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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.
Give From The Heart | Kim Chipman
S~ Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from everyone whose heart prompts them to give. Exodus 25:2 (NIV)
O~ 2 Cor 9:7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give,not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
There is so much in the OT that is prescribed. You want things done EXACTLY a certain way. This, however, is something God wants to come from the heart to show love, allegiance, and worship.
A~ I see this in Your character now so clearly. You don’t force giving or praying or following. You aren’t pushing, You’re leading. You give us free will because without a choice there can’t really be love. Ultimately You want my heart. You want me to choose You in big and small ways.
P~ Oh Lord I love You! Help me to see all the small choices I can make to show you honor and my love and devotion. I need Your help prompting my heart because sometimes my heart leads me astray. Help me to recognize Your voice from my own fleshly desires. I love You!
Jesus, Our Atonement Cover | Tara Wiley
S~ “Make an atonement cover of pure gold…There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you…” Exodus 25:17,22
O~ God was giving Moses instructions for the tabernacle, the first place of worship He had given to His people. In this elaborate and beautiful tent was an inner area called the Holy Place, and within this separated area was another closed off area, called the Most Holy Place (Exodus 26). This is where the atonement cover talked about in Exodus 25 was kept. This was where God met with His people and gave instruction.
A~ Now, because of Jesus, we have access to God without having to go through the many steps required in the Old Testament. HE is our atonement cover.
Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sins… 1 John 2:2
Back then, coming before that holy place of meeting with God before the atonement cover required a series of rituals, sacrifices, and cleansings, and only the selected priest could enter. How often do I take for granted the access I have to God, the indwelling of His Holy Spirit, the reality that because of the covering of Jesus’ atonement for my sins, I can come freely to Him without having to make myself clean first, because He has already done it?
P~ Lord, today I get to worship You with Your people in a hotel, of all places. We do not have the gold altars, the tent, the draping, the holy places. But You have made Your dwelling in our hearts, and so we freely come to You at all times and in all places. Lord, I don’t want to be flippant about this. I don’t want to forget just how incredibly holy You are, and what a privilege it is to freely come to You because of the access given by Jesus’ sacrifice for me. When You died, Jesus, and the veil separating the holy of holies was torn in two (Matthew 27:51), You ushered in a new access. Today, I get to freely worship You, covered by Your perfect sacrifice, made pure and clean because of You. Thank You, Lord, for the privilege.
My Heart is Where it Starts | Luisa Penaherrera
S~ For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good words from a good heart, and an evil person produces evil words from an evil heart. Matthew 12:34b, 35 (NLT)
O~ The notes in my Bible: Jesus reminds us that what we say reveals what is in our heart. What kinds of words come from your mouth? That is an indication of what is in your heart. You can’t solve your heart problem, however just by cleaning up your speech. You must allow the Holy Spirit to fill you with new attitudes and motives, then your speech will be cleaned at its source.
A~ I need help with this, not only my speech, but my thoughts as well. I need to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.
P~ Father, you have provided for me. Thank you for Holy Spirit. Help me to listen, help me to learn.
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