“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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Make My Life Matter | Kim Chipman
S~ How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. James 4:14 (NIV)
O~ My study Bible says, “Life is short no matter how many years we live. Don’t be deceived into thinking that you have lots of remaining time to live for Christ, to enjoy your loved ones, or to do what you know you should. Live for God today! Then, no matter when your life ends, you will have fulfilled God’s plan for you.”
A~ I’m still processing the loss of a friend of mine, Missy. She died suddenly of a massive stroke. She was my age and our kids are close friends.
It is so easy to go through my days with a low level of urgency, but that’s not Your desire I don’t think. Time here is short – sometimes very short. I certainly don’t know how long it will be so I need to STOP procrastinating and DO what is important to me.
I’m sick of certain areas in my house being a mess. TODAY I’m tackling it. I’m sick of looking at it. I need to renew my sense of urgency. Stop putting things off because I don’t feel like addressing them. Live the life I want. No regrets. Then, no matter when my life ends, I will have fulfilled Your plan for me!
Missy live a wide open full life. I bet she had few regrets. She took the trips, ate the dessert, enjoyed the margarita and loved BIG. She had a huge heart to help and uplift others and didn’t really care if she looked silly doing it. She was loud and proud (sometimes it was a lot) but her desire was always to help and cheer on others.
P~ Lord, help me to live each day without regret. Help me to weed out procrastination and time wasting. Help me to amp up my urgency and live BIG for You. I love You!
Each Moment is His | Robin Laney
S~ And now I have a word for you who brashly announce, “Today—at the latest, tomorrow—we’re off to such and such a city for the year. We’re going to start a business and make a lot of money.” You don’t know the first thing about tomorrow. You’re nothing but a wisp of fog, catching a brief bit of sun before disappearing. Instead, make it a habit to say, “If the Master wills it and we’re still alive, we’ll do this or that.” James 4:14-15 (MSG)
O~ Only God knows what tomorrow will bring and so we submit our plans to Him.
A~ We have a friend who always prefaces his spoken plans with, “God willing.” He doesn’t just speak it flippantly, he means it. This friend met Jesus upon waking up in the back of a truck after a drunken night, following many other drunken nights. He struggled mightily with alcohol and his life had become a disaster. He was homeless and far from family. He was alone.
(Side note: This same man was used by God to show us a miracle. We used to serve lunch downtown in a park every Sunday. Many would come who were hungry, physically and spiritually. This gentleman came to eat and visit. One particular Sunday as we were preparing to leave our home, Dave prayed that he wanted to see a miracle on the corner, a real miracle before his very eyes. While we were cleaning up after lunch, this man came to Dave and wanted to show him something. Dave was busy and asked him to wait a few minutes. He did. When he asked this man what he wanted to show him, our friend opened his hand to reveal a large coin signifying a significant period of time living sober. On the coin was written, “I am a miracle.”) I LOVE THIS STORY!
God changed this man and gave him a life and a hope. He shares his story of salvation with many and sees God in everything. He knows that God sustains him each day and he dedicates each of his days to God in thankfulness. Whenever I say either in my head or out loud that I am planning to do this or that, our friend’s words, “God willing” ring in my head.
Because He also saved and changed me, I want to live each moment being ultra aware that it is a gift of God, that He sustains me and has plans for me, and that I need to submit all of my plans to Him. I make many plans and many times I am disappointed because they didn’t turn out as I would have liked. How much more wonder there is in holding loosely to my own plans knowing that He has better ones and watching them unfold. I long to live like that every day!
P~ Lord, make me aware of each breath as a gift from You. May I submit my days to You knowing that Your plans for every moment of my life offer greatness beyond anything I could conjure up. Let me hold loosely to my plans opening them up to You to fulfill Your purposes for my life.
Write! | Kimi Miller
S~ Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it. James 4:17 (NLT)
O~ Delayed obedience is still disobedience.
A~ You are asking – inviting – me to write for You, but I keep avoiding it. Disobedience and disbelief keep me from Your greatest blessings which is why the devil uses everything he can to convince me to not obey and not believe. But You have ALWAYS been faithful. You have ALWAYS proved Yourself true. What then do I have to fear? Why would I not do what You made me to do?
Write! Start small, but start now. Write, Kimberly!
P~ Jesus, forgive me for my sinful doubting. I believe that I can do ALL things through You! Help me to believe You in all areas of my life. Thank You for not giving up on me, even though I gave up on myself. I love You.
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I love your story Robin! That was so cool about how Dave prayed and then it happened!
You can do it Kimi!