We will begin a new reading plan January 1, 2017! Get the printable: Discover One Thing Reading Plan
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.
Printable reading plan: Life Journal Reading Plan
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Why now? | Kelley Deases
S~ The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great — … Revelation 11:18 (NIV)
O~ Not that I claim to understand it, but, big picture, the Book of Revelation is about how God, in His way and in His time, will dispense judgment and justice on the world He created. Sometimes we might wonder why He has been patient for so long. Other times, we imagine these events could occur imminently. The real danger is in being lulled into a complacency that tends to ignore the end times are coming at all.
A~ Why now? This is just one of the agonizing questions which must be on the lips of my friends who got news two days before Christmas their 20-year-old son — their miracle baby who was not expected to survive in his early days and after which his mother was warned she could not carry any more babies — was killed in a car accident in which he was a passenger. Why now? He just graduated a year-and-a-half ago from high school with my son, a class of only 33 kids. Why now? He was only a sophomore in college, playing baseball and looking forward to a full life ahead. Why now? He was home on Christmas break, surely anticipating time with his family and friends, a pile of presents, and his favorite meals. God, why now? God……why?
P~ Father, We cannot begin to fathom the whys or the why nows. But I am grateful to know he was a young man who knew Your Son. As do His parents. This is a family that will be reunited one day in their forever home. But, O Lord, give his mom and dad and two (adopted) younger brothers Your peace and comfort in the meantime.
We will miss you, Marcus E. Haney (1995-2015)
Star Wars battle | Nikki Metzger
S~ And the dragon was angry at the woman and declared war against the rest of her children – all who keep God’s commandments and maintain their testimony for Jesus. Revelation 12:17 (NLT)
O~ dragon – is the devil, Satan, the one deceiving the WHOLE world. He declared war against me – one who keeps God’s commandments and maintains my testimony for Jesus.
A~ I just saw the new Star Wars movie. What an epic battle between good and evil!
I can’t forget that I’m smack dab in the middle of a battle too! Satan has declared war against me and will not stop ’till I’m ineffective for the Kingdom – when I stop maintaining my testimony for Jesus.
Maybe that’s why Satan leaves so many believers alone – they are saved, but they don’t maintain their testimony for Jesus.
P~ Father, please let me always maintain my testimony for Jesus! Probably without words. When I talk it seems, my testimony goes out the door. Let my quiet life be my testimony! In Jesus’ Name I pray!
Build Endurance | Deanna George
S~ This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus. Revelations 14:12 (NIV)
O~ What is patient endurance? Endurance is the ability to withstand hardships and adversity. Life is not going to be easy, but we are called to be patient, faithful, and obedient.
A~ If I want to run a 10k race, I have to train so that I may finish the race with strength and dignity. I would not dream of waking up one day and deciding I was going to run in a 10k race. I am a bit competitive, so I know I would push myself to do the best I could. If I ran without training, there would be a great chance that I would walk part of it, lose my ability to walk pain free for the next several days, and question my sanity for doing it without preparing. Building endurance does not come from will power nor does it come over night. My relationship with Jesus is the same way. If I don’t have a training regiment of praying, praising, seeking, and reading God’s Word, then I will go into adversity or hardship with no confidence, no memories of scripture to help pull me through, or the ability to remember to turn to God first. God wants me to be patient and obedient to him when life gets hard. He wants me to to be prepared for when it does get tough because the endurance we build through my relationship with him, and it will give me the strength and the patience needed to survive the trials I go through.
P~ Lord Jesus, thank you for reminding me that my heart is in training everyday. It is my responsibility to build my spiritual endurance by including you in all of my life circumstances. Please help me to use the small trials to build up my patience, my desire to seek you first, and to search out and learn the Bible. I want to use it as a crutch when life gets hard. I want to build the endurance in my soul so that I may be patient for your hand in my life. I want to forget that I could try to do it on my own. Thank you for telling me to prepare.
Discover One Thing 