(S)cripture-
1 Cor 13:13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
(O)bservation-
Paul writes about the three virtues that will always persist and never be able to be destroyed. Faith is huge because without it we cannot be saved - faith in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior who was crucified and raised from the dead to defeat sin and death and evil, and in doing so took all our sin upon Himself and gave us eternal life. Hope s what we have in Jesus Christ - that we know one day He will return and gather up all His people into Heaven for all eternity and there we will be able to see God face to face. Love is the greatest of these three and is the subject of Jesus' greatest commandments for us - to love the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and to also love your neighbor as yourself.
(A)pplication-
Of all things, love is the great cornerstone which needs to be present in and motivate all of our actions. Paul says we can speak in tongues, prophesy, and have faith that moves mountains but without love it means nothing. I will put and keep love at the forefront of everything I do - love for my God and for others around me.
(P)rayer-
Father God, thank You for loving us and for also giving s the ability to love. You poured out Your great love for us in sending Your Son Jesus to this earth to save us - the most precious gift of love available to all who have faith and hope in Him. Your amazing love for us is unfathomable and I freely receive it and praise You for it. Help me to always obey and grow deeper every day in Jesus' greatest commandments of loving You and loving others. Help me to put this love into action each day so that I would glorify Your holy name. I love You Lord! Amen.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
SOAP - Numbers 21 - 23; Mark 6, 7
(S)cripture-
Mark 7:8 "You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."
(O)bservation-
Jesus said these words to the Pharisees in response to one of the many times they questioned what He and His disciples were doing. Jewish tradition required that they ceremonially wash their hands because they became defiled during the normal circumstances of daily life. On this occasion the Pharisees saw the disciples eating without washing their hands which was against the Jewish tradition. Jesus pointed out that the Pharisees had become so wrapped up in man's laws that they had lost sight of God's commands - what is truly important. In this way the Pharisees were obviously not honoring God but were wrapped up in their own self-righteousness. It s never a good thing to replace what is holy and godly with something that is worldly or simply of man's doing.
(A)pplication-
I definitely don't want to get sucked into thinking that God is pleased with me because I obey and follow any ritual or tradition created by man. I want to know, follow, and do what He commands - to be obedient to Him as a spiritual act of worship. By continuing to be in the Word daily I can test and know what is from God and what is not, and therefore act accordingly. In this world that pulls at us from so many directions this is such a critical thing - to know the Truth, because we are in God's Word and praying about it every day.
(P)rayer-
Father, please keep me on the straight path of understanding and being obedient to Your commands. Help me to not get distracted or blinded by the rituals and traditions created by man, but to pursue those things which are holy and pleasing to You. Thank You for Your Word, which is a lamp unto my feet and light unto my path to guide and direct me through everything that life throws at me. I praise You Father and help me to never deviate from Your commands and in doing so to be a great witness for Your Kingdom and to bring You glory. Amen.
Mark 7:8 "You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."
(O)bservation-
Jesus said these words to the Pharisees in response to one of the many times they questioned what He and His disciples were doing. Jewish tradition required that they ceremonially wash their hands because they became defiled during the normal circumstances of daily life. On this occasion the Pharisees saw the disciples eating without washing their hands which was against the Jewish tradition. Jesus pointed out that the Pharisees had become so wrapped up in man's laws that they had lost sight of God's commands - what is truly important. In this way the Pharisees were obviously not honoring God but were wrapped up in their own self-righteousness. It s never a good thing to replace what is holy and godly with something that is worldly or simply of man's doing.
(A)pplication-
I definitely don't want to get sucked into thinking that God is pleased with me because I obey and follow any ritual or tradition created by man. I want to know, follow, and do what He commands - to be obedient to Him as a spiritual act of worship. By continuing to be in the Word daily I can test and know what is from God and what is not, and therefore act accordingly. In this world that pulls at us from so many directions this is such a critical thing - to know the Truth, because we are in God's Word and praying about it every day.
(P)rayer-
Father, please keep me on the straight path of understanding and being obedient to Your commands. Help me to not get distracted or blinded by the rituals and traditions created by man, but to pursue those things which are holy and pleasing to You. Thank You for Your Word, which is a lamp unto my feet and light unto my path to guide and direct me through everything that life throws at me. I praise You Father and help me to never deviate from Your commands and in doing so to be a great witness for Your Kingdom and to bring You glory. Amen.
Friday, February 26, 2010
SOAP - Numbers 19, 20; Psalm 28; Mark 5
Scripture-
Numbers 20:12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in Me enough to honor Me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them."
Observation-
Moses and the Israelites were near the end of their 40 years of wandering in the desert and would soon be brought into the promised land according to God's covenant with Abraham. The Israelites were again rebelling and grumbling to Moses, this time about the lack of water. God told Moses to speak (and only to speak) to the rock and water would flow out of it. But in a rash act of disobedience and lack of deference to God's presence, Moses did not listen to God and instead struck the rock twice to initiate the water flow. God was not happy about this and rebuked Moses saying that he and Aaron would not personally enter the promised land.
Application-
I never want to offend the holiness of God and be disobedient to what He instructs me to do. Sometimes our human emotion and lack of rational thought gets the best of us - this is surely true in Moses' case. We need to realize our human nature and tendencies and do our best to manage those, especially when it comes to being obedient to God's Word and His will for our lives. God gave us free will, and my will is that I am going to be obedient to Him and serve Him as He leads me through His Holy Spirit.
Prayer-
Father, I pray for strength and courage to be obedient to You. I never want to offend Your holiness or frustrate Your will and purpose for my life that You have blessed me with. Father, I surrender everything to You and please help me to do Your will and not my will, that I may be a blessing to others and to glorify You. Help me to focus all of my energy and attention on running the race that You have laid out before me, always keeping my eye on the prize which is Your great love, mercy, and grace that saves us all through Your Son Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. You are Lord God Almighty and only You are worthy of all praise and glory - I freely give You my love and worship today and forever. Amen.
Numbers 20:12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in Me enough to honor Me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them."
Observation-
Moses and the Israelites were near the end of their 40 years of wandering in the desert and would soon be brought into the promised land according to God's covenant with Abraham. The Israelites were again rebelling and grumbling to Moses, this time about the lack of water. God told Moses to speak (and only to speak) to the rock and water would flow out of it. But in a rash act of disobedience and lack of deference to God's presence, Moses did not listen to God and instead struck the rock twice to initiate the water flow. God was not happy about this and rebuked Moses saying that he and Aaron would not personally enter the promised land.
Application-
I never want to offend the holiness of God and be disobedient to what He instructs me to do. Sometimes our human emotion and lack of rational thought gets the best of us - this is surely true in Moses' case. We need to realize our human nature and tendencies and do our best to manage those, especially when it comes to being obedient to God's Word and His will for our lives. God gave us free will, and my will is that I am going to be obedient to Him and serve Him as He leads me through His Holy Spirit.
Prayer-
Father, I pray for strength and courage to be obedient to You. I never want to offend Your holiness or frustrate Your will and purpose for my life that You have blessed me with. Father, I surrender everything to You and please help me to do Your will and not my will, that I may be a blessing to others and to glorify You. Help me to focus all of my energy and attention on running the race that You have laid out before me, always keeping my eye on the prize which is Your great love, mercy, and grace that saves us all through Your Son Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. You are Lord God Almighty and only You are worthy of all praise and glory - I freely give You my love and worship today and forever. Amen.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
SOAP - Numbers 17, 18; Psalm 29; Mark 4
S(cripture)-
Psalm 29:11 The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His People with peace.
O(bservation)-
Especially in this crazy, unpredictable, and uncertain age we live in it is awesome to know that our God is a living God - that He cares for each and every one of us and how He has blessed us. He gives us strength to deal with even the most difficult of circumstances. He also gives us peace in which we know that no matter what happens in this world that we are secure for eternity and will be with Him in paradise forever because of the amazing sacrifice of Jesus that saves us.
A(pplication)-
I never want to forget that I am so blessed and that my strength and peace come from Him. I am so thankful for my God who hears my prayers - in any situation I am in He hears me because He loves me and for this I am eternally grateful. I trust what the Word says in that He will never allow anything to be put on me that is more than I can bear - He gives me strength and peace to deal with anything in this uncertain world.
P(rayer)-
Father, thank You for the strength and peace that You give me. No matter what happens I know You are with me and it is in You that I place my eternal hope. Thank You Father for my many blessings that You have poured out for me, especially for my secure future and eternal life which was purchased for me by Jesus through His blood and resurrection. Thank You for this most amazing gift and for Your amazing love for me. I think You and love You and praise You. Amen.
Psalm 29:11 The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His People with peace.
O(bservation)-
Especially in this crazy, unpredictable, and uncertain age we live in it is awesome to know that our God is a living God - that He cares for each and every one of us and how He has blessed us. He gives us strength to deal with even the most difficult of circumstances. He also gives us peace in which we know that no matter what happens in this world that we are secure for eternity and will be with Him in paradise forever because of the amazing sacrifice of Jesus that saves us.
A(pplication)-
I never want to forget that I am so blessed and that my strength and peace come from Him. I am so thankful for my God who hears my prayers - in any situation I am in He hears me because He loves me and for this I am eternally grateful. I trust what the Word says in that He will never allow anything to be put on me that is more than I can bear - He gives me strength and peace to deal with anything in this uncertain world.
P(rayer)-
Father, thank You for the strength and peace that You give me. No matter what happens I know You are with me and it is in You that I place my eternal hope. Thank You Father for my many blessings that You have poured out for me, especially for my secure future and eternal life which was purchased for me by Jesus through His blood and resurrection. Thank You for this most amazing gift and for Your amazing love for me. I think You and love You and praise You. Amen.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
SOAP - Numbers 14-16; Mark 3
Scripture-
Mark 3:35 "Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother."
Observation-
I am sure Jesus loved His human family very much, but He spoke these words in front of the crowd that surrounded Him when He was being summoned by His mother and brothers. To Jesus, His Spiritual family was more important than His human family. With great hope we want our human families to be believers, as evidenced by their obedience to God in doing His will. However, we will only be with our human families a short while here on this earth, but our Spiritual families will endure forever by God's grace and mercy through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
Application-
I am so thankful for my Spiritual family - that I have a multitude of brothers and sisters in Christ. I love my human family very deeply and I will be diligent to try and ensure that they all know about Jesus and pray that each and every one of them would become believers so that we can all be in the same Spiritual family forever as well. I will reach out to to other believers, not in my human family, and build bonds of brotherhood through fellowship so that our Spiritual family is strengthened and that we can be close to and encourage one another. At our church, the prophetic word for this year is DISCIPLESHIP - with the four components of that being worship, the word, prayer, and community. I will endeavor to open myself up to and become involved in our community of believers, which is the Spiritual family of God.
Prayer-
Father, thank You for my Spiritual family. I am truly blessed with my human family and I pray that they would all know You, each and every one of them, so that they too can be a part of our Spiritual family of believers. Help me Lord to be open to and establish new friendships within our church and the entire community of believers, because we are all your children and therefore are truly all brothers and sisters in You. Thank You for my Spiritual brothers and sisters - help me to forge new bonds of friendship and fellowship with others and strengthen existing ones and I pray that in doing so we would all draw closer to You. I praise You and love You, Father. Amen.
Mark 3:35 "Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother."
Observation-
I am sure Jesus loved His human family very much, but He spoke these words in front of the crowd that surrounded Him when He was being summoned by His mother and brothers. To Jesus, His Spiritual family was more important than His human family. With great hope we want our human families to be believers, as evidenced by their obedience to God in doing His will. However, we will only be with our human families a short while here on this earth, but our Spiritual families will endure forever by God's grace and mercy through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
Application-
I am so thankful for my Spiritual family - that I have a multitude of brothers and sisters in Christ. I love my human family very deeply and I will be diligent to try and ensure that they all know about Jesus and pray that each and every one of them would become believers so that we can all be in the same Spiritual family forever as well. I will reach out to to other believers, not in my human family, and build bonds of brotherhood through fellowship so that our Spiritual family is strengthened and that we can be close to and encourage one another. At our church, the prophetic word for this year is DISCIPLESHIP - with the four components of that being worship, the word, prayer, and community. I will endeavor to open myself up to and become involved in our community of believers, which is the Spiritual family of God.
Prayer-
Father, thank You for my Spiritual family. I am truly blessed with my human family and I pray that they would all know You, each and every one of them, so that they too can be a part of our Spiritual family of believers. Help me Lord to be open to and establish new friendships within our church and the entire community of believers, because we are all your children and therefore are truly all brothers and sisters in You. Thank You for my Spiritual brothers and sisters - help me to forge new bonds of friendship and fellowship with others and strengthen existing ones and I pray that in doing so we would all draw closer to You. I praise You and love You, Father. Amen.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
SOAP - Numbers 12, 13; Psalm 90; Mark 2
Scripture-
Mark 2:17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
Observation-
Jesus came to this earth as a sacrifice to make atonement for the sins man committed and the power of evil under which they lived. God loved us so much that He sent His only Son Jesus to die on the cross for all of us and raised Him from the dead to defeat death, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. Jesus came to seek out and save the lost and His gift of salvation is open to everyone - to all sinners; all you need to do is ask forgiveness, repent from your sins, and ask Jesus to come into your heart. Because of our humanity, none of us is perfect and we all sin and therefore we all need Jesus. As believers, we need to spread the Gospel message so others can hear it and have the opportunity to be saved.
Application-
I will live my life as a witness to Christ - to share with others the peace and joy I have in Him. Jesus commands us to love God and to love others and commissioned us to make disciples of all nations - this is the focal point of my life here on this earth. I will continue to pray to be led by the Holy Spirit and to do God's work to glorify Him.
Prayer-
Father, please us me in whatever capacity You want me to work within. I thank You so much for sending Jesus to save us, as the most amazing sacrifice who bears all of our sins and allows us to live lives of peace and joy and not guilt and shame. Thank You for my new beginning because of Jesus and for my life eternal, secured by His death and resurrection. Help others to find the joy that I know - to search for You and find You; that the lost may be saved. Help me to boldly and with strong conviction share the Gospel message with others through my words and deeds in service to You and to bring You glory. Thank You Jesus for saving me - I love You. Amen.
Mark 2:17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
Observation-
Jesus came to this earth as a sacrifice to make atonement for the sins man committed and the power of evil under which they lived. God loved us so much that He sent His only Son Jesus to die on the cross for all of us and raised Him from the dead to defeat death, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. Jesus came to seek out and save the lost and His gift of salvation is open to everyone - to all sinners; all you need to do is ask forgiveness, repent from your sins, and ask Jesus to come into your heart. Because of our humanity, none of us is perfect and we all sin and therefore we all need Jesus. As believers, we need to spread the Gospel message so others can hear it and have the opportunity to be saved.
Application-
I will live my life as a witness to Christ - to share with others the peace and joy I have in Him. Jesus commands us to love God and to love others and commissioned us to make disciples of all nations - this is the focal point of my life here on this earth. I will continue to pray to be led by the Holy Spirit and to do God's work to glorify Him.
Prayer-
Father, please us me in whatever capacity You want me to work within. I thank You so much for sending Jesus to save us, as the most amazing sacrifice who bears all of our sins and allows us to live lives of peace and joy and not guilt and shame. Thank You for my new beginning because of Jesus and for my life eternal, secured by His death and resurrection. Help others to find the joy that I know - to search for You and find You; that the lost may be saved. Help me to boldly and with strong conviction share the Gospel message with others through my words and deeds in service to You and to bring You glory. Thank You Jesus for saving me - I love You. Amen.
Monday, February 22, 2010
SOAP - Numbers 10, 11; Psalm 27; Mark 1
Scripture-
Mark 1:41 Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. "I am willing," He said. "Be clean!"
Observation-
This is a great verse. A man with leprosy asked Jesus to heal him and make him clean. Jesus is certainly willing! He is filled with compassion and love for us all and came to this earth for our salvation - to defeat sin and death through His crucifixion and resurrection. Jesus is willing and wants us to be clean, to be free from our guilt and shame that sin and evil brings and He desires our acceptance of His amazing gift of eternal life.
Application-
I never want to minimize or underestimate the greatness of Jesus' love and compassion for us. Jesus is willing to clean anyone who comes to Him with a sincere heart, asks forgiveness, and follows Him. I want to make sure I can communicate this message to others and this is another great example of how much Jesus loves us.
Prayer-
Father, thank You for the ultimate gift of Your Son Jesus who gave us eternal life at Calvary and through His resurrection. The bounds of His love and compassion are so great that we can't fully understand it because He gave Himself up as a sacrifice for me and all who believe. I am clean because of Him and I rejoice in that! Help me to live a life of testimony to Your greatness and the joy and peace that I have found in Your Son Jesus Christ. I love and praise You. Amen.
Mark 1:41 Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. "I am willing," He said. "Be clean!"
Observation-
This is a great verse. A man with leprosy asked Jesus to heal him and make him clean. Jesus is certainly willing! He is filled with compassion and love for us all and came to this earth for our salvation - to defeat sin and death through His crucifixion and resurrection. Jesus is willing and wants us to be clean, to be free from our guilt and shame that sin and evil brings and He desires our acceptance of His amazing gift of eternal life.
Application-
I never want to minimize or underestimate the greatness of Jesus' love and compassion for us. Jesus is willing to clean anyone who comes to Him with a sincere heart, asks forgiveness, and follows Him. I want to make sure I can communicate this message to others and this is another great example of how much Jesus loves us.
Prayer-
Father, thank You for the ultimate gift of Your Son Jesus who gave us eternal life at Calvary and through His resurrection. The bounds of His love and compassion are so great that we can't fully understand it because He gave Himself up as a sacrifice for me and all who believe. I am clean because of Him and I rejoice in that! Help me to live a life of testimony to Your greatness and the joy and peace that I have found in Your Son Jesus Christ. I love and praise You. Amen.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
SOAP - Numbers 8, 9; Acts 28
Scripture-
Acts 28:24 Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe.
Observation-
As believers we are commissioned by Jesus to make disciples of all nations - to go out and share the Gospel with others so that everyone will have a chance to hear it. The unfortunate reality though, is that not everyone will receive the Word and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. Some have hardened hearts and will just not believe. However, we need to keep going out and sharing the Word because there are those who will be convinced by what we say and how we witness - they will receive the Message with great joy and thus will believe. It is not our job to make people believe the Gospel of Jesus but it is certainly our job to share it with others, because if they do not hear it then there is certainly no chance that they will hear it and be saved.
Application-
I will boldly share with others what I know about the Kingdom of God and the joy and peace I have found in and through our Lord Jesus Christ. To do this with more conviction I will continue to be in the Word daily and to pray to God for guidance through His Holy Spirit to lead me where He wants me to go and in what He wants me to do.
Prayer-
Heavenly Father, thank You for finding me, calling my name, and for saving me by Your grace through Your Son Jesus Christ. Help me to boldly share the Gospel of Christ with others and, with conviction, what that means to me - and that others can have the salvation I have as well if they just believe and accept Jesus in their hearts. As believers, please keep us strong and not to be disheartened when we feel like a person does not receive or believe the Word, because we don't know for sure if that is a permanent thing and what will happen later in that person or who else will be impacted by the Message we share. Help us to just share the Gospel so it spreads to the world and everyone has a chance to hear and believe it. I praise you Father for Your steadfast love and Your grace and mercy through Jesus Christ. Amen.
Acts 28:24 Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe.
Observation-
As believers we are commissioned by Jesus to make disciples of all nations - to go out and share the Gospel with others so that everyone will have a chance to hear it. The unfortunate reality though, is that not everyone will receive the Word and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. Some have hardened hearts and will just not believe. However, we need to keep going out and sharing the Word because there are those who will be convinced by what we say and how we witness - they will receive the Message with great joy and thus will believe. It is not our job to make people believe the Gospel of Jesus but it is certainly our job to share it with others, because if they do not hear it then there is certainly no chance that they will hear it and be saved.
Application-
I will boldly share with others what I know about the Kingdom of God and the joy and peace I have found in and through our Lord Jesus Christ. To do this with more conviction I will continue to be in the Word daily and to pray to God for guidance through His Holy Spirit to lead me where He wants me to go and in what He wants me to do.
Prayer-
Heavenly Father, thank You for finding me, calling my name, and for saving me by Your grace through Your Son Jesus Christ. Help me to boldly share the Gospel of Christ with others and, with conviction, what that means to me - and that others can have the salvation I have as well if they just believe and accept Jesus in their hearts. As believers, please keep us strong and not to be disheartened when we feel like a person does not receive or believe the Word, because we don't know for sure if that is a permanent thing and what will happen later in that person or who else will be impacted by the Message we share. Help us to just share the Gospel so it spreads to the world and everyone has a chance to hear and believe it. I praise you Father for Your steadfast love and Your grace and mercy through Jesus Christ. Amen.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
SOAP - Numbers 7; Psalm 23; Acts 27
Scripture-
Ps. 23:6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Observation-
Because of our covenant relationship with God - as believers we are His children - we are covered by His blessing and protection and will live in goodness and love our entire lives. Because of God's love for us and His desire to redeem His children, He sent His only Son Jesus to die on the cross and then He raised Him from the dead - in this way our sin and guilt and shame is born by Him as long as we turn from our sin and invite Him into our hearts to be our Lord and Savior. Because of this most amazing sacrifice and beautiful love He has for us, we know that we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever - our place in Heaven is secure.
Application-
I am so thankful that I am a child of God and that He cared enough for us to redeem us through His Son Jesus Christ. I rest assured that my life on this earth will be filled with goodness and love and that I will live in God's Kingdom forever. I will strive to live my live my life as a testimony to what I believe and know in my heart to be true.
Prayer-
Lord God, thank You for Jesus - for His awesome sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection that gives eternal life. In this world that we live in You also grant us goodness and love - even though we have good times and tough times, You give us the Joy and Peace from knowing You and in this I give you praise. I love You Lord and thank You for calling each and every one of us in Your family and I thank You in advance for those who will find You and be saved. Thank You for Your love and protection that covers us. Amen.
Ps. 23:6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Observation-
Because of our covenant relationship with God - as believers we are His children - we are covered by His blessing and protection and will live in goodness and love our entire lives. Because of God's love for us and His desire to redeem His children, He sent His only Son Jesus to die on the cross and then He raised Him from the dead - in this way our sin and guilt and shame is born by Him as long as we turn from our sin and invite Him into our hearts to be our Lord and Savior. Because of this most amazing sacrifice and beautiful love He has for us, we know that we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever - our place in Heaven is secure.
Application-
I am so thankful that I am a child of God and that He cared enough for us to redeem us through His Son Jesus Christ. I rest assured that my life on this earth will be filled with goodness and love and that I will live in God's Kingdom forever. I will strive to live my live my life as a testimony to what I believe and know in my heart to be true.
Prayer-
Lord God, thank You for Jesus - for His awesome sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection that gives eternal life. In this world that we live in You also grant us goodness and love - even though we have good times and tough times, You give us the Joy and Peace from knowing You and in this I give you praise. I love You Lord and thank You for calling each and every one of us in Your family and I thank You in advance for those who will find You and be saved. Thank You for Your love and protection that covers us. Amen.
Friday, February 19, 2010
SOAP - Numbers 5, 6; Psalm 22; Acts 26
Scripture-
Ps. 22:10 From birth I was cast upon You; from my mother's womb You have been my God.
Observation-
I can attest that without a doubt I am a person in this category, so I can relate to this Scripture. Ever since I can remember I have always known the Lord. I was not one of those people who had a 'lightning bolt' experience and came to know Jesus as an older child or adult and can pinpoint the time in their lives when they were saved and born again. I praise God when this does happen and as a body of believers in the church this is out great Hope, that people will hear the Gospel, repent, and be saved. For me though, I have just always known the Way - Jesus has always been in my heart. I feel like God chose me, from the time I was conceived, to be a child of His and for this I am so grateful.
Application-
Whether a person has known Jesus his whole life or just got saved yesterday, there is no difference and the important thing is that they now believe and has his or her name written in the Book of Life. I will take my blessing of being a chosen child of God and do the work that He has laid out for me to do - to be led by the Holy Spirit and be a great witness with bold conviction for the Kingdom.
Prayer-
Heavenly Father, thank You for choosing me. I know that there are so many out there who are seeking and are lost. Use me to live my life as a great witness to You and boldly share the Gospel of Christ, so that others may hear it and those who are lost and are seeking may find You and be saved. You are so awesome Lord and I love You. I give You everything and please use me to Your glory. Amen.
Ps. 22:10 From birth I was cast upon You; from my mother's womb You have been my God.
Observation-
I can attest that without a doubt I am a person in this category, so I can relate to this Scripture. Ever since I can remember I have always known the Lord. I was not one of those people who had a 'lightning bolt' experience and came to know Jesus as an older child or adult and can pinpoint the time in their lives when they were saved and born again. I praise God when this does happen and as a body of believers in the church this is out great Hope, that people will hear the Gospel, repent, and be saved. For me though, I have just always known the Way - Jesus has always been in my heart. I feel like God chose me, from the time I was conceived, to be a child of His and for this I am so grateful.
Application-
Whether a person has known Jesus his whole life or just got saved yesterday, there is no difference and the important thing is that they now believe and has his or her name written in the Book of Life. I will take my blessing of being a chosen child of God and do the work that He has laid out for me to do - to be led by the Holy Spirit and be a great witness with bold conviction for the Kingdom.
Prayer-
Heavenly Father, thank You for choosing me. I know that there are so many out there who are seeking and are lost. Use me to live my life as a great witness to You and boldly share the Gospel of Christ, so that others may hear it and those who are lost and are seeking may find You and be saved. You are so awesome Lord and I love You. I give You everything and please use me to Your glory. Amen.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
SOAP - Numbers 3, 4; Acts 25
Scripture-
Acts 25:19 Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive.
Observation-
After being imprisoned by Felix for two years as a 'favor' to the Jews, Paul now stood before Felix's successor Festus who did not expect to hear the charges that were being brought against Paul. Paul stood firm against the Jews in defense of the Truth and in his mission to spread the Gospel of Jesus. Even Festus acknowledged Paul's testimony about the death and resurrection of Jesus. Paul was doing the work of the Kingdom with great conviction so that other could at least hear the Gospel, and then it would be up to them whether or not they received it and believed it in their hearts.
Application-
I will be a mighty messenger of the Gospel of Christ and will not waver in my testimony of the Truth regardless of my circumstance or present situation. I will continue to be in the Word daily and to be open for the Holy Spirit to lead me in learning and understanding what I need to know and to do in service to God.
Prayer-
Lord God, I think You again for Paul's example here and for choosing Him as an ambassador and messenger for Your Kingdom. Paul spoke the Truth and the Gospel of Christ boldly, regardless of his situation, and I pray that You would grant me power, strength, and courage to do the same so that I would glorify You. You are my King and thank You for my eternal Hope which is in Your Son Jesus, my Lord and Savior. Please lead me through Your Holy Spirit and help me to be obedient to Your calling. I love and praise You. Amen.
Acts 25:19 Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive.
Observation-
After being imprisoned by Felix for two years as a 'favor' to the Jews, Paul now stood before Felix's successor Festus who did not expect to hear the charges that were being brought against Paul. Paul stood firm against the Jews in defense of the Truth and in his mission to spread the Gospel of Jesus. Even Festus acknowledged Paul's testimony about the death and resurrection of Jesus. Paul was doing the work of the Kingdom with great conviction so that other could at least hear the Gospel, and then it would be up to them whether or not they received it and believed it in their hearts.
Application-
I will be a mighty messenger of the Gospel of Christ and will not waver in my testimony of the Truth regardless of my circumstance or present situation. I will continue to be in the Word daily and to be open for the Holy Spirit to lead me in learning and understanding what I need to know and to do in service to God.
Prayer-
Lord God, I think You again for Paul's example here and for choosing Him as an ambassador and messenger for Your Kingdom. Paul spoke the Truth and the Gospel of Christ boldly, regardless of his situation, and I pray that You would grant me power, strength, and courage to do the same so that I would glorify You. You are my King and thank You for my eternal Hope which is in Your Son Jesus, my Lord and Savior. Please lead me through Your Holy Spirit and help me to be obedient to Your calling. I love and praise You. Amen.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
SOAP - Numbers 1, 2; Acts 24
Scripture-
Acts 24:16 So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.
Observation-
Acting with a clear conscience before God and man was a trademark of Paul's and is something that he always demonstrated following his conversion. He believed and followed to the best of his ability the Law given to Moses and what was written in the Prophets. More importantly, as an apostle of Christ, he heard first-hand the teachings of Jesus and worked his entire life to share those with others and most importantly to share the Gospel message of Christ - that He is the Messiah and only through Him can we be saved. Pail lived his life, in good conscience, according to the message he was sharing with others and as the most prolific messenger and missionary in the Bible this was certainly a necessity in his witness to others.
Application-
I will keep God's word close to my heart and live my life the best I can in obedience to what I am commanded to do and in faith to Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. If I do fall, I know that I can ask for forgiveness, repent, and and be covered by God's grace through Christ our Lord. In this way I can live with a clear conscience and not be a slave to guilt and shame.
Prayer-
Heavenly Father, I praise and thank You for Your grace that covers us through Your Son Jesus Christ. Please give me the strength and courage to live according to Your plan, as a witness for Your Kingdom, and with faith and obedience in Jesus so that I do not have to live with regret, sorrow, and guilt but can live with joy, hope, and a clear conscience, knowing that my place in heaven is secure. Glory be Yours forever. Amen.
Acts 24:16 So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.
Observation-
Acting with a clear conscience before God and man was a trademark of Paul's and is something that he always demonstrated following his conversion. He believed and followed to the best of his ability the Law given to Moses and what was written in the Prophets. More importantly, as an apostle of Christ, he heard first-hand the teachings of Jesus and worked his entire life to share those with others and most importantly to share the Gospel message of Christ - that He is the Messiah and only through Him can we be saved. Pail lived his life, in good conscience, according to the message he was sharing with others and as the most prolific messenger and missionary in the Bible this was certainly a necessity in his witness to others.
Application-
I will keep God's word close to my heart and live my life the best I can in obedience to what I am commanded to do and in faith to Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. If I do fall, I know that I can ask for forgiveness, repent, and and be covered by God's grace through Christ our Lord. In this way I can live with a clear conscience and not be a slave to guilt and shame.
Prayer-
Heavenly Father, I praise and thank You for Your grace that covers us through Your Son Jesus Christ. Please give me the strength and courage to live according to Your plan, as a witness for Your Kingdom, and with faith and obedience in Jesus so that I do not have to live with regret, sorrow, and guilt but can live with joy, hope, and a clear conscience, knowing that my place in heaven is secure. Glory be Yours forever. Amen.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
SOAP - Leviticus 26, 27; Acts 23
Scripture-
Lev. 27:30 'A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.'
Observation-
These words are among the last in Leviticus that God told to Moses to share with the Israelites, His chosen people. God is clear that a tithe (or one-tenth) of what comes from the land is His and is also holy. This command was originally given to the Jews but also applies to us Gentiles (non-Jews) who believe in the Lord and have taken Jesus as Lord and Savior. This is because we have been 'grafted in among the others' (John 11:17) and are now part of God's chosen ones and as such we are to also give a tithe to God. This tithe is actually to be from the first-fruits, meaning that we give God the tithe from our increase (paycheck, etc.) first, and then get to keep the rest. Actually, all that we have belongs to God anyways and we are just watching His stuff. By giving a tithe to Him as He commands us to, we are acknowledging through an act of obedience that our blessings and provision comes from Him.
Application-
I will continue to lay down at the Lord's feet my tithe as an act of obedience and faith. This tithe will be from the first-fruits and will be given to Him before I do anything else with my increase that He has blessed me with.
Prayer-
Father, You are my Creator and have given to me life and You are the provider of all of my blessings and possessions. The things I see in this world are just stuff and cannot compare to the riches You have in store for me in Heaven. Help me to always remember this and to give my tithes and offerings to You with a cheerful heart, always remembering that everything comes from You. I bless You Father and I love You. Amen.
Lev. 27:30 'A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.'
Observation-
These words are among the last in Leviticus that God told to Moses to share with the Israelites, His chosen people. God is clear that a tithe (or one-tenth) of what comes from the land is His and is also holy. This command was originally given to the Jews but also applies to us Gentiles (non-Jews) who believe in the Lord and have taken Jesus as Lord and Savior. This is because we have been 'grafted in among the others' (John 11:17) and are now part of God's chosen ones and as such we are to also give a tithe to God. This tithe is actually to be from the first-fruits, meaning that we give God the tithe from our increase (paycheck, etc.) first, and then get to keep the rest. Actually, all that we have belongs to God anyways and we are just watching His stuff. By giving a tithe to Him as He commands us to, we are acknowledging through an act of obedience that our blessings and provision comes from Him.
Application-
I will continue to lay down at the Lord's feet my tithe as an act of obedience and faith. This tithe will be from the first-fruits and will be given to Him before I do anything else with my increase that He has blessed me with.
Prayer-
Father, You are my Creator and have given to me life and You are the provider of all of my blessings and possessions. The things I see in this world are just stuff and cannot compare to the riches You have in store for me in Heaven. Help me to always remember this and to give my tithes and offerings to You with a cheerful heart, always remembering that everything comes from You. I bless You Father and I love You. Amen.
Monday, February 15, 2010
SOAP - Leviticus 25; Psalm 25, 26; Acts 22
Scripture-
Ps. 25:21 May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in You.
Observation-
As believers, we place our hope in the Lord - the hope which is faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and through His blood and resurrection that we are saved. Because of this hope in which we take refuge, we are called to live lives of integrity and uprightness and in living lives in this manner we will be under God's protection. Even in this world, if we live lives of integrity and uprightness then we should be innocent of any wrongdoing, but most importantly if we live lives of integrity and uprightness in God's eyes, then we bring Him glory and are pleasing to Him and thus are certainly under His protection since He is our Father and we are his children.
Application-
My great hope is in the Lord and I know, as a believer and follower of Christ, that surely He is with me to the very end of the age just as He promised to the disciples in Matthew 28:20. I desire to please him and be under His protection by living a life of integrity and uprightness - not listening to what the world tells me is right but living according to God's Holy Word and being led by His Holy Spirit.
Prayer-
Father God, thank You for Your protection and for being my refuge and great reward. My hope is fully in You and all I am is Yours - please use me to do what Your will is. Help me to live a life of integrity and uprightness and in this way be a witness for others to see. I love and praise You Father and please lead me Lord through Your Holy Spirit in doing the things that will glorify Your name. Amen
Ps. 25:21 May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in You.
Observation-
As believers, we place our hope in the Lord - the hope which is faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and through His blood and resurrection that we are saved. Because of this hope in which we take refuge, we are called to live lives of integrity and uprightness and in living lives in this manner we will be under God's protection. Even in this world, if we live lives of integrity and uprightness then we should be innocent of any wrongdoing, but most importantly if we live lives of integrity and uprightness in God's eyes, then we bring Him glory and are pleasing to Him and thus are certainly under His protection since He is our Father and we are his children.
Application-
My great hope is in the Lord and I know, as a believer and follower of Christ, that surely He is with me to the very end of the age just as He promised to the disciples in Matthew 28:20. I desire to please him and be under His protection by living a life of integrity and uprightness - not listening to what the world tells me is right but living according to God's Holy Word and being led by His Holy Spirit.
Prayer-
Father God, thank You for Your protection and for being my refuge and great reward. My hope is fully in You and all I am is Yours - please use me to do what Your will is. Help me to live a life of integrity and uprightness and in this way be a witness for others to see. I love and praise You Father and please lead me Lord through Your Holy Spirit in doing the things that will glorify Your name. Amen
Read the Bible Plan and SOAP Journal
My name is Dave Nuber and I have been a life-long Christian, believing in God and having Jesus in my heart for as long as I can remember. I was raised in a Presbyterian church and never had that lightning bolt experience of being born again, so to some degree I have felt a little deficient in my faith since I cannot put my finger on that day in which I became a believer and was saved. You see, I have always just known what I believe.
However, I have been on an amazing journey since December 5, 2009 which is the day I seriously started to read God's word and making a daily commitment to the same. I am 43 years old and can tell you honestly that I have never read the Bible all the way through. I thought I knew all the major stories of the Bible - I must have because I was a life-long Christian right? Well, that's not right - because I realize now that just labeling yourself as a believer is not enough to draw into an intimate relationship with our Father in heaven, to have that kind of relationship with Him that He so desires from us. Since I have made the commitment to being in God's word on a daily basis and doing my SOAP journal, I have felt His presence in my life and also something that I can say I have never felt before, and that is the leading of my life by the Holy Spirit. It really has been an incredible experience - not only from the standpoint that I am (finally) reading God's word every day, but I an feel myself draw closer to Him every day and I as I just mentioned I feel the leading and working of the Holy Spirit in my life.
So what exactly am I doing? Well, let me explain. First of all, I have been attending Puyallup Foursquare Church regularly with my family for about 13 months now - and that is another incredible experience in itself. Please see our church website for more info - www.p4square.com
So at our church, we have what is called the Read Through the Bible Plan. It is a plan to read through the entire Bible in one year - every day you have a few chapters (usually three or four) to read and by the end of the year you will have read the entire Bible. For a copy of the plan check out this link - http://www.p4square.com/pdf%20documents/bible-readthrough.pdf (please note that this document can be printed on both side of a sheet of paper and then cut into four strips to create a quarterly bookmark to help you keep track of your progress)
We also have what is called a SOAP. Now, I will admit that prior to December of last year I could not have told you what SOAP meant, but it stands for Scripture - Observation - Application - Prayer. The idea in the SOAP is that you keep a journal as you read through the Bible and take notes and write down your thoughts about what you think God is saying to you and how you can apply that to your life and then you pray about it. Have a look at this document from our church on how to journal - http://www.p4square.com/pdf%20documents/journaling.pdf
There is also a great overview at this page within our church website which also allows you to link to the day's scripture reading - http://www.p4square.com/page/devotions
So that is it... we call this process doing your devo's (short for devotions) and I can give you first-hand testimony that it has had a profound impact on my life and I feel closer to God today than I have ever felt in my life. It is exciting to know that God has a plan for me and He made me for a specific purpose and by reading His word daily I am drawing closer to Him.
My hope is that my words and devo's reflected in this blog inspire you to take up such a reading plan and to draw closer to Him as well. If you are searching for answers in your life or if you know in your heart that there must be more to this life, I encourage you to please find a local church and talk to the pastor or a church leader and get your questions answered. Ask them to pray with you that you may also come to know the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved.
I wish you many blessings in your life and thank you for reading,
Dave Nuber
However, I have been on an amazing journey since December 5, 2009 which is the day I seriously started to read God's word and making a daily commitment to the same. I am 43 years old and can tell you honestly that I have never read the Bible all the way through. I thought I knew all the major stories of the Bible - I must have because I was a life-long Christian right? Well, that's not right - because I realize now that just labeling yourself as a believer is not enough to draw into an intimate relationship with our Father in heaven, to have that kind of relationship with Him that He so desires from us. Since I have made the commitment to being in God's word on a daily basis and doing my SOAP journal, I have felt His presence in my life and also something that I can say I have never felt before, and that is the leading of my life by the Holy Spirit. It really has been an incredible experience - not only from the standpoint that I am (finally) reading God's word every day, but I an feel myself draw closer to Him every day and I as I just mentioned I feel the leading and working of the Holy Spirit in my life.
So what exactly am I doing? Well, let me explain. First of all, I have been attending Puyallup Foursquare Church regularly with my family for about 13 months now - and that is another incredible experience in itself. Please see our church website for more info - www.p4square.com
So at our church, we have what is called the Read Through the Bible Plan. It is a plan to read through the entire Bible in one year - every day you have a few chapters (usually three or four) to read and by the end of the year you will have read the entire Bible. For a copy of the plan check out this link - http://www.p4square.com/pdf%20documents/bible-readthrough.pdf (please note that this document can be printed on both side of a sheet of paper and then cut into four strips to create a quarterly bookmark to help you keep track of your progress)
We also have what is called a SOAP. Now, I will admit that prior to December of last year I could not have told you what SOAP meant, but it stands for Scripture - Observation - Application - Prayer. The idea in the SOAP is that you keep a journal as you read through the Bible and take notes and write down your thoughts about what you think God is saying to you and how you can apply that to your life and then you pray about it. Have a look at this document from our church on how to journal - http://www.p4square.com/pdf%20documents/journaling.pdf
There is also a great overview at this page within our church website which also allows you to link to the day's scripture reading - http://www.p4square.com/page/devotions
So that is it... we call this process doing your devo's (short for devotions) and I can give you first-hand testimony that it has had a profound impact on my life and I feel closer to God today than I have ever felt in my life. It is exciting to know that God has a plan for me and He made me for a specific purpose and by reading His word daily I am drawing closer to Him.
My hope is that my words and devo's reflected in this blog inspire you to take up such a reading plan and to draw closer to Him as well. If you are searching for answers in your life or if you know in your heart that there must be more to this life, I encourage you to please find a local church and talk to the pastor or a church leader and get your questions answered. Ask them to pray with you that you may also come to know the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved.
I wish you many blessings in your life and thank you for reading,
Dave Nuber
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