SOAP 08/20/2011; 1 John 1:5-7

Today's reading: Jeremiah 48, 49; Psalm 67; 1 John 1

S)" ⁵ This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. ⁶ If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; ⁷ but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin."

1 John 1:5-7  (NASB)

O) People don't usually like to acknowledge absolutes. That first verse (5) is the one that really stood out to me this morning. God is absolutely good, pure, holy, and true; in Him there is no evil, corruption, wickedness, or lies. I think a lot of people struggle with this because humans are not this way. As good as we ever are, we still struggle with the negative side of ourselves. Then, it's difficult to accept that God is Light and yet somehow He can accept us. Then, in steps Jesus. God is a just ruler, but He also provides perfect mercy through the sacrifice of His own Son. In that, we are given righteousness and are able to walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light.

A) I cannot pretend, though. If there is darkness in me, then I am not truly walking in His Light. Truth has to be practiced, and as simple as it sounds, that can quite the task in and of itself. I cannot speak lies, however small, and I cannot live a lie either, no matter what kind of pain, embarassment, or shame I might feel from it. In the Light, there simply cannot be any darkness. The only way for me to harbor darkness is to not walk completely in the Light, and that means that I am not truly in the Light at all then. It's an all-or-nothing scenario. But, by confessing my sins, I am forgiven, and by walking in the Light, any darkness is banished from me.

P) Father, thank You for being pure. I cannot imagine trying to serve You if You were inconsistent or unreliable in the least. I can completely trust in Your forgiveness, promises, and guidance because I know that there is simply NO darkness in You, LORD. Holy Spirit, continue to lead me in light. I need to abide in Him as much as I ever can, and I simply cannot afford to harbor any darkness in myself. Help me to deny lies and embrace truth; let me practice truth, so that it is my first instinct in all things. Give me boldness and courage to confess every sin that rears its ugliness in me, so that the truth, and His Light, can reign supreme and abolish all darkness in me, in Jesus' name. Amen.

SOAP 08/19/2011; Jeremiah 45:5

Today's reading: Jeremiah 45, 46, 47; Psalm 105; John 21

S)"⁵ '"But you, are you seeking great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I am going to bring disaster on all flesh," declares the LORD, "but I will give your life to you as booty in all the places where you may go."'"

Jeremiah 45:5 (NASB)

O) We live in a tumultous time and it's easy to get caught up in the way of the world. Especially with the economy in America struggling, everyone has an opinion on how best to secure a future for ourselves. Here, God is reminding Baruch that blessings and life itself come from Him, and the world around him is going to be destroyed, so any security he could seek for himself is futile.

A) God is my only security blanket, my only nest egg. I learned a lot about Biblical finances through Crown Financial (which was a great experience), but even in that class, it was easy to lose perspective sometimes and get caught up in trying to secure things in my own strength, skill, or will. I can make all of the plans I want, and make reasonable and wise decisions regarding my finances and future, but I can never afford to lose the perspective that God blesses me first with life itself, and then He will add blessings to that as He sees fit, not according to what I am seeking.

P) Father, I thank You for my very life. If You never blessed me with a single thing, all the rest of my days, You would still be worthy of praise because You created me and saved me from my own doom. Even if You took away all of the blessings You have given me, I would still worship You, LORD. Holy Spirit, continue to remind me that my very life is in the hands of the Father, and that all the blessings I could ever have come out of His hand alone. I humble myself before You God, and I seek You and not my own great things. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 08/18/2011; John 20:29

Today's reading: Jeremiah 26, 35, 36; John 20

S)"²⁹ Jesus *said to him, 'Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.'"

John 20:29 (NASB)

O) Thomas is often called doubter, but I don't like to see it that way. He was skeptical, but understandably. Jesus doesn't even call him out on a lack of faith or believing, He actually just shows him the proof. Then, He mentions us... us! Jesus said we will be blessed because we believe without ever actually seeing Him. So, just to be a Christian today, it requires more faith than it did when the disciples walked with Him.

A) I think people have more faith than they realize; it's just that people are deceived. They get lulled into thinking that God doesn't perform miracles, or they're persuaded that God can't/won't use them. Believing in Jesus today is every bit as difficult as it was for the first century Christians, or else it requires more faith. I need to remember that I have faith and it is a gift that should be shared. I have prayed and seen the sick recover. God has given me knowledge and information I could not have received from anywhere else. I have seen God move on my faith before, so why haven't I used that faith more? It seems pretty simple, but I need to just do it! Get out and do it! I need to be bold, step out in faith, and let God use me and the gift He's placed inside me, so that others can see the move of God and believe as well.

P) Father, You have given me a great gift, Lord. Help me to honor that gift by using it. Holy Spirit, remind me that in Him I have been given a spirit of boldness, and encourage me to step out in faith more often. I want to be used, God. Remove laziness and self-consciousness from me, God. I am Your servant, here to do Your will. Take me out of my comfort zone and stretch my faith, God. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 08/17/2011; Jeremiah 23:4

Today's reading: Jeremiah 23, 24, 25; John 19

S)" ⁴ I will also raise up shepherds over them and they will tend them; and they will not be afraid any longer, nor be terrified, nor will any be missing,” declares the LORD."

Jeremiah 23:4 (NASB)

O) This is a subtle promise that I never saw before. If I am responsible for any of God's people, that means He has raised me up as a shepherd over them. So, as I lead my family, they are His flock that I am tending. If I am tending them well, as I should, leading them and not driving them, and protecting them and caring for them, then they will not be afraid, or terrified, or missing (emotionally/spiritually).


A) I need to be a good shepherd for the Lord! In John 10:12, Jesus asserts that a hired hand is not invested in the sheep the way a true shepherd is. When the shepherd is tending his father's flock, he will protect and provide, even unto death. I need to be that shepherd for my family, who are my Father's sheep. In that, I will deliver peace to them, so they are not afraid, so they are not terrified, and they will not scatter, even if disaster strikes. I also need to protect myself, so that I am not struck down myself, which can cause them to be lost as well. All of this is done through devotion, sacrifice, humility, prayer, Bible study, etc. So, I press on.

P) Father, I will tend Your sheep as your son and shepherd. God, I want to protect my family and give them peace, and lead them in truth and righteousness, and prosperity and goodness. All of that comes from me first following You, Lord. Let all of this study of Your words, God, all of this dedication, bear fruit in my life so that my family will be blessed. Holy Spirit, help me to stay fully invested in the lives of each of my children, and Kristin, so that I am compelled completely to their growth and protection. This is how I will love my family. Father, thank You for this promise of peace for them, please deliver them from fear as of this day. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 08/16/2011; John 18:4-6

Today's reading: 2 Kings 24; Jeremiah 22; Psalm 112; John 18

S)"⁴ So Jesus, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, went forth and *said to them, “Whom do you seek?” ⁵ They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He *said to them, “I am He.” And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them. ⁶ So when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground."

John 18:4-6 (NASB)

O) I really appreciate the NASB translation for passages like this one. There are some subtleties that I think might be lost if they are not carefully, and literally translated. In NASB, any time there is a "*" it's because they've changed the present-tense verb to past-tense for accurate English grammar; however, in Greek, it was common during this period to use present tense as a literary tool to create emphasis and transport the reader to the event. Also, in NASB, the use of italics indicates that the word is not literally there, but it's only implied by the context.
So, "Jesus said to them, 'I am He.'" is more accurately translated, "Jesus says to them, 'I am.'"
A few things stand out to me under this insight. First, it is only Jesus' responses that were written in present tense. That isn't always the case in John. In this passage, he's placing a particular emphasis on Jesus' words. Also, Jesus' initial response is the same as the LORD's response to Moses, when he asks whom he shall say sent him. Now, these were men who had in mind to come arrest a blasphemer, an infidel, a heretic. They had been in His presence before, seen his miracles, yet were completely unconvinced that Jesus was the Son of God. But, when Jesus, the Son of God, speaks the same response as the LORD (that's the English substituted translation for Jehovah), in essence referring to Himself as the Great I Am, they are compelled to draw back and fell to the ground!


A) God's presence is all around. He is, in fact, omnipresent. The Holy Spirit is always with me. Jesus promised to be with us any time 2 or 3 are gathered in His name; however, there is a marked difference in God's presence being around, and His presence being manifested. See, there is something significant, and sometimes even tangible, when we are able to acknowledge His presence. This is the sort of knowledge that sometimes even feels forced upon us. It's the difference between knowing a corvette can go 200 mph, and actually riding a corvette going 200 mph. This is the type of presence of God that breaks chains, and brings freedom. It's the type of encounter that solidifies faith and brings wonder. It's the kind of move that miraculously changes bodies and souls. This is the kind of presence of God I should be seeking. I need to put my mind a place where I am focused on acknowledging His sovereignty and lordship over me. I want a genuine moment before my King, that brings makes me fall down before Him in submission.

P) Father, You are the LORD, God Almighty. You created the heavens and the earth, and all that are in them. Your goodness and loving-kindness do not fail. You are are slow to anger, and perfect in justice and compassion. Holy, holy, holy are You, LORD God Almighty, who was and is and is to come. Make me aware of Your presence in my life in a whole new way, God. I want to be experienced in Your courts, Father. I want to know who You are because I have spent so much time with You. Help me focus on You more often, and with more devotion, God. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 08/15/2011; John 17:20

Today's reading: Jeremiah 18, 19, 20; Psalm 93; John 17

S)"   ²⁰ “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word;"
    

John 17:20 (NASB)

O) The twelve disciples who walked with Jesus were not the end of His disciples. Discipleship produces more disciples. Jesus promised many things to His disciples, but it wasn't only for those twelve individuals. The blessings that He laid up for them, the empowerment through the Holy Spirit, the protection He gave them, etc.; all of it was also for us that believe in Jesus through their word.

A) Being a disciple means being of the same discipline. In this case, it's about letting the Father discipline us as children, just as Jesus followed the Father's discipline. Remember, discipline isn't punishment, it's teaching. So, Jesus never sinned but He was subject to the discipline of the Father, which is why Jesus said over and over that His words were not His own, but He spoke what the Father told him, etc. So, if I am going to be a disciple of Christ, I need to model my life after Jesus' life, and the disciples' lives, and closely follow the what they said through their words, which were truly inspired by the Word of God, and are the Word of God, having been divinely given (see 2 Timothy 3:16).

P) Father, continue to shape me, Lord. Mold me to look like Your Son. I want to be an honorable disciple, living a worthwhile life, worthy to be called a son. I know that on my own, I can never be worthy, but Holy Spirit, lead me in all things just as You led Jesus. I will be Your disciple, God, chasing You for who You are, not for what You can do for me. I will chase You for what I can do for You. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 08/14/2011; John 16:33

Today's reading: Jeremiah 16, 17; Psalm 96; John 16

S)"³³ These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."
    

John 16:33 (NASB)

O) When Jesus said, "These things..." He's referring to His teaching, regarding His departure from the disciples to the Father. So, knowing that Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us, and that He left us the Holy Spirit in His place - these things (from John 14, 15, 16, and really everything else) provide a peace for us to have. Jesus also promises struggles in this world, but promises courage for us, since He has overcome the world! All in all, this passage carries 2 incredible, life-long promises (peace and courage) that should see us through anything.
    
A) Many of God's promises are described as "if... then..." promises. There are 3 promises in this passage. The second promise is true for everyone. The "if" is satisfied by being in the world; the "then" is the tribulation. The first and third promises have very simple "ifs" - stay in Him (be a disciple, as seen in John 14 & 15) and take the courage! Very simple indeed! Consistently studying the Bible is how to stay in Jesus. So, I need to just keep doing what I've been doing and I'll have peace; and I have had peace! Taking courage is difficult to describe, but it hinges on focusing on the fact that Jesus has overcome the world. Keeping my mind on that fact is the foundation of the encouragement.

P) Father, I can't say much, except to say thank You. Your loving-kindness and compassion toward me, despite myself, is truly astounding. Thank You for these promises, Lord. Let me never forget them, or take them for granted. Holy Spirit, help me to stay in the Word of God consistently and continually, so that I am a true disciple of the Son. Help me keep my mind on Jesus' victory over the world. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.