“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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I’ve Got VIP Access! | Joni Tyner
S~ But any unauthorized person who gets too near the sanctuary must be put to death. Numbers 3:18 (NLT)
O~ Numbers starts out listing all the tribes, over 603,000 adult men—and that’s not including the women and kids. (side note: Wow. I guess I had no idea there were so many Israelites in the desert. That’s A LOT of people.) So, all of these people, yet only the authorized (The Levites), were allowed near the holy area. This means only a very few had direct access to God. This stuck me as soooo different from us. We, who believe in Jesus have a direct access to Him. Every day. Good days. Ugly days. Sinful days. Celebratory days. Every day and everyway. Our Lord WANTS us to be in intimate contact with Him. In Hebrews 4:16 it says, “Let us come BOLDLY to the throne of our gracious God.” We are not to be nervous or timid with God. Yes, He is worthy of our reverence and respect, but as adopted, chosen children he encourages us to come to the throne. I so love that it we are chosen. He didn’t have to pick me, He wanted too!! I am His possession. 1 Peter 2:9, “You are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s own possession.” Yes, the Bible is very clear that we are chosen, that we are His, we are one of His “priests”. I think that means we have intimate and immediate access to Him. We don’t need an a “middle man” to pray for us, intercede for us.
A~ I am a chosen, wanted and precious child of the Lord. That is a beautiful privilege. I need to bask in that. I am His. I am chosen. I know I’ve repeated that several times but it strikes me as such a privilege. Almost like one of the Levites that were chosen to get close to the sanctuary, He says I get too!! He wants to hear all my concerns, my requests. So, my application for this passage is simple. Do it. I need to use my VIP access and go to the sanctuary. (and He is my sanctuary! See SOAP note from 2/15)
P~ Praise Jesus that I don’t live in fear of being struck dead from getting too close to You.. On the contrary, that is what You ask of me– transparency and my full heart. Thanks for giving me the personal invitation!!
Don’t Be Afraid to Listen | Kimi Miller
S~ Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. Acts 7:57 (NLT)
O~ In the ASV this verse reads, “But they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed upon him with one accord.” Isn’t it interesting that when they did not want to hear the truth anymore, they covered their ears and raised their own voice? It makes me think of a young child, covering their ears and making sounds so she can’t hear what her mama is telling her. Ever been there? I mean, on the child’s side of things? I have. In fact, I’ve been that way with God sometimes, too.
I don’t think this is a learned behavior – maybe it’s innate, but I think there are things I can do to stop it. When I cover my ears to the truth and the voice of the Holy Spirit, I end up doing things on my own accord – often bad things – in this passage it led to murder. In the intensity of an extramarital affair the last thing a person wants to hear is that what he/she is doing is wrong. So instead, they cover their ears and take matters into their own hands. Very often, the result is always the same…hearts are broken, families are destroyed, lives are lost…hope is gone. This is why we must NOT be afraid of the truth – the Light! It that hates the light, and the darkness we’re really afraid of! But it is the Light that sets us free.
A~ I cannot be afraid of the truth, and I need to be open to hear what God is telling me. Instead of acting like a small child throwing a fit, I need to take my hands off my ears, shut my mouth, and listen to God.
When I am convicted by the Holy Spirit about my words or my actions, I need to take those things before the Father and confess them. I need to not only seek His forgiveness, but ACCEPT it. It is most important for me to remember, that His desire is for me to be free from any type of bondage that prevents me from living. If there is something in my life that is doing that, as my Loving Father, He is going to talk to me about those things, and as an obedient child, it would do me good to listen.
P~ Dear Jesus, Thank you for being the Light of my life. Continue to shine on those dark places in my heart and give me the courage to take my hands off my ears and to quiet my own voice so I might hear yours. I ask this in Your holy name, Amen.
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