SOAP 07/29/2011; 2 Peter 3:8-9

Today's reading: Isaiah 57, 58, 59; Psalm 103; 2 Peter 3

S) " ⁸ But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. ⁹ The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance."

2 Peter 3:8-9 (NASB)

O) This is Peter's response to mockers, questioning the belief that the "end times" are imminent. 2012 and the Mayan calendar are not the first time people have feared the end of the world. Y2K, 1984, ... I'm sure that in the year 666 AD people were freaking out about the apocalypse. There are 2 main points to Peter's reminder in verses 3-9. The first, is that we can't ever be lax about our faith. We need to chase righteousness every day as if the Lord is coming back any moment. The second part, though, in verses 8 and 9, is that we need to realize God's definition of "soon" and our definition are likely to be very different. Furthermore, we need to bear in mind that God is not being lazy or indecisive. Like a merciful father, He is trying to provide time for people to take advantage of His redemption. He's not procrastinating, He's being patient.
A) So first, I need to lay off phrases like "last days" or "end times" or any other such fads, because they're actually quite old. To be sure, we've never been closer to the end than we are right now; however, every passing day suggests that we weren't as close as some think. So, patience is a must. I need to be patient as I wait for the Lord. In all likeliness, I will die before I'm "raptured". At the same time, I need to walk in a constant repentance and bear fruit, like it says in Matthew 3:8. I need to push myself toward God, and toward holy living. I need to strive for it, as if I might "meet my Maker" via the Rapture. It's like this: it's a marathon, so I can't try to sprint all the time, but that doesn't mean I get to stand around.
P) Father, increase my patience. Help me to work with integrity and diligence at my job. Direct me to raise my children well, sowing spiritual seeds into their lives, so that they grow up and bear spiritual fruit. In Jesus' name, let them grow up as godly people, who then raise my godly grandchildren. At the same time, purge me from laziness and do not let me be fooled into procrastination. Help me to live out my faith as if every chance is my last chance. Holy Spirit, lead me into more and more acts of ministry with the people around me; I want to be obedient now, and put nothing off until tomorrow's tomorrow. Balance these two yearnings within me Lord. Help me to run this race with endurance. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

SOAP 07/28/2011; Isaiah 53:4-6

Today's reading: Isaiah 53, 54, 55, 56; 2 Peter 2

S) " ⁴ Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried;
Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted.
⁵ But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.
⁶ All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him."

Isaiah 53:4-6 (NASB)

O) This passage is the beautiful Gospel, more that 600 years before Jesus came. It is THE Good News. Jesus bore my grief and sorrows. He was pierced because of my sins. He was crushed for what I did wrong. The chastening that was meant for me, was upon Him instead and He was severely beaten so that I could be made whole. I went astray from God, trying to make life work on my own. My Father in heaven knew it wouldn't work, and knew I would need help. He knew that I could only get help if I was righteous and sinless. He also knew that I was doomed to fail. So, He asked Jesus to take on my iniquities upon Himself. What a beautiful sacrifice. I deserved death, but was given life.

A) I need to honor this in my own actions and remind myself day-by-day, moment-by-moment that God redeemed me. I need to remember the great cost there was for my purchase from death. God has given me life and freedom and I need to live my life according to the grace and mercies He gave me. His great compassion and loving-kindness give me a desire to serve Him. I cannot repay Him for the grace and mercy given to me, but I can honor Him with my life. It starts by sharing this beautiful Good News: You don't have to be guilty of your sins. Ask and you will be forgiven. Serve Him and you will be given new life.

P) Father, there are not enough thanks to give. You knew the fall of mankind was coming when you created us. You knew that my downfall was coming when I was yet to be born. Even while I was destined to sin, You created a plan of reconciliation and Your son, the Messiah, offered Himself in my place. Jesus, I cannot thank You enough - but then, You already knew that. Holy Spirit, continually remind me of the beauty of this redemption. Soften my heart over and over to the purpose of the cross, so that I am never callous to the grace and mercy of God. Help me be bold in my testimony and in the preaching of the Gospel, to honor this redemption. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

SOAP 07/27/2011; 2 Peter 1:5-10

Today's reading: Isaiah 50, 51, 52; Psalm 92; 2 Peter 1

S) "⁵ Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, ⁶ and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, ⁷ and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. ⁸ For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. ¹⁰ Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;"

2 Peter 1:5-10 (NASB)

O) In verses 5-7, Simon Peter gives a succession of 8 qualities that should be building into one another. In verse 8, he tells us that if we are increasing in these things, we will never be useless or unfruitful - a solid promise. In verse 9, he gives a sort of contrast, warning that the lack of these qualities ultimately means we have forgotten about all that Christ did for us. But, the reason I chose this passage is for verse 10. It carries the promise that stood out to me the most. If I am diligent about each of the 8 qualities, then my calling and God's choosing of me are made certain; as long as I practice these things, I will never stumble in my walk with Him.

A) If I want my marriage to be fruitful, I need to practice these 8 things with my wife. If I want to be fruitful raising my children, who are ultimately God's children that I am stewarding, then I need to practice these 8 things in my parenting. If I want God to use me for any ministry, both to my own family and to others, if I want that ministry to be fruitful, effective, and worthwhile, I need to practice the above 8 qualities. Practicing them means making specific efforts to carry out each of them; it means focusing on increasing them in my life. It takes conscious effort; I have to be diligent, just as the verse says.

P) Father, You've given me a great responsibility. Holy Spirit, constantly remind me that my life is not my own. You have called me to lead my wife. You've called me to lead my children. You have given me a ministry to teach and called me to counsel some young adults. You have given me a vision for a new a new move and a new ministry... I have a lot to do. Thank You for calling me up, Lord. Help me to prioritize the things in my life. Give me strength to be diligent and make conscious practices of the 8 qualities of ministry that You described in this verse, God. Thank You for these promises, that I will be more and more certain of Your calling and choosing me. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

SOAP 07/26/2011; 1 Peter 5:3

Today's reading: Isaiah 46, 47, 48, 49; 1 Peter 5

S) "³ nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock."

1 Peter 5:3 (NASB)

O) This is a pretty simple instruction, but it bears repeating. Like all good things in the Bible, just because it's simple, doesn't mean it's unimportant. The concept of leading by example is important, and nowhere is that more true, than it is with the things of God. They say that you can't drive sheep, you have to lead them.

A) The most simple application of this is with my family. I can't lead them to places I've never been. The disciplines of reading the Word daily, praying throughout the day, and constant worship, these are basics that are fundamental to a fruitful life in God. I need to be sure that I am walking in those disciplines if I'm ever to hope that my wife and kids will learn the same disciplines. Ultimately, that's what I want out of life, I want to know that my wife and children, the most important people to me, are secure in the Lord.
P) Father, thank You for this good work You've started in me. I know that leading my family is only the beginning of the things You've called me to do, but I also know they are the most important. They are the foundation, because I must be able to lead my own family if I ever hope to lead anyone else, or be used in any other way. Forever, satisfy my heart by my ministry to my own family first. I pray that I am never restless or impatient to do anything greater. Remind me always, that they are the 4 most important people that I can ever teach, ever lead, ever influence. Help me bear that responsibility in joy and to never take it lightly. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

SOAP 07/25/2011; 1 Peter 4:10

Today's reading: Isaiah 43, 44, 45; 1 Peter 4

S) "¹⁰ As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."

1 Peter 4:10 (NASB)

O) First of all, he said "each one" was gifted. God doesn't simply redeem, He also blesses. Part of that blessing is a gifting in one area or another (or in some cases, several areas). Anyone who turns their life over to God is first forgiven, then restored, then blessed (hence the "manifold grace of God"). We recover a lost destiny and a large part of finding that destiny is to discover what tools (gifts) we've been given. Then, we cannot sit idly by... you have a gift, use it! God never intends for us to keep our gifts to ourselves.

A) I try to conciously humble myself because I know how easily I can get prideful. I don't mind sharing that before God got His arms back around me, I was a terribly arrogant, prideful jerk. Having said that, in God I know that I have received certain gifts. It is my heart's desire to use those gifts to bless others in Jesus' name. For example, I know I have the gift of teaching, and so I love to be used in my church's school of ministry (NDSM!). Recently, I've also developed a passion for marriages and some level of gifting for counseling and so I want to pursue that more. I need to continue to pray that God creates opportunities for schooling and opportunities for employement of this gifting and passion. I know He has a purpose, I just need to seek the details surrounding my destiny in this.

P) Father, thank You for equipping us, then calling us to action. You never ask us to do something that we cannot do in You. You promised that we can do all things through Christ Jesus who gives us strength. Holy Spirit continue to shape me, and mold me into a usable tool for the LORD. I want to help people and I want to glorify Your name, Father. Direct my steps so that I can fulfill the destiny you have for me. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

SOAP 07/24/2011; 1 Peter 3:7

Today's reading: Isaiah 40, 41, 42; 1 Peter 3

S) " ⁷ You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered."

1 Peter 3:7 (NASB)

O) I don't want to make a big deal out of the concept that women are weaker than men, spiritually speaking; however, I can only lead my wife (and children) so long as I am more spiritually mature. With that in mind, I need to honor her as a fellow heir of the grace of life. This means that I need to respect who she is in Christ on her own. The concept of honoring a person is very, very deep and goes into a lot of things, but because this verse left out details about what that looks like, I need to go with the most honor I can give her. If I don't want my prayers hindered, I need to honor her both directly and indirectly; I need to cover all of my bases. This shouldn't be incintive for me to treat my wife a certain way, but it is a stern reminder of negative consequences.
A) I need to honor my wife in how I treat her publicly and privately. I need to honor my wife with my own actions with her or without her. The details on how this looks can be long and difficult to define but I think this is the most simple way: when people think of me, they should be happy that I am married to Kristin. That's the easiest way to determine if I am honoring my wife. We should be careful of using the approval of the public to guide our actions, though. Maybe I should say it this way: I should be seeking to live my life, and influence my wife, in such a way that God will find no flaw in it. I need to respect her, respect her spiritual gifts, respect her needs, respect her space. With respect to the things of God, I need to treat her as I would any other spiritual sister (since we're both children of God).
P) Father, give me Your perspective with my wife. Show her to me as You see your daughter. Help me see all of the giftings You placed in her and help me nurture and respect those giftings. I want to do everything I can to help my wife bear your fruit, Lord. I don't want to hinder her in anyway. Give me wisdom, and show me how to lead Your people, my small kingdom, my family. Holy Spirit, lead me in this charge. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

SOAP 07/23/2011; 1 Peter 2:11

Today's reading: 2 Kings 20; Isaiah 38, 39; Psalm 75; 1 Peter 2

S) " ¹¹ Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul."

1 Peter 2:11 (NASB)

O) The word "abstain" is very clear and strong language. I think one of the biggest mistakes a new believer can make, is to expect it to be easy to keep themselves from sinning. There is a message to be learned in scripture about becoming a "new creation" in Christ and being "born again" in spirit, but make no mistake about it - it is still a struggle to avoid sin. If it were easy for a Christian to not sin, I'm not sure "abstain" makes sense. I would never say that I abstain from watching the show CSI, because I have absolutely no desire to watch that show. I would never say that I abstain from listening to Lady Gaga, because I have absolutely no desire to listen to her songs. But, even after becoming a Christian, sin is still aluring. The biggest difference is that we are suddenly, acutely aware of what the second half of this verse says. Sin wages war against our souls. Before a man gives his life over to Christ, he will likely never have that perspective, to know that his sins are destroying who he truly is, who God created him to be. When God forgives us, He essentially recreates us from the inside, and the first thing we realize is that sin no longer "feels right" to us. From there, it is very much like a war within ourselves.

A) Fight. It's almost enough to simplify it that much. It is a fight to remain sinless. Sin wages war against my soul and if I'm not willing to fight back, it will win. Reading the Word of God daily is one of the most basic forms of this "spiritual warfare" in that it equips my mind - which is where most of the fight happens. Chapter 6, of Ephesians, describes the spiritual armor of God and it says that the sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. Also, prayer is a battlefield. In chapter 4 of Colossians, there is a believer named Epaphras and he is described as wrestling in prayer for his fellow believers. And finally, worship. The Bible says in Psalm 22 and verse 3, that the LORD is enthroned upon the praises of His people and in Acts 3 and verse 19 it says that a time of refreshing comes in the presence of the Lord and I know that after fighting hard to abstain from sin, refreshment is dearly needed.

P) Father, give me focus. Help me to realize that it is a fight that you have called me to join. It's a fight against my old way of - not life - but truly a way of death. Holy Spirit, strengthen me in this fight. God help me to stay in Your Word. Help me to focus when I pray. Help me to rest in my worship and find your restoration. Let me fight and not grow weary. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.