These are a few of our SOAP notes from today’s reading. We encourage you to read and journal on your own first, then join us in conversation about what God revealed to YOU today. Click HERE to go directly to the daily reading if you wish. Our team would love the privilege of praying for you! Please share how we can lift you in prayer at DiscoverOneThingPrayer@gmail.com
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Freedom to Love | Luisa Penaherrera
S~ For you, dear friends, have been called to live in freedom – not freedom to satisfy your sinful nature, but freedom to serve one another in love. Galatians 5:13 (NLT)
O~ The notes from my bible:
Paul distinguishes between freedom to sin and freedom to serve. Freedom or license to sin is no freedom at all, because it enslaves you to Satan, others, or your own sinful nature. Christians, by contrast, should not be slaves to sin, because they are free to do right and to glorify God through loving service to others.
A~ Father, I feel enslaved. I don’t feel like I want to serve my husband in love at the times when I feel like he’s being selfish. Then afterwards I feel bad because I realize I was not being loving. I gave in to my anger, my feeling of being overlooked, not thought about in the moment. I know my husband loves me. But we are two selfish people living together. And when I feel like he’s being selfish I think it’s my job to point it out (especially when it affects me) So I point it out and what I’m left with is feeling yuck, because what I just did is also act in selfishness. ☹ And in your mercy you break my heart. Please forgive me.
P~ Father please help me to love. Thank you for sending Jesus to set me free. Thank you for breaking my heart at that moment because I think I would have said worse. In anger I pointed out what he did wrong already and it wasn’t going to get better. Help me Lord through this. Thank you Holy Spirit. I love you.
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Love well | Kim Chipman
S~ For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:14
O~ Paul is outlining the role of the law and of faith in Jesus. We are no longer slaves to the law. We have been set free in Christ. Truly free. In freedom our responsibility changes. We do not need to be consumed by sacrifices and ceremonies – the ultimate, final sacrifice has been made. We are FREE. Christ loved us so much and our goal should now be to love well – love others as we love ourselves.
A~ How do I love myself? I’m selfish by nature, it’s hard to imagine loving others that much. I can choose to think the best of others – give the benefit of the doubt – give grace when they really don’t deserve it – forgive when they totally blow it – show kindness, mercy and joy – overlook offenses – illuminate strengths. All these things make me feel loved. Living in criticism, dismissing or ignoring my needs/desires/feelings, being excluded, being taken for granted and not appreciated – those things make me feel unloved. Remembering this can help me love well.
P~ You love me well. I matter to You. Help me to take Your unconditional love for me and show it to others. I love you.
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Walk in the Spirit | Susan Aken
S~ “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16 (NKJV)
O~ In v. 19, Paul lists some of the lusts of the flesh (several of which I struggle with such as selfish ambitions, jealousies, and envy). He also lists the fruit of the Spirit in v. 22 which I long to have more of. He says if we walk in the Spirit, we won’t fulfill the lusts and desires of the flesh.
A~ I realize that too often I look at something like jealousy, focus on it and say “I’m not going to do that.” Or “I am going to resist that.” Today, v. 16 struck me. He didn’t say focus on these works of the flesh, resist them and stop. He said, “Walk in the Spirit”. Focus on the Spirit and He will produce His fruit. The flesh will be taken care of. I need to focus on the Spirit. Focus on walking with Him, listening to Him and loving Him. I need to take my eyes off of the flesh altogether.
P~ Dear Jesus, please fill me with your Holy Spirit. Help me to walk with Him and in His power. Holy Spirit I yield to You. Help me today to walk in step with You.
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Tomorrow’s reading: Deuteronomy 28, 29; Galatians 6
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You three ladies are phenomenal writers. I love your vulnerability. Luisa, I have that same scenario with my husband. Married 38 years. I still would marry him again…..yet I can be so demanding and angry when he does one of his “blunders”. I have learned to love that I feel miserable afterwards and always go back to say I am sorry. It is the sign of the Holy Spirit in my life. This year I am working triple time on this fault with Gods help.
And Kim on selfishness, I now am meditating on what it really means to serve……in regards to my husband. I tend to “blow off” his idiosyncrasies. The Lord has been asking me to serve them instead! Whew!
And Susan, my beloved friend and prayer partner. Your post is so encouraging that I don’t have to fix myself. Put my eyes on walking in the Spirit and that should solve the rest of my issues in due time.
Thank you for the encouragement, Pam. I have to say, though, that I laughed out loud! I’m not a writer at all. Whatever shows up here is just what the Spirit has spoken to my heart. Oftentimes rambling, almost always stream of consciousness, whatever ends up on the page of my journal. So praise the LORD for speaking to me and through me! Our prayer as a team is that our sharing will inspire others to dig into His Word and mine for their own personalized gems!
Thanks Pam! God bless you dear friend!
Thank you ladies for sharing your thoughts today. Luisa, I have been in that ‘selfish’ battle so many times and have felt that sting of regret that I did not respond with grace! Kim, I’m so thankful that we are free to love! No longer do I have to have the ‘cloud of performance’ raining down on my daily parade! I can rest in the freedom that Christ has given me! This frees me to love and love well. Thank you for that sweet reminder.
Oh Susan! I was just praying that the Lord would keep my eyes on Him! I too struggle with those sins of the flesh (jealousy,envy!) Blah! I’m so grateful for the Holy Spirit who daily calls me back to Himself. Thank you ladies for taking the time to share! I appreciate this ministry so much!
Thank you, Terri! You are such an encouragement to us!
Terri, thanks for sticking with us! God is so good!
Oh ladies! How I can relate to everything each of you has written. Luisa, I know that feeling, and I have often been there myself – and then I hear the gentle conviction, “If you spot it, you got it!” It takes me back to my knees and into His mercy, grace, and forgiveness, where I am reminded that He is working in others – just as He is working in me. I praise Him for that! Kim, you are such an example of love to me and others! May we all be an example to those around us, loving them well even though it might be difficult for us. Nothing is impossible with God! Dear Susan, what a liberating realization! It is so easy for me to get caught up in my own head of things I shouldn’t be doing, that those thoughts begin to consume me, too! But if I just walk in the Spirit – keep my eyes on Him – then He will produce the fruit, and those other things will begin to wither up. Love you all! Thank you so much for sharing!