SOAP 10/16/2015; Malachi 4:4

Today's reading: Malachi 3, 4; Psalm 148; Acts 5

S) "⁴ Remember the law of Moses My servant, even the statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel."

Malachi 4:4 (NASB)

O) Despite the fact that the prose is instruction, this verse is really about God's nature, and the transition from the Old Covenant into the New Covenant. What makes this verse curious, is its placement in the chapter. In the passage just before this, Malachi described a judgment day, that almost sounds like the Final Judgment day. Because of that, it would almost seem like this verse, this instruction to obey the Law, would carry through to that Judgment day. But then after this verse, he closed by referring to the return of Elijah, and the role He would play (see also, Matthew 11:14). So, based on the paragraphs before and after this verse, it really seems like this admonition is really taking the people to the work of Christ. Malachi comes fairly late in the chronology, with many scholars placing it between the reconstruction of the temple and Nehemiah's return to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. Still, that leaves more than 400 years before Christ would return, and bring with Him a New Covenant. In the meantime, certainly the remnant of the Jews were expected to obey the statutes and commands according to the Law. The judgment described may very well be the final Judgment Day, but I don't think the verse above is tied to that, so much as it seems to be directed until Elijah came.

A) This point cannot be underscored enough, that the obedience of the New Covenant is not "easier" than the Old Covenant. Jesus made Himself very clear, that the Pharisees were obeying the letter of the Mosaic Law, while still transgressing against God and people. Adultery was not physical, but a heart issue. Murder was not only an issue of life and death, but an issue of hatred. Leadership was not only about effecting the compliance of others, but about being a servant. On and on, Jesus showed that the condition of the heart was the issue, and not an external obedience to hundreds of laws. So, even though this verse may point to the end of the Mosaic Law (which could also refer to the first two paragraphs, in vv.1-6), it still points me to the higher standard, the law on my heart, that the Holy Spirit brought with the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

P) Father, Your holy standard is impossibly high. I could never reach it alone. Still, in Your grace, You knew that fully, and provided a way. Even with the mercy Your grace provides, You don't slack in Your standard. You still require holiness from me. You have a righteous judgment that will make no allowance for my sins, no matter how small. So, You also gave a propitiation for my sins. I confess that I still need that grace, I need new mercy every morning. Please continue to bring about maturity and growth in me, Father. I want to be an obedient citizen in Your Kingdom, working to honor my King. Help me to walk in obedience, not to laws that are penned, but obedient to love You with my whole heart, mind, soul, and strength, and obedient to love others as myself. Help me to stay focused in every area of my life. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 10/15/2105; Malachi 1:2-3

Today's reading: Nehemiah 13; Malachi 1, 2; Acts 4

S) "² 'I have loved you,' says the Lord. But you say, 'How have You loved us?' 'Was not Esau Jacob's brother?' declares the Lord. 'Yet I have loved Jacob; ³ but I have hated Esau, and I have made his mountains a desolation and appointed his inheritance for the jackals of the wilderness.'"

Malachi 1:2-3 (NASB)

O) This is a passage that is often taken out of context, as an attempt to show a contradiction in Scripture. Since God is love, how could He also hate Esau? This is, first, a failing of the English language. We have one word for "love" while many other languages are much more nuanced. Even aside from that, this particular passage was written to a people who had just been decimated over the course of about one hundred years (with the seventy year exile in there). They were struggling to regain a devotion to the LORD, struggling to understand holiness. This passage is not about God's treatment of Esau (that is, the nation of Edom), but it is actually a commentary of His devotion and treatment of Jacob (that is, the nation of Israel, before their civil war). To make His point, the LORD contrasts Jacob and Esau. Esau had abandoned what his father and grandfather had taught (Isaac and Abraham, that is). God's judgment and punishment of Edom was perfectly just. His righteous justice was properly served. However, it was because of His love for His chosen people, that He saved a remnant. They didn't feel particularly "saved" and the message given to Malachi, was to remind the people of the fate of Edom, who was so close to the promise of Abraham! God made Edom a desolation, and refused to let it be restored. He also made Jerusalem a desolation, but He restored it! In this passage, "love" and "hate" are simply terms of polarity, to show two sides of God's righteousness. It would also serve to say that God gave mercy to Jacob and justice to Edom. They were all guilty, but God's "loved Jacob" by giving Him mercy. This does not, in any way, contradict His character. His character is to judge righteously, which He also did to Jacob. The difference, is that it is also in His character to see a person's faith and credit it as righteousness. That is exactly what preserved the remnant in Judah. God found some who would remain faithful, although it was precious few. He was able to credit them with righteousness, and they were not judged as guilty. Apparently, this was not the case in Edom. The most direct, simplest way to convey this contrast, is to simply say that He hated Esau, but that He (still) loved Jacob.

A) One application for me, is to simply voice the truth in the face of opposition. People try to pit this passage against 1 John 4:8, as if there is disharmony in God's character. That is not the case, but people often do not want truth, they want corroboration. If they can find something that discredits the Bible, then they think it should have no authority. I suppose that's true, but they will never truly discredit the Bible, and it's authority is unblemished. But, it is also still important for me to read this passage without consideration for controversy. This passage is still showing me the unfailing, persevering, faithful, and preserving love of God. It is truly humbling to remember what I have done, the sinful life I have actually lived, and realize how merciful God has been to me. I can never question His love, because in Christ, I am forgiven. In Christ, all of the just punishments for my sins were absolved at the cross.

P) Father, Your grace and mercy are so overwhelming, that I don't even know the dangers, destruction, and desolation a You have kept from me. You have loved me with more than I can fully know. Give me wisdom, Lord, to express Your love for others. Give me words, and show me how to share, to properly show people Your true character. Thank You for loving me. Let Your will be done. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 10/14/2015; Nehemiah 12:44-45

Today's reading: Nehemiah 11, 12; Psalm 1; Acts 3

S) "⁴⁴ On that day men were also appointed over the chambers for the stores, the contributions, the first fruits and the tithes, to gather into them from the fields of the cities the portions required by the law for the priests and Levites; for Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites who served. ⁴⁵ For they performed the worship of their God and the service of purification, together with the singers and the gatekeepers in accordance with the command of David and of his son Solomon."

Nehemiah 12:44-45 (NASB)

O) This passage does fall under instruction, although it was certainly according to the Old Covenant (see "required by the law"). This whole chapter is a sort of summary about how things were getting back to how they should have been. In this paragraph, this little phrase caught my eye, "for Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites who served." Everything was very new to this generation. They were dedicating themselves as individuals, with a devotion they had probably never had. They were rededicating themselves as a nation, with a devotion they had probably only ever read about. No doubt, this enhanced the zeal with which they were restarting their obedience.

A) To be sure, I cannot live on hype. Still, newness is exciting. When I began really serving God as an adult, I had an irresistible zeal. As the years have moved, and I have matured, the feeling of newness has dissipated. Still, my devotion to Jesus must be like my devotion to my wife. I don't love my wife according to feelings, and neither do I serve my Lord that way. In my marriage, I make conscious decisions to celebrate, both my wife and my marriage. The same should be true about my relationship with God. In my family, when someone does something good, I make the decision to rejoice. Sure, the decision is easy, based on all of my invested emotions (when Ella was first chosen to go to Chile, I was naturally ecstatic!), but it's still something I'm choosing. So, while much of the instruction from this passage does not apply to me, under the New Covenant, that one phrase certainly sticks out. I should be choosing to rejoice, over preachers and teachers who serve. I should choose to rejoice, when a missionary is sent and a small group is started. I often overlook these types of events, or people, because they can seem so commonplace. The truth is, however, that every instance that a brother or sister does something for Jesus Christ, anything big or small, it is an occasion to rejoice. God's Kingdom is advancing, people are maturing in their faith, and His name is being glorified!

P) Father, You should be a celebrity, in the most holy sense! You deserve celebration, if anyone would, or anything could be. When I think about Your grace and mercy, I am sobered. At the same time, I am filled with joy, knowing Your all-encompassing love! Even so, I do not rejoice about the services of others, especially when they feel routine. However, I don't want to live my life based on feelings. I want to make right decisions, based on what You call good or bad, righteous or unrighteous, holy or profane. Help me to recognize more occasions for rejoicing. Let me be an encourager of everything that glorifies Your name! Let Your will be done, and let me celebrate it every step of the way, no matter how small the step. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 10/13/2015; Psalm 61:2-3

Today's reading: Nehemiah 9, 10; Acts 2*

S) "² From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
³ For You have been a refuge for me,
A tower of strength against the enemy."

Psalm 61:2-3 (NASB)
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read Psalm 61

O) David began this prayer, by acknowledging who God has already been to him. He was well aware, that God's hand had been upon him throughout his life, preserving him. Even before he was ever anointed as king, as a shepherd in the wild, God was his only protection. Certainly, once we was anointed and he knew God had placed a call on his life, that changed his perspective, but his life of faith and trust was not only about that anointing. After all, his predecessor had been anointed, too. But, as is common in many of his psalms, in this one he remained humble, by acknowledging that God is greater than he, and by recalling his previous needs being met in God.

A) The reality is, the more I practically place my trust in God, the easier it gets to trust Him. The degree to which I have already known God to be my refuge, and my tower of strength against my enemy, the easier it is to trust Him immediately, to meet all of my needs. As important as it is, that God has always shown grace to me, it will do me no practical good moving forward (in terms of how I trust Him), if I am ignoring His history in my life. This is what testimony and witness are all about. I must remind myself of what God has done, perhaps even more often, than I must share it with others.

P) Father, You have been exceedingly good to Your servant, throughout my life. Even from the womb, You have preserved me. Throughout my childhood, You seem to have kept me from various harm, and through my young adulthood, Your grace is even more clear. As I became an adult, I foolishly tried to be sovereign in my life, and I learned the hard way that I was unfit to be king over my own kingdom. Even in that, the grace of Your discipline is evident. Over and over, You have been faithful to preserve me. Whatever the future holds, I fully trust that You will keep me. From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a refuge for me, a tower of strength against the enemy. Be glorified in my life, and let me praise Your name forever. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 10/12/2015; Acts 1:24-26

Today's reading: Nehemiah 7, 8; Acts 1

S) "²⁴ And they prayed and said, 'You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two You have chosen ²⁵ to occupy this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.' ²⁶ And they drew lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles."

Acts 1:24-26 (NASB)

O) After Judas betrayed Jesus, the apostles referred to some Psalms and determined it best to replace the twelfth position among them. They used wisdom to narrow their selection down to two men (Joseph and Matthias), but didn't want to make the final decision without consulting God more directly. They prayed, asked God to reveal His will in the lots they drew. This practice was much more common by the priests throughout the Old Testament, in the absence of a true prophet. However, this is the last biblical reference to using lots for a decision like this. The very next event recorded in Acts, which is a historical book about the beginning of the church, is the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended upon them. At that point, using lots to discern God's will was immediately antiquated. What we see in this passage, though, is a perfect example of seeking the will of God. The apostles went to Scripture first (v.20), then they used wise counsel (vv.21-23), then they prayed.

A) To be sure, my primary source for understanding the will of God is, and ever will be, the Bible itself. It is authoritative and sufficient for all righteousness (see 2 Timothy 3:16). But, supposing I have two options in my life, neither of which contradict Scripture at all. and they seem equally good by wise counsel, then prayer is the next step. There are dozens of verses in the New Testament that refer to the Holy Spirit leading us, and there is every reason to believe that He would operate the same way, now. I must be careful not to rely on my "feelings" through prayer, but that is why seeking the direction of the Holy Spirit comes after the circumstance has already been evaluated using Scripture, and then wise counsel. God may very well still want me to take one option over another, and prayer is the next step in this process.

P) Father, You are so faithful. I know Your provision in this way, because I have been through these kinds of situations, and over and over You have shown Yourself to be trustworthy and faithful. Even now, there are things in my life, especially my desire to move to Montana, where I truly want Your will to be revealed. Moving my family hundreds of miles is not addressed in Scripture. At least, it's not directly addressed. So far, everyone that has heard this plan, seems to agree that it could be good. Really, to make this happen, it would take Your miraculous intervention. If Your will is different, I trust You will make it clear to me. I do not want my judgment clouded by my emotions, though. Give me open ears and eyes, to know Your will expressly. I submit to Your decisions, even before I know them. You are my King, and I will obey. Help me to be patient, and to focus on obedience in the here and now. Let Your will be done. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 10/11/2015; Nehemiah 5:8

Today's reading: Nehemiah 5, 6; Psalm 146; Luke 24

S) " ⁸ I said to them, 'We according to our ability have redeemed our Jewish brothers who were sold to the nations; now would you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us?' Then they were silent and could not find a word to say."

Nehemiah 5:8 (NASB)

O) The nobles of the people were exacting usuries from them, causing destitution in some cases. There was already a famine, and there was an influx of people in the city working, and yet these nobles and rulers were oppressing their own people, just as their enemies would. Nehemiah's question was rhetorical, but the fact that no one could even say a word, makes it clear that there was no excuse. These nobles and rulers were treating their countrymen as enemies, as if they themselves had not just experienced the same exile as the rest of the people. They lacked compassion, understanding, and empathy. Thankfully, they heeded the words of Nehemiah (and his example), and the usury was abolished.

A) In my own life, I seldom have opportunities to make this same mistake, exactly. I am not wealthy, relative to contemporary measure. However, the root of this story, is that these people were treating their brothers as enemies. Unfortunately, I must confess, I have sinned in that way (even if the details are different). Remembering that my Christian brothers and sisters (and biological ones!) have an enemy already, is a stark reminder that I am siding with my own enemy by mistreating them. When I snap at someone in anger, or ignore someone in bitterness, or take any other opposing stance toward a brother or sister, then I am siding with the devil, who is also my own mortal enemy. Understanding that dynamic, seeing the reality of the situation, is convicting and sobering.

P) Father, whenever I consider my sins, Your holiness and grace become magnified. I know there have been times when I have acted as the enemy would, against brothers and sisters. Realizing that, makes me sick. Please keep my eyes open to see when my emotions are tempting me to act like a devil. The people I love already have a mortal enemy in satan. The very last thing I ever want, is to be used for his purposes because of my sins against others. Open my ears to hear, and when I sin in such a way, convict me immediately. Let me be humble at all times, and quickly repent of this sin of selfishness, anger, and hate. Let me walk in the Spirit, to bear the fruit of patience, peace, and love. Be glorified in my treatment of my brothers and sisters. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 10/10/2015; Luke 23:31

Today's reading: Nehemiah 3, 4; Luke 23

S) "³¹ For if they do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?"

Luke 23:31 (NASB)

O) Jesus was responding to the onlookers who were mourning his death sentence. As He was being led to Golgotha, He had some brief words of warning to Jerusalem. In the passage (vv.27-31), He was saying that, if it is this bad while He was still among them, it would be even worse in His absence. It is important to distinguish that Jesus was referring to the behavior of those who opposed Him, not necessarily describing anything about the condition of His followers after He was gone. Persecution of both Christianity and Judaism got much more serious in the years following His crucifixion, including the destruction of the temple in 70AD. Despite the fact that Christianity was a global force for many years (with its own, wrong violence), it has always had opposition in some place or another, to varying degrees of fatality.

A) It seems a lot of my journaling this year has involved discussion about the cultural change in my country. I suppose that change could continue to be a theme for me for the rest of my life, here. Throughout most of US history, Christianity was at least a cultural norm. It was appreciated as a positive worldview, for the most part. Even if people disagreed with various religious aspects of different denominations, there were certain biblical truths that the general public agreed were true. Over the last fifty or sixty years, though, there has been a gradual turn from Christianity, and it has slowly become more and more normal for Christianity to be ridiculed. When my country was green (that is, when they mostly accepted the Truth, Jesus), we still had terrible things happening. I suppose that is because people were still not submitted to Christ as Lord, even if they claimed to believe. Now, my country is becoming quite dry (no longer accepting the Truth, Jesus), so I'm not entirely sure what to expect. The warning Jesus gives to the citizens of Jerusalem seems fairly applicable to Americans, now. So, I set my mind on the truth that my identity is not found in my political citizenship, but in my eternal, spiritual citizenship. I have no fear of the world, because my King has overcome the world!

P) Father, the future of my country is a complete mystery to me. However, I know that You are infinitely wise, and that You know all things, declaring the end from the beginning. My own future, and the future of my country, is quite plain to You. I am choosing to trust that You will lead me as I need to be led. You will teach me what I need to know. If there are warning signs, if there are dangers, I know that my security and protection are Yours to provide. Give me courage in the face of ridicule for Your name. Give me boldness in the face of persecution for Your name. Give me life, in the face of martyrdom for Your name. Thank You for the peace that You give, unlike any other, that cannot be stolen by any circumstance. Let me rest in Your strength. Let Your will be done in my life, in my country, in my world. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.