“Staying Near the Chariot”: A SOAP Journal Based on Acts 8

S = 8:26-31 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”

So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, ²⁸ and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet.

The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”

Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.

“How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

O = This man Phillip was one of the seven men chosen to “wait tables” so that the Hellenist (Greek-speaking Jews) widows got their fair share of the distribution of bread (6:1-7). Is it any surprise that we see this Spirit-filled man sharing the “bread” of the gospel of Jesus Christ with people of other cultures, even at great risk to himself (his co-worker Stephen had just been killed)? Saul’s persecution had scattered the Christians from Jerusalem and Philip went boldly preaching the gospel (lit., good news) not complaining about persecution (the bad news) and people paid attention (8:4-8). It seems that we rarely hear what the Spirit is saying when we are complaining. The Spirit-led witnessing of Phillip happens as he responds in trusting obedience to simple (but incomplete) instructions. Finally, God cared enough about a disabled Ethiopian accountant to send a special messenger to him. Not a stretch for a man who had ministered to both the overlooked (6:1-7) and the overwhelmed (8:4-8) to overtake the perplexed official and open the Word of God to him. Jesus is for everyone, but Jesus is also the only way. Transformational!

A = When the Spirit says “Go” why do I so often over-think and under-obey? If I want to be Spirit-led I must not only be quick to hear and obey what he says to all Christians through the Bible, and also willing to trust those small fragmentary promptings he speaks to my heart. By fragmentary I mean that rarely do we see the second and third steps until we take the first. How long do I need to run alongside this person’s chariot? The Spirit didn’t tell Phillip, so I guess that means as long as it takes. When can I share what I know? When I am asked to do so…until then I need to keep running beside the chariot! So, in my multi-cultural, multi-ethnic context, how willing am I to stay near another’s cultural “chariot”? Will I take the time to learn about them and to enter into authentic conversations concerning their questions about Christ? I hope so.

P = O Lord,  may I be quicker to obey your voice and patient to wait for the right moment to give an answer. May my interest and care for others make them thirsty enough  to ask for a drink and may my words be true to yours so that a cup of kindness grows into the baptism of a transformed life. Start the process in me today so that I have something truly good to share with others. Amen.

The Great Intermission: A SOAP Journal Based on Acts 1

S = Acts 1:4-8

And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 

O = As Christians we are familiar with the Great Commission where we are commanded to preach the gospel to the whole world (Matthew 28:19-20) but before the disciples could obey that command they had to obey the lesser-known command to wait in Jerusalem…which I call the Great Intermission (between the departure of Jesus and the coming of the Holy Spirit in power). In Jesus' last conversation with his disciples before he ascended into heaven, he told his disciples that they were to wait for “the baptism with the Holy Spirit” (v.5) Jesus was not about to send them out into the world without the power they needed to fulfill their commission. They then had a charts-and-graphs kind of question about the prophesied restoration of Israel, but Jesus said that knowledge was “none of their business.” What they would get to experience was the power and presence of the Holy Spirit and the privilege of witnessing to people around the world about the resurrection of Christ. Note: Baptism (Greek word baptizo) carries the meanings of 1) Complete immersion in X, and 2) Total identification with X. This immersion in, and identification with, the Holy Spirit becomes a defining moment for us like Israel’s passage through the Red Sea.

A = Before I can effectively fulfill my commission to be a witness for Jesus Christ, I have to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. The task is too large, the distance too far, the need too great, the opposition too vehement, the labor too long, and the cost too high for my own limited resources. Moses once told God that he wouldn’t go into the Promised Land if the Lord himself didn’t go with them (Ex. 33:12-16). This passage in Acts 1, is the Lord making sure that his followers had the presence of God with them and in them before they began the journey appointed for them. This is a lesson I need to apply to my own life as well.

P = O Lord, like Moses, I don’t want to go anywhere without you. Certainly, I can’t go where you ask, in the way you ask, without the power of the Holy Spirit upon me. So I thank you for sending your promised Spirit to me and I ask you to fill me afresh each and every day. Holy Spirit I grant you full access to every area of my life. Gift me with what I need to love others well. Please produce visible evidence (fruit—Gal. 5:22-23) of your presence in my life that I might love and glorify you this week.   Amen.

A Spiritual Life: A SOAP Journal Based on Galatians 5

S = Galatians 5:16-18, 22-25

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law… But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”

O = Walking is a common and appropriate metaphor for life. If we walk/live by the Spirit—if it is the Spirit that is operating in than through us—we will not gratify the desires of the flesh. Here “flesh” is not used in the sense of the physical body but in the sense of the sinful self-will.  This chapter makes it clear that what is in us quickly shows in our attitudes and actions like some kind of spiritual Gatorade ad. The Spirit doesn’t lead us back under the law either (v.18) for there can be no limits placed on what the Spirit produces in us (v.22-23).

A = So what is oozing out of my life today, self or Spirit? Do I process life through the “I’ll-get-mine” or the “I’m his” approaches? Today I want to allow the Holy Spirit to simply do what he does—in me, and through me. I know I can’t produce spiritual fruit on my own. I confess that from the beginning. I simply say no to the sinful nature and say yes to the Holy Spirit (Romans 6:12-14)…but not out of some kind of sanctified self-effort. I desire to let the Spirit operate in me relationally…I want to walk with the Lord in response to his love for me. He is much better company than I can rustle up on my own (5:19-21)!

P = O Lord, you know how strange your ways seem to us as we walk in the midst of a world made toxic by our twisted desire to focus on ourselves. So please turn our hearts to see as you see, to think as you think, and to walk as you walk…together by the Spirit. Today I need to be filled afresh with your presence, not only for my sake but for my family’s sake, and ultimately for the sake of your good name. Lord, please detoxify my system again today and empower me to shape my culture for the sake of your kingdom.  Amen.

“Relational” A SOAP Journal Based on John 14 & Ephesians 4

S = John 14:15-17 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. 

Ephesians 4:30 “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

O = Jesus, concerned for his followers as his time for death and departure drew near was that they might know that he wasn’t leaving them alone. The Father would at Jesus’ request provide the Holy Spirit (here called the Helper/Counselor; Greek “paraclete”) to dwell with them and in them. They would not be alone, but closer and more relational than ever before. This Spirit would bear witness of Jesus to them (John 15:26) and remind them of all Jesus had said (John 14:26)—think of the blessed memories that would be kindled in their hearts! The disciples were told to wait for the power of the Spirit to come (Acts 1:4) because they would not be able to be relational enough to change the world without God living in them. I include the seemingly negative command of Ephesians 4:30 in this devotional because it addresses this issue of relationship. We grieve the Holy Spirit when we separate ourselves from our relationship with him in our affections, our, thinking, and in our behavior. Such grieving of the Spirit is seen in how we relate to each other (v. 31-32).  

A = I know that there are times that I feel alone but through faith in Jesus Christ, I am not alone. The Father and the Son indwell me by the Holy Spirit! God is relational in his very being and has not pushed me away because of my sin. Instead, as an outpouring of his love, he has taken my sin upon himself so that I might be clothed in his righteousness. He has come to relate to me—yet I need to train myself to listen to his voice. The more I listen, the more I desire to obey in love and the less I desire to speak or do anything that would direct my heart away from his.  

P = O Lord, thanks for inviting me to be a part of your relationship of holy love. Open my ears to hear and believe what the Holy Spirit speaks to me today. Give me discernment to be able to separate your voice of love from the many deceptions and distractions of the world and my own will. May I not grieve the Spirit today, but embrace all that you have taught me and love you with all my heart…living not for myself.  And thank you for being my advocate when I fail (1 John 2:1). Amen.

With Glad & Generous Hearts: A SOAP Journal Based on Acts 2

S = Acts 2:42-47 “And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

O = When we are devoted to a teaching we do more than agree with it in our head. We seek to apply it to our lives. Their devotion to the apostles’ teaching led to a community of shared purpose. The worshipped together, prayed together, learned together, and ate together. Their sharing wasn’t some kind of hippy commune but what we would call a missional community. Their life was about living out the love of Christ together as witnesses in the world. What did this do to their attitude? They did what they did “with glad and generous hearts” not under compulsion or merely out of duty. Without true relational community they could not have accurately represented their Trinitarian God.

A = In our culture, we over-value individualism and self-effort. In other cultures there is more emphasis on the group and collective mission of the community. Such was the culture of the New Testament church. It seems that we need to think, feel, and function more as a community, a family, a whole body, rather than as a voluntary association of individuals. Perhaps we could even begin to look for collective applications of our Bible teachings, “What should we do as a result”, rather than just, “What will I do?” So collectively are we devoted to following Christ, and sharing life with glad and generous hearts? If so then our witness in the world will draw many to Christ.

P = O Lord, may I hear you speak through the teaching of the Bible and through the true community of your people. May I have the courage to be authentic and honest with you, and the wisdom to stay connected with a growing community of believers who are devoted to following you together. May you fill my heart with gladness and may your generous love overflow from my heart to others as we share life, learning, and the table in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

“Wait For It…” A SOAP Journal Based on Acts 1

S = Acts 1:4-5, 8 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit…But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

O = After the resurrection, during the forty days when Jesus appeared physically to the disciples, there was one meal where Jesus told them to wait…not for their food but for the coming of the Holy Spirit which would happen about a week after his ascension into heaven. They were specifically instructed to stay in Jerusalem until they had received the Holy Spirit in power.

Ironically, it was Pentecost, the feast celebrating the firstfruits (beginning of the early grain harvest), that God gave them the Holy Spirit as they became the firstfruits (Romans 8:23; 2 Thess. 2:13-14) of the Kingdom of God.

A = This passage forces me to consider how many times I go about my business, or even attempt to do the Lord’s work, in my own knowledge and power instead of that of the Holy Spirit. It can be very frustrating! However, God has not called us to frustration, but empowers us (Acts 1:8, Ch. 2), equips us (John 14:26; Eph. 3:16), and encourages us (Acts 9:31; Romans 8:6 & 16) in the promised Holy Spirit. However, I must “wait for it” but not in the same way they did. The Holy Spirit has been given, but I must “wait” in the sense of seeking the baptism and filling of the Holy Spirit in prayer and in humble confession of my need to the Lord each day. I can too easily be deceived into thinking I can do what I need to do on my own and miss out on the blessing of participating in God’s plan and power for the day.

P = O Lord, thank you for giving me your Spirit to me as a guarantee, a sign that you are in me as 1 John 4:13 reminds me. Thank you that you have provided the power I need to do the work and live the life to which you call me. I confess I can’t live up to it. In myself I have not the strength, the patience, nor the love I need and my family needs from me. I desperately need your mercies to be new every morning and for your Spirit to lead and empower me to follow in faith today that I might wait on you! Let me walk with you today in the Spirit! Amen.

“Worry Free”: A SOAP Journal Based on Matthew 6

S = Matthew 6:24-25 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

O = When people consider this well-known passage about not worrying or being anxious they usually start in verse 25. However, it is a good idea to take our clue from the first word of v. 25 “Therefore” and track back to the previous section to which it is referring (v.19-24). The passage that addresses our worries and anxiety is the result of the section that talks about the place of our investment and the person of our devotion. Having invested our life and our love wisely goes a long way towards reducing our circumstantial anxiety. The reader is encouraged to invest in heaven and be devoted to God not money because heaven is a sure deal and God values you, knows your needs, and will provide for you day by day as you seek him.

A = So I have to ask myself, what am I living for? Can it be taken away or is it beyond the reach of all grabbers, gobblers, and grunge? My heart will be where my treasure is. If it is in my hands then it is my job to protect it, preserve it, and polish it. That makes me a bit nervous. But if I realize that my true treasure, value, and legacy are in Christ then my devotion impacts the concerns that come my way. So if someone was to look at my bank statement what would it say about where my heart and devotion is? If I was to ask my friends what I am passionate about what would they say? My life doesn't consist of the things I have collected but of the love I have given.

P = O Lord, thank-you that when I trust you I have nothing to worry about. I know that I may face hard circumstances but it doesn't change who I am as your child. You love me more than I deserve and offer me a life and a future better than I can imagine. This week, show me how to love you more fully, to trust you more completely, and to walk patiently with you—taking this life one day at a time. Amen.

Joy & Peace: A SOAP Journal Based on Philippians 4

S = Phil. 4:4-7 ^“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

O = This is one of the best-known passages from epistles. This is an amazingly joyful letter that Paul wrote from a dungeon while facing certain execution to a church that began in persecution (Acts 16). Paul knew that it was in the times of suffering that you really experienced the presence of God. He was an expert in facing difficult circumstances (2 Cor. 11:23-28). So when Paul speaks about what to do in hard times I want to listen, and this passage readily yields several observations:

• Like Paul, we too should rejoice in the Lord for he is always the same and a valid reason for joy.
• In our stress, we should not treat others unreasonably or unkindly because the Lord is really near.
• Instead of wasting time worrying, it would be a better use of my time to pray about everything.
• The prayer of faith gives thanks at remembering how God has been faithful in the past. It is also thankful in advance for the answers to our current prayers.
• When I choose to trust Jesus with all my concerns, his peace will guard my inmost thoughts and feelings no matter how crazy my situation.

A = So when I read this passage its application seems very clear to me. Take what Paul says seriously and lighten up by focusing on what is true about the Lord. Am I rejoicing in the Lord today? Am I treating others as though Jesus were right with us or would enter the room at any moment? Am I choosing to worry or to pray? Am I filled with gratitude to the Lord today? Do I sense his peace, a peace that makes no sense in my situation but I am experiencing it nonetheless? Today I choose to direct my gaze upon the Lord more than upon my problems and I am thankful for the peaceful perspective it brings!

P = O Lord, you are and have always been a faithful God! I delight in your nearness and ask you to help me to treat others as if they were a gift from you. Help me to continue to bring all my concerns to you, for you are the one who can change things, and when things don’t change you change me into one who can trust you in the dark as well as in the light. Thank you for protecting my soul with your peace! Amen.

Let Us Rise Up and Build: A SOAP Journal Based on Nehemiah 2

S = Nehemiah 2:12-13, 17-19

Then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. And I told no one what my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. There was no animal with me but the one on which I rode. I went out by night by the Valley Gate to the Dragon Spring and to the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that were broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire…

Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.” And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work. But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us…”

O = Nehemiah’s didn’t just feel bad about the condition of Jerusalem, he thought about what to do, then got permission from the king to repair the wall. After traveling from Persia to Jerusalem he carefully inspected the wall without outside interference and then cast the vision for the rebuilding project. In those days the wall of a city was very important to the security and liberty of the residents. Without a city wall, even their worship in the rebuilt temple was at the mercy of their hostile neighbors. Also I observe that they had to “strengthen their hands for the good work.” Good work isn’t usually easy. It involves investigation, planning, vision, community partnership, commitment, skill, vigilance, and endurance. There will often be rubble and rubbish from past failures that needs to be cleared away. There will also be seasons opposition by those who hate the people and purposes of God. Adverse circumstances are no indicator of God’s will. Nehemiah enjoyed both good and bad circumstances in this same project to which he was called.

A = What is it that troubles my heart (in a good way) to want to make a difference? What project is it that the Lord is calling me to do? Where are the Lord’s people being shamed and oppressed? Where are my brothers and sisters feeling insecure, defeated, and discouraged? Perhaps that answer to all these questions is the same. How can I partner with others to better represent the love and truth of God to the world? I need this be a week of investigation and revelation!

P = O Lord, you know what needs to be done to make the world more like it should be. You also know that it is completely outside my strength and ability to even make a dent in the task. I thank you that you do not call us to a life of futility, but give us the power (by the Word and the Holy Spirit) to faithfully do what you have asked. May I trust in your leading and empowering presence this week, and may you be glorified as a result. Help me to clean and build plumb in every area of my life today. Amen.

Conviction, Condemnation, & Casting: A SOAP Journal based on John 21

John 21

S = 21:3-7 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea.

O = Despite his protests (Matthew 26:33-35), Peter had denied Jesus three times on the night Jesus was arrested. This betrayal was sealed with the eye contact of Luke 22:60-62. Peter wept bitterly. But now that Jesus was risen, how would Peter respond in light of his great failure—in conviction or condemnation?

Would he give in to the temptation to flee from his Lord and his calling like Jonah had done centuries earlier or would he draw near and share breakfast with the risen Jesus? Jonah had given up on God, but God hadn't given up on him...and restored him to his office of prophet. Peter may have given up on Christ , but Christ Jesus had not given up on Peter. Our sin does not disqualify us from coming to Jesus. We have all sinned and need Jesus but the devil tries to use our past to keep us from the future that Jesus has for us.

• Conviction comes from the Holy Spirit and drives us to Jesus in confession and repentance.
• Condemnation comes from the devil and drives us away from Jesus in hopelessness and cynicism.

To which voice are we listening? To what experience are we yielding? The answer is revealed by the direction are we moving...towards Jesus, or away from Jesus.

Here on a fishing trip Jesus meets Peter and restores him to his original calling (fisher of men) with a miracle amazingly similar to the first (Luke 5:1-11). But something has changed with Peter. He no longer tries to withdraw from Jesus (Luke 5:8) but casts himself (ironically) into the water—like he would have cast a net—in an effort to get to Jesus more quickly.

A = Do I think that Jesus needs to hang back from me because of my weakness, failures, and even intentional sin of my past or do I hear his voice of love calling me to come and share breakfast with him? My job is not to clean myself, but having been cleaned and fed by Jesus I am—like Peter—to feed Jesus sheep. I am saved by grace, and restored by the love of God poured out in my heart by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5). This week I need to do all I can to spend time with my risen Lord!

P = O Lord, may I learn to follow your plan for my life without debating what I will and will not do. You know me better than I know myself and yet you love me still—I am humbled by the magnitude of your love. I pray that the light of your love and acceptance dawn in my life each morning. May I be strengthened to face the future as a faithful servant…even unto death should that be the valley through which we will pass, for in your resurrection I can see that there is life on the other side as long as I am with you! May your resurrection power remake my life each day as I follow you! Amen.        

Hung Up Over Bitterness: A SOAP Journal Based on Esther 5

S = Esther 5:9-11, 13-14 And Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he neither rose nor trembled before him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai. Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home, and he sent and brought his friends and his wife Zeresh. And Haman recounted to them the splendor of his riches, the number of his sons, all the promotions with which the king had honored him … Yet all this is worth nothing to me, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate.” Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows fifty cubits high be made…to have Mordecai hanged upon it. Then go joyfully with the king to the feast.” This idea pleased Haman, and he had the gallows made. 

O = Haman had all the wealth power and honor one could ever hope to receive in Persia but he allowed bitterness towards Mordecai to get the better of him. His statement in v.13 seems ludicrous but it was true. If he couldn’t force Mordecai to fear him and honor him then life was not worth living. It was a such a powerful personal bitterness that Haman could not enjoy all of his many blessings. It was the audacity of Mordecai’s failure to treat Haman like a god that perhaps opened the door of Haman’s memory to a deeper, centuries old bitterness that of the Amalekites and the Israelites (1 Samuel 15). Haman was descended from an Amalekite king and Mordecai was related to King Saul. Because of Saul’s failure Haman was now, 400-500 years later in a position to wipe out the whole Jewish race. However, by God’s providence and Mordecai and Esther’s humility and courage, Haman was hung from his own gallows—truly hung up on bitterness.

A = Are there certain areas of frustration that prevent me from enjoying my friends, family, possessions, and reputation in the community with which God has blessed me? Or do I somehow think I am owed something more? Something that I can’t let go of and must deal with my own way—badda-bing, badda-boom! Are there times when I am too quick to listen to bad advice from others or from my own ambition? This week I choose to forgive rather than fester, to confess rather than complain, and give honor rather than seek it.

P = O Lord, you know may every failure and yet in your love forgive me. Help me this week to forgive others in your name. Do not give me up to the fires of bitterness but enable me to humbly bless even those who love me not. I cannot do it on my own, my love is too small—but yours is not. May you be glorified in how I think of and treat others this week. Amen.

"I Am Too Ashamed": A SOAP Journal Based on Ezra 9

S = 9:5-9 “Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self–abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the Lord my God 6 and prayed:

“O my God, I am too ashamed and disgraced to lift up my face to you, my God, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens. 7 From the days of our forefathers until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today. 8 “But now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage. 9 Though we are slaves, our God has not deserted us in our bondage.”

O = This book is set mainly in Jerusalem after the Jews had returned from their exile in Babylon and Persia. It takes up the history of Israel where 2 Chronicles leaves off. The Jews had originally been sent into exile for their stubborn idolatry and the resulting social injustices. After the 70 years had passed, Cyrus issued an edict for the Jews to return to Israel and rebuild the temple. There were three major waves of returning exiles. Ezra led the 2^nd group to return. However, the returnees soon began to fall into the same idolatrous affections and behaviors that caused their previous removal. Ezra is appalled (v.3) and verses 6-15 are his prayer of confession to God…and of correction of the people. This issue of intermarriage was not primarily a racial issue but a religious one. What did the Israelites love more—the abominations of the neighboring nations or the Lord?

A = The same issue is in play today. There are so many things competing for my affections, so many voices urging compromise with the coercive forces of our culture and our economy. Certainly marriage, intended as our most intimate relationship on earth, if not based on a shared love for the Lord Jesus will certainly move us away from a wholehearted devotion to God. Our jobs can also step up into as the primary source of value and identity in our lives instead of finding them in Christ. The questions I must ask myself this week include: “Are my affections leading me to the full freedom found in Christ or subtly shackling me in sin? And, “As I engage the world around me, do I love God more or less?”

P = O Lord, help us to see that sin is not just tied to our individual actions and attitudes, but it collective as well. We have become a society that has a divided heart at best. May we renounce the false loves that over-promise and under-deliver so that we might be free to pursue the greatest Love of all. May your love change us from being takers and users to being selfless givers and “blessers”, fully living for the glory of the name of Jesus Christ! May we be set free from fear, even the enslaving fear of death (Heb. 2:14-15) that we might not make an idol of even our own lives (Rev. 12:10-11). Lord, you conquered the accuser by your own blood. Please shape us into overcomers through your Spirit and your Word. We want to give you free reign in our lives! Amen.

From Death to Life: A SOAP Journal based on Ezekiel 36-37

S = Ezekiel 36: 26-28 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.

Ezekiel 37:1-6, 11-14 The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”
… Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.”

O = Israel’s issue, as recorded in the Old Testament, was a stiff neck and a heart of stone. It repeatedly required God to bring covenant discipline upon them…ultimately it led to their exile from the land. They were taken as captives to Babylon and scattered among the nations as well. After their hope of being God’s people had died in idolatry and dried in the blazing heat of their captivity, God sent this message of new, prophetic, Spirit-filled life. But could they believe it? The imagery of this valley of dried bones is a picture of the hopelessness of man’s efforts and the power of the life-giving Holy Spirit of God. Once God has changed our heart, we too can become people who prophetically speak God’s life to others.

A = So many promises seem to go unfulfilled in the world today. We have pushed God away in our pride and our passion for lesser goods made gods. Separation from our Creator has left many like branches pruned from the vine, drying in the sun, and awaiting the fire (John 15:6). Is it hopeless for us? Did we believe something better for our marriages, our children, our friends, our career, our lives? Do our dreams of living and serving the Lord together seem like so many dried and scattered bones where even our memories are now dishonored? Just as God prophetically began to resurrect the nations of Israel and Judah in the years of the exile and then suddenly restored them to life and land, we can trust him to restore our hope, to give us a new heart, to bring life out of death. It is not what we deserve…it is simply what he does. He is a loving, miracle-working, Redeemer! So to whom will the Lord have us speak “Life” this week?

P = O Lord, you know the personal and collective dreams and hopes that have died in our lives. Yet, just as you remained faithful to your people in the past, I ask that you would show yourself powerful to save and restore your people today. May your Spirit breathe life into the dry bones of our efforts, and muscle and connecting sinews to relationships long severed by our individualism, and cover us in your garments of righteousness and bring glory to your name in our lives and in the world today. As you rose from the grave to give us eternal life, give us eyes of faith to see you at work today! You are the Lord who has spoken and will do it. Lord, Increase our faith! Amen.

The Statue & The Stone: A SOAP Journal based on Daniel 2

S = Daniel 2:20-22, 31-35, 44-45 Daniel answered and said:

“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,

to whom belong wisdom and might.

He changes times and seasons;

he removes kings and sets up kings;

he gives wisdom to the wise

and knowledge to those who have understanding;

he reveals deep and hidden things;

he knows what is in the darkness,

and the light dwells with him…

v. 31-35 

“You saw, O king, and behold, a great image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening. The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.

As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth."

v. 44-45 

"And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”

O = In these passages, we see that God was still answering prayers of his people in exile. So much attention over the years has been put on the statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and what it refers to in the past and what it might refer to in the future. Some scholars see a picture of four world empires (Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome) while others see references to four kings within the Babylonian empire. Some spend inordinate time talking about the significance of the toes of the statue. But the most important point is that God is sovereign over any kingdom, empire, or human government (v. 21). God is also the revealer of hidden things (v. 22). It is God’s kingdom that brings all human kingdoms to naught. In a remarkably short time the followers of Christ turned the powers of the world upside down…not through violence but through love. God’s kingdom is not so much a place as it is a people who will live forever in the presence of their God. His kingdom is not brought about by a violent revolution (e.g. by human hands [v. 34 & 45]) but by the mysterious work of God Himself. This happened through the incarnation, culminating at the cross and resurrection of Jesus.

A = Do I see worldly politics, economics, and military power as ends in themselves, or as something “too big to fail”? Am I able to see what is going on “behind the curtain” in the spiritual realm? Like Daniel, in times of plenty and in times of turmoil and crisis, I need to be a person of earnest prayer, uncompromising convictions, and a desperate trust in God as the One who is in control not just of my life but is the Lord of history. Do I really believe that God removes kings and sets up others? I need to be seeking direction, revelation, and deliverance for myself, and others from the Eternal LORD not some temporary human government. Political instability will not cause me to fear for I know the One who brings the kingdoms of the world to nothing. May this kingdom of God take root in my heart and guide my words and direct my hands this week. This means I need to continually fall in surrender upon the stone that has been rejected (Luke 20:17-18; James 4:6-10). It also means that God’s kingdom is not established by anger and violence (James 1:20). Am I comfortable with my role in God’s humble kingdom that works from the bottom up, or am I going to try to give myself an upgrade?

P = O Lord, you are the Ancient of Days, the Sovereign Lord of all. May I never fear man more than I reverence you. May you make me faithful like a Daniel, gifted to humbly speak your truth to those who ask. May I never seek to promote myself or advance my own kingdom but only to be a part of what it is that you are doing in the world. May you be glorified through me today! Amen.

Living and Thriving in Exile: A SOAP Journal based on Daniel 1

S = Daniel 1:3-7, 17-21 

Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility, youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king's palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and of the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king. Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah. And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego…

As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. And Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus.

O = These young men were taken as captives, part hostage and partially intended to be reeducated—fully accommodated to the culture and to serve as leaders within the Babylonian kingdom. They were renamed, by those in power, with names tied to the pagan deities of Babylon. Would they react with anger and bitterness towards their oppressors? No. With humble respect and tactful diplomacy they remained faithful to God and refused to become addicted to the food of the king. One way that ancient kings guaranteed loyalty was to get their court officials used to the lifestyle of living with access to the king’s table. They likely took the warning of Proverbs 23:1-3 to heart,

When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
    observe carefully what is before you,
and put a knife to your throat
    if you are given to appetite.
Do not desire his delicacies,
    for they are deceptive food.

While they learned all that the Babylonian culture required, their hearts remained devoted to YHWH, the One True God, and he blessed them with wisdom and influence better than all their peers.

A = First, I recognize my own tendency to try to shape others to fit into my world and to conform to my beliefs. I don’t want to be like the Babylonians in this regard. Second, I recognize my temptation to be so like those around me that I lose my “saltiness” (Matthew 5:13). I need to remain faithful to the Lord’s commands, always finding my identity in Christ (he names me in himself), rather than seeking the approval of popularity and power. Third, I need to make sure that I approach others, even my oppressors, with hard work, humility, and respect. Who knows what influence for Christ I might have as a result?

P = O Lord, may I long for you seek to serve in your kingdom more than I desire my earthly appetites to be filled. May the forgiveness I have received from you, flow forth to those that have offended me. May the hope I have in your presence and your return enable me to work with both integrity and with joy even in dark times and places. May others see your light in me and be drawn to it. Amen.

“Show Us…”: A SOAP Journal based on John 14

S = 14:1-11

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. ² In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. ⁴ And you know the way to where I am going.” ⁵ Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” ⁶ Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

⁸ Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” ⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰ Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. ¹¹ Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

O = Jesus had just been speaking to Peter about death and betrayal, now in this section he expanded his conversation to include all the disciples and spoke to their need, “Don’t be let your heart be troubled.” This is an interesting use of the plural “your” and the singular “heart”. Belief in this sense was a collective command for them, as a group, with one “heart” to believe in Jesus and the Father specifically in regards to his coming departure and promised return.
The phrase “many rooms/dwelling places/mansions” speaks into their cultural understanding that many generations of a family share the same house with each new generation building on another extension to the house. Jesus was going to prepare a place, by his death on the cross, for all who would be entering his family through placing their trust in him. In response there are two immediate requests:

1. Show us the way (Thomas)! To which Jesus responds, “I am the way…to know me is to know the Father.”
2. Show us the Father (Philip) To which Jesus responds, “…if you have seen me you have seen the Father.”

This whole section simply oozes the relationality within the Trinity as well as towards his people. That is a God I can believe in!

A = Do I implicitly trust Jesus to do what he has said he will do? There is no “bad cop” kind of divine unity behind the loving words of Jesus. I need to see more clearly than ever that when I wonder what the Father is like I am to look at Jesus. It is in Christ that we can see the Father and live…eternally. This week I am choosing to not allow troubling circumstances to shake my trust in Jesus’ faithfulness. He doesn’t promise me a smooth ride, just good company and a sweet destination. I also realize that I need to be in relationship with other believers as we wait, and work, together until Jesus returns…or we die and go to him. He has prepared a place for me, now he is preparing me for that place.

P = O Lord Jesus, I do believe in you, your Father, your promises, and your works. I ask that you would strengthen our heart together to love and trust you more every day. I ask for our families, friends, and acquaintances to put their trust in you as well, so that they might know you, and be a part of your eternal family. May we minister your encouragement to troubled hearts, as your Spirit leads us, this week. Amen.

Fan Into Flame: A SOAP Journal Based on 2 Timothy 1

S = 2 Timothy 1:1, 6-7, 8-9, 11
•    v.1 “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God…”

·         v. 6-7 “fan into flame the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

·         v. 8-9 “be not be ashamed…but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace.”

·         v. 11 for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher which is why I suffer as I do.

O= When faced with suffering I need to be reminded how I got here, why I am here, and what resources I have available to me.

·         Paul was an apostle by God’s will…not his own power.

·         Timothy had been gifted by God…not by his own talents.

I wonder when I am tempted to give in to fear that what I do makes no difference in the kingdom, when I am tempted to become cynical about people and their motives and ability to change, when I am tempted to give in to my laundry list of subtle appetites that I can so easily forget the nature of the Spirit that God has given me (v.7).

It is by that Spirit…the Holy Spirit that enables me to trust, to love, and to obey—that I am to guard what good deposit has been entrusted to me. And not only to guard it, but to overcome any fear of discovery or ridicule to fan into flame that gifts he has placed in me that I might give others the benefit of light and heat in what might be dark and cold times. The church is not complete without every person stepping up to be whom God has called us to be…together (Ephesians 4:16; 1 Cor. 12:8-11)!

A= I am here because God put me here. I am called because of his purpose and grace, not my abilities. I am His not my own and it is for His glory not my own! So I am to embrace the suffering that may come—he is in it! I need to stop being afraid to be used of God. Just because others might have made fun of me for my love for Christ and my efforts at obedience is no reason for me to stop functioning as a part of the church body. What is the vision God has put on my heart? Am I walking in light of it or settling to sit in the corner and hope no one calls on me?

P= O Lord, thank you for your plan. Help me to follow you boldly, faithfully, in love and purity—empowered by your Spirit today!

Looking in the Mirror—Applying the Word: A SOAP journal based on James 1

S = James 1:19-27

¹⁹ Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; ²⁰ for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. ²¹ Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

²² But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. ²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. ²⁴ For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. ²⁵ But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

²⁶ If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. ²⁷ Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

O = This instruction (v. 22-25), regarding the importance of doing the Word (application), and not merely hearing and forgetting it, is sandwiched between two short paragraphs of easy to understand instruction. The God uses the mirror of his Word (the Bible) to reveal areas that still need to change in our lives. Verse 19, is great relational advice for us, but its context is that of how we should receive and respond to God’s Word—be quick to hear it (listen attentively), slow to teach it (let it change you first), and don’t get angry (confess readily) when it shows you what needs to be done. Further, our anger doesn’t fix things the way God wants to fix them. Verses 26-27 connect the obedient application of God’s Word to the actual words that we speak to others. Do our words conform to his? Or do they reveal that we are not allowing God to transform us from the inside out? Does my faith in Jesus change how I interact with the world? Doing the Word requires us to participate in the Mission of God to the voiceless and powerless…but his way, not mine (See my blog post “Leaf Blower”).

A = So what am I to do with this passage? I will be quick to hear the Word, even the embarrassingly revealing word that for all my faith and study, it is worthless if I speak unlovingly to my wife, kids and coworkers. If all that God gives me in time, talents, and treasure (unavoidable alliteration?) is invested for myself and what is mine, then my faith is false and I am only worshipping myself, or God for what I can get. What am I good at? What brings me joy without regret? How can I use it in showing love for the Lord by loving his people? Am I being trained by the Word of God to deny myself for the sake of others, or am I merely being stained by the world’s selfish attitudes and aspirations. These are the hard questions I must ask myself this week.

P = O Lord, let me not shut my ears to your instruction today. Let me not play games with you, but walk out my surrender to your love on a daily basis. Change me from the inside out so that those around me can no longer deny your presence in my life. Like the first apostles, I may be “uneducated and a common man”, but let people be able to see that I have been with you. You love me—that very thought is enough to transform my whole outlook on life as I learn how to respond to you. O Lord, align my life to your heart day by day. Amen.

SOAP Journal based on Matthew 7 “Stay on Target!”

S = Matthew 7:12-14 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

O = Verse 12 is what we call the “Golden Rule” and it is said to sum up “the Law and Prophets”. Therefore, it must be more than merely outward behavior, but belief—loving God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. To find the “wide gate of destruction” we don’t have to struggle, for it is the way of the world to deliver us there directly. If I was to write a bumper-sticker summary of how to get to the wide gate it would be, “Laissez-faire will get us there!” But Jesus love doesn’t leave us to our own devices. He sets us free to seek the narrow gate (leading to life) that requires us to lay aside all of our baggage, pride, agenda, etc. confessing that we can’t save ourselves. The way is hard because we are either “swimming upstream (like trying to enter the Old City of Jerusalem after Muslim prayer times and everyone is coming out) or we are cutting cross-current from the way that the “many” are headed.

A = I need to live the Golden Rule not just in my behavior which is quite a challenge, but as a response to God’s love, in faith with concentration and commitment to the “narrow gate”. I hope that my passion to follow Christ will make it easier for others to follow Christ and seek his plan. Yet I still feel the current tugging on me to compromise with the crush of humanity headed the wrong way. At times I also feel their judgment upon me for my counter-cultural values, yet it would not be loving for me to just fall in step on the road to the “wide gate.” I want to bear good fruit not bad. I desire to honor Jesus by trusting and obeying his word…building my house upon the rock! I am glad that I have had godly examples over the year to encourage and challenge me, so I must go and pay it forward. In the love of Christ, I’m heading for the narrow gate…want to come?

P = O Lord, let me lock onto the narrow gate, the hard way, remembering that this present discomfort is nothing compared to the eternal weight of glory. May others see the love that is the purpose of my values. Lord, let me not settle for less than your will! Amen.

SOAP Journal from 2 Samuel 12 "You are the Man!"

S = 2 Samuel 12:5-7a, 9, 13 “Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.” Nathan said to David, “You are the man! …Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? ...David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. Nevertheless…”

O = Nathan’s inspired word picture caused David’s anger to flare up in indignation, not knowing that this was about his own sin. One of the first symptoms of self-deception is demanding judgment to the fullest extent of the law for others while expecting grace for ourselves. David was looking for mandatory sentencing guidelines when he should have been crying out for mercy. [Side note: Why is it animal stories get people more worked up than people stories? God is bothered by injustice.]  Another thing I notice is that God says this sin of David in reality “despised the word of the Lord.” I don’t like to think of my own sin in such stark terms…but my sin starts when I love something else more than the Lord and I stop paying attention to his love letters (the Bible). I do appreciate that when David’s eyes are opened after he unknowingly judges himself, he makes full confession. Finally, there is the “Nevertheless”. While David’s life was spared, he still had to face the public consequences of his sin.

A = Am I in the Word today not as a duty but as devotion and even a desperation? If I don’t stay in close relationship with the Lord via reading his Word and prayerfully letting his Word “read me”, I would soon begin to make selfish decisions like those that led to David’s tragic sins. In the end I will follow what I really desire. Will-power is not a long-term solution. I need to desire Jesus more and more, this happens when I spend more and more time relating to him.

P = O Lord, may my times with you be freshened by your love this week. May I never stop allowing you to gently correct the trajectory of my life and the affections of my heart. If I am unaware of my sin please soften my heart to the convicting influence of the Holy Spirit so that I might confess it and repent. Lord, I don’t want my sins to produce “nevertheless” type consequences for others this week, instead make me an instrument of blessing to those I meet.  Amen.