SOAP 03/15/2014 Deuteronomy 28:30

Today's reading: Deuteronomy 28, 29; Galatians 6

S) "³⁰ You shall betroth a wife, but another man will violate her; you shall build a house, but you will not live in it; you shall plant a vineyard, but you will not use its fruit."

Deuteronomy 28:30  (NASB)

O) The first thing I noticed was that the blessings covered in this chapter, are about 14 verses, while the curses are nearly three times as long. Second, this particular verse is a near mirror of the verses from my journal entry on 03/12/2014. These, I suppose, are some of the primary concerns for a man. His wife, his home, and his career. Moses goes into some pretty detailed, and prophetic, descriptions about the consequences Israel faces for turning their backs on the LORD, but this verse stays somewhat generic. Consequently, it remains as one of the most portable verses into today's world.


A) Very shortly into my marriage, I was driving home one night from a band practice, and God (seemingly at random), invaded my mind with a terribly foreboding thought: If I continued down my current path, I would lose my marriage. It wasn't a detailed warning, it wasn't an audible declaration from the cloud-split heavens, but in my heart, out of nowhere, I was sure. I wrestled with it awhile, in secret, because I was so wrapped up in my selfish pursuits. I did not want to submit to the LORD and give up the various sins that had ensnared my heart. Thankfully, after about a year of wrestling through this internalized battle, God won. What I've come to learn, is that my core desires (outside of Him directly), are in jeopardy, as long as I try to protect them my way. It is very like what Jesus said, "Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it." (Luke 17:33).


P) Father, this warning is heard loud and clear. Forgive me for my sins, and in grace, continue to save me from myself. Whatever the cost, LORD, I submit myself to Your sovereignty over my life. My marriage, my home, my career, and everything else, I submit to You alone. Whatever it takes, Father, discipline me to be faithful and devoted to You, God. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 03/14/2014 Deuteronomy 25:2-3

Today's reading: Deuteronomy 25, 26, 27; Galatians 5

S) "² then it shall be if the wicked man deserves to be beaten, the judge shall then make him lie down and be beaten in his presence with the number of stripes according to his guilt. ³ He may beat him forty times but no more, so that he does not beat him with many more stripes than these and your brother is not degraded in your eyes."

Deuteronomy 25:2-3  (NASB)

O) The immediacy of the punishment is key, here. There is no delay between the judgement and the consequence. There is no time spent imprisoned, awaiting the penalty. Also, the judge must witness the punishment being executed upon the guilty. Even if he is not the one who strikes the transgressor, the judge is there, ensuring that the punishment is carried out quickly and correctly. The other point that stands out, is the limit to the punishment.

A) The most direct place for me to apply this, is with me as the judge of my children. Ultimately, along with my wife, I am to carefully judge their actions throughout their lives. I don't just want to punish my children, though, I want to discipline them. I don't simply want them to receive a negative consequence for their sins, I want them to learn from the outcome, to be reshaped in their heart. So, when I see that they have done something deserving of discipline, essentially, I need to do it with personal care. I need to do it quickly, so they see the immediate consequence. I need to do it myself, or at least witness the discipline. The last part, is to ensure that there is a limit to the punishment. My mom always said, when disciplining children, "You have to break their will, without breaking their spirit." It's a difficult line to find, sometimes, but God knows it. So, all of my discipline should be prayerfully, and biblically defined.

P) Father, please keep me on the right path with disciplining my children. Help me judge them rightly, and carry out the discipline that is deserved. I don't just want to discipline with the punishment needed, I want to discipline how You intend, as well. Give me the wisdom to know what will be effective, and how much. I want to be merciful with my children, so show me when mercy is needed. Let me be obedient, first to You, so that I can draw obedience from them. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 03/13/2014 Deuteronomy 23:21-23

Today's reading: Deuteronomy 22, 23, 24; Galatians 4

S) "²¹When you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay to pay it, for it would be sin in you, and the Lord your God will surely require it of you. ²² However, if you refrain from vowing, it would not be sin in you. ²³ You shall be careful to perform what goes out from your lips, just as you have voluntarily vowed to the Lord your God, what you have promised."

Deuteronomy 23:21-23  (NASB)

O) God requires honesty, particularly in our hearts. It's pretty cliche to think of a person pleading with God, asking for help and promising devotion or righteousness. In  the 1985 classic "Ladyhawke" Matthew Broderick plays a thief named Philipe. As he is escaping prison, he prays to God, asking for help, vowing to give up his thieving ways. As he is just about completely free, he steals a pouch of money from a guard and says, "I know I promised, Lord, 'Never again.' But, I also know, that You know, what a weak-willed person I am." It's a good joke, and even true that the Lord knows, but this passage makes it clear. God is still displeased, and it is sin, when we fail to uphold our vows to Him, even when He knows we will fail.

A) Over and over, the Bible warns against careless words, and the way that controlling what we say will impact our lives. One of the first lessons I had in this was hearing James quoted in the Third Day song, "Nothin At All". So, I have tried, over the years, to make my words a priority, to think carefully before speaking. This verse is a reminder that, like most things, my concern over my behavior should be highest with regard to God. If I am choosing to be honest with others, I should be even more careful to be honest with God. If I am choosing to be humble before others, I should be even more careful to be humble before God. So, if I am being careful with my words toward others, I need to be even more careful with my words to the LORD.

P) Father, forgive me for the sins of my lips. As much as I am ever concerned with my relationship to others, let me be most concerned with my relationship with You. Thank You for knowing me, in all of my failures, and choosing to love me and save me, just the same. Thank You for Your patience and lovingkindness, which You show to Your servant, day after day. Thank You for disciplining me, to make me more like Your Son. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 03/12/2014 Deuteronomy 20:5-9

Today's reading: Deuteronomy 19, 20, 21; Galatians 3

S) "⁵ The officers also shall speak to the people, saying, ‘Who is the man that has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him depart and return to his house, otherwise he might die in the battle and another man would dedicate it. ⁶ Who is the man that has planted a vineyard and has not begun to use its fruit? Let him depart and return to his house, otherwise he might die in the battle and another man would begin to use its fruit. ⁷ And who is the man that is engaged to a woman and has not married her? Let him depart and return to his house, otherwise he might die in the battle and another man would marry her.’ ⁸ Then the officers shall speak further to the people and say, ‘Who is the man that is afraid and fainthearted? Let him depart and return to his house, so that he might not make his brothers’ hearts melt like his heart.’ ⁹ When the officers have finished speaking to the people, they shall appoint commanders of armies at the head of the people"

Deuteronomy 20:5-9  (NASB)

O) This passage immediately made me think of Gideon's 300 (see. Judges 7), or two of the instances when Jesus plainly lays out the costs of following Him (see Matthew 19:16-22 and Luke 14:25-33). God has a way of weeding out people who are wavering in their faith, so that the people remaining are fewer, but more potent in their faith. Consequently, God does more, with fewer people, when those few have greater faith. In His physical army, He wanted only the most committed, most ready, most faithfully devoted soldiers. It is also remarkable that the people are not reprimanded for returning to their lives, because sometimes that is the appropriate thing to do.

A) The physical call to arms is no longer relevant to me, but there is certainly a spiritual battlefield where I can and should fight. Sometimes, I look at men and women of great faith, whom God used mightily, and I long for that kind of story. I want to do something amazing for God. The dynamic of faith is that it is proven by action. If I have the faith to, say, move my family to CA to be youth pastors, God will use that faith to do mighty things. I know this dynamic to be true, and the LORD to be faithful, because of firsthand experiences and biblical examples. Consequently, when I hear of some opportunity, and I do not step out in faith, it's easy for me to feel guilty, like my lack of faith is the reason I am not going on a mission trip, or selling all my possessions for some cause, etc. The truth is that, thankfully, sometimes I am supposed to turn away from a particular battlefront and return to my home, to my own personal wars. If God calls me directly, I have a responsibility to answer that call. Otherwise, He can and will use me according to my faith, if or when I answer. In the meantime, I have a battles of my own to fight, for myself, my marriage, my own family, my extended family, etc..

P) Father, I sometimes feel a stirring within me to step out in faith and do something big for You. I do not want to shrink back, simply out of fear. Help me discern when I am actually called to do something that will require great faith, as opposed to an immature desire for excitement. I want to be used more and more, but I also want to be responsible in faithfully ministering to my own immediate family. I never want to neglect existing battles, domestic fronts, while chasing some foreign adventure. When You call me to something more, make it clear to me, LORD. Confirm it to me however You must, and let me prove my faith in You through obediently answering that call. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 03/11/2014 Deuteronomy 16:11

Today's reading: Deuteronomy 16, 17, 18; Psalm 38; Galatians 2

S) "¹¹ and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your son and your daughter and your male and female servants and the Levite who is in your town, and the stranger and the orphan and the widow who are in your midst, in the place where the Lord your God chooses to establish His name."

Deuteronomy 16:11  (NASB)

O) This verse is a command to celebrate during the Feast of Weeks, after bringing a tribute of freewill offering to the LORD (see v.10), and it only varies a little bit from the command to celebrate the Feast of Booths (see v.14). The main difference between those two seems to be that the FoW includes an offering. The Passover, as described earlier in the chapter, is altogether different, as a solemn feast (see v.8). What caught my eye, especially, was the inclusive nature of this celebration. First, the "Old Testament God" is seen as so wrathful and serious, that most people don't realize He wants a giant celebration in 2 of the 3 major Feasts that are established for His people. But, even beyond that, these celebrations are to include everyone around! That is a big revelation of the heart of God to reach all people with His grace and love!

A) While I was reading this, I was trying hard to envision a way to incorporate the FoW and the FoB into my life. One of the problems I have, is that the work they did was seasonal, whereas my work is pretty steady throughout the year. So, timing it to anything in my life, it seems like it's almost arbitrary. But, the main thing is that I want to celebrate the provision of the LORD in a major way, twice a year. One with a particular offering to God, remembering where my family has been and how God has saved us. The other, with an altogether joyful celebration to praise Him for the blessings He has given to us. Regardless of how I might be able to execute this, I will, at the very least, acknowledge the goodness of the LORD, and be joyful because of it.

P) Father, You are so good to me and my family, I could never praise You enough. But, I do want to be dedicated to praising You throughout my life. Help me make a plan for this, with my wife, so we can thank You specifically in this way, with true joy and celebration, with an annual offering, specifically in thanks for Your provision, and with an annual feast, a party, specifically thanking You for the blessings You pour out on our family. My faith and hope is in Your name alone. My joy and my celebration is all from You alone. Every good and perfect gift comes from You, just as Your word says in James 1:17. You make my heart glad, knowing that You are my provider, and that You want to bless me in a way that causes celebration in my home. Help me continue to see blessings from Your perspective, not measuring success or provision as the world does, but as You define it. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 03/10/2014 Deuteronomy 13:6-8

Today's reading: Deuteronomy 13, 14, 15; Galatians 1

S) "⁶ If your brother, your mother’s son, or your son or daughter, or the wife you cherish, or your friend who is as your own soul, entice you secretly, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods’ (whom neither you nor your fathers have known, ⁷ of the gods of the peoples who are around you, near you or far from you, from one end of the earth to the other end), ⁸ you shall not yield to him or listen to him; and your eye shall not pity him, nor shall you spare or conceal him."

Deuteronomy 13:6-8  (NASB)

O) Thankfully, God does not impose a death penalty under the new covenant, since the law of sin and death is broken (see Romans 8:1-2), since that's what the rest of this commandment requires. Now, the real point established by this passage, is that no person should ever come between you and the LORD. There are three, very powerful, relationships listed in this passage. Whether it's brotherhood, parenthood, or marriage, it is made very clear that the relationship we have with the LORD should take ultimate priority in our lives.

A) The idea of shunning my wife or my kids, is terrifying. Ultimately, they are their own people, so they will make their own decisions about things throughout their lives. However, as the leader of my house, my decisions will greatly affect their decisions. As I dedicate myself to the LORD more and more, my wife and kids will follow my lead. If, at any point, I feel like their behavior is possibly compromising my convictions, I need to take action to remedy that discrepancy. The worst thing I could do is follow their lead, but only slightly better, is ignoring their misguidance (either of which are pretty directly my fault, as their guide who is failing). Thankfully, a lot of ground work has been done. In grace, God has given me a wife who chases righteousness, and children who are teachable. I cannot, however, take any of this for granted.

P) Father, thank You for the family I have been given. Give me the courage and wisdom to discipline my wife and children, if the need ever arises in this way. In grace, Father, prevent this from ever becoming a need, according to Your will, God. Throughout my life, help me keep my priorities straight, with You first, then my wife, then my kids, then my family, and then everyone else. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 03/09/2014 Deuteronomy 12:3-4

Today's reading: Deuteronomy 10, 11, 12; Mark 16

S) "3 You shall tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and burn their Asherim with fire, and you shall cut down the engraved images of their gods and obliterate their name from that place. 4 You shall not act like this toward the Lord your God."

Deuteronomy 12:3-4  (NASB)

O) God draws clear lines, separating Himself from other gods, separating His people from other people, keeping them holy. He makes ordinances that will make it obvious that He is not common, that He is different, that He is greater, stronger, wiser, and more than any other. The way we worship Him should be utterly holy to Him.

A) I am very leery of worship toward the LORD that seems to "incorporate" elements from other cultures. In other countries, there are religious practices that are physically expressive, that, when brought to America, are made to be unspiritual. Yoga, various martial arts, tokens, or even the use of certain drugs, all of them are made to seem harmless. While I would never give heed to something idolatrous, or fear something demonic, I have to take a stance against certain things. As Christians, I think we should be very cautious to not imitate anything that resembles other religions. God makes it clear that He requires our behavior, even our acts of worship, to be by certain rules and regulations. While we have freedom from the Law, that does not mean it is impossible to offend the LORD. That is something that I do, actually, fear.

P) Father, forgive me for offending You, especially with unfit worship. I want to present offerings that are pleasing and acceptable to You. Convict my heart of sin in this area, as every other, and reveal to me the errors of my ways. Open my eyes and ears, to know Your ways more and more. Discipline me, so that I respond in obedience. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.