SOAP 05/03/2014; 1 Chronicles 17:17

Today's reading: 2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17; Psalm 2; Matthew 20

S) "17 This was a small thing in Your eyes, O God; but You have spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come, and have regarded me according to the standard of a man of high degree, O Lord God."

1 Chronicles 17:17 (NASB)

O) Time is different for God than it is for us. He sees generations with a much different perspective than we do. So, for God to bless (or curse) multiple generations, is not actually a great undertaking. It's no greater a task than any other part of creation, I suppose. David recognized that, but he also acknowledges that God had indeed blessed him in a rare way, esteeming David so much.

A) My salvation is not by works, so that I cannot boast as if I'd done it. God gives me mercy by grace, because I was completely redeemed by God through the work of Christ on the cross and from the grave. However, God still rewards us. Certainly, I can be blessed beyond salvation alone, still strictly through grace (and really, when grace is the foundation of the relationship, then grace is axiomatic), and also my reward could be in Heaven only; however, God has, and can again, reward me here on earth. The application of this verse is really one of thanksgiving and humility. When God blesses me, I need to understand it is miraculously rare, but also easy for Him. So, I am thankful, but also my faith is enriched.

P) Father, please continue to open my eyes, to see Your blessings with the proper perspective. Help me to stay humble and awestruck, but also confident and believing. You are a mighty and powerful, and gracious and good. Thank You for the blessings You've given me, according to Your will. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 05/02/2014; 1 Chronicles 16:33

Today's reading: 1 Chronicles 16; Psalm 106; Matthew 19

S) "33 Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the Lord;
For He is coming to judge the earth."

1 Chronicles 16:33 (NASB)

O) I don't want to sound new-agey, or like a hippy, or read really deep into this, but it stood out to me a lot today. Trees will praise the LORD. It's not the only place we see reference to creation glorifying God. In fact, the concept is found in several places. However, this stood out to me, because these trees had a very specific reason to sing. And, why might trees have reason to rejoice about the judgement that God brings, except that it might concern themselves? That is to say, the trees might have cause to want to see people be judged.

A) The bottom line, here, is that this earth does not belong to us. Ashamedly, I've made fun of the ultra-liberal, "spiritual," tree-hugging-types in the past. The stark truth is, though, that when God comes to judge the earth, I might be found guilty of something that these ridiculed people might not. They respect God's creation more than I do! now, I'm not suggesting that I start praying to "Mother Earth" or some such nonsense, but I do think there's an important lesson to learn. I can do a lot of harm to the name of Christ, by disrespecting His creation, while bearing His name. On the flip-side, how much good can I do, by showing my love for God, by my respect for what He has made. Who knows, maybe the trees really will thank me later?.

P) Father, I confess and ask forgiveness, for disrespecting Your creations. I never want to confuse things, and worship Your creations, but help me to use them as an opportunity to praise You, God. Remind me that this beauty, with which You have surrounded me, is not for me alone to behold, but for Your glory. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 05/01/2014; 1 Chronicles 14:13-14

Today's reading: 1 Chronicles 14, 15; Psalm 132; Matthew 18

S) "¹³ The Philistines made yet another raid in the valley. ¹⁴ David inquired again of God, and God said to him, “You shall not go up after them; circle around behind them and come at them in front of the balsam trees."

1 Chronicles 14:13-14 (NASB)

O) David was careful to inquire of the LORD, how to proceed in this battle. In particular, this is a second battle against the Philistines in a short period, in the same place. This time, however, the LORD commands David to go about the battle in a different way.

A) It's important to remember that, while God doesn't change, His will for the specifics in our lives can be different from circumstance to circumstance, even when they appear to be the same circumstance. It is foolish for me to assume that I am seeing everything, because only God can claim that. I need to seek God for every circumstance, even when it seems to me that I've faced it before then.

P) Father, open my eyes to see, and my ears to hear, to know Your will. I choose to be obedient to Your direction, even when it is unexpected. Keep me from assuming anything that isn't already established by Your Word. Thank You for being unchanging, and remind me to seek You continually, so that I can match my actions to Your will for every circumstance in my life. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 04/30/2014; 1 Chronicles 13:9-12

Today's reading: 2 Samuel 6; 1 Chronicles 13; Psalm 68; Matthew 17

S) "⁹ When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark, because the oxen nearly upset it. ¹⁰ The anger of the Lord burned against Uzza, so He struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark; and he died there before God. ¹¹ Then David became angry because of the Lord’s outburst against Uzza; and he called that place Perez-uzza to this day. ¹² David was afraid of God that day, saying, 'How can I bring the ark of God home to me?'

1 Chronicles 13:9-12 (NASB)

O) Verse 11 is the real highlight, here. I was really grabbed by David becoming angry, because it seemed out of place. It seems out of character, that David would have become angry at the LORD, given his humility toward God in all of the other areas of his life. Throughout the Psalms, David would become despondent, but not really indignant. So, then I wondered if he was angry at Uzza himself. But, there is little precedent for that, either. In fact, when I searched, I only found two other instances when David was said to be angry (see 2 Samuel 12:4-6 and 13:20-22), and in both cases it had to do with the sins of people against people, not anger toward God. So then, my next thought was that David was angry that the death was justified, and I think that is revealed in v.12, in his words. He was angry at his own unrighteousness. I think he saw how Uzza was relatively innocent (relative to David), but still guilty before the LORD. I think it angered David that he would also be found guilty, and it was completely justified.

A) The only way I can truly appreciate the forgiveness and righteousness I have been given in Jesus Christ, is for me to fully understand the depths of my guilt, and the punishment I deserve. It isn't just an eternal damnation (which sounds silly to say that way, like it can get worse than eternity in hell)... but it's also the loss of the people and things I love in the here and now (tangible people, intangible things). Unfortunately, because I am mortal, and all that I have known is temporal, I have a hard time being motivated by the unseen, eternal things. It's hard for me to fathom the gravity of hell, but when I think about the destitution I deserve here, in the land of the living, it gives me new perspective on just how much God has saved me. I don't deserve my wife and kids. I don't deserve my job. I don't deserve anything I have. All of it was given to me in grace. More than that, none of it was taken from me, because of that same grace! It would have been completely justified for God to strip me of everything, relationships, abilities, time; everything up to, and including, my life; because of my sins. Uzza was killed because of a thoughtless act of trying to prevent an accident. How much worse are my sins?! And yet, because of the perfect life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, I live.

P) Father, I am guilty, and yet You are merciful. I am unworthy, and yet You are gracious. Please let Your Spirit remind me, continually remind me, of the destruction from which I am saved. In thankfulness, let me pursue righteousness. Thank You for the lovingkindness and compassion You show me; let me walk in repentance because of them. I confess that I do not fear You as I should, because I do not correctly understand the wrath that was due to me. Please give me better understanding, so that I am more reverent of Your holiness and sovereignty. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 04/29/2014; 2 Samuel 4:9-11

Today's reading: 2 Samuel 4, 5; Psalm 139; Matthew 16

S) "⁹ David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, 'As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress, ¹⁰ when one told me, saying, "Behold, Saul is dead," and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news. ¹¹ How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood from your hand and destroy you from the earth?'"

2 Samuel 4:9-11 (NASB)

O) These brothers have killed Ish-Bosheth, who was Saul's oldest living descendant. They assumed too much, and were not even paying attention to the precedent that they had. David would not take Saul's life in his own hands, though he had multiple occasions. Furthermore, he had made a covenant with Jonathan before the LORD, to spare his family. King David asserts again, here, that it is the LORD who saves him, not other people. These brothers did what was right in their own eyes, without seeking the LORD, or even the wisdom of others.

A) It seems that the motive for these brothers, was to garner favor with the king. It's a dangerous thing to seek the favor of man, although there are plenty of verses that speak to the benefits of being in a king's good graces. It's pretty easy to say, that when I'm seeking advancement of some kind (a la career goals), that I need to seek the will and plan of the LORD, and also seek counsel to that effect as well. One underlying problem with these brothers, though, is that they were in cahoots with each other. So, it is important that, while I seek counsel, I do not simply seek corroboration. I should, possibly, even seek out a person with an opposing view, so that I can carefully consider both sides of a situation. But, if everyone is agreeing with me, then I should at least seek multiple points of view that come to the same conclusion. All of that counsel, however, is still secondary to the Holy Spirit leading me in the first place. Seeking the will of God through the Bible, and the leading of the Holy Spirit, are things that these brothers grim didn't have. I do, and I should not neglect that fact.

P) Father, keep selfish ambitions far from me. God, I want to walk in a way that glorifies Your name, and promotes Your Kingdom. I don't want to waste my time, seeking the favor of man, if it doesn't also serve Your purposes. If there is a godly use to my promotion, at work or in social circles, then let me be used as a willing vessel. However, let me always seek Your direction in such plans, and seek wise counsel of people who are not afraid to rebuke and correct me. Let me always be teachable, and have a soft heart to hear wisdom. Open my eyes to see, and my ears to hear, to know Your ways and follow them. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 04/28/2014; 1 Chronicles 12:13-14

Today's reading: 2 Samuel 3; 1 Chronicles 12; Matthew 15

S) "¹³ Jeremiah the tenth, Machbannai the eleventh. ¹⁴ These of the sons of Gad were captains of the army; he who was least was equal to a hundred and the greatest to a thousand."

1 Chronicles 12:13-14 (NASB)

O) These are the last two men listed of some Gadites who joined David, who were among his mighty men. They were very well trained, fast, fierce, and skilled (see v.8). They are listed, 1 through 11, in a ranking (see vv.9-13), but what I found most interesting, was the note about them in v.14; showing the value of the least, who was still worth 100 soldiers on the battlefield. Machbannai was in last place in this ranking, but could still kill 100 people by himself.

A) One of the most destructive things we can do, is compare ourselves to others around us. When I was a youth pastor, and I went to regional events, I constantly felt the temptation to size up other youth pastors and youth groups. It never had anything to do with tearing others down, and had everything to do with my own insecurities and fears. Here's the truth, though: My success is measured directly, and only, by my obedience to God. If I am allowing the LORD to use me, as He sees fit, according to His purposes and plans, then I am successful. Then, even if I am last on a list of my peers, I may still be counted as great in the eyes of my Lord. The only person qualified to tell me my worth, is my Father in heaven. He created me with talents to be used in accordance with His will. When I am willingly obeying that call, then I can be mighty for Him, to glorify His name.

P) Father, continue to shape my perception, so that I am finding my identity in Christ alone. In Him, I know my worth, because I know what it cost to redeem me. I want my life to honor that sacrifice. I confess that I have not obeyed as I should, to be used according to Your will. Forgive me for that sin of rebellion and distrust. I submit myself to be used by You, according to Your will, and the skills and gifts You have placed in me. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 04/27/2014; Psalm 142:3

Today's reading: 2 Samuel 2; 1 Chronicles 11; Psalm 142; Matthew 14

S) "³ When my spirit was overwhelmed within me,
You knew my path.
In the way where I walk
They have hidden a trap for me."

Psalm 142:3 (NASB)

O) God sees what we do not. We might have some idea of what lies ahead of us, and it can be cause for concern. David knew he had enemies all around, even though many of them were hidden (as were the traps they laid), and he didn't necessarily know what or where those traps were. But, David knew the One who had the answers.

A) My future is unknown to me, and sometimes that is a source of a sort of underlying anxiety. I can become worried and stressed without realizing it sometimes, because I sense some kind of conflict lying ahead of me, but God knows my path. He knows everything about the path ahead of me. He knows where satan has laid traps, He knows where I'll face temptations, He knows where I will fail and sin; He knows my path, and if I seek Him, then I can avoid unnecessary troubles. When I walk in faith, trusting Him, then I will walk with assurance and confidence, in peace and rest.

P) Father, light my ways before me. Show me, according to Your will, the traps that have been laid in my way. Give me strength and wisdom to avoid trouble. Thank You for grace and mercy, when I fall to those traps. Let Your Spirit lead me along my path, so that I can walk according to Your ways . In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.