SOAP 08/23/2014; Jeremiah 31:21

Today's reading: Jeremiah 31, 32; 1 John 4

S) "²¹ Set up for yourself roadmarks,
Place for yourself guideposts;
Direct your mind to the highway,
The way by which you went.
Return, O virgin of Israel,
Return to these your cities."

Jeremiah 31:21NASB)

O) This verse comes from a passage when Jeremiah was prophesying the return of Judah to Jerusalem. By the word of the LORD, he told the people they would be exiles for 70 years, but they would eventually return. There is a very apt parallel about Judah's exile to Babylon, and our own time on Earth. Jesus told us that we do not belong here, but we belong in Heaven with Him. We are separated from Him for a time, away from our true home, but we live with an expectation of return.

A) While I don't exactly remember "the way by which" I came to be here on Earth, I can still apply the first three verses. With the buzz and commotion of our world, even knowing the truth, it can be difficult to remember that I don't actually belong to this world. But, by setting up roadmarks for myself, making guideposts, and deliberately putting my mind on Heaven, I will remember that I am in exile, and I will live expectantly, knowing I will return. How those roadmarks, guideposts, and directions look, may change over time, but the important thing is to remember to put them in place.

P) Father, there is a lot to be learned about this exile of mine. You have purposes and plans for my life and time here, and I don't want to miss those. At the same time, along the way, Father I want to be reminded that I don't actually belong here. Help me to make signs for myself, reminders that there is an eternal life after this world. There is a return to where I belong. Please open my eyes to see those signs. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 08/22/2014; Jeremiah 28:12-13

Today's reading: Jeremiah 28, 29, 30; 1 John 3

S) "¹² The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah after Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying, ^13 'Go and speak to Hananiah, saying, "Thus says the Lord, 'You have broken the yokes of wood, but you have made instead of them yokes of iron.'"'"

Jeremiah 28:12-13 (NASB)

O) Hananiah was a false prophet during the exile, who opposed Jeremiah. In chapter 27, Jeremiah had taken a wooden oak upon himself, to prophesy a yoke upon the people from Babylon. After some back-and-forth, Hananiah got mad, took the yoke off of Jeremiah, and smashed it (v.10-11). God's response to Hananiah speaks volumes about how we are supposed to react to discipline from our Father God. Hananiah took matters into his own hands, to try and make things better. He fought against the hand of the LORD. While it appeared to be effective for a moment, the result was a stronger, heavier discipline (an iron yoke replacing the wooden yoke).

A) Perhaps the biggest lesson to learn about the exile of Judah, was that fighting against the discipline of my Father God, will only bring a more painful result. I believe that God wants to teach me things, no matter what comes my way (which is a big part of how Romans 8:28 unfolds), but it is so vital that I am handling my life, with all of its storms and trials, the way the LORD intends me to handle it. If I am being headstrong, arrogantly fighting against pressures as if my strength will solve it, I will certainly miss His disciplining lessons, and may actually make matters worse. When I face setbacks, tribulations, and strife, I need to approach them in prayer, humbly asking for my Father in Heaven to open my eyes and ears, and direct my steps according to the Holy Spirit (see Galatians 5:25).

P) Father, You are a good Father. You are exceedingly good, just as Jesus described in Matthew 7. I know that Your discipline is good too, then, just as was described in Hebrews 12. Show me, Father, when my setbacks are specifically discipline, because I want to fight when I am supposed to fight, and I want to submit and persevere when I am supposed to do that. I never want to make matters worse, and specifically, I want to learn whatever it is You are trying to teach me, because I know Your will is so good. Let it all be done according to Your will alone, Father God. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 08/21/2014; Jeremiah 21:8-9

Today's reading: Jeremiah 21, 24, 27; Psalm 118; 1 John 2

S) "⁸ You shall also say to this people, 'Thus says the Lord, "Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death. ⁹ He who dwells in this city will die by the sword and by famine and by pestilence; but he who goes out and falls away to the Chaldeans who are besieging you will live, and he will have his own life as booty."'"

Jeremiah 21:8-9 (NASB)

O) At this time, Jerusalem is under full siege. King Zedekiah had sent a delegation to Jeremiah, to inquire of the LORD, to see if He would deliver them from Nebuchadnezzar (vv.1-2). Instead, the LORD has a message of destruction for Zedekiah, that is severe and almost complete (vv.3-7). Then, we get to these verses, and we see a sort of shift in tone from God. This passage is not an instruction of logistics, or an exit strategy, or damage control. This passage is about God's compassion and lovingkindness, where He again offers an escape. God tries again, pleading through His prophet Jeremiah, to get the attention of the people, so they will humble themselves and return to Him, and be saved.

A) Preconceived ideas about things can kill a person. Zedekiah was crying out to the LORD, asking for salvation. The LORD answered his prayers. So, why wasn't Zedekiah saved? It is because he had a preconceived idea of how that salvation looked, and he would not submit himself to the actual words God spoke. For myself, then, when I pray for anything, I really need to clear out my own expectations. I need to pour over the Scriptures, to see what the LORD has already spoken about the issue. I acknowledge that He is sovereign, and I give Him lordship over my life, so I need to be obedient to what He says.

P) Father, You continue to show Yourself as a merciful God, full of grace toward me. Just as the men in the last days of the kingdom of Judah, I believe You are perpetually setting before me a path that leads to life, and I must choose that over the path that leads to death. I know that it is only through the strength You have given me, through the Holy Spirit, that I can walk in righteousness at all. Open my eyes and ears, to know and choose the path of life constantly. Thank You for making the Way, by the plan of salvation You had all along through Jesus Christ. In grace, help me choose life through obedience to Your words, and not according to my will or preconceived notions. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 08/20/2014; Psalm 67:1-2

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

S) "¹ God be gracious to us and bless us,
And cause His face to shine upon us— Selah.
² That Your way may be known on the earth,
Your salvation among all nations."

Psalm 67:1-2 (NASB)

O) These opening verses tie two concepts together in an important way. God's blessings are not primarily for those that He has blessed. The blessings of the LORD are to glorify Him. When He causes his face to shine upon us, when he blesses us, it is so that the rest of the world can acknowledge Him as the living God. His ways are known through His actions for His children. He is glorified when His salvation is manifested in our lives in an observable way.

A) There are two primary things I think I should take away from these verses. First, is that it is okay to ask the LORD for grace and blessings. Second, is that the grace and blessings I receive are to serve His purposes. This is repeated in James 4:1-3, when he spoke of wrong motives. So, in the above verses, we see that the correct motives would be to exalt the LORD. In fact, the best recourse might be, to begin asking for things only with evangelism, praise, and His glory, in mind.

P) Father, I have been so aware, lately, of the need for Your salvation for my loved ones. I have been consumed lately, praying for Your Truth to pierce their hearts individually, and for me to present the gospel to them, however I might. I want to be used for Your glory, to minister to my family, however You see fit. With that evangelism in mind, Father God, please be gracious to me and bless me, and cause Your face to shine upon me. In that way, let Your ways be known to my family, and Your salvation be known to them, so that they can see You are the Living God, who hears the prayers of His children, and blesses them according to His will. According to Your will, let this be done. Above all else, I pray that their hearts are softened to the gospel, and that You open their eyes and ears to know the Truth. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 08/19/2014; Jeremiah 46:28

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

S) "^28 'O Jacob My servant, do not fear,' declares the Lord,
'For I am with you.
For I will make a full end of all the nations
Where I have driven you,
Yet I will not make a full end of you;
But I will correct you properly
And by no means leave you unpunished.'"

Jeremiah 46:28 (NASB)

O) This is the closing verse of the chapter, after Jeremiah prophesied the destruction of Pharaoh of Egypt, and Amon of Thebes. In v.27, the LORD tells Jacob/Israel not to fear, that He will save them from afar, from the land of their captivity, and return them. The final verse (above) repeats the encouragement to fear not, but it takes a slight turn when God again tells His people that He is involved in their exile and return. He says, "But I will correct you properly And by no means leave you unpunished." That almost feels out of place, given the previous verse, and the start to verse 28. What really comes through that juxtaposition, is that God does not ignore the behavior of His people, even in the midst of His grace and mercy. Here He is simultaneously telling them, "Do not fear, I will correct you properly." He is saying, "I am with You (Emmanuel) and by no means will I leave you unpunished."

A) There is a terrible pitfall with the New Covenant, brought to us through Jesus Christ, to believe that God's standard for living has somehow changed with the grace of the Cross. I cannot begin to think that, just because He is with me, through Jesus (Emmanuel), that He is no longer concerned with how I live my life. Like, the LORD sees me as forgiven, and therefore doesn't ever see my sin anymore. I think that's very dangerous thinking. God absolutely still disciplines (correction+punishment) because He loves us as His own children. He would have no reason to discipline us, if He was unconcerned with our behavior.

P) Father, make me fearless in the knowledge that You are with me. Then, make me fear You in the knowledge that You are with me! Correct me properly, as my perfect Father, and do not leave me unpunished, undisciplined. I want Your will above all else, and so I want to change according to the man You want me to become. Burn within me, a desire for holiness that leaves no room for complacency. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 08/18/2014; Jeremiah 26:12-15

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

S) "¹² Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and to all the people, saying, 'The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard. ¹³ Now therefore amend your ways and your deeds and obey the voice of the Lord your God; and the Lord will change His mind about the misfortune which He has pronounced against you. ¹⁴ But as for me, behold, I am in your hands; do with me as is good and right in your sight. ¹⁵ Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood on yourselves, and on this city and on its inhabitants; for truly the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.'"

Jeremiah 26:12-15 (NASB)

O) Jeremiah was apprehended, and the people were demanding a death sentence, because he had prophesied the destruction of the temple, city, and land in the name of the LORD. Even after his arrest, though, and knowing that they wanted him dead for the message he was preaching, he would not alter his message. He faced death, but was able to hold fast to his convictions because he was thoroughly convinced of the truth. He didn't fear death because he knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that his mission was from God. He didn't fear death because he knew he was being completely obedient. He controlled the only thing he knew he could control: his own faithfulness to the LORD his God.

A) Sometimes, I ponder the end times that fast approach. When reading through the gospels, where Jesus talks about the trials that will come for His followers; reading through the book of Revelation, I wonder how I would face legal (or even lethal) persecution. The best preparation, is to be convinced of the mission God has given me (inasmuch as I am to proclaim the gospel and praise Him openly). I must continually put my mind on the singular task of obeying Him, with each and every task. That process really starts now. Everyday, throughout the day, I need to constantly come back to the question: am I obeying the LORD my God? There will come a day (whether or not I see it) when obedience to God will be costly - very costly. How I handle that day, has everything to do with how I handle this day. In the verses above, Jeremiah was not doing anything out of the ordinary for him, and so he obeyed as he'd always obeyed.

P) Father, it is convicting to read about the faithful, relentless obedience of Jeremiah. I know that there are actions in my life, things that I do, that do not answer the question of obedience to You. I know that I cannot get there alone. I know that I cannot will myself to complete obedience, complete submission. Please continue to shape me by Your Word, by the Holy Spirit, to become more and more sanctified for Your glory. Please forgive me for being selfish with my time, and remind me to ask the question: am I obeying the LORD my God? Convict me with that question on a daily basis, and let me respond with greater and greater obedience. All according to Your will. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 08/17/2014; Jeremiah 24:3

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

S) "³ Then the Lord said to me, 'What do you see, Jeremiah?' And I said, 'Figs, the good figs, very good; and the bad figs, very bad, which cannot be eaten due to rottenness.'"

Jeremiah 24:3 (NASB)

O) Repeatedly, throughout the whole Bible, God makes it clear that with Him, there is no middle ground. Jeremiah was prophesying here, right at the time of the final exile, and the people were essentially judged by the LORD, divided into two groups. The group that left in the exile, were determined to be good fruit, and those who died from the sword, famine, and pestilence, were the bad fruits. While not everyone who was taken into exile was believing Jeremiah, seeking God, etc., God was making it clear that the people are either going to be with Him or against Him, they would either be redeemed/restored or destroyed.

A) There are no fence-riders in God's point of view. I cannot be half-committed with God. Knowing that, I need to be careful that I am not harboring things in my heart, things I don't want to fully surrender to Him. I need to be sure that I am not trying to hold onto any of my own selfish desires, and I need to react to my own sins with a severity that declares, "This is rotten fruit, so bad it cannot be eaten, or else it will result in my own death." I want to be good fruit, very good. It will only be through a complete, thorough surrender to the lordship of Jesus Christ, that my life will have manifested good fruit in it.

P) Father, You are holy, and so I wish to be holy. You are good fruit, and so I wish to be good fruit. At times, it seems that "good" is simply not good enough to describe You, Father God. Help me to keep my focus on Your goodness, though, in all of its supremacy, so that I am reminded of Your very clear, well-defined nature. Expose any areas in my heart, that still need to bear good fruit to Your glory. In focusing on Your nature, and not just Your actions, I declare to love and serve You for who You are, not just what You do. Please continue to shape me, to be more and more like Your Son, the first fruits of Your goodness. All according to Your will alone. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.