S.O.A.P. Journaling - Ephesians 2

Date: April 27, 2013
Passage: Ephesians 2


Scripture:
"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus." verses 4-7

Observation:
God - the creator, ruler, ordainer, and controller of everything - simply because of His great love for us, has provided a way for us to be raised up from our filthy, despicable, sinful state, and made us able (through the salvation paid for by His Son) to one day sit in Heaven in His pure and holy presence, and enjoy all it's beauty and wonder and pleasure; that in the ages to come, He can always be showing us more of the unending riches of His grace and kindness to us through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Application:
I was reading Ephesians 2 one morning this past week, and suddenly that beautiful phrase stopped me dead cold. That in the ages to come...
How often I sigh because of happinesses that have not lasted. For example, hobbies that must be set aside for work, favorite seasons that fade to the next one, a good book that comes to an end. But mostly things like, those I love that are no longer near me, friendships that lose their closness of fellowship because of distance, people that change, and memories of good times that are no more.
That in the ages to come...
What a beautiful, beautiful phrase. Because of the unbelieveable mercy and kindess of the one true God, those that are His will have ages ahead of them to enjoy all that is pure and right and good and noble and true. Separation from the ones we love will be non-existent. Music will be so exquisite that it would probably kill us if we heard it here on earth in our weak human state. Learning will be enjoyable, because we will be learning more of the only One Who is worthy - the One Who makes anything good on earth or in Heaven worth wanting. The sights and beauties will be such as we never saw in the most amazing art or the most stunning view on earth. And our hearts will be pure, and we will be able - and will, with all our might - worship the great I Am with all the glory He deserves.
And there will be ages of it.

Prayer:
"Lord, help me keep in perspective the 'ages to come'. Help me to enjoy what You have blessed me with here on this earth, but not mourn so strongly when it is no longer here - after all, the world is inherently temporary, but what matters most will one day belong to Your children forever. Help me to remember the ages of joy to come!"

S.O.A.P. Journaling - Ephesians 4

My S.O.A.P. Journal entry from this week's mentoring/discipleship session with Joy:

Date: Mar. 6, 2013
Passage: Ephesians 4


Scripture:
"... put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. ... putting away lying, ... Be ye angry and sin not: ... Neither give place to the devil. ... steal no more: ... Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, ... " verses 22-30

Observation:
I love how the apostle Paul's books are all full of practical in instruction on how to live a Christian life. Especially the book of Ephesians.

Application:
If we are truly new creatures in Christ, there are lifestyle changes that will naturally occur. And others, that we may have to work on changing. No lying. Do not let your anger control you or cause you to sin. Do not allow the devil to talk you into something your conscience is cautioning you against. Do not steal - things, money, attention, time, or anything else. Speak only good, kind, graceful, spiritual things. And do not grieve the holy Spirit of God.

Prayer:
"Oh Father help me to 'put off the old man' - my old self that is so corrupt - and be renewed by Your Spirit. Help me to be no liar, to not sin when I am angry, to not give in to the devil, to not steal, to only speak good things, and above all, to not grieve the Holy Spirit of God."

S.O.A.P. Journaling - Hebrews 13

My S.O.A.P. Journal entry from this week's mentoring/discipleship session with Joy:

Date: Feb. 27, 2013
Passage: Hebrews 13
Title: "'... as bound with them ...'"

Scripture:
"Let brotherly love continue. ... Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body." verses 1 and 3

Observation:
Brotherly love - love for our Christian family - is the strongest evidence that we belong to Christ. If we truly love each other, we ourselves hurt when those we love hurt. And what stronger bond of love do we - as followers of Christ - have, than when we are suffering for His name?!

Application:
Many times, I forget about other Christians who are suffering for their faith. believers in most of the rest of the world truly suffer persecution - they are shunned by society and sometimes by their own family, physically abused or even killed, separated from their families and other Christians, tortured... But I must not forget them! I must pray for and remember them, as much as if I myself were suffering too.

Prayer:
"Father help my brothers and sisters that are suffering because of their belief in You. Give them courage, strength, peace, hope, love for their enemies, and joy in their salvation. Help me to remember them, as if I were suffering with them. help me not to take for granted my life of freedom. Help me be prepared if the time ever comes when I must suffer for Your name."

S.O.A.P. Journaling - John 16

My S.O.A.P. Journal entry from this week's mentoring/discipleship session with Joy:

Date: Feb. 13, 2013
Passage: John 16
Title: "Present Sorrow, Future Joy"

Scripture:
"But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. ... I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. ... A little while, and ye shall not see Me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see Me, because I go to the Father. ... And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you." verses 6, 12, 16, and 22

Observation:
Jesus was getting ready to go to Jerusalem to be crucified, and was preparing His disciples for His departure. Evidently, they were pretty shocked and heartbroken and the thought of Him leaving them, because He speaks in a very comforting and admonishing way to them in this chapter.

Application:
With the recent changes in my life where people I love have left me, these verses touched and comforted me in a very special way. I can empathize with the disciples in verse 6 - sorrow has filled my heart as well, as some of my dearest friends have moved away. I thank the Lord for His kindness in not giving me more than I can bear right now (verse 12), and I am filled with hope and gladness and anticipation at the promises of verses 16 and 22. What a time to look forward to - when joy is here to stay!

Prayer:
"Help me to remember You are always with me and therefore I will never be alone or friendless. Help me to keep my eyes fixed on that future joy, instead of this present sorrow."

Mentoring Joy

One of the things on my Bucket List is to mentor a younger person, preferably a teenager.
Several months ago, Oct. 24th to be exact (when Bro. Mike was phasing himself out as Youth Director and Justice was filling in until a new Youth Pastor was found), Justice announced to the youth group one Wednesday night, the possibility of implementing a mentoring program between the older youth and/or college youth, and the younger youth. After announcements, as we walked to the house where we have our Junior High class on Wednesday nights, Piper and I were talking about it.
Piper: 'Are you going to do the discipleship thing?'
Me: 'I don't know, I didn't even know about it until tonight! I hope so; I'd love to! One of the things on my 'bucket list' is to mentor a younger person.'
Piper: 'Well, I think you've probably already been doing alot of that without realizing it.'
I melted on the inside.

But it got me thinking, and later praying. I really did want to do it. But each person I thought of 'mentoring', seemed to have something that wouldn't quite let it work out. So I just kept praying about it.
Eventually, several things began happening that caused Joy to come to mind. I began praying specifically about doing it with her. I had no idea where I would squeeze it into my schedule, but I knew that this desire was in my heart, and if the Lord had put it there and wanted me to mentor her, He would work out details.

I prayed about it for several weeks, then asked Dad and Mom what they thought about it. They said it would be fine, and that maybe it would work out for her mom to drop her off at the church after school on Wednesdays, and I could just go early, and we could have our meetings before church.

Next step was to mention it to her parents. I spoke with her mom at church the next Sunday, and she seemed to like the idea. She said she'd speak with Bro. Blake about it. I didn't hear anything from them saying we couldn't, so I decided to start actually planning lessons. I knew Autumn was going through a book with Lindsay, and Julia was doing the same book with Lela. But when I checked the library at the church, they were out. So, I decided that until they got some in and I could read it, we'd use the S.O.A.P. Journal idea, with a different chapter of the Bible to study each week. I made a list of some of the chapters that had (in various ways and for various reasons) been brought especially to my attention in recent weeks.

It turned out to be fine for Joy's mother to drop her off at the church when they left VRCA. We agreed to meet at the church on Wednesday evenings at 4:00, so we'd have plenty of time to do our journals, talk about them, have a prayer time, and still have time to eat supper before church started at 6:30.

Last Wednesday was our first meeting, and I was a little nervous. I'd never done anything like this before, and I wanted it to work well and for Joy to enjoy it. We're good friends already, so we have a good foundation. But I want this to be a time for us both to grow.
It went really well! She was already there when I arrived, Rip-Stiking with Nicole's little brother in the gym. There was a folding table and two chairs against one wall, so we sat there. We read the chapter (1 Thessalonians 5 - chock full of good stuff!), did our journaling, then shared what we'd gleaned from it.

My entry:

"

Date: Feb. 6, 2013
Passage: 1 Thessalonians 5
Title: 'Children of Light'

Scripture:
'Ye are the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.' verses 5, 6, & 8

Observation:
The apostle Paul was writing another letter to another one of his churches. He doesn't seem to be reprimanding much in this letter - more like just exhorting, encouraging, and reminding them of things they needed to keep in mind as they went through their ordinary lives. I like how he seems to be stressing basic Christian living in everyday life, and an active spirit towards being Godly.

Application:
This is a good reminder, and certainly a challenge to be aware of how I am living - do I live as a child of Light? I not only want to avoid darkness, I want to display Light!

Prayer:
'Lord help me display Light! I want to be wise and 'sober'. I want to have my armor on and be prepared to defend myself and/or others against obstacles or attacks from children of the night. Thank You'

"

After we were finished, we had a good bit of time still before supper and church. I took my supper (I'd taken it with me) to the fellowship hall in the front and ate there, then went back into the gym. By this time, more kids had arrived, and there were Rip-Stiks and basketballs moving energetically. Bro. Nick came through on his way to the youth room. He saw me, and stopped to ask if I would be interested in participating in a mentoring program he hoped to start doing in the youth group! I laughed and told him I'd certainly be open to it, and that I had started with Joy that very evening! He seemed surprised, but pleased, so we'll see where this whole thing goes!

Isn't it funny sometimes how God works things?!

S.O.A.P. Journaling - Mark 4:3-8 and 14-20

Date: Dec. 11, 2012
Passage: Mark 4:3-8 and 14-20

Scripture:
"Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.

The sower soweth the word.
And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.
And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred."

Observation:
Here Jesus, as He did so often, was using an object lesson to make a point. He used a concept His listeners were familiar with (farming) to illustrate how freely His followers should spread His Message. The farmer scattered his grain generously, knowing some would grow and some wouldn't. Christians should spread the Love and Word of Christ as urgently and freely to people we come in contact with as this farmer scattered his seed.

Application:
I love this story. It used to discourage me almost - how sad to think of all the seed scattered but refused. All I used to see was that out of four types of soil/people that received the seed/message of God's love, only one group took it and grew.
But a couple of years ago I saw a wonderful encouraging picture in it. Yes, some will be unaffected and flat out refuse. Some will be discouraged and hindered and distracted and choked out. But some will receive and grow. And even of those, some may only grow a little, but some will flourish amazingly.
The kicker though, is that even in the discouragement, there is hope. And that is why I love this story.
The hard-packed pathway that the birds stole the seed from could, over time, be softened, worked, plowed, fertilized, and replanted, and bring forth fruit after all.
The place full of rocks that had no depth could be, with much sweat and labor, cleared, the stones hauled away, and the earth plowed and planted and bring forth fruit after all.
The briar patch that choked and wounded could be chopped and mowed down, the briars be burned, and the soil plowed and planted and bring forth fruit after all.
Each type of ground or person, though at the moment it looks hopeless, with patience, determination, hard work, and love, can become receptive and made to grow.

Prayer:
"Dear Lord, help me not to give up hope in Your power to change a life! Help me to be able to do what I can to soften hard hearts or encourage discouraged ones so that they can take in Your Word and love and be made to grow in Your new Life. Help me to be generous in my sharing of the seed of Your Salvation. Help me to see results through my efforts; but if not, help me to remain faithful and never give up."

S.O.A.P. Journaling - Matthew 22:37-40

Date: Oct. 29 and 30, 2012
Passage: Matthew 22:37-40

Scripture:
"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

Observation:
Jesus was so incredibly clever. Of course He was, it's just that sometimes my little completely-unclever mind is in total awe! When the religious hypocrites of His association thought they'd trip Him up with tricky questions, they quickly found they were in over their heads. When they asked Him what could be the most important command of all their 'holy' law (probably thinking all the laws were equal and that they could 'get' Him when He elevated a single one over the others) He simply answered, 'Love God - with everything you have.'
Who could argue with that?! Of course that one would be the most important! They probably felt really foolish.
But then Jesus takes the situation a step further, turning it from a 'Q & A session' into a sermon - one perfectly balancing love and rebuke.
'The second-most-important command is like the first: Love others the same way you love yourself.'
And He adds a final punch to these guys who felt like keeping all those laws was the most important thing in their lives: 'All the laws are based on these two commands.'
Basically, get these two down pat and you won't need to worry about the rest; all the others will just fall naturally into place.

Application:
Oh how I long to Love! How I want to love God with all my heart, and with all my soul, and with all my mind! My Lord first, above all else, other people even, of course. God help me love You More!
And others. Oh how I want to Love! To love all others the same way I love myself - that sounds at first very easy, but how hard it really is when taken literally! Naturally, like all other people, I subconsciously look out for 'me', first. Not necessarily on purpose, it just happens. When it gets close to lunch time, I start thinking about how hungry I am, automatically. When my stomach growls, I don't immediately think, "So-and-so needs something to eat." I think, "I'm hungry." When I don't feel good, I'm not thinking of extra chores I can do to lessen Trissy's load - my mind is automatically distracted by my headache or sore throat. To love others is a conscious decision - humans automatically look out for themselves first.
So how would it be to love others as we love ourselves? Like the first command, it is one that will require constant practice throughout life. Oh that I may come closer everyday!

Prayer:
"God help me love You More! Help me love You with all my heart; that everything I consider important or special be something that is important or special to You - something that will last, that will effect eternity for Good. Help me love You with all my soul; let me never look to something or someone else to satisfy my hunger and thirst for You and Your Word. Help me love You with all my mind; may all that I consciously put before my eyes (anything I read, watch, or look at), put into my ears (music, conversations with others, etc.), or allow myself to think about, be only what would help me grow closer to You, and help me to serve other people better.
Oh Father help me Love! Help me love people! Cause my love to shine out so brightly that others can see I care about them. Help me to help. Use me to bless those that have blessed me, and those I long to bless. Help me to be open to loving the 'unlovable' people. Give me wisdom - show me how to turn my love into appropriate action that would accomplish Your glory in their lives.
Cause my love for You and for others to only grow greater, and to be a light to direct the wandering to You. In the Name of Jesus, Amen."

Note: The words of Jesus in single quotes are my paraphrase of the actual quotes from the Bible.

S.O.A.P. Journaling - Philippians 1:12-26

Date: Sept. 11 and 12, 2012
Passage: Philippians 1:12-26

Scripture:
"But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;" verse 12

Observation:
As far as I can tell, and have been told, the apostle Paul was in prison at the time of this writing. He was chained 24/7 to a guard. He'd had pretty much everything taken from him: His freedom, his church, his possessions, and even many of his friends. He'd been through torture, beatings, sickness, and numerous other hardships. Yet throughout the book of Philippians, the themes of joy and rejoicing come up over and over. And he's not just joyful, but he's encouraging others to be joyful as well.

Application:
Oh how I need my joy back! There is such heartache in the church right now. Oh how we need our joy back! Yes there are happy times, times when we are thankful and feel so blessed, times when it is brought clear and bright to our eyes what our purpose and mission is. But more often than not it seems lately, we are being attacked with waves of discouragement and sadness so overwhelming they threaten to sweep us from our moorings. There is a difference between happiness and joy. We are creatures of emotion. Happiness lasts as long as conditions seem favorable and upbeat and cheerful. Joy is an anchor, a promise, a hope in the Power we have that will never fail. I think we may have lost sight of that Power. He is still there - He never leaves. But perhaps in the struggles and smoke of battle our view has become clouded, and our eyes are seeing only the losses, the wounds, and the power of the enemy, instead of our valiant Commander desiring to lead us on to victory.

Prayer:
"God give us back our Joy in You! We are so discouraged right now. And yet, there are those who are hoping, who will not let the sadness overrun them. I want to be one of them. I try to be one of them! Encourage those hearts. Strengthen us all. Help us to look to Your spirit for our strength and joy and courage and stamina. Help us to rely on prayer - our most powerful resource - and to encourage each other, instead of letting our sadness spread like a disease. Thank You that You have everything under control. Help us look at this from Your perspective, and thereby have our confidence and courage renewed. Bring us out of this dim time stronger than we ever would have been had we only been faced with ease and plenty. Cause the things that have happened to us, to me, to turn out for the furtherance of Your Gospel. Thank You for Your love. In Your Son Jesus' name, Amen."

S.O.A.P. Journaling - Romans 1:1-2:16

Date: Aug. 2012
Passage: Romans 1:1

Scripture:
"Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God," verse 1

Observation:
The apostle Paul is writing what is considered by many to be his greatest work, a book of practical exhortation, theology, and probably the most systematic presentaion of doctrine in the Bible. He writes to the Roman Christians in a fascinating style, balancing encouragement and exhortation, serious warning, biting sarcasm, quick wit, and a passionate, undeniable love and concern for his readers.

He starts out by identifying himself. His name (Paul). It's almost as if that is enough information for his readers, that they will immediately know who he is, and therefore, what he stands for, and the point of view he's coming from.
But before he hits them with the full force of his message, he takes the time to clarify his job (a servant of Jesus Christ), and the importance of his comission (an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God), just in case there is someone reading who may not know him, or who needs to be reminded why he is so passionate.

Application:
When others hear or read my name, what immediately comes to mind?
What kind of character, standards, and personality do those who know me think of automatically? Is my name/witness strong enough that I don't really have to explain who I am, but when someone who knows me encounters "Kyrie", immediately a person with incredible love and passion for the Lord, His Word, His people, and His work comes to mind?

Prayer:
"Oh Father, help me to live in such a way that people know my name and think of You because of what they know about me. Help me be so strong in my stand and love and life for You that others know my character and think of it when they encounter my name."

S.O.A.P. Journaling - Proverbs 17:27 and 28

Date: June 20, 2012
Passage: Prov. 17:27 and 28

Scripture:
"He that hath knowledge spareth his words; ... and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding." verses 27a and 28b

Observation:
There are times to speak. Times when words are needed in a situation. But so often, silence would be more appropriate. And so often, silence is hard. I suppose that's why a person that can 'hold their tongue' is so praised in the Bible.

Application:
How much I need help with knowing when to speak and when to just not say anything! I would like to think that I'm getting better at it - relationships with others seem to indicate maybe I am learning. But how much work there is still to be done!

Prayer:
"Lord thank You for what You're teaching me about how and when to speak, and when to keep quiet. Help me continue to learn and to be wise, with my words, and with my silences."

S.O.A.P. Journaling - John 13:31-38

Date: June 19, 2012
Passage: John 13:31-38

Scripture:
"Simon Peter said unto Him, Lord, whither goest thou? ... Peter said unto Him, Lord, why cannot I follow Thee now? I will lay down my life for Thy sake." verses 36 and 37

Observation:
Jesus was getting ready to leave. The reaction of most of His disciples is not recorded. But evidently, Peter's was so earnest that it could not be left out of the account of this incident. I can just see his expression of shock and sadness, hear the intense anguish and utter disbelief in his voice.
'Where are You going?! Why can't I go with You?! I would die for You!!'

Application:
Poor dear Peter. I think I know a little of how he must have been feeling. How hard it is to be separated, even for the briefness of this earthly lifetime, from someone you love. Even if you know that - because of your mutual faith in Jesus Christ - you will one day be reunited, either here or There, 'good bye' has got to be the most heart-wrenching word/phrase in the world. Yet for a Christian, it can also be one of the most joy-filled; for it either means a moving to greater service for our Lord somewhere, or going Home.

Prayer:
"Oh God thank You for *my dream and it's lessons. Help me to be able to say 'good-by' with Joy."

*To tell a short version of a long story, I had a dream last March about saying 'good-bye'. I can only think of two other dreams I've ever had that were as potent. It gave me alot of 'food for thought'. Maybe, someday, I'll post it here.

S.O.A.P. Journaling - Psalm 106

Date: June 18, 2012
Passage: Ps. 106

Scripture:
"Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD, for He is good: for His mercy endureth forever. We have sinned with our fathers, ... we have done wickedly. ... Nevertheless He saved ... Save us, O LORD our God, ... Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the LORD." verses 1, 6, 8, 47, and 48

Observation:
This psalm is just what I needed - it expresses perfectly what I'm feeling. The psalmist is bursting with thankfulness to the Lord for all He has done, thoughtfulness over all his own people have done wrong and been through, and pleading for a continuance of the Lord's amazing kindness.

Application:
The psalmist demonstrates an excellent form of thought here, that I (and every believer) would do well to habitually follow. The psalm, strangely enough, does follow a train of thought that my mind often takes. Praise the Lord for His indescribable mercy and kindness!! He has done amazingly in my life! I and my people have done so wickedly, yet His mercy never ends. Blessed be His holy Name!!

Prayer:
*"Bless the LORD oh my soul! Oh, my soul; worship His holy Name! Sing like never before, oh my soul - worship His holy Name! ... 10,000 reasons for my heart to find."

*Lyrics from the song "10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)" - Matt Redman

S.O.A.P. Journaling - Matthew 25:37-40

Date: June 17, 2012
Passage: Matt. 25:37-40

Scripture:
"... Lord, when... ?" verse 37 (also 38 and 39)

Observation:
With this 'story' or admonition, the Lord encouraged His followers to consider the fact that serving others (especially *"... the least of these my brethren, ...") was serving Him.
How easy! And yet how often hard.

Application:
What strikes me is the fact that the Godly servants in this set of verses seem to have made service such a way of life that when the Lord mentions it to them, it's almost as if they don't know what He's talking about! They have to stop and ask, 'Now, when was that again?'. I love that! If only my life could be that!

Prayer:
"Father help me to serve others - all others - cheerfully, joyfully, and even happily; as if I was serving You. Help me to find the same wonderful strange gladness serving difficult people, as I do serving those I'm drawn to.
And help it become such a way of life for me, that I don't even realize when I do it; but that others notice, and glorify You because of it."

*verse 40

S.O.A.P. Journaling - James 5:1-11

Date: June 16, 2012
Passage: James 5:1-11

Scripture:
"Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you. Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the LORD. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit ... Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the LORD draweth nigh. ... Take my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the LORD, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure." verses 6, 7, 8, 10, and 11a

Observation:


Application:


Prayer:
"Lord make us true. Lord keep us true. Whatever comes, keep us true."

S.O.A.P. Journaling - Romans 12:9-13

Date: June 15, 2012
Passage: Romans 12:9-13

Scripture:
"Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another; ..." verse 10

Observation:
Give each other slack. People make mistakes, even Christians - they're human too! Be kind and considerate. Try to see things from the other person's perspective. Give them the benefit of the doubt. Even when they are getting on your nerves like crazy, honor them as being above you.

Application:
This is something I really need to work on. Some people are so wonderful and easy-to-work-with in their personalities, and others will just drive you crazy - yes, even fellow Christians sometimes.

Prayer:
"Lord help me to honor others. Help me treat other believers with the respect and honor, consideration and kindness that I should. Even when the circumstances are hard to deal with."

S.O.A.P. Journaling - 1 John 1

Date: June 14, 2012
Passage: 1 John 1

Scripture:
"And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full." verse 4

Observation:
This chapter is basically practical reasoning for why Christians' lives can/should be full of joy: We have eyewitness accounts of what we believe! We have fellowship with the God we believe in! Since we have personal fellowship with Him, we have no excuse to let the darkness into our lives, because then we would be representing our wonderful Lord so inaccurately. If our lives are full of Light, and we have fellowship with Him, then we have fellowship with others who have believed on Him, and we live in such a way that we reflect the Light as encouragement back to them, and as a witness to those who do not know the Way.

Application:
How can I have closer and better fellowship with Him? How can I make sure that I exude light and not darkness? This chapter is an excellent 'quick guide'. And by following it, my Joy may be full.

Prayer:
"Lord help me emit Light and Joy. Help me not *'call You a liar' with my life. Help me. Thank You."

*verse 10

S.O.A.P. Journaling - Philipians 2:2-5

Date: June 13, 2012
Passage: Phil. 2:2-5

Scripture:
"Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:"

Observation:
It seems to me that Paul here is experiencing what every truly loving mentor goes through - the unbelievably strong, passionate desire to see those he's loving and/or mentoring take and follow right paths.

Application:
I love this set of verses! Even though it is so hard and challenging, it's also incredibly heart-warming.
Be like-minded - have the same purpose - work as a team toward the unified and most worthy goal. Don't seek glory or compliments for what you do or accomplish. And don't ever do something simply to spite another person! Even when you know you're right and the other person is wrong, keep the mindset that 'they are more important' and (even though all are equal) it will automatically affect your response to them and cause you to behave with a greater degree of respect. Do not focus or dwell on your own talents or accomplishments, but think about and praise others for theirs. Try desperately to develop and keep a mind-set that would be as close as you can imagine to the one Christ would have.

Prayer:
"Precious Friend, give me Your mind toward others. Help me to be, above all, respectful. And next, to be always a blessing, an encouragement. After being a Godly witness, this is my greatest prayer for myself, that all who know me would be raised up by having known me. That I, through words and actions, may always lift up and not tear down. That I could help encourage the teamwork it will take to accomplish the Goal."

S.O.A.P. Journaling - John 5:1-21

Date: June 12, 2012
Passage: John 5:1-21

Scripture:
"For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom He will." verse 21

Observation:
God is and has the ultimate power over life, and over death. Jesus had just restored the health of a man who had been enslaved by his infirmity for 38 years. He raised the physically dead – He raised the Spiritually dead. And He raises whoever He pleases.

Application:
He decides if someone who is dead will get to live . And if He decides they will be brought to life, they will not be able to escape, even if they think they want to. A dead person cannot run and hide; so a spiritually dead person cannot hide from God, if God has chosen to make him His. Since this, then, is the case, why should I fret over those I desire to see living for God? If He wants them, He’ll get them. What a comfort!

Prayer:
"Lord help me to keep a passion for souls. But help me remember that, ultimately, each is Yours."

"5 Small Things Friday" No. 38

Go back and read this post for the story behind "Five Small Things Friday".

For this week, here is my list:

1. Sight: Smiles And Eyes On The Chicago Mission Trip

2. Hearing: Randy

3. Smell: Our House

4. Taste: Ice Cream From The Shop Beside The Church

5. Touch: Comfy Bunk Bed

The stories behind the list:

1. During the nine days with the rest of the Victory Rd. team in Chicago Land, one of the big blessings for me was getting to interact with the other young people on the team. To laugh and to see laughter, to see beautiful grins and cute little smiles, soft mahogany eyes, gentle blue eyes, eyes the color of a forest in the summer time - what a glorious thing is a genuine smile, how beautiful are happy shining eyes!

2. One of the other young people on who went on the trip, Randy, is usually a very quiet guy. Not the type to be in the middle of things or make a big deal about anything. He's just there, and when he's needed, he's willing. He told his testimony one night during our devotional/S.O.A.P. Journal sharing time, and it shed light on why he is like he is, as well as being a point of great blessing to hear how the Lord has worked in his life. It was so good also, to hear him talking and laughing at different times on this trip, usually during the times he and Law spent together. I think they had a good influence on each other, each with their own strange strengths and weaknesses.

3. You know how every house has a particular smell? I love going into the houses of my friends and family, 'cause their houses smell like them. It's a neat comforting thing. When Trissy and I got back, and went into our house, it smelled so good! So old and familiar, yet new, in a way, 'cause when we are constantly living here, we get used to it and don't notice it anymore.

4. Tuesday after 'Art in the Park', we were SO hot and tired. Just about all Piper and Lela and I could think about was some ice cream from the little shop beside the church :) . When we went back to the church for the boys to finish picking up the trimmings from the yard work they'd done, some of us went into that little shop. I got a scoop of vanilla and a scoop of cookies and cream. That stuff was perfect!

5. Each night when we would get in, we would be so tired and exhausted. It was a good tired, but our bunks felt SO good! 'Course, we were so worn out that I think we could have slept on concrete, and slept great :) !

S.O.A.P. Journaling - Matthew 25:32-40

Date: April 18, 2012
Passage: Matthew 25:32-40

Scripture:
"For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me." Matthew 25:35 and 36

Observation:
Jesus is teaching His disciples on the Mount of Olives. Their first question was about signs that the end of the world was near. After discussing that specific point, Jesus just kept on going, still on the same subject, but pointing out alot more of their responsibilities in relation to that event.
Their response is not recorded, but through other passages, it is evident they took much of what He said and did their best to fulfill the duties He had commissioned them with. Scripture (especially the book of Acts) is full of their acts of kindness toward the seeking, compassion on the hurting, and their provision for each other and other believers' needs.
The author (Matthew) seems to simply be trying to get down on paper the things Jesus said, so that others may have His words. It strikes me as interesting how detailed He was in this particular passage. Jesus listed several area in which Christians are to be compassionate towards others, and Matthew is careful to record even what seems to be the tone Jesus used in stressing the importance of this lifestyle of mercy. I can almost hear the conversation and the gentle urgency in His voice.

Application:
Perhaps this admonition from Christ was preparing the disciples for the idea that salvation would be offered to the Gentiles. The Jews were not friends with Gentiles, and initially, the fact that they too were to have a part of this great gift from God, must have been a very hard pill to swallow. Later though, many of the disciples were used greatly in spreading the Word of God to the non-Jews. Perhaps that's not the main application, but it certainly seems to be a logical one in this context.
So who are the people around me that need my help, but that I am prone to look down my nose at? Who have I snubbed in the past, thereby missing an opportunity to fulfill the verses above? Who do I have trouble with now, that I need to take a second look at, considering how I may be used to help them? How will this affect how I care for all people as my life progresses?
These verses seem to classify as Instruction.
"I will..." work towards a life where my eyes are open to opportunities to help 'the least of these His brethren', feeding the hungry, satisfying the thirsty, showing hospitality to outsiders, clothing those who have little, showing concern for the sick, and visiting those in prison.

Prayer:
"Help me to be tender towards those who need Your love shown to them. Help me be able to show it."