SOAP 01/11/2014 Luke 11:34

Today's reading: Genesis 27, 28; Psalm 4; Luke 11

S) "³⁴ The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness."

Luke 11:34 (NASB)

     

O) I've heard the expression that the eyes are the window to the soul. Here, it seems Jesus is saying that it's more like the eyes are the gates to the soul. They don't just show if a person is full of light or darkness, but they actually would determine it!



A) Obviously, there is symbolism at work here. The aesthetic clarity of a man's eyes would not literally mean there is physical light emanating from within his body. So, like many other areas of my spiritual life, I need to consider how my eyes can become clear or bad, healthy or evil. I think a big factor is probably what is set before my eyes, acknowledging that I am, myself, responsible for what is set before my own eyes. Next, I need to turn to Jesus directly, realizing that He is the only one, by whom the eyes of a man born blind are opened. It should be a daily prayer that I ask God to continually open my eyes and clarify what I'm seeing, as well as asking for my ears to be opened.

P) Father, open my eyes to see and my ears to hear. Clarify my eyes, so that my whole body is full of Your light, Lord. Let me keep guard over what my eyes see, so that I am also protecting the light inside of me. I want to be faithful and obedient with what You've placed inside of me and I know that only You can clear away the darkness I've yielded. Thank You for the grace of good eyes. In Jesus's name I pray, amen.

SOAP 01/10/2014 Genesis 26:6-7

Today's reading: Genesis 25, 26; Psalm 6; Luke 10

S) "⁶ So Isaac lived in Gerar. ⁷ When the men of the place asked about his wife, he said, 'She is my sister,' for he was afraid to say, 'my wife,' thinking, 'the men of the place might kill me on account of Rebekah, for she is beautiful.'"

Genesis 26:6-7 (NASB)

     

O) If this verse sounds familiar, it literally is. This is the exact same mistake that Isaac's father made, years earlier, twice! The part that's very interesting to me, though, is that the two times Abraham did it in the Bible, happened before Isaac was even born! So, we have one of two things going on, I think.
1. Abraham did it after Isaac's birth also, and it just wasn't recorded.
2. The rest of Abraham's marriage was a poor example and it indirectly shaped Isaac's viewpoint toward making the same exact mistake.
Between the two, I'd say the second is actually the more likely. There were other hints that Abraham wasn't the best husband, but possibly more important, is that the first two examples of Abraham's error were recorded, so why would any others be excluded? Also, it's not like we can't all find examples of the same things happening in relationships we all know, or even live ourselves.

A) My parents split when I was 10, so obviously my father left something to be desired as an example of a righteous husband. Having said that, my memories of him, specifically as a husband, are pretty vague at best. I have plenty of memories of him as a father, that shape my own goals of fatherhood (whether things I want to do, or want to avoid). But, in terms of how he behaved as a husband, I can't exactly say I learned from him, one way or the other. Having said that, early in my relationship with my wife, I already experienced some pretty terrible behavior in myself through other relationships that, as I had begun to learn, were exactly the same behaviors my dad had toward my mom! So, from almost the onset of my relationship with Kristin, even before we were engaged to be married, I had to have some moments of honesty and tell her how some of my tendencies were toward being a total jerk-face, and that she needed to call me out on it, as I would sometimes actually be oblivious to my own folly. Thankfully, despite her non-confrontational personality, she's also not one to let me be stupid. Even more thankfully, as I turned toward God, and submitted to His will for my life more fully and in every area of my life, He started to change my natural tendencies. Although I can sometimes revert back to idiocy, it is now my goal to give all 3 of my kids the best possible example of biblical marriage. I want them to pick up as few bad examples, even if they're subtle, as possible. It's not just for my sake, or Kristin's sake, that my marriage should be healthy. It's also for the sake of my kids.

P) Father, thank You for all of the grace and mercy You have placed into my marriage. Please let it continue to grow as a healthy example of how You intend a marriage to be. Please let my kids see every example of righteous sacrifice, love, submission, leadership, grace, and mercy in our marriage. In Jesus's name I pray, amen.

SOAP 01/09/2014 Luke 9:49-50

Today's reading: Genesis 23, 24; Luke 9

S) "⁴⁹ John answered and said, 'Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name; and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow along with us.' ⁵⁰ But Jesus said to him, 'Do not hinder him; for he who is not against you is for you.'"

Luke 9:49-50 (NASB)

     

O) This is such a tough passage. On the one hand, it's a simple directive: If a man is claiming the name of Jesus and he is not against you, he is for you. On the other hand, how do we define someone being against us? The most obvious opponents of Christians would not be claiming the name of Jesus in the first place. But, can someone claim the name of Christ and still be against the followers of Christ? I think it must be so, otherwise it would seem Jesus's answer would have been more along the lines of saying, "Do not hinder him; for he who claims my name is for you." But that is decidedly not what Jesus used as the criterion. Instead, it's the person who is claiming His Name, but also, is not against us; that man is for us and should not be hindered.

I've been to a lot of different churches. I attended a Foursquare church a very long time, a Lutheran church for a while, I went to a Baptist church as a kid... It's pretty easy for me to assert that, while there are distinctions between them, they are, none of them, "against" the other. But when I look at Mormonism, which claims to operate in the name of Jesus, I see a lot wrong with what they do... but then, does that make them "against" me? I mean, Mormons are, by and large, just about the nicest people I've ever met (allowing for generalizing). So, does that mean they aren't against me, and therefore for me, and I should not try to hinder them? It's pretty easy for me to say, if someone is claiming the name of Jesus, but they are doing something unbiblical, that would be against me, wouldn't it? I mean, it would certainly be undermining one teaching or another that I support, since I'm supporting what the Bible teaches directly. But then, my question goes back to being about the man in the story. There are only a few things we know for sure about his beliefs. He believed the name of Jesus has the power to save. He believed freedom from demonic possession is good... I'm not sure we can really say more than that. So, did he have beliefs that would now be called unbiblical? Is it possible he believed Jesus and satan are literally brothers? Is it possible he believed that he would be the ruler of a planet when he got to heaven? Did he even believe in hell? Did he believe once-saved-always-saved? etc. And here is the toughest question of all: Did it really matter what he believed about all of those other things? If so, why wasn't there a list of criteria for who is for us?

A) Here's what I think (and I'm welcome to hear other opinions, or even correction if I'm missing this). I think the point Jesus was making was to choose your battles. What we know of the man's behavior is that he was doing the same work Jesus and the disciples doing, in casting out demons in Jesus's name. That is what disturbed the John, and that action was not against the disciples, but for them. So, when it comes to other people, like the Mormons, who do some of the most charitable work, maybe Jesus would have us leave them alone in that, since it is not against us. If someone is proselytizing your child or your friend, that becomes very much against us, and then I would argue that God wants us to step in and speak up, and get involved. But, by and large, I think we live in a super-connected world. Social media, or some traditional media, makes us more aware of the world around us than ever before now. And I think we start to feel an obligation, that we need to speak up and speak out against every issue that there is. Suddenly, we all have a platform, a microphone, a soapbox. It becomes very easy to think that every fight is our fight. But I just don't think that's the case. I mean, if you're an evangelist, then yes, I'd say you should be very concerned about what Jehovah's Witnesses are doing... but if you work in a soup kitchen...? Or, if you work at a teen pregnancy outreach, then you should be very concerned when a church claiming Christ is supporting abortion! But what if you work at a gospel mission? I think, as Christians, we'll face enough direct opposition, that we don't need to go picking fights, trying to find more enemies. So, when we hear stories about people doing things in the name of Jesus, unless it comes against us directly, maybe we just need to let it go...

P) Father, first give me a compassionate heart. Let me see others, all others, through Your perspective. Give me a discerning heart, to know when something is worth fighting. Let me fiercely protect my love ones, from deception or false doctrine. But fi something is not truly against me, show me that it's okay to let it go. Let me trust that there are others who will fight. I confess that every fight is not my fight. Even more so, God, when I do have a fight, when there are enemies that have become mine, let me be faithful and obedient to act. Give me courage and strength and direction and discipline and patience, to do Your will above all else. In Jesus's name I pray, amen.

SOAP 01/08/2014 Luke 8:38-39

Today's reading: Genesis 20, 21, 22; Luke 8


S) "³⁸ But the man from whom the demons had gone out was begging Him that he might accompany Him; but He sent him away, saying, ^39 'Return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you.' So he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him."

Luke 8:38-39 (NASB)

     

O) I can barely comprehend what this man must have faced. The Bible doesn't say exactly how long the man had been possessed, but it says in verse 27, that the man, "had not put on any clothing for a long time," so, he'd been in this condition for a while. But suddenly, he has this bright future ahead of him, except... I imagine he must have felt quite nervous. I mean, I can imagine how I'd feel if I just came through such an ordeal! I would, indeed, have a hard time facing anyone who knew me - and apparently, just about everyone in the region knew this man. Also, the fear of the people, which was previously on him, was now on the One who saved him, and that fear was causing them to drive his Savior away. And so, as Jesus is on the way out, the man, understandably, wants to go with Jesus. Instead, unexpectedly, Jesus commands, "Return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you." And so he does.


A) Firstly, over and over throughout the NT, we're told not to operate out of fear (except the fear of The LORD). So, it's important to address fears and overcome them, whatever their cause, so that the will of God can still be done in our lives. Secondly, this is an excellent reminder of the importance and power that our personal testimonies have! No one will ever be able to take this miracle away from this man. Jesus set him free! Lastly, it's a great example of obedience. I can imagine a very easy life for myself: I would be a paid staff member of some ministry that is already established and thriving. It'd paid me enough money and leave me plenty of time for my family, and hobbies, and... and... and... Jesus never offered this to anyone. Obedience can be hard for any number of reasons. If obedience was easy, everyone would do it. The most important thing, when facing a challenge, is to be sure that:
1) I am operating in the fear only of The LORD.
2) I am reminding myself of God's goodness, power to save, and what He has done for me.
3) I am obedient to His will, following His instructions.

P) Father, in full submission I declare that I want what You want. I choose to fear You alone. You are good, faithful, powerful, mighty, just, sovereign, and eternal. Thank you for the grace and mercy you have put in my life. Show me what You would have me do, and I will do it in humble obedience. In Jesus's name I pray, amen.

SOAP 01/07/2014 Genesis 19:14

Today's reading: Genesis 18, 19; Psalm 3; Luke 7

S) "¹⁴ Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, and said, 'Up, get out of this place, for the Lord will destroy the city.' But he appeared to his sons-in-law to be jesting."

Genesis 19:14 (NASB)

     

O) The first and most obvious thing at stake with this warning, was the very lives of these young men. But as I continued reading, I realized that Lot's daughters sin against Lot (see vs. 31-32), claiming the need to procreate! You cannot remove responsibility from these young women, but I do wonder what might have happened at the end, had the sons-in-law followed Lot out of the city.

A) Obviously, there are people in the world ranting about this and that, all claiming in the name of The Lord. They cannot all be right, at least because they can often contradict each other. Some might be jesting, some might have legitimate mental disorders, and yet some might be correct. It is so very important to seek God myself, to inquire through prayer and through The Word, to find His will and to very warnings or admonitions that I might hear from other people.

P) Father, let me be obedient to Your word foremost in my life. Do not let me dismiss out of hand, another person's warnings. Give me discernment, and discipline through the Bible, to know Your will when I hear it, God. Remind me that my actions, or inactions, can carry heavy consequences for me, but also for my children and those I love. In Jesus's name I pray, amen.

SOAP 01/06/2014 Luke 6:12-13

Today's reading: Genesis 15, 16, 17; Luke 6

S) "¹² It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God. ¹³ And when day came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also named as apostles:"

Luke 6:12-13 (NASB)

     

O) This is a very interesting passage to me. On the one hand, it presents an excellent example of taking a decision quite seriously and seeking God through prayer before making such an important choice. It's quite the aspiration, to pray all night to God about a topic such as this. And then I wonder how that prayer actually unfolded. Did Jesus have particular people he wanted as apostles, and the Father had a different list? Was there discussion about how many apostles there would be? Did they talk about Judas Iscariot, who would eventually betray Jesus? These are interesting questions, but ultimately, what I do know, is that this is a model for devotion and submission, seeking the will of the Father before making a serious choice.

A) I wonder how I should gauge what requires this type of prayer. Like, how do I measure that something is so important that I need to pray all night? I'm sure there's no way to really qualify something like this. I suppose it would start smaller and build up. Like, if I've been praying about something for a while, but I can't discern an answer, maybe it's time for an all-nighter. Or, on the other hand, maybe I just go for it anyway. I mean, it's not really ever a bad thing to pray all night, right? It is a little intimidating, though. I'm definitely going to keep this example in the back of my mind, and remember it the next time I'm facing a big decision.

P) Father, I want to be like Christ in every way in my life. I especially want to reflect his submission to Your will, and I want to duplicate the way he sought after you. Holy Spirit, remind me of this passage when I need to seek the Father's will about something important. Lead me to prayer, even if it takes all night. Let me be faithful in my patient search for what You would have me do, LORD. In Jesus's name I pray, amen.

SOAP 01/05/2014 Luke 5:20, 23-25

Today's reading: Genesis 12, 13, 14; Luke 5

S) "20 Seeing their faith, He said, “[j]Friend, your sins are forgiven you.”... 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins have been forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24 But, so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,”—He said to the paralytic—“I say to you, get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home.”25 Immediately he got up before them, and picked up what he had been lying on, and went home glorifying God."

Luke 5:20, 23-25 (NASB)

     

O) I feel like this is one of those passages that makes me feel so stupid. So first, there is this surface-level lesson that Jesus is proving His words (forgiving) have authority by His powerful actions (the healing). But the more compelling lesson to take away from this story is one that is so much more simple, even than the first I mentioned: Forgiveness > Healing.

A) So, in this story, I wonder about the paralyzed man. Here are his friends taking a huge risk in a tremendous act of faith, lowering the guy through someone's roof, into a room with Jesus and a bunch of Pharisees. When Jesus turns to him, and he sees the compassionate eyes that have been famous about Jesus, he must get really excited about getting healed... and then Jesus simply tells him he's forgiven...? Were his friends like, "For what? The roof thing?" But here's the admission of my own guilt: I've been just as blind to God's eternal gift, while completely distracted by something temporal. It's the most simple, but maybe most commonly forgotten (at least by practical behavior)
Forgiveness > ________.

P) Father, forgive my ungrateful heart. I'm afraid that, in the assurance of Your eternally given gift of forgiveness, I have taken it for granted all too often. I know that You have blessed me in amazing ways, here on earth, in a very temporal fashion, but I never want to lose sight of the beautifully simple Gospel. I am redeemed, my debt is paid, my sins are forgiven, and my place in heaven has been purchased by nothing less than the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Let my mind always be brought back to that eternal blessing, whenever I ask for anything so petty as a temporal blessing. In Jesus's name I pray, amen.