SOAP 07/09/2016; Hebrews 6:19-20

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


S) "¹⁹ This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, ²⁰ where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."

Hebrews 6:19-20 (NASB)

O) There is kind of a lot said here, to expound on the simple idea that our hope is secure because of God's character, and because the interceding ministry of Jesus is everlasting. But, that is not at all to say that the way it is written is redundant or overstated. In fact, it cannot be overstated, how and why we have the hope we do. This passage quickly reminds me of the hymn by Edward Mote, "My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less" (which was also incorporated into the Hillsong song, "Cornerstone"). Really, these songs are furthering the point, that our hope is perfectly secured by God, through Christ. It cannot ever change. It cannot ever be removed. It cannot ever be overstated.

A) Hope is such a vital part of the vibrancy and spread of the gospel. It is hope that so often draws outsiders to more closely examine the gospel. The world is not devoid of hope, but the only hopes they have are bound to fail them. The hopes they have are not sure, they are not steadfast. It is for this very reason, that Peter tells us we must be ready to give a reason for the hope within us (see 1 Peter 3:15). The world will want to know. Why is our hope so different? It is because it is built on nothing less, than Jesus' blood and righteousness.

P) Father, this hope I have as an anchor to my soul. I need the hope of salvation, the hope of peace. In my current place, I need to keep my eyes fixed on te hope I have in Jesus. I know that this season will pass, and that a new chapter will begin in my life. I know that this will all be a flash in the pan, when I'm on the other side of this test, let alone the other side of eternity. All of life is a big trial, in a way, and I want to pass the test, God. Let my soul be firmly planted, unshakeable, immovable, in my hope in Christ. Let this glorify my Savior in every way. Let me walk in joy, peace, and obvious hope, that the gospel would be on display in me, for the glory of Christ. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 07/08/2016; Hebrews 5:8

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


S) "⁸ Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered."

Hebrews 5:8 (NASB)

O) It seems a little bit strange, because Jesus is God, to say that He learned anything. However, it is still there, plainly written in black and white. Obviously, during His ministry, Jesus knew many things that ordinary people would not know, but I'm not sure He was omniscient in the general sense we mean it about God. At the very least, He confessed that even the Son did not know the day and hour of His return, but only the Father does (see Matthew 24:36). Perhaps it was some kind of limitation He assumed while in the flesh. Alternatively, this could be more figurative. There are times when God is represented in a more anthropomorphic way, to make a heater understand better (like when God said He would go down to Sodom and Gomorrah to see if the outcry He heard was accurate (see Genesis 18:21). When the writer says, "He learned obedience," this could be more about the fact that Jesus set an example for us, over and over. Given the context of v.9, where the writer says we also must be obedient, this seems somewhat likely. The context of the previous verse also gives a reference point to the suffering described, and he clearly meant when Jesus was praying in Gethsemane. Jesus prayed that His cup be taken from Him, and He suffered even to the point of blood (see Luke 22:42-44). Even so, Jesus did suffer, and He was obedient, and the point the writer of Hebrews is making is that the two things are related. This isn't only a comment about the humanity of Jesus, but it is a comment about Him being a perfect example for us, as our high priest.

A) While this verse does help me understand the character of Jesus, and what His obedience looked like, it is more directly setting the precedent for me to follow, which is clarified, I think, with the next two verses as well. I am, right now, heading into one of the biggest times of testing I have ever faced. Moving to Montana ahead of my family, without my wife, will include suffering I haven't really faced before. It will be hard physically, emotionally, and spiritually. However, in my suffering, I want to learn obedience. I want my love of Christ to be proven as greater than my love for my kids, or my wife, or my self. This is going to be very difficult, I can't kid myself. But, this is not at all impossible. God paved the way for me to get here. We prayed for this for a long time, and we only ever asked that His will be done. I have no doubt, then, that this solitude, this separation from them, is also part of His plan. If He intends to let me be tested, I intend to pass. This will happen, if I am intent on following the example of Christ Jesus, my Savior, learning obedience from the things which He suffered.

P) Father, reflecting on this passage, and reading the account from Luke about Jesus in Gethsemane, I know I have my work cut out for me. I know that I have not yet resisted temptation to the point of shedding blood, as the writer of Hebrews said it in chapter 12. I know that my temptation to disobedience, in any way, surely pales in comparison to the challenge Jesus faced. I am, after all, not facing death on a cross. I am, after all, not about to take upon myself anyone else's guilt. Still, I confess that I am more than a little scared about how hard this might be. I feel like a child, who is going to get a shot from the doctor, but doesn't really understand how much that hurts. I know my fear is probably inflated. I know the devil will try to intimidate me, try to end my fight before it has begun. But I'm here, Lord. I am Your servant. I know that You are here. You have not abandoned me to be alone. You have not set me up to fail. With the Holy Spirit, I am fully equipped to overcome this trial. So please help me, Lord. Help me fight. Help me win. Send an angel to me, to strengthen me, if that's what it takes. I love You Lord. I know that You are cheering me on. Help me be more like Christ than I ever have been before. Let Your will be done. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 07/07/2016; Hebrews 4:14-16

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


S) "¹⁴ Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. ¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶ Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Hebrews 4:14-16 (NASB)

O) The writer is establishing, a little ahead of himself, that Jesus is a great high priest. He will actually break that down further just a little bit later (chapter 5), but for now it is presented as a given fact. The writer is balancing the deity of Christ with the humanity of Christ, because understanding that duality is critical to understanding grace. While Jesus is a perfect high priest, and he has indeed passed through the heavens, this is still the same Jesus who was tempted in the desert. It's notable that He was actually tempted. This was not a hypothetical temptation. This was not a staged play. To say that Jesus was tempted in all things, I don't think means that He faced every temptation in a literal sense. It seems more accurate to understand that He was completely tempted. That is, the temptation was full, it was real, it was maximum strength, it was a temptation in all the ways a person could define temptation. Jesus is God, in every way, so it would be foolish to think that Jesus would be unable to sympathize with our weakness if He was not tempted. However, that fact is not really so that Jesus is able, but so that we understand that He understands. We cannot question whether or not Jesus really knows temptation like we do. We cannot entertain doubts about whether or not He really gets how hard our struggles are. Because He does, and because we do know that He does, then we can approach the throne of grace with confidence. Confidence in what? Confidence in knowing that He knows how hard our fight is! Confidence that He knows what it takes to persevere and overcome! We are given the grace and mercy, because of what Jesus did on the cross and in the grave. We are given confidence because of what Jesus endured in the wilderness while fasting, in Gethsemane while praying, and in the Praetorium while suffering.

A) There can be no doubt about my faith. The more I read and understand Jesus, the more I understand His character and His love, the more I am able to hold fast to the confession of my faith. Reading this passage fills me with such gratitude and joy, that my only response could be humble thanksgiving, prayer, and worship. I will draw near to the throne of grace with confidence, whether I need a present mercy because I have sinned, or grace because I am tempted. I need to remember who Jesus is, and focus less on who I am. It must be less of me and more of Him.

P) Father, thank You so much, Lord. I could never fully understand the grace at work in my life, in the faith I have that was authored so long ago in Christ. I will never fully see how much You have done to bring me to this place, right here and now, in my relationship with You. Even so, every time I glimpse a little more, every time I get a slightly bigger perspective on what You have done, on what Jesus has done, I am so filled with awe and thanksgiving, God. You truly are, in every way, good. Thank You for the grace and mercy that are mine in Christ. Thank You for the confidence I have, because of the temptation of Jesus. Thank You for the promises I have, sealed with the Holy Spirit. I pray You are honored and glorified in my life, in every way possible. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 07/06/2016; Hebrews 3:7-9

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


S) "⁷ Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says,

'Today if you hear His voice,
⁸ Do not harden your hearts as when they provoked Me,
As in the day of trial in the wilderness,
⁹ Where your fathers tried Me by testing Me,
And saw My works for forty years."

Hebrews 3:7-9 (NASB)

O) The previous chapter broke down any pretense that Jesus was an angel of God. In the opening of this chapter, the writer breaks down any argument that Jesus was just another prophet or leader for God. By comparing Him to Moses (who was the preeminent figure of Judaism), and showing that Christ is more glorious than Moses, there leaves no doubt that Jesus is incomparable. Then, the writer makes a transition. After establishing the superiority of Christ, he moves to warn the readers not to take this fact lightly. It's not enough to simply know that Jesus is God, we are called to respond in worship, service, and faithfulness to Him. The Jews who left Egypt knew very well that the LORD was real, alive, and powerful. They had first-hand knowledge of His works. Even still, they hardened their hearts against His words, against the truth, and it cost them the blessings and promises in store for them. Their hardness of heart cost them their very lives. Also, subtly, in v.7 there is a corroboration that the Old Testament was inspired Scripture (see 2 Timothy 3:16). This passage is quoting Psalm 95:7-11 (except the last line isn't a direct quote, but it's no less true, as it is again supported throughout Scripture).

A) It is never going to be enough for me to know what the Bible says, if I am not willing to submit to the authority it carries as the words of God. Whether that is reading the Old Testament, which is clearly inspired by the Holy Spirit, or that is reading the New Testament, which is penned by apostles of Christ, speaking on His behalf. By now, I have seen enough of the fruit of the Spirit in my life, to know that God's ways are better for me than my own ways. I would serve Him is for no other reason, than that it is the best thing for my life. But, the more I read Scripture, the more I learn His voice through it, the more I soften my heart to His voice, the more I long to serve Him and worship Him, because I love Him. Even so, I have within my sinful flesh, the ability to harden my heart toward God. Whether that is trying to quiet the conviction I have in my heart about sinful behavior, or it is the insidious idolatry of self-worship, if I am not actively softening my heart, I think it is true to say that my heart is hardening. It will never be neutral.

P) Father, today I hear Your voice. Thank You for speaking. Thank You for giving me Your words. I pray that You continue to open my ears and eyes, to hear and see what You would have me know. Let me take that knowledge a step further, though, and submit myself to Your kingship, Lord. You are worthy of my service, my adoration, my worship, my life. I love You, Father God. Please remind me of that often, particularly when my heart is in danger of a hardness that I hate. You are worthy of my soft heart; You deserve that much, at least. Let Your will be done. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 07/05/2016; Hebrews 2:14-15

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


S) "¹⁴ Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵ and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives."

Hebrews 2:14-15 (NASB)

O) There's quite a bit to digest in this short passage, but taking it one step at a time, we can see quite a bit of encouraging truth. The writer was establishing the close fellowship of Jesus Christ with those who are redeemed through Him (vv.10-14), which tells us that the children mentioned above are those very same believers. Where it says, "share in flesh and blood," we should immediately understand this does not mean physical flesh and blood (and literally, it should be "blood and flesh"), because not all believers are Jews, and even the Jews who do believe are not necessarily close enough to the Davidic line to be called flesh and blood with Jesus. However, the very next statement is that Jesus also "partook of the same," so we can see this is actually a reference to the last supper, where Jesus described the wine as His blood, which is for the forgiveness of sins, and the bread as His flesh, which conquered the grave. Verse 14 then refers to "him who had the power of death, that is, the devil," and the writer tells us that through the blood and body of Jesus, through the forgiveness of sins and conquering death, the devil is now impotent. Then we come to the last verse above, and we see something a little harder to dissect. We know that we have freedom from sins in Christ Jesus. It's also easy to understand how, before Christ, we were slaves to our sins all our lives. However, the difficult phrase is, "through fear of death." Understanding how a fear of death keeps us enslaved to sin is difficult. Working from an opposite premise, however, clarifies some things. The Bible tells us, over and over, that the only fear we should have is a fear of God. There are more than a dozen references in the book of Proverbs alone, that tell us the fear of the LORD will keep us from sin, lead to life, give understanding, or otherwise bless us. God gives life. To fear death is to fundamentally miss what (that is, who) should be feared. However, the fear of death is a common thread through all of human history and culture. To stop fearing death, without beginning to fear God, is foolish at best. However, if we are freed from sin because we trust in Jesus Christ, then we already fear God enough to understand that His Son was sent to die the death we deserve. Because we will not die that death, we have nothing to fear - except God, which is exactly how we are meant to live. That's one angle from which we can see, the fear of death will lead to sin. The second way to see this is true, is working from some of the other things Jesus said, that turn human instinct on it's head. In Mark 8:35-37, Jesus is giving a contrast between material pursuits and eternal life. In Luke 12:19-21, Jesus gives a short parable to show how worthless it is to be rich in this world, but not rich toward God. Just a few verses later (v.25), He said that we can't extend our life by worrying. However, over and over, we see people running, grinding, pushing, amassing, trying to secure a future or extend a lifetime, and it's all sewing the seeds of idolatry, the lies of independence, and the fallacy of man's sovereignty.

A) The first application in this, is to celebrate my fellowship with Christ! There is great reason to be excited, thinking about the things Jesus did that I also do. Starting with baptism, it is a joy to know that my Savior was baptized as I was! Whenever I take communion, I need to contemplate the fact that Jesus took communion with the first disciples. I need to live in the fear of God, remembering that He alone is sovereign, He alone is worthy of worship. He alone is independent, while I am utterly dependent on Him. The last thing is a little harder to hammer out... but as I am contemplating this passage, and my own fears (of which there simply are not many I can discern), one area does come to mind. There is a sense in which I might say that I fear sleep. For years, I had said that sleeping felt like a waste of time to me. While that sounds quaint, or even like the words of an ambitious man, it is really a confession that I pursue pretty worthless hobbies. Video games were the time-suckers of my life. Certainly, there can be a place for entertainment, if it is purposeful. Most notably, entertainment can be a great way to share some fellowship with people I love. However, there were countless nights when I simply didn't go to bed, because I wanted to keep playing video games. And what was that, if not a blatant display of idolatry. My fear of losing time (which is just another way to describe a fear of death) was leading to the sin of idolizing my hobby. Even recently, I struggle with contentment if I have too much "down time" and I feel like I could be playing a game. This is a sneaky, pervasive type of sin, that I should root out of my life. I fear God alone! I actually have no idea how much time I have left in this world. It is not up to me to "maximize" what I want to do, with selfish ambitions, even some so seemingly benign as video games.

P) Father, please forgive me for the shortsighted selfishness that has been in my heart. Thank You for the grace at work, in You seeking communion with me. Thank You for sending Jesus to come down to earth, to bridge the gap that was between us. That was only possible through the grace of gospel. I don't want to waste the gift of this life within me. I know that entertainment is not inherently wrong, but I confess that I still have a tendency to take a blessing and want to make it an idol. But, I don't want to do that, Lord. I don't want to disdain sleep, as if it is robbing me of a life that I am already confessing doesn't belong to me. Help me to be more focused and mindful of my life as belonging to You, in every way. Help me to be more purposeful with my time, not based on my own idea of purpose, but based on the purpose You have given me, namely, to glorify Jesus. Open my eyes and ears, Lord. Speak to me, and show me where I have been fearing the wrong things, and where that is allowing sin to creep into my life unnoticed. I pray the Holy Spirit is strong with conviction, and that I am humbly submissive, to allow You to purge my life of anything that should not be here. Let Your will be done. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 07/04/2016; Hebrews 1:3-4

Today's reading: 2 Kings 15, 16; Hosea 1; Hebrews 1


S) "³ And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ⁴ having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they."

Hebrews 1:3-4 (NASB)

O) The writer is laying some ground work, to establish the holiness of Jesus. In the first two verses, he reminds his Hebrew audience that God spoke in many ways to the forefathers, but in the present day, He was speaking in His Son, Jesus Christ. Then, with the verse above, the writer takes that concept to another level. Jesus was not simply a prophet, He didn't have some oracle. He wasn't a seer, soothsayer, or any other living conduit for God. Jesus is God. Jesus is the radiance of God's glory, the exact representation of God's nature, and Jesus is upholding (which is the literal translation, there), all things by the word of Jesus' power. The statement is punctuated by reminding us that Jesus completed His work, and then rejoined our Father in heaven. Then the writer transitions to ensure that we know, Jesus is not simply a glorified angel (as the rest of this chapter illustrates). It's worth noting, the concept of the name Jesus inherited, is not simply the word, "Jesus" or any translation of it. This is a bigger concept that has to do with identity as a whole (like we might say now, "All I have is my good name," or something like "They dragged his name through the mud." It has to do with character and identity).

A) It's important for me to be reminded that Jesus is God. Because it is so fundamental to my faith, and because I have had this faith so long, it can seem silly that I should need to be reminded. However, it is because this fact is so foundational, that I desire to be reminded of it often. Just as the world balked at this idea when Jesus first hinted at it, the world balks at the idea even now. They don't even want to acknowledge the existence of God, let alone believe that Jesus was, Himself, the very God they are denying. Between that, and the complexity of the trinity, it's easy to get distracted at times, thinking that Jesus and God the Father are different. Sometimes, there is a temptation to think of God as being the harsh judge, while Jesus is the compassionate lover, but the truth as I am reminded above, is that Jesus is the exact representation of the nature of God. Jesus Christ doesn't change, either, because God doesn't change. Jesus will return to judge the world in perfect, righteous justice. God the Father has also long been called slow to anger, great in lovingkindness, full of compassion and mercy. It is good for me to remember, that just as Jesus ascended to be seated with God, He and the Father are One in their nature as well as their dwelling.

P) Father, You are perfect, holy, just, righteous, merciful, compassionate, loving, true, kind, fierce, powerful, strong, and light. In all of these ways, Jesus is the perfect representation, the exact representation of Your character. Help me to remember that, especially as I read the gospels. Let me remember, as I read about the life of Jesus, that He was the living embodiment of Your character. He was living in perfect obedience and harmony with Your will, because He is the manifestation of Your word. There is no contradiction in You, or in Your character. Let me hold fast to this truth, to the foundation of my faith, that Jesus is God. Thank You for the grace, that my eyes were opened to this truth. Let me be bold with this, speaking out against the lies of the world. Be glorified in my life. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 07/03/2016; Philemon [1:] 8-9

Today's reading: Isaiah 6, 7; 2 Chronicles 26, 27; Philemon

S) "⁸ Therefore, though I have enough confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper, ⁹ yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—since I am such a person as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus—"

Philemon [1:] 8-9 (NASB)

O) The whole purpose of Paul's letter to Philemon, seems to be that he wanted to have a slave restored to Philemon. There was a man whom Paul calls Onesimus (which means "useful"), whom Paul led to faith in Christ (v.10). While they were imprisoned together, apparently Paul found him very useful (v.13), hence the name Onesimus. It's a little unclear why Onesimus was with Paul, but there is perhaps a hint to why in vv.18-19. If the man was imprisoned because of theft of fraud, or just being a worthless slave, it's possible that Paul is vouching for him because of his new faith in Christ. That would make sense as to why Paul would even go so far as to change the man's name, to help him with a fresh start and a new identity in Christ. Paul seems to use somewhat serious legal terms, so it seems somewhat likely. It's possible he was lent to Paul, with a command to aid Paul all along (although it seems a little wrong, if Paul needed help, to send a slave who has a bad reputation), but either way, the overall point remains. This slave was not well regarded by his master, Philemon. He came to faith in Christ while with Paul. Paul was sending him home to be reconciled (vv.15-16). Paul would like to have kept him around. But, perhaps most important, Paul didn't want to outright tell Philemon how he should handle this, although Paul had the confidence in Christ that he could speak authoritatively about it. Instead, for love's sake, Paul appealed to him so there would be peace and unity about this.

A) Because of the very personal and circumstantial nature of this letter, it would probably have been a little hard to relate to it, even without the complicated history of slavery we have in this country. Two things come through very strongly with this letter, though. One, is Paul's desire for reconciliation. Two, is Paul's desire for Philemon to come to this conclusion without having to be told directly to do it. This shows a transition, of sorts, from being more of a teacher to becoming more of an equal. This is something like what I see in my parenting. As my oldest has come to her own faith in Christ, I want less and less to outright tell her what to do - although I have the confidence in Christ to do exactly that. Instead, I want to appeal to her, for the sake of love, that she would consider what is proper on her own, because of her own relationship with Jesus. Even at eleven years old, I still have a lot of instructing to do, but as she grows into her teenage years, I know it will be less and less about disciplining her, and more and more about helping her be a better disciple of Christ. My wife and I will always be parents to our kids, but how that is done will change shape and transition, as they get closer to adulthood, until they are on their own with Christ.

P) Father, thank You for the grace already at work in my children. I pray that all three of them would develop relationships with You that are even stronger than my own. Help me raise them right, to transition from being told what is proper, to them seeking it out because of their love for Christ. Give me the wisdom I need, to know when strict instruction is still crucial, and when to hold my hand more openly to them. Let me remember that I am only a steward of my kids, while they are young, and that they ultimately belong to You, Lord. Let Your will be done in their lives, especially by me. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 07/02/2016; Jude 3

Today's reading: Isaiah 4, 5; Psalms 115, 116; Jude

S) "³ Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints."

Jude 3 (NASB)

O) This is a brief side note from Jude, but it does bring up an important point. I don't think it is assuming too much, to say Jude is disclosing a submission to the Lord's will, setting aside his own interest and what he no doubt considered a wise endeavor. Certainly, he had important things to say about our common salvation, and I am sure it would have been beneficial. While he doesn't explicitly say that the Holy Spirit directed him otherwise, it's reasonable to think that God was leading him to a different topic. False teachers were already sprouting up within the church, and a many different topics were causing Christians grief in their misrepresentation and deceit. Even if Jude wasn't specifically led by God to change his topic, he's still displaying wisdom in prioritizing his message according to the most pressing need.

A) Choosing my battles is important in my marriage, in parenting, and really in every relationship I have. Learning to prioritize issues to address is important in maintaining peace, setting the culture of my family, and even averting some amount of disasters. The most important skill to have, in choosing my battles, is learning to follow the lead of the Holy Spirit. That really only happens with practice, being mindful of the still small voice within me. I need to acknowledge when I follow that conviction and it turns out for my good. When circumstances bear witness that it was indeed the Lord leading me, I need to recognize that and celebrate it, remembering when it happens, so that it becomes easier and easier to know my Shepherd's voice in the future.

P) Father, thank You for being my wonderful Counselor. Open my ears, to properly hear Your voice. Give me the boldness to follow Your lead, and the wisdom to understand when I have followed well, that I may make firm memories to testify to Your wisdom, Your conviction, and Your will. Help me to prioritize my words, to choose my battles well. I want to make the most of every conversation, and honor Yoyr name at every opportunity. Let Your will be done, for Your glory. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 07/01/2016; Titus 3:14

Today's reading: Isaiah 1, 2, 3; Titus 3

S) "Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful."

Titus 3:14 (NASB)

O) When Paul is referring to "our people," he means Christians. In the previous verse, he instructs Titus to help Zenas and Apollos in their ministry. So, in this verse Paul drives home the purpose of good works. It is not about earning salvation, or making God love us, but it is about furthering the gospel. We do good works to meet pressing needs, because that is the gospel in action to glorify Christ and increase His kingdom. It's also noteworthy, that he said, "pressing needs," because it reminds us to prioritize our good deeds. Sometimes, it takes discernment and wisdom to carefully determine what ministries need help the most, or which will be most fruitful with our immediate support.

A) Prayerful consideration should be my first step in every decision. There are times when I want to be part of every ministry. I want to support every missionary and volunteer for every ministry. But there is only so much time and money I can give. Also, I can never neglect my own wife and family, who should always be my first priority in terms of mission (my kids' salvation) and my ministry (to all of them). So, I need to be mindful of which are pressing needs. I need to always be willing to work for the gospel. I need to pray for direction.

P) Father, I'm in the middle of great transition, right now. I know that You have Your hand upon our move. When I get to Montana, next Sunday, I'll be looking for a new home church. Let me keep my mind on the purpose I have in attending a church. It's not all about what the church can do, ministering to me, but it's also about what I can do, ministering for the church. Help me have wisdom and discipline, to be able to minister to my family remotely. Help me to continue good deeds, even through this transition, so that my family will not be unfruitful, and so that I will not be unfruitful. Be glorified in what I do, because I am focused on obedience and the gospel. Open my eyes and ears, to know Your will and direction, and let your will be done. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.