SOAP 11/29/2014; 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

Today's reading: 1 Thessalonians 4, 5; 2 Thessalonians 1, 2, 3

S) "¹¹ To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, ¹² so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ."

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 (NASB)

O) This passage comes directly after describing the eternal judgment for unbelievers (vv.7-9), and the salvation of the saints (i.e. believers, v.10). Paul makes it plain throughout this book, how much grace is involved in our salvation. It doesn't end with the grace of the cross, and the provision of an eternal savior. The grace of the God is also at work in our very ability to perceive His glory and believe the gospel message.

A) For those who already believe, then, the focus for us is that our lives would be a manifestation of His glory, by the fulfillment of His calling on us, doing good, walking in faith, and the power of God. All of this, not for the purposes of attaining righteousness (because that is through faith), but for the purposes of evangelism, that those who see us, would see the grace and glory of God, and believe. I also need to remember the very first thing Paul wrote here, "To this end also we pray for you always," I have a tendency to want to pray for my own loved ones, and my ability to evangelize, but I often neglect to pray those same things for other believers. I need to remember that God's will is bigger than my own life. I need to commit to praying for the salvation of my own friends and family, but also for the salvation of others, whom I don't know directly.

P) Father, Your timing is perfect. In Your perfect knowledge, You have a plan to save every person. I want to be sure I am being used in every way You will, and that I am not missing opportunities to pray and play a role in the salvation of people I may not even know. To that end, Father, I pray that You will count as worthy, my brothers and sisters in Christ. Fulfill their every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in them, and they in You, according to Your grace and our Lord Jesus Christ. May this be done in them and in me, according to Your will. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 11/28/2014; Matthew 28:18-20

Today's reading: Matthew 28; 1 Thessalonians 1, 2, 3

S) "¹⁸ And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.'"

Matthew 28:18-20 (NASB)

O) The Great Commission is the last section of the gospel of Matthew. He ended the relation of his testimony with the last instructions they all received. Jesus, understanding that this would be His last direct contact with the (now) eleven, summarizes the most critical points to take away. Jesus started by reasserting, without any room for doubt, that He is the Son of God. Then, He gives a clear directive to go. He wants them to act upon all that they have learned from Him. Finally, He ends it with a promise of His everlasting relationship.

A) The call to discipleship is unmistakable. And scary. It's pretty easy to feel a little overwhelmed at the thought, because I have a tendency to be a little bit antisocial. It's also intimidating to think about going to "all the nations," but I have to remember, that not every person can disciple in every country. The best counter to all of these concerns, though, is to act. As long as I am complacent and inactive, then I am susceptible to attack. I cannot look past the fact that I disciple my wife, in a real way. I have a responsibility to lead her spiritually, and that involves a discipleship. I cannot neglect my children, either. I have a great opportunity to disciple them as they grow in stature, to also grow in the Lord. And finally, discipleship can absolutely happen within the other relationships I still have. I do not want to neglect missionary work, but there are other ways to support that aspect of ministry (certainly through tithes and offerings), and also I could still go on trips. But, most important with al of this, is that I actively disciple others, teaching them to observe all that He commanded. While the going will get inevitably rough, and there will be times of discouragement and/or frustrations, I need to cling to the promise Jesus left us. It doesn't necessarily seem like that promise would fit the command, but Jesus paired them for a reason. With any of the problems I may face, in making disciples, teaching, and ministering, the best possible solution for me is to spend time with my Lord. That happens in The Word, and in prayer, and through direct and intimate worship.

P) Father, I understand that the Great Commission is not optional. Even still, I have a hard time being focused. Or, when I am focused, I have a hard time not being afraid. In order to overcome this, I need Jesus. In order to correctly lead others, I know I need to correctly follow Him. Open my eyes to see and my ears to hear. Help me to go. Quiet the doubts I hear, with the truth You speak. Let Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 11/27/2014; Matthew 26:10-13

Today's reading: Psalm 125; Matthew 26, 27

S) "¹⁰ But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, 'Why do you bother the woman? For she has done a good deed to Me. ¹¹ For you always have the poor with you; but you do not always have Me. ¹² For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial. ¹³ Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her.'"

Matthew 26:10-13 (NASB)

O) Nearing the end of His ministry, Jesus knew the time of His death was coming. He understood, and was trying to teach His disciples, the value of spending time with Him. This wasn't the first time (Mary and Martha had the same lesson), but here the time spent with Him is translated to something of a financial value. The disciples were mad, apparently, because of the value of the perfume being "wasted" in such a way. Beyond the simple act of sacrifice, Jesus said the woman was actually preparing Him for burial. He knew, not only the true value of time spent with Him, but also the importance of how that time was spent.

A) There is time spent with my wife, and then there is quality time spent with my wife. There is time spent with the LORD, and then there is quality time spent with Him. Often times, the desires of my wife determine the quality of the time I spend with her. Similarly, the desires of God (i.e., His will) determines whether or not the time I'm spending is effective, purposeful, quality time. Devotional time, and prayer time, should not be about me getting things from God. It should primarily be about me giving things to God. In so doing, I may even begin fulfilling His purpose for plans He has. I want God to use me, but in order for that to happen, I need to make myself available directly to Him. Serving and loving others is important, but first I should seek to serve and love my Lord.

P) Father, I want to bring something valuable to You, Lord. I want to bless You with my offering, and spend time with You. I want that time to mean something. I want to have quality time with You, Father God. Help me be wise with my time. I want to love and serve others, but I want to start by loving and serving You directly. Open my eyes and ears, so I can understand how to do that better. I want Your will to be done, however that looks. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 11/26/2014; Matthew 23:25-26

Today's reading: Matthew 23, 24, 25

S) "²⁵ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. ²⁶ You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also."

Matthew 23:25-26 (NASB)

O) There are eight woes that Jesus listed, in vv.13-33, and they each warn against various forms of hypocrisy. Many of them are pretty specific, but this one is different. While the issue of cleaning dishes is specific, the root of their hypocrisy in this example, is pretty vague. Robbery and self-indulgence are both manifestations of pride. The Pharisees weren't actually doing the bare-minimum. They were actually only doing enough to appear as the bare minimum.

A) When I first read this particular woe, it didn't take long for me to feel convicted. With so much of my free time (usually at home), I am seeking self-indulgence. I am seeking to do what I want to do. Even as I typed that last sentence, I was convicted for calling it "free time," and I thought maybe I should edit out the "free," and then it occurred to me that the cost of the time isn't the issue. The problem is me. It isn't my time at all, regardless of its cost or appropriation. I do not rob God of my tithes (see Malachi 3), but I think I have very much robbed Him of His time. I get so wrapped up in my desires. Pretty much any hobby runs the risk of becoming an idol in my heart. Am I seeking self-indulgence with my time? I've heard people say that our bank statement should convict us as Christians. That speaks to the money I spend, but what about the time I spend? If I am giving an account for how I spend the time that the LORD has given to me (which is a much more accurate way to phrase that), what would that accounting say? I should be convicted about how I spend my time, because it speaks directly to the desires of my heart, just like my wallet does.

P) Father, I am humbled by everything You have given me. Recently, I have been so blessed by the schedule change I have at work. Moving locations has essentially given me 3 hours at home, that I didn't have. So far, I've mostly been spending that time in self-indulgence, stealing the purpose You might very well have put in that time. Open my eyes and ears, Father, because I want to spend this time wisely, according to Your will. I am so thankful, that You give me time. You have been as faithful in providing time, as You have been in providing money, for me and my family. I don't want to waste either. Let the Holy Spirit burn in me, so I see where I have been wicked. I don't want to cut corners, doing less than the minimum, because I'm so wrapped up in my heart's evil desires. Create in me a clean heart, and let Your desires become my desires. Let Your will be done. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 11/25/2014; Matthew 22:11-12

Today's reading: Matthew 20, 21, 22

S) "¹¹ But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, ¹² and he *said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?' And the man was speechless."

Matthew 22:11-12 (NASB)

O) There is quite a lot to unpack from this parable. It starts in v.2 and continues through v.14, and it speaks volumes about the kingdom of heaven. At the time this parable was spoken, it was common for wedding celebrations to have a particular dress code. At a very nice wedding, like this one for a prince, it was not uncommon that the host (king) would even provide the required clothes to the guests. This has huge implications, relative to other scriptures about God's provision for us, especially as it pertains to clothing.
(see Zechariah 3:3-4; Job 29:14; Galatians 3:27; and Romans 13:14)
The fate of this man is unmistakable. Found without the proper attire, the king throws him out, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (a common phrase used with references to hell). Putting this all together, shows us that those not found in Christ, cannot remain in the kingdom of heaven.

A) When I got married, we invited a lot of different people. It was a casual wedding, and we were far from affluent, so we set no dress code whatsoever. Still, for the most part, people dressed pretty nice for the wedding. It was an afternoon wedding (not evening), so it wasn't formal, but it was nice. And then there was my cousin, who showed up in cutoff jean shorts and a Led Zeppelin t-shirt. Now, considering the circumstances, I wasn't offended. But, there was no denying that he stood out like a sore thumb. When my other guests showed up in nice-ish clothes, it sent the message, "Hey, we care about what You are doing here, the time, effort, and money that you spent making this a fun party, and we appreciate that you invited us to join you." When my cousin showed up, it seemed to have sent the message, "Hey, I hope this will be fun for me." When I show up in the kingdom of heaven, at the wedding feast of Jesus and His bride (the church), will I approach that with an attitude (and attire) that says it's about me? Is it about what I'm getting? Is it about me having a good time? That would be devastating, as we see above. The attitude of my heart must be, that I am willing to do whatever is required, just to be there. I am thankful to be invited, grateful that the required clothes are all provided for me at no cost! It's not about me, and what I'm getting out of it. The kingdom of heaven, the wedding, even the fact that I am part of it; all of this is about Jesus, and what the Father God has done for Him and His bride (the church as a whole, which includes me, but is not about me either).

P) Father, how amazing is it, that You invited me to this wedding feast? When I force myself to meditate on that invitation, I am humbled by the grace of it. When I also remember, that You have provided every way to get me there, and You provide everything necessary for me when I am there, I am humbled further by the mercy involved. There is a temptation, Lord, for me to think that I am somehow entitled to have my will be done, since You have made so many things go "my way," but that is such a terrible trap. Help me to stay focused, Father God, on the fact that Your kingdom is not about me. Help me to remember that my very life is not about me, but it's about You, LORD. I am Your invited guest, but I am Your servant. Don't let me get that twisted, Lord, because I don't want to be caught speechless. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 11/24/2014; Matthew 17:22-23

Today's reading: Matthew 17, 18, 19

S) "²² And while they were gathering together in Galilee, Jesus said to them, 'The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men; ²³ and they will kill Him, and He will be raised on the third day.' And they were deeply grieved."

Matthew 17:22-23 (NASB)

O) This was the first time when Jesus plainly told His disciples that He would die, but also be resurrected. Perhaps the real problem here, was that the disciples stopped listening. They heard the terrible news, that their teacher, the man with whom they had attached their lives, their savior was going to die. But, they didn't hear the fact that He would be raised again on the third day. The other gospels (see Mark 9 and Luke 9) mention that the men didn't understand what Jesus was telling them, still, but they were afraid to ask for clarification. The other gospels also say that their minds were darkened and they couldn't understand it at the time. Either way, the issue is that they didn't hear all of the information, and they didn't pursue getting all of the information, and that was the source of their grief.

A) How often do I see my problem, when God has already told me about it and His solution? Have I reacted like my children, who only hear about the work involved in preparing a party, without hearing about the celebration? "Clean your room so we can build a fort, for a sleepover," and I start crying about having to clean my room. Equally important, am I really putting myself in position to hear Him say this at all. Maybe my times of prayer should be more about asking questions, asking for clarification and understanding, more than I am asking for solutions. Maybe the solution is already set, and I just need to understand it.

P) God, I cannot forget the fact that You are such a good Father to me. You weren't trying to blindside Your disciples, and I don't think You are trying to blindside me. Open my eyes to see, then, and my ears to hear. Please reveal to me, the struggles that I face - according to how You see them. Reveal to me the solution You have planned, and what You would have me do about it. I don't want to grieve for nothing, LORD, especially because I miss what You're trying to tell me. Let Your will be done. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 11/23/2014; Matthew 15:18-19

Today's reading: Matthew 14, 15, 16


S) "¹⁸ But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile a man. ¹⁹ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders."

Matthew 15:18-19 (NASB)

O) Jesus was responding to accusations from the Pharisees, who were accusing the disciples of not washing their hands for a meal. Jesus doesn't waste a lot of time debating their initial questions, though. He cuts to the heart of the issues: the heart of the people. Everything starts within us, from the heart. Our behavioral sins are just the external manifestation of an internal problem.


A) Recently, someone wanted to debate some hypothetical issues. It was making me uneasy, because I don't like to argue hypothetical issues. But, I love the person, so I was trying to be compassionate and play along a little. But I did, eventually, point out my problem. Those types of hypothetical issues are always agenda-driven. Whether or not the Bible condemns or condones a particular behavior, issue, or ideology, is seldom the reason a person rejects the gospel. I would much rather talk to someone about what's really going on in their life, in their heart. But, people have a hard time with that, because that requires vulnerability and honesty. That's where I need to spend my time in relationships. Less hypothetical, more reality. I need to spend less time debating theology with unbelievers, and more time relating my testimony. I need to stop talking about hand-washing, and start talking about heart-problems.


P) Father, I want to be more like Christ in this. I want to indulge agendas less, and seek Your will for conversations more. You have divine purpose in my encounters, and I don't want to waste opportunities. Help me be a good steward of the knowledge You've given me, the opportunities You've given me, and the relationships You've given me. Let Your will be done, Father God. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.