“There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:42 (NLT) The heart of this ministry is to inspire a love for God’s Word and encourage the discipline of daily Bible reading and SOAP journaling. 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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Find Life | Kim Chipman
S~ If you obey my decrees and my regulations, you will find life through them. I am the Lord. Leviticus 18:5 (NLT)
O~ God is giving instructions to Moses for him to pass along to the Israelites. God in v3 commands ‘do not act like the people in Egypt, where you used to live, or like the people of Canaan where I am taking you. You must not imitate their way of life.’
A~ While this is the Old Testament and I now walk around covered by the blood of Jesus and I’m free from The Law…I’m pretty sure Your desire for me is the same. Do not imitate the way of life of non believers. YOU are the Lord MY God. And because of that my life should look different. The reason I should follow Your commands? I will find life through them. Not because You want to torture me and suck the fun and joy out of me…You want me to find LIFE. Romans 8:6 says ‘So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your life leads to life and peace.’
In the moment..in the heat of life and conflict…it is easier to choose my sinful nature. It is easy to wander away one little step at a time from Your path – the path that leads to life and peace. My thought life is where it all starts so fixing my thoughts on You…taking EACH THOUGHT captive and teaching it to obey You…the evil one is so sneaky and my sin and pride is so deeply ingrained…
P~ Lord, help me to take each thought captive to obey You. Transform me. Help my life to imitate You and not the world. Soften my heart to hear Your whisper so I can find life through obedience. I love You.
God’s Got This! | Kelley Deases
S~ “He[Jesus] said to them, ‘It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.’” Acts 1:7 (NIV)
O~ Those who saw Jesus after He rose from the dead were clamoring for answers. At the forefront of their minds was, “So, NOW are You going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” Jesus responds by saying that only God knows certain things and it is not for us to concern ourselves with. Even Jesus was content, having taken on human form during His time on earth, not to know everything His Father knew and simply submit to His part in the Grand Plan.
A~ I want to know! How will the next elections turn out in this country? Who will my boys marry and will their families walk with the Lord? Will I get a tax refund this year? 🙂 But Jesus cautions me, as He did His followers back then, not to get ahead of myself. God is sovereign and I can trust that He knows how this world, and my life, will unfold. That should be enough. Some things will be revealed to me at their proper time. Others may not even be within my purview to know at all.
P~ Father, Help me take each day as it comes, seizing the opportunity to see You in it and shine Your light where I can. Don’t let me get bogged down in the “What’s going to happen next?”
Look to the skies | Marisa Hartman
S~ “They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:10-11 (NIV)
O~ The Apostles just witnessed Jesus ascend into the sky in a cloud. Of course they were still looking into the sky! The 2 men dressed in white are assumed to be angels. The angels are letting them know that He will return on the clouds, just as Jesus himself said in Matthew 24:30, “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.”
The Apostles have seen some pretty amazing things while with Jesus, but I can imagine this was incredible.
A~ The “men of Galilee” couldn’t take their eyes off the skies looking for Christ. I should be seeking Him just as fervently. When He comes back, I want Him to know me. If I’m not seeking Him daily, He won’t know me and I won’t know Him.
P~ Lord, thank you for wanting to know me. I look forward to the day of your return! Keep our eyes (and hearts) seeking You.
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