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”

O — Observation
After years of struggle, Samuel sets up a stone and names it Ebenezer, “stone of help.”
The stone wasn’t a monument to Israel’s strength. It was a reminder of God’s faithfulness.
Samuel wanted the people to be able to look at something tangible and remember: We made it this far because God helped us.

A — Application
Sometimes I need to stop and look backward.
Most of my attention naturally goes toward what’s next, the next responsibility, the next problem, the next thing that needs to get done.
And when I’m always looking ahead, it’s easy to forget how much God has already carried me through.
There are things I once prayed desperately about that are now memories.
There were seasons when I didn’t know how things would work out.
Days when I wasn’t sure I could keep going.
Problems that felt enormous at the time.
And yet, here I am.
That doesn’t mean everything worked out exactly the way I wanted. It means God remained faithful through it.
Samuel’s Ebenezer reminds me that remembering God’s faithfulness yesterday can strengthen my trust in Him today.
Whatever I’m facing now isn’t the first difficult road I’ve walked with God.
Thus far the Lord has helped me.
And I can trust Him for the road ahead.

P — Prayer
Lord, thank You for every place where You have carried me, provided for me, strengthened me, and stayed with me. When I worry about what comes next, remind me of Your faithfulness behind me. Help me trust You with the road ahead. Amen.

Y — Yield
Today I will remember one specific time God carried me through something difficult and simply pray: “Thus far the Lord has helped me.”

09/02/2026

S.O.A.P.Y Daily Journal:

Wednesday, September 2
OT: 1 Samuel 6:1–21
NT: Galatians 2:1–21
Ps/Prov: Psalm 46:1–11

S — Scripture
Psalm 46:10 — “Be still, and know that I am God!”

O — Observation
Psalm 46 describes anything but a peaceful world. The earth changes, mountains shake, waters roar, and nations are in turmoil.
And right in the middle of all that noise comes God’s command:
“Be still, and know that I am God.”
The stillness isn’t possible because everything around the psalmist has finally settled down. It’s possible because God remains God even when everything else feels unstable.

A — Application
I sometimes treat peace like something I’ll finally have when everything gets under control.
When the schedule slows down.
When the problem gets solved.
When everyone is okay.
When I know what’s coming next.
But there will almost always be something making noise.
“Be still” reminds me that I don’t have to wait for everything around me to become peaceful before I can experience the peace of God.
Sometimes I need to stop trying to hold everything together long enough to remember that I’m not the one holding everything together.
God is.
The circumstances may still be uncertain. The schedule may still be full. The problem may still be there tomorrow.
But God is still God.
And sometimes that’s enough reason to stop, breathe, and trust Him.

P — Prayer
Lord, quiet my heart when everything around me feels loud. Remind me that I don’t have to control everything because You are still God. Teach me to rest in Your presence and trust You with what I cannot control. Amen.

Y — Yield
Today I will intentionally stop for a few quiet minutes and remind myself: “Be still. God is God. I don’t have to hold everything together.”

09/01/2026

S.O.A.P.Y Daily Journal:

Tuesday, September 1

OT: 1 Samuel 5:1–12
NT: Galatians 1:1–24
Ps/Prov: Psalm 45:1–17

S — Scripture
Galatians 1:10 — “Am I now seeking human approval, or God’s approval?”

O — Observation
Paul asks a question that gets directly to the heart of his ministry: Whose approval am I seeking?
He knew that faithfully following Christ would not always make people happy. If his goal was simply to please everyone around him, eventually he would have to compromise what God had called him to do.

A — Application
I like being liked.
I don’t think there’s anything particularly wrong with that. Most of us would rather have people approve of us than criticize us.
The problem comes when their approval becomes more important than faithfulness.
People-pleasing can quietly shape my decisions. I can avoid saying something that needs to be said. I can say yes when I should say no. I can measure whether I’m doing well by how people respond instead of whether I’m being faithful to God.
Paul’s question forces me to check my motivation.
Whose approval am I actually seeking?
Following Jesus doesn’t mean ignoring what everyone else thinks. There is wisdom in listening to others, receiving correction, and considering how my actions affect people.
But ultimately, popularity cannot be the measure of faithfulness.
Sometimes obedience will be appreciated.
Sometimes it won’t.
My calling remains the same: listen for God’s voice, follow where He leads, and trust Him with what other people think about it.

P — Prayer
Lord, free me from needing everyone’s approval. Give me humility to listen to others, wisdom to receive correction, and courage to remain faithful when obedience isn’t popular. Let pleasing You matter more than being praised by others. Amen.

Y — Yield
Today, before making a decision based on what others might think, I will ask: “Am I seeking their approval, or am I trying to be faithful to God?”

08/31/2026

S.O.A.P.Y Daily Journal:

Monday, August 31
OT: 1 Samuel 4:1–22
NT: 2 Corinthians 13:1–13
Ps/Prov: Psalm 44:1–26

S — Scripture
2 Corinthians 13:5 — “Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith. Test yourselves.”

O — Observation
As Paul closes his letter to the Corinthians, he asks them to examine themselves.
That’s important. It’s much easier to examine somebody else.
The Corinthians had plenty of problems they could point to in one another, but Paul turns the question inward: What is happening in you?
Faith isn’t only something we claim. It should continually shape who we are becoming.

A — Application
Self-examination can be uncomfortable.
I can usually see someone else’s faults pretty clearly. My own are easier to explain away.
But following Jesus requires me to occasionally stop and ask some difficult questions.
Am I becoming more loving?
More patient?
More generous?
More willing to forgive?
Do my choices reflect the Jesus I say I follow?
These questions aren’t meant to make me wonder whether I’ve somehow earned God’s grace. Grace is a gift.
Instead, they help me notice where God’s grace is still working on me.
The goal isn’t perfection. It’s growth.
And when I find something that needs to change, I don’t have to hide it or defend it. I can bring it to Christ and trust Him to keep doing His work in me.

P — Prayer
Lord, give me the courage to examine my life honestly. Show me where I am growing and where I still need to change. Keep shaping me by Your grace so that my life reflects the faith I profess. Amen.

Y — Yield
Today I will ask God one honest question: “Lord, what is one thing in me that You are trying to change?” Then I will make room to listen.

08/30/2026

08/30/2026

S.O.A.P.Y Daily Journal:

Sunday, August 30
OT: 1 Samuel 3:1–21
NT: 2 Corinthians 12:1–21
Ps/Prov: Psalm 43:1–5
S — Scripture
1 Samuel 3:10 — “Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ And Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’”
O — Observation
Samuel hears God calling, but at first he doesn’t recognize God’s voice. Three times he goes to Eli, assuming Eli is calling him.
Finally, Eli understands and tells Samuel how to respond. When God calls again, Samuel says, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
Before Samuel becomes someone who speaks for God, he first has to learn to listen to God.
A — Application
I spend a lot of time talking to God.
I tell Him what I need. I ask for guidance. I pray for people I love. But how often do I actually stop long enough to listen?
Samuel’s prayer is simple:
“Speak, for your servant is listening.”
There is surrender in those words. Samuel isn’t asking God to confirm what he has already decided. He simply makes himself available.
God speaks through Scripture, through the wisdom of others, through the prompting of the Spirit, and sometimes through the silence that forces me to slow down.
Maybe the question isn’t always, “Why isn’t God speaking?”
Sometimes the better question is, “Have I become quiet enough to listen?”
P — Prayer
Lord, teach me to recognize Your voice among all the others competing for my attention. Quiet my heart and make me willing to hear whatever You want to say. Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening. Amen.
Y — Yield
Today I will spend five minutes in silence before God, praying simply: “Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.”

08/29/2026

S.O.A.P.Y Daily Journal:

Saturday, August 29
OT: 1 Samuel 2:1–36
NT: 2 Corinthians 11:1–33
Ps/Prov: Psalm 42:1–11

S — Scripture
Psalm 42:5 — “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.”

O — Observation
The writer of Psalm 42 isn’t speaking from a place of happiness. He is hurting. He feels distant from God, remembers better days, and describes his tears as his food day and night.
Then, right in the middle of that pain, he begins talking to himself.
“Why are you cast down, O my soul?”
He doesn’t deny what he feels. He names it. But he also refuses to let his feelings have the final word. He reminds himself of what is still true: “Hope in God.”
His circumstances haven’t changed. His heart is still heavy. But he remembers that the story isn’t finished.

A — Application
Sometimes I need to preach to myself.
There are days when my emotions are telling me one story and my faith is reminding me of another.
My feelings may tell me that nothing is going to change.
That I’m alone.
That God is distant.
That whatever I’m facing will always feel the way it feels right now.
The psalmist doesn’t pretend those feelings aren’t real. But he doesn’t automatically treat them as truth either.
Instead, he reminds his own soul who God is.
That’s an important distinction. Faith isn’t pretending I’m okay when I’m not. Faith is being honest about what I feel while refusing to forget what I know.
Hope in God.
Not because today is easy.
Not because everything has worked out.
But because there have been hard days before, and God has remained faithful through every one of them.
Sometimes I need someone else to remind me of that.
And sometimes I need to remind myself.

P — Prayer
Lord, when my heart is heavy, help me be honest about what I am feeling without allowing those feelings to become the whole story. Remind me of Your faithfulness and teach me to place my hope in You again and again. Amen.

Y — Yield
When discouragement speaks loudly today, I will answer it with this reminder: “Hope in God; for I shall again praise him.”

08/28/2026

S.O.A.P.Y Daily Journal:

Friday, August 28
OT: 1 Samuel 1:1–28
NT: 2 Corinthians 10:1–18
Ps/Prov: Psalm 41:1–13

S — Scripture
1 Samuel 1:15 — “But Hannah answered, ‘No, my lord, I am a woman deeply troubled; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord.’”

O — Observation
Hannah comes before God carrying years of disappointment and grief. She has been mocked because she cannot have children, and the pain has become so overwhelming that when Eli sees her praying, he mistakes her anguish for drunkenness.
Hannah’s description of her prayer is powerful: “I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord.”
She doesn’t clean up her emotions before approaching God. She brings the hurt exactly as it is. Her grief, frustration, longing, and hope all become part of her prayer. Hannah trusts God enough to be completely honest in His presence.

A — Application
Sometimes I think prayer is supposed to sound better than I actually feel.
I try to find the right words. I soften the frustration. I tell God I’m trusting Him when the truth is that I’m struggling to understand what He’s doing.
But God doesn’t require polished prayers.
He wants honesty.
There are times when faith looks like praise and confidence. There are other times when faith looks like sitting before God and admitting, “This hurts, and I don’t know what to do with it.”
God already knows what I’m carrying. Pretending with Him doesn’t protect anything.
Prayer gives me somewhere to put what is too heavy to carry alone.
I may not always receive the answer I want, and it may not come when I want it. But I can always pour out my soul before the One who hears me.
Sometimes the most faithful prayer is simply telling God the truth.

P — Prayer
Lord, thank You that I don’t have to hide what I am feeling from You. Give me the courage to bring You my disappointment, frustration, grief, and hope without pretending. Teach me to trust You enough to pour out my whole heart before You. Amen.

Y — Yield
Today I will spend a few minutes praying without trying to make the prayer sound right, simply telling God honestly what is on my heart.