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.
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To All Who Mourn | Joni Tyner
S~ To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory. Isaiah 61:3 (NLT)
O~ Isaiah 61 is to encouraged those people who have been oppressed. The poor, the brokenhearted, those who mourn and are prisoners.
A~ What a comforting scripture , especially for someone who is brokenhearted. One day, all of life’s sadness and brokenness will be exchanged for a Heavenly crown. We will have “festive praise” instead of despair. I think about those who live in despair and depression. Their lives are filled with loneliness, tears, and many withdraw from joyful activities. It’s a beautiful thought to think of people who are sad on this earth one day dancing on the streets of Heaven, singing out joyful praise. What a contrast. The last part of this scripture really spoke to me. When I am sad and discouraged, I withdraw and sometimes even curl up in an almost fetal position on the floor. My actions are self-centered and my mind is filled with negative thoughts. This scripture tells me that, one day, those who mourn will stand tall like a great oak, that their lives will reflect God’s righteousness. This is comforting to me to know that there is a purpose, all along, …to give God glory. I also need to expect that this purpose takes time to develop (it takes many, many years for a tree to grow to maturity) but it will have rich, beautiful rewards. Wow.
P~ Dear Lord, please forgive my questioning, doubting heart the past few weeks. You know I’ve been hurt and disappointed about some difficult circumstances and I’ve pulled away from reading your Word. I can see how the Enemy’s goal is to keep me out of Your Word… I need to get back in the game and have scripture be the standard I use, not my feelings, other people or my roller coaster emotions. Dear Lord, please help me turn my discouragement into festive praise. I love You.
I’m giving God NO rest | Nikki Metzger
S~ Take no rest, all you who pray to the Lord. Give the Lord no rest until He completes His work Isaiah 62:6b, 7a (NLT)
O~ I’ve been waiting for the work of my God……somethings for a L-O-N-G time!
A~ Yesterday I was super bummed about a sermon that I heard from a pastor that I like to listen to online. It was geared towards single people who desired to get married. He just talked about biblical truths to make the best future marriage possible. The sermon was great and true, but as someone who basically did opposite of what he preached on, I just felt like a loser.
So those mistakes I made, I’m redeemed and loved and forgiven. There is still a mighty work that needs to happen in my life though, so I pray and pray and pray. And sometimes I get tired of praying and waiting!
And I just hear my Lord say to me, “Don’t just pray, but take no rest in praying and don’t give Me any rest ’till the work is done.”
P~ Father, thank You for renewing me in this dry season!
He is the Son of God! – Robin Laney
S~ John clinched his witness with this: “I watched the Spirit, like a dove flying down out of the sky, making himself at home in him. I repeat, I know nothing about him except this: The One who authorized me to baptize with water told me, ‘The One on whom you see the Spirit come down and stay, this One will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ That’s exactly what I saw happen, and I’m telling you, there’s no question about it: This is the Son of God.” John 1:33-34 (MSG)
O~ John the Baptist’s whole life from the time he was in the womb until this moment in his life story was lived in anticipation of the coming Savior. Though they were cousins, he did not know Jesus personally, having never even seen him. He dedicated his life and ministry to pointing people to the Messiah depending on his knowledge of the many prophecies written about Him in Scripture, revelation from God, and the belief that He would be plainly revealed by a specific sign.
John was an obscure man, one who lived in the wilderness and ate locusts and honey, yet he spoke about the Messiah in a way that drew people to listen, repent, and be baptized by him believing him that Jesus was coming soon. He even drew questions from the religious elite who might have just discarded him as a crazy man had he not spoken with such authority and sureness. He had no doubt, whatsoever, when the Spirit of God came down as a dove and landed on Jesus, that he was the promised Messiah and John proclaimed it loudly to all who would hear it.
John the Baptist knew the prophecies, he listened to God’s leadings, he saw with his own eyes and experienced God’s power personally, and he staked his life on the Truth of Jesus as the Son of God.
A~ Unlike John the Baptist, I have the luxury of having the complete story of God’s plan for humanity in my hands in the form of the Bible, the prophecies of a rescuer to come and the eye-witness testimonies of the fulfillment of them through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. I have believed and have experienced His power to save and transform first hand, not only my own life but of those I love and many, many others over the past 17 years. He has opened my eyes, saved me, healed me, taught me, changed me, guided me, disciplined me, rewarded me, given me strength and courage and hope and convinced me that He is the Son of God and, of that, I have no doubt. I, like John, will stake my life on it and proclaim it loudly all the rest of my life!
P~ Jesus, Son of God. Messiah. Holy One. Be glorified!
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