SOAP 08/07/2015; Zephaniah 3:2

Today's reading: Zephaniah 1, 2, 3; John 9

S) "² She heeded no voice,
She accepted no instruction.
She did not trust in the Lord,
She did not draw near to her God."

Zephaniah 3:2 (NASB)

O) There are some places in the Bible, where there are things listed that seem unbalanced. What it makes clear, is that God's way of seeing things is not the same as ours. This is one such list. This verse is about a tyrannical city, which is revealed to be Jerusalem. It is easy to conceive that the nation would not trust in the LORD (and turned to idols instead) and would not draw near to God (and drew near to idols instead) and that justified the wrath of God. But, this verse doesn't start with that. This verse starts with the fact, that these people would not heed the voice of warning, and would not accept instruction. This was a progressive rebellion. This verse shows us why certain prophets were told to go and speak the words of the LORD, despite being told that the people would not accept them (see Jeremiah 7:27). God is slow to anger, patient, great in lovingkindness and compassion. His will is for reconciliation and restoration, but through repentance. It starts with open ears, to hear His voice, and being teachable and able to receive correction. Except for the humble remnant (see v.12 and on), this nation would not listen to the voice of the LORD, they would not accept the warnings and corrective instructions of the prophets. They would not trust the LORD during the siege of Jerusalem, and they refused to come to the God alone. Their guilt in these areas was progressive, drawing the wrath of God.

A) Well, working backward, I must draw near to my God. I must trust in the LORD. I must accept instruction (from the Bible as well as biblical instruction from brothers and sisters in Christ). I must seek to hear His voice (through prayer, through the Bible, through other believers who may be speaking His truth to me). God is not deceptive; He is quite the opposite. God wants to discipline me, make me grow, and bring me to maturity. He is not trying to trick me along the way, either. Everything I need to live a life of godliness is given plainly in the Word, because that is where I gain true knowledge of Jesus Christ (see 2 Peter 1:3). Listen to the Word. Be teachable. Trust in the LORD. Draw near to God.

P) Father, You are so good to me. You are gracious and full of lovingkindness. While I was still a sinner, You were calling to me. When I listened, I saw that I was a sinner, and I accepted Your instruction and repented from my sins. I learned to trust in You alone, and seek You at all times. Even still, I confess that I have not always done these four things well. I repent of that today, and thank You for the forgiveness I have in Jesus Christ. By the Holy Spirit within me, please continue to discipline me, however You will. I humble myself before You, Lord. Let Your will be done. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 08/06/2015; Habakkuk 2:1

Today's reading: Habakkuk 1, 2, 3; John 8

S) "¹ I will stand on my guard post
And station myself on the rampart;
And I will keep watch to see what He will speak to me,
And how I may reply when I am reproved."

Habakkuk 2:1 (NASB)

O) Habakkuk knew that his people were in bad shape. He knew that the LORD would judge Judah like Israel, and that the violence, wickedness, and adultery (both physical and spiritual) was going to bring the wrath of God upon his people. This is basically what the first chapter is about. Based on the way this first verse is written, it seems that he fully expected God to answer him, but he didn't necessarily think it would be a favorable reply. He expected a rebuke. Going into it, he knew he was guilty (at least to some degree, of some sin or another). He shared in the guilt of the nation, at least in as much as he expected reproof from God. So, he prepared himself. Like a guard upon the wall of a city, he was alert and ready. He didn't know exactly what God would say, but he expected it to be hard to hear, I think.

A) This is, essentially, how I ought to approach Bible study each day. I need to be ready and alert, expecting God to speak to me. I should be humble enough to know that I need as much reproof as anyone, and that God's words will not necessarily be pleasant at first. I must keep careful watch over my own heart, so that my response to His reproof is as it should be. My edification, discipline, and growth are too important to leave unattended. I cannot assume that simply reading my Bible will be enough to change me into the man God desires me to be. I need to carefully study His words, and my response to His words, so that I am repenting when I need to repent, humbling myself when I need to be humble, and readying myself to act, when He calls me to act. Being self-aware has not always been my strongest character trait - besides, the Bible is clear that it is difficult to examine our own hearts. I need God to speak to me, and I need to listen. I need the honest reproof of my brothers in Christ, and my wife, to show me when I have a log in my own eye. But, specifically about this verse, I must ready myself before I even open God's Word, so that I am ready to examine His words and my reaction to them.

P) Father, You are a good Dad. You discipline perfectly, teach perfectly, reprove perfectly, and I am blessed that You are so good a Dad to me. In Your grace, I have the Holy Spirit, to guide me and correct me, to lead me through the Scriptures. Help me be mindful, that my study of Your Word each day should be productive, and that isn't always comfortable. I confess, though, that it's always good. Help me to prepare myself to listen to what You are saying through the Scriptures, and also to listen to the reaction of my heart. I want to repent when my reactions are wrong, and humble myself to submit to Your authority. You are a good God, and a good Dad. You would never ask me to change in a way that was anything less than blessing to my life. I place all of my trust in the fact, that Your discipline is good, Your correction is good, Your reproof is good. It's all for my good, and for Your glory. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 08/05/2015; John 7:3-5

Today's reading: 2 Kings 23; 2 Chronicles 35; John 7

S) " ³ Therefore His brothers said to Him, 'Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. ⁴ For no one does anything in secret when he himself seeks to be known publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.' ⁵ For not even His brothers were believing in Him."

John 7:3-5 (NASB)

O) This was just before the Feast of Booths, and Jesus had just told them that He would not be going up to Judea. It is clear that v.5 is talking about the physical brothers of Jesus (half-brothers, they would have been) and not spiritual brothers, because He clarified elsewhere that it was obedient believers that He considered to be His brothers. This aligns with the passages where Jesus said a prophet is without honor in his own home. It may have been more difficult to accept Jesus as the Christ, simply because they were so close to Him, and thought only of Him as a good older brother. However, reading v.4 almost gives the impression that His brothers wanted to believe. They acknowledged that He was doing works, in v.3, but it seems they had the wrong idea of the purpose of those works. Many of the messianic prophecies in the Old Testament use language about warfare and force, that can give the impression that the Messiah would overthrow political powers. We can see plainly, by reading the Bible as a whole (both Testaments) that this was not to be the case. Jesus reigns, even now, but it is a spiritual reign in a spiritual Kingdom.

A) Jesus will never become who I want Him to become. If my view of Him does not align with His actual character, then one of us will have to change. Hebrews 13:8 is pretty clear, that I must be the one to change. I thank God, then, that I have the Holy Scriptures, that I may learn through them, more and more about who God truly is, not only who Christ Jesus is, but the Father in heaven and the Holy Spirit, as well. What I believe about who Jesus is, will have an immeasurable impact on my expectations for what He will do. When I pray, asking things in Jesus' name, it is so important that I am also seeking to ask things that align with His character and will. Failing that, I must always be humble enough to concede that His will should be done, not my own. In many ways, I grew up in the church. You might say that I grew up near Jesus. That doesn't mean that I understood Him to be who He actually is, though. In order to believe in Him, I must continually seek to know who He really is, otherwise I will be remiss to say I believe in Him, if I do not truly know Him. Knowing someone is a continual process of gaining intimacy and understanding about the depths of who the person is. This is true in marriage, it's true in raising kids, it's true in friendships. This is certainly true with Jesus. This is why it is so important that I am immersing myself in Scripture everyday, because that is one of the surest ways to know Him.

P) Father, thank You for opening my eyes and ears, to understand and hear the gospel. You are a gracious, merciful God. Continue to draw me close, by the Holy Spirit, and sharpen my understanding of the Bible as I seek to know You better each day, Lord. I never want to misunderstand Your intent about my circumstances. I never want to assume to know what You are planning, based on my own preconceived ideas. Let me remain humble, teachable, and hungry to know You more. Let Your will be done, in all that I ask and pray. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 08/04/2015; 2 Chronicles 34:27

Today's reading: 2 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 34; John 6

S) "²⁷ 'Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and because you humbled yourself before Me, tore your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you,' declares the Lord."

2 Chronicles 34:27 (NASB)

O) These are the words of Huldah, the prophetess. When Josiah ascended the throne, he was only eight years old. When He was sixteen, he began seeking the LORD on his own. When he was twenty, he began reforms in Judah. When he was twenty six, he commissioned the repair of the temple. During those repairs, they rediscovered the Law given to Moses (all of this unfolds through this chapter, and is mirrored in 2 Kings 22). So, he sought what the LORD would say, through the prophetess. While the LORD made it clear that He would not remove His hand from the people, only He promised that Josiah would not have to witness their destruction (see v.28). What is very interesting, is that the Bible never actually indicates that God delayed, or held off, or waited any additional time. In fact, the wording almost makes it seem like He was telling Josiah that his life would be shortened, so as to spare him the grief of seeing his people judged. Throughout the life of Josiah, he led the people in serving the LORD.

A) Josiah's reign was clearly marked with humility and fear of the LORD, two things that are difficult for me, still. When Josiah read the words of the LORD'S Law, he clearly saw his sin. He saw the sins of his people. He knew that they deserved all of the wrath that was coming. The words spoken to him through the prophetess, assured him that the LORD truly had heard him. This is an important element, because the wrath of God was still going to come. The punishment of sin was still going to come. Josiah was spared, because of his faith, humility, and repentance. His tender heart was shown when he chose to humble himself before God, tearing his clothes and weeping. When I read the words of God, when the Holy Spirit convicts me, do I respond the same way? Do I, with a tender heart, humble myself before God, tearing my clothes and weeping? Is my repentance active? That is to say, my repentance should be manifested, somehow. Just as faith without works is dead (see James 2:8), a verse like this (or when David is confronted by Nathan) seems to suggest that repentance without works is also dead. When I am convicted, what action does that conviction produce?

P) Father, I am guilty of sin. You are holy, and I fail to reach that holiness every day. Forgive me, in Jesus' name. Thank You that the grace and mercy I need are new every morning, even this morning. Holy Spirit lead me in repentance. Guide me to action, as I rend my heart and weep before You. Discipline me, and give me wisdom, to exercise self control, humility, and walk in fear of You, Lord GOD. Let Your will be done. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 08/03/2015; Nahum 2:9

Today's reading: Nahum 1, 2, 3; John 5

S) "⁹ Plunder the silver!
Plunder the gold!
For there is no limit to the treasure-
Wealth from every kind of desirable object."

Nahum 2:9 (NASB)

O) This verse comes in the middle of pandemonium, as the overthrow of Nineveh is prophesied. Chaos rules the streets in this passage, and based on this verse, it seems that looting was going to be rampant. That's mostly to be expected, as the overthrow of any political or military government is bound to result in lawlessness, where people will simply take what they desire. We see this, even today, even in the most wealthy countries. What made this verse jump out at me, though, isn't just that silver and gold were plundered, but the inclusion of the last sentence. Wealth, as is illustrated in this verse, is not constant. Even if a person constantly has a thing that is valuable, there is no guarantee that it will continue to be valuable. All wealth, at its core, is based on how much something is desired. The problem is, those desires are subject to change. Still, this verse draws into focus, that so much of life comes down to a heart issue, including wealth.

A) Wealth is defined by what is desirable. Therefore, I am wealthy or poor, not based on what I have, but what I want. This is the same issue behind idolatry of the heart. It's easy to see how, if I melt down some gold, and craft it how I want, to be an object of adoration or attention or desire, it becomes an idol. It is less obvious, if I take a idea in my heart, craft the thing in my heart how I want, making the desire an object of adoration, attention, or desire- how I have still made an idol in my heart. On the flip side, if I find myself feeling poor, it's all a matter of valuation. If I value the things I have, I will see myself as blessed and wealthy. If I neglect what I have, it will lose valuation, and o will feel poor, regardless of how my wallet looks. The wealthy man doesn't know how to accumulate wealth, but knows how to define it.

P) Father, Your grace is evident to me. You have blessed Your servant with wealth beyond comprehension, if only I would understand it properly. Help me to correctly value the blessings You have given me. Some, I know, are riches beyond compare. The inheritance You give to Your children is beyond measure; it cannot be counted. Open my eyes and ears, to see how I have been blessed, how You have given me wealth. Be glorified by my life, and let Your will be done. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 08/02/2015; 2 Kings 21:4-5

Today's reading: 2 Kings 21; 2 Chronicles 33; John 4

S) "⁴ He built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, 'In Jerusalem I will put My name.' ⁵ For he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD."

2 Kings 21:4-5 (NASB)

O) This king, Manasseh, was a pretty terrible king. These particular sins show two major problems. First, there is the unfaithfulness to the LORD as God. Second, this profaned the name of the LORD, while attempting to bring His holy name down to the level of false Gods. That is taking the name of the LORD in vain, to try to make Him their equal. It is bad to serve other Gods, but it almost seems like God would prefer exclusive adultery, rather than to try to serve Him and a false God. This almost seems like it adds insult to injury. Not only did the Mannaseh  unfaithfully turn to other Gods, but he maligned the name of the LORD, by attempting to serve God and gods, at the same time.

A) In many places, God relates His relationship to us, like a marriage. It would be bad for me to leave my wife, but it would be worse for me to cheat on my wife, pretending like she's fine with it, and refusing to see any problem with that. This was essentially what the people were doing. In a less dramatic way, this is why it's so important that I repent from my sins. This is why, if any of my sins become public knowledge (on any level), it is so important that I confess them as the sins they are. It is an affront to God when I sin, but it's even worse when I pretend He's okay with those sins. It conveys a false message about who the LORD is, and what it means to be a Christian. I cannot sin and malign the holy name of God.

P) Father, You are so good to love such imperfect, needy, faulty people like I am. My heart desires better devotion to You, and to honor Your holy name that I bear, in calling myself a Christian. Discipline me, Father God, to know when I am in danger of maligning Your name. Let me be open and honest about my sins, and make me aware of them, that others would recognize Your grace and mercy at work in me, instead of me living in hypocrisy. Be glorified in my life. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.