SOAP 07/11/2015; Isaiah 9:16

Today's reading: Isaiah 8, 9, 10; Hebrews 8

S) "For those who guide this people are leading them astray;
And those who are guided by them are brought to confusion."

Isaiah 9:16 (NASB)

O) Isaiah was speaking of God's chosen people. He was speaking of Israel, in the death throes of the kingdom. They were about to be destroyed because of their unfaithfulness. This verse is taken from a larger warning that Isaiah was giving and, "His anger does not turn astray," was repeated a few different times. Their destruction was to be total, and final. The biggest issue is outlined in this verse, because their unfaithfulness stretched from top to bottom. The whole nation was unfaithful, because they were following bad leadership.

A) This verse highlights the importance of following infallible authority. That will only ever be found in one source: the Holy Bible. Following leadership is still good, and a biblical principle. I just have to be sure that my leaders are also following the Bible faithfully. This is truly the model Jesus left, as we are all brothers and sisters, and leadership is simply men and women sharing their wisdom by experience and careful study, that I have not yet gained. However, I cannot rely solely on the opinions of my leaders, no matter how good those arguments are. All of this is leaving aside the unreliable leadership of governments. The Bible makes it clear in several places, that I should obey the authorities placed above me, including political authorities. However, that all must be examined through the lense of my ultimate authority, who is Jesus Christ. His authority, His will, is revealed in the holy Word. I will follow the voice of my Shepherd, and His voice is found most clearly in the Bible.

P) Father, You preserve me. By Your grace And wisdom, You have us the holy Scripture, that would would have a true, trustworthy, and final authority on Your will. Close my eyes, that I am not fooled by bad leadership, close my ears to bad doctrines. Humble me to submit to good leadership and righteous discipline. Give me a wise and discerning spirit to know the difference. Let Your will be done, and preserve me to Your glory. In Jesus's name I pray, amen.

SOAP 07/10/2015; Micah 5:2

Today's reading: Micah 5, 6, 7; Hebrews 7


S) "² But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Too little to be among the clans of Judah,
From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.
His goings forth are from long ago,
From the days of eternity."

Micah 5:2 (NASB)

O) This is one of hundreds of prophecies that Jesus fulfilled as the Messiah. He was born in Bethlehem, as many Christmas songs remind us. That alone, is worth highlighting today. However, with this prophecy, we also see a little more about the nature of who Jesus is. We see in this verse, that the Messiah was to be eternal in His nature (this, along with verses like what we actually read today, in Hebrews 7). The Messiah was always expected to reign forever, but He was also to be pre-existent. That is, before He was revealed as the Messiah, before He was born in Bethlehem, we were told that He already existed from long ago, from the days of eternity. There can be no doubt, then, that Jesus was, and is, and is to come. This shows us that the plan for redemption was not spontaneous or reactive. God planned for Jesus to come, not just a long time ago, but forever ago.

A) Sometimes, the only real application of a verse like this, is to meditate on it. By dwelling on who God is, even on something so simple as His eternal nature, it brings forth in me a desire to worship. I am awestruck. This verse reminds me that every Christmas song I could sing about the birth of my King, is nothing short of a worship song, celebrating the fulfillment of hundreds of prophecies, thousands of years in the making.

P) Father, thank You for saving me. The grace at work in my life continually humbles me. I pray that You open the eyes and ears of my loved ones, that they would see in Jesus the same perfection that He truly is. He perfected the prophecies You gave us. The signs are all still there, none of them faded. Let them see and understand. Open my mouth, to share the gospel often. Help me to speak the truth, in love, that they might hear with ears that You have opened. Let Your will be done. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 07/09/2015; Psalm 58:1-2

Today's reading: Psalm 58; Micah 1, 2, 3, 4; Hebrews 6


S) "¹ Do you indeed speak righteousness, O gods?
Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?
² No, in heart you work unrighteousness;
On earth you weigh out the violence of your hands."

Psalm 58:1-2 (NASB)

O) There is a footnote that the term, "gods" may also be translated as "judges" or "mighty ones." David was clarifying that no one can judge correctly, when in their heart they work unrighteousness. Later, David contrasted this with the righteous judgment of God, and the punishment of the wicked. David, being a political and military king, constantly had judgments to make in order to run his kingdom. Yet, he fully understood how his own heart was prone to wickedness (e.g., Psalm 51), and he needed the LORD to make him clean, and enable him to live his life justly. This is a shadow, pointing forward to the words of Jesus (see  Matthew 12:33-37), when He told us that our heart is the root of our actions. David was making it plain, that if the heart works unrighteousness, and the hands weigh out violence, we cannot reasonably hope that the judgments of that person will be righteous or upright.

A) There should be no surprise, in reading the verses above, that our judicial system gets things so wrong at times. In fact, I might rather be surprised when they get things right. The simple truth is, outside of the framework of God's morality, there should be no expectation that the morals of the world will align with God's morals, since they are already ignoring what God says out of hand. Certainly, there are precedents at work in our legal system, there is historical influence, and much of the morals of our country, and even humanity as a whole, were built on God's principles. However, when God is removed, it is only a matter of time before His standards are also removed. It may be slow, but is not uncertain. Therefore, I cannot ever put my hope in legislation. I cannot ever hope that if certain laws would only be passed, things would get better. Because what I understand "better" to be, and what the world understands "better" to be, are going to be worlds apart. I live in a republic. That means that the government and legislation will ultimately reflect what the people actually want. Otherwise, there will be civil war or revolution. For all I know, that could be an eventuality in this country, I don't know. What I do know, is that God has a standard for all of His people. My ability to uphold that standard is completely dependent on the righteousness bestowed upon me, based on my faith in Jesus Christ. Even still, I miss that standard and I sin. In light of my sins, and the power of the gospel, I would much rather stand before Jesus as my judge, than to ask the world to judge what is right or wrong.

P) Father, I find myself living in a tumultuous time, politically, morally, and socially. Please give me the courage to stand for what is right, regardless of the earthly consequences. Give me wisdom to speak the truth as winsomely as possible. Give me the discernment to know when the time for debate is over, when the audience will not hear, and when it is better for me to remain silent. Let me continue to find comfort in You as the judge of all people. Let me continue to fear You as my own judge, that I would continue to pursue Christ as my only hope and salvation. I pray that my act of following Jesus Christ, will glorify You and highlight the power of the gospel. Let Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 07/08/2015; Psalm 57:7

Today's reading: Psalm 57: Hosea 13, 14; Psalm 100, 101, 102; Hebrews 5

S) "⁷ My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises!"

Psalm 57:7 (NASB)

O) David wrote this while he was on the run from Saul, being hotly pursued, and he took refuge in a cave. Saul's men had stopped nearby, and Saul went into the cave to relieve himself. David could have easily killed his mortal enemy, but it was not his prerogative to do so. After realizing David's integrity in the matter, Saul went home. It was not their last encounter like this. Reading this whole psalm, it would seem that David was quite distraught, from being pursued and probably right up until the point that he realized Saul was entering that cave alone. Had any amount of soldiers come with him, no doubt David and his men would have been trapped with no escape. While David was expressing such angst, in vv.1-6, he also had his heart set on the goodness of God. He made the default position of his heart to be one of steadfast trust in who God is. God promised to protect him, so he took hold of those promises and chose to sing God's praises, instead of giving way to his fears and doubts.


A) While God has made no promises about my earthly reign upon a throne, I do have promises that He is surely faithful to deliver. I am promised eternal life. I am promised fellowship with my Redeemer. I am promised perfect restoration in the resurrection. I am promised peace. I am promised that my daily needs will be met. These promises (and others) are given to me in Christ, because of God's grace, in the New Covenant.
(Note, these promises are conditional in different ways, but they are promises nonetheless)
If I am setting my mind on these promises, and on the faithfulness of God, then no trouble that ever comes my way will be enough to shake my faith. My heart will be steadfast within me, as I sing praises to my Lord.


P) Father, whatever comes my way, whatever my circumstances, I want to be steadfast in my praising You. I am determining now, to set my heart on worshiping You, no matter how close I come to calamity. No matter how scary things might look, I know You still hold my life in Your hands. You are sovereign over my life, and so I will rest and trust in Your plan. You are faithful to Your promises, and I know that the promises You have made to me are eternal. Help me to keep an eternal perspective, then, Father. My heart is steadfast as I sing your praises. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 07/07/2015; Psalm 55:2

Today's reading: Psalm 55; Hosea 10, 11, 12; Psalm 73; Hebrews 4


S) "² Give heed to me and answer me;
I am restless in my complaint and am surely distracted,"

Psalm 55:2 (NASB)

O) David did not disclose the source of his troubles, but this psalm seems to indicate a betrayal against him (see vv.12-13). That actually happened many times, and David was plagued by military, political, and even familial opposition. He knew how to fight in warfare, and a foreign threat was easy for him to face, but he was often distressed by more complicated opposition. In the verse above, we see an example where David was laying his heart bear before God. He did not hold back the fact that this particular problem was overwhelming his thoughts, and he was getting desperate. In the end, he resolved to seek God, and lay his burdens upon Him (see v.22). He asked for the end of his enemies, but still conceded to God's will, declaring to trust Him.

A) This verse is a great reminder to be honest with God. Later in this same psalm (v.4), David spoke of the terrors that had befallen him. While I don't know that I've ever experience the terror of death, I have certainly known the distraction that comes with overwhelming circumstances. This verse is an excellent example to pray and confess that to God. Jesus told us to cast our cares upon Him, just as David advised (v.22). That will start with an honest evaluation of my burdens. I can never lay them upon Jesus, if I do not admit what they are. Jesus promised that if I take His yoke upon me, then it is easy, and His burden is light. God may not always get me out of something, but He will always get me through it. That starts with honesty in prayer.

P) God, You are such a good Father to me. Help me to remember, just as I teach my own son, that You won't always change my circumstances, but You will give me the peace and help I need, to get through them. I am committed to honesty in my prayers, to hold nothing back when it comes to admitting how I'm feeling, my doubts and fears, and what I think I need to get through. But in the end, like David, I choose to trust You. Let Your will be done, not mine. Get me through my circumstances, even if You don't get me out of my circumstances. Give me peace from a distracted and overwhelmed mind. Help me to rest in my Savior. Be glorified. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 07/06/2015; Psalm 54:2

Today's reading: Psalm 54; Hosea 6, 7, 8, 9; Hebrews 3


S) "² Hear my prayer, O God;
Give ear to the words of my mouth."

Psalm 54:2 (NASB)

O) David was on the run from Saul, when the Ziphites betrayed his location to the king who sought his life. That is the framework for this entire psalm, when David was seeking God for deliverance. As he was singing this prayer, David noted the fact that he was audible. He asks God to hear him. Then, as if to clarify this was not some kind of metaphorical "hearing," David refers to the words of his mouth (as opposed to the words of his mind or of his heart). In his great need, he would not let anything hold him back from seeking his God fully, without hindrance. Although God looks at the heart, and although God knows all things, David still spoke his prayer aloud, and sang with his mouth.

A) There are some principles found in Scripture that aren't explained much. One of them, is the value and importance of speaking prayers aloud. For myself, there is a practical benefit, in that it helps me to focus on what and why I'm praying. But, there seems to be some kind of spiritual value, as we are shown example after example of people praying aloud. It's not always the case, but it does appear frequently. The same is true for singing aloud, when worshiping God in song. Sure, I could sing from my heart without ever making noise (and a mute person could certainly worship and praise God). But, as long as there is breath in my lungs, and I have the capacity to do it,  I should speak my prayers and sing my praises to my King.

P) Father, in every way, You deserve my sacrifice. If speaking my prayers out loud is uncomfortable or inconvenient, You are still worth that discomfort and priority. If singing worship to You, and praising You aloud seems embarrassing or undignified, then You deserve my dignity and my respect -  that is any respect I might have, truly belongs to You. I never want to be in a position, that I am holding anything back from You, Lord. I want You to be honored in my prayers, spoken or sung. Hear my prayer, O God; Give ear to the words of my mouth. Let Your will be done in my life, with my family and loved ones. Let Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 07/05/2015; Psalm 53:2

Today's reading: Psalm 53; Hosea 2, 3, 4, 5; Hebrews 2


S) "² God has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men
To see if there is anyone who understands,
Who seeks after God."

Psalm 53:2 (NASB)

O) This psalm is mostly a lament, when it seemed there were no righteous men left. Atheism was springing up, as people were wont to do whatever wicked desire came to their hearts. The alarming thing to realize, is that this psalm was written by David. Oh, how much worse it got.

A) The desire of my heart, is to hear my Father God say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Master." In the meantime, I pray that when God looks down from heaven, He might at least find understanding in me, and my family, and that we seek Him in truth.

P) Father, let me take heed to this warning reminder, that You are seeking people who want to please You. I want to be found by You. I want to be found in Christ. Renew a right fear in my heart, that I may have righteous understanding. Let me seek You first, and Your kingdom, and allow everything else to come according to Your promise in Jesus. May Your will be done in my life, and my family. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.