SOAP Journal 04-30-2008 (Psalm 133:1-3)

Scripture:

Psalm 133:1-3 Look! How good and how pleasant it is when brothers live together! It is like fine oil poured on the head which flows down the beard - Aaron’s beard, and then flows down his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, which flows down upon the hills of Zion. Indeed that is where the Lord has decreed a blessing will be available – eternal life.

Observation:

The brotherhood of people of faith - peaceful coexistence with blessing flowing - is good and pleasant to God. The flow of anointing oil over God's priest is a sign of opulence at the point of ordination - a formal declaration of one being set apart and chosen combined with rich covering from on high - is paralleled with dew sent by God over the physical land. That is, both people and creation itself are "smiled upon" when harmony exists between brothers. It is here - in this state of harmony - where the Lord has made eternal life available.

Application:

Well, the Lord is certainly "into" unity of believers. How much more should I be laying down my agendas, my standing, my position to achieve this unity. I need to be a giver of respect and a humble blessor of God's people. The promise is so rich, so sweet here that it completely overshadows any cost. And taking up offense is also to be AVOIDED as much as any advance of fellowship.

Prayer:

O God, let me be this for my brothers. Let me have a heart after Yours in this regard, that I might be an instigator of harmony, a blender of cultures and the humblest of brothers in You. In Jesus' name. Amen.

SOAP Journal 04-28-2008 (Psalm 130:5)

Scripture:

Psalm 130:5 I rely on the Lord, I rely on him with my whole being; I wait for his assuring word. I yearn for the Lord, more than watchmen do for the morning, yes, more than watchmen do for the morning.

Observation:

This reliance on the Lord is the most basic of faith statements there is. That it involves waiting and earnestly seeking is the working out of that faith. That is, faith here is not "believing God for x" but it is "I have so much faith that God will answer, that He will deliver, that He will ... that I am going to wait with the expectation of a watchman over a city." And. .. morning will come.

Application:

Whether I admit it, like it and say it or not, I rely upon the Lord. Whether all those things also, I wait for His assuring word. The confirmation of His will, the revelation of His vision and plan, His daily Word are all things I need constantly. Yet I still struggle with doubts that He will speak, act and even care for me, though He does so daily. I need the normalcy of waiting that the psalmist articulates - of COURSE we rush ahead .. of COURSE we try to fill the void of vision with our own ideas. We're creative people after all. BUt we create in the darkness when we have failed to wait for the light of morning. THEN the word comes from the Most High.

Prayer:

Father, I pray to pray. I pray to wait. I pray to yearn in anticipation, knowing You WILL answer, You WILL deliver and You WILL grant vision. O God, speak for Your servant is listening. Amen.

SOAP Journal 04-25-2008 (Psalm 126:4-6)

Scripture:

Psalm 126:4-6 O Lord, restore our well-being, just as the streams in the arid south are replenished. Those who shed tears as they plant will shout for joy when they reap the harvest. The one who weeps as he walks along, carrying his bag of seed, will certainly come in with a shout of joy, carrying his sheaves of grain.

Observation:

Tears turning to joy as God grants the harvest is human response to favor or grace. It is in hopelessness and full expectation of continued famine that the sower cries; all is futile and a waste. Then God sends His rain, restoring the land and "our well-being" and the crops grow thick and healthy. The joy of the reaper explodes into a shout at the sheer delight that God has visited His people.

Application:

In the midst of discouraging news and troubled times, the harvest would seem to be so meager as to make us sour in even spreading God's seed, the Good News of His kingdom. Why bother? What's the use? Yet as He waters His word by His Spirit, He causes it to grow. To see the church as an organic entity, a planting of the Lord, is to see the seed and the harvest both. The sower (the intrepid disciple or even a mass-evangelist) can get discouraged, the well may have dried up. But it's God Who grants the increase.

Prayer:

O Father, You know that I have completely ceased as a sower of seed. It is sin, but born of futility and fear. I pray You remove those both and replace them with expectancy and trust. Then Your seed will be planted and You can grant the increase. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

SOAP Journal 04-24-2008 (Proverbs 24:11-12)

Scripture:

Proverbs 24:11-12 Deliver those being taken away to death, and hold back those slipping to the slaughter. If you say, “But we did not know about this,” does not the one who evaluates hearts consider? Does not the one who guards your life know? Will he not repay each person according to his deeds?

Observation:

The identity of those being taken away to death is not given, but we can infer from the context that it's the lost, the wayward, the foolish. The would-be, called rescuer might be tempted to claim ignorance of the plight and destination of those whose seared hearts have them live that way, but God knows this is a fake claim. We, the saved, are held accountable for our actions concerning those who were perishing "on our watch".

Application:

I just read the Wikipedia account of William Carey's life

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Carey_(missionary)

for I know he was convicted by this very passage to launch missionary efforts over and against stiff opposition (as it turns, out for his entire life). Yet, go he did to India and his legacy humbles modern-day missionaries. The problem I have had is not in making the assertion that I didn't know about this, but that those I tell don't believe and in fact assail me, making my life (particularly at work) one of second-class drivel and unfulfilling. What I need is to see the GOSPEL as my fulfillment and overcome, like the salesman whose foot has bruises from the door slammed on it. In the end it is worth it.

Prayer:

Lord, I'm not sure if I'll ever be an undaunted and undauntable salesperson for Your gospel, but please make my heart never slip into complacency or a lack of caring. I do care and want Your salvation for all. Encourage me in this, I pray, that I might see results and even people SEEKING God in me. Let me be more forthcoming and live a telling life - telling of Your grace, mercy, truth and holiness. In Jesus' name, Amen.

SOAP Journal 04-23-2008 (Proverbs 23:17-18)

Scripture:


Proverbs 23:17-18 Do not let your heart envy sinners, but rather be zealous in fearing the Lord all the time. For surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.


Observation:


The reverential fear (or even terror) of the Lord is a force for deliverance. It is not seen here as a shield that the righteous hides behind, avoiding the path that leads to sin, but a source of zeal, a whole-hearted seeking after God's heart. The constancy of the seeking is also part of the mix - the advice of the "proverbist" is to be heeded "all the time". The future is thus secured - there is great hope in seeking after the Lord.


Application:


The temptation to envy the "rewards" of those who grab things in this life, or who earn them by the system, is ever there. In an hour that I'm being called to deeper service I must particularly not fall prey to this temptation. With newfound (and newly sustained) zeal I must seek God for therein lies the promise of the future.


Prayer:


Father, let me see the truth of this proverb this day. Show me points of envy and points of anxious thoughts that make me despise my life and long for another, yet not see ITS anxiety and ITS trouble. Grant me contentment and joy in serving You. In Jesus' Name. Amen

SOAP Journal 04-21-2008 (Psalm 119:41-42)

Scripture:

Psalm 119:41-42 May I experience your loyal love, O Lord, and your deliverance, as you promised. Then I will have a reply for the one who insults me, for I trust in your word.

Observation:

The rebuke for the ones who insult the psalmist comes from a basis of prior experience - of God's lovingkindness and deliverance. His experience in knowing he is loved produces a trust in God's word that overcomes any insult, any affront. For in that word is abundant life here and eternal life thereafter. What can anyone do or say to shake that foundation, once laid.

Application:

Where I have ceased to remember or walk in God's love and deliverance, I need to get back to it. Where I have ceased to believe His word concerning me I need to re-establish that faith and walk in it in again. And I need to get in the habit of learning and quoting God's word toward those who would attack, chip away and otherwise erode my standing and my faith. THAT is something I can do.

Prayer:

Father, restore to me the joy of my salvation. Tear down the ties and alliances I have unknowingly (or even knowingly) established, that I might trust in You again. Grant to me deliverance, for I believe that You do love me with an everlasting love. In Jesus' name, amen.

SOAP Journal 04-18-2008 (Psalm 116:12-15)

Scripture:

Psalm 116:12-15 How can I repay the Lord for all his acts of kindness to me? I will celebrate my deliverance, and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfill my vows to the Lord before all his people. The Lord values the lives of his faithful followers.

Observation:

The heart of the delivered servant of the Lord overflows with praise and looks for ways to repay the kindness of God. Ceremony of celebration and fulfilling of vows go a ways towards fixing the inequity of good deeds. They also are a demonstration before others of the devoted, thankful heart. For it is God's heart of caring after the lives of His people that is worthy of such celebration.

Application:

There is no way to repay God for grace. That's why it's grace. The heart desires to "make it up to" God is operating in vain (can't be done), but the reaction of praise and service are appropriate and fitting responses to deliverance and keeping grace. These serve to define the people of God by their actions (and their love for one another and the world) and are used to advance the Kingdom. The value God has in the lives of His people is itself replayed in their hearts. Again, this is how the Kingdom is spread.

Prayer:

Lord, show me Your daily deliverance, the victory at present in action in my life. Then I wlil celebrate as the psalmist, and give You glory for all that You've done. Grant me Your perspective on the value of life so that I would not sin against You in my rage and desire for recompense. In Jesus' name. Amen

SOAP Journal 04-17-2008 (Psalm 115:4-8)

Scripture:

Psalm 115:4-8 Their idols are made of silver and gold – they are man-made. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see, ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell, hands, but cannot touch, feet, but cannot walk. They cannot even clear their throats. Those who make them will end up like them, as will everyone who trusts in them.

Observation:

The idols in this psalm have human features - they are made in human likeness but of course without the basic qualities of life. Their mouths, eyes, noses, hands and feet are dysfunctional. The most basic gesture or action is beyond them. The contrast is clear between their deadndess and the life of the Living God. These idols are not worthy of any honor or worship. Worse, those who do worship them become as dysfunctional as they are.

Application:

People don't make wooden idols any more. But we have many, many things we trust in rather than God. Those are the modern idols. And they have no more life than the graven images cast in the ancient world. They do NOT provide what we trust them to provide. They do NOT bless as we hope they will. They will NEVER bring what we trust them to bring. And worse, we become as unfaithful as they are, as dysfunctional and guilty of false advertising as they are.

Prayer:

Father, it is as Sheryl Crowe sings "It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got". I pray not to chase after the glittering thing, to have the restraint to let it sit on the shelf. And I pray to trust You instead - help me see those points of non-trust, of self-trust and reliance on other things to meet my needs. Show me the places where You have provided and I'll give you the praise. In Jesus' name. Amen

SOAP Journal 04-15-2008 (Psalm 107:26-30)

Scripture:

Psalm 107:26-30 They reached up to the sky, then dropped into the depths. The sailors’ strength left them because the danger was so great. They swayed and staggered like a drunk, and all their skill proved ineffective. They cried out to the Lord in their distress; he delivered them from their troubles. He calmed the storm, and the waves grew silent. The sailors rejoiced because the waves grew quiet, and he led them to the harbor they desired.

Observation:

The stormy winds - given at the command of the Lord - sap the strength and humble the expertise of trained men. As they cry for help, deliverance is theirs, calm ensues and tranquility takes over. Then the same strong men rejoice in the deliverance of God.

Application:

Storms come to keep us humble and dependent upon God. Even as we "get good" at life, accummulating strength and skill, it is nonetheless the sea that we navigate over which we have NO control. When God reminds us of this, it is ours to cry out for His help, which He supplies in abundance and grants that which we wanted all along. His faithfulness is proven through the storm of adversity and trial. Wow. I need to own this every day and remember to depend upon God, particularly when I'm tempted to sin or depend upon my "strength" and "skill".

Prayer:

Father on high, have mercy and let me see the purpose of the storm. You have not sought to destroy me or bring me down to the depths but to deliver me by Your hand, so You get the glory and all the praise. I glorify You and call upon You this day for You are faithful even when I'm not. Yet make me faithful through this very season. In Jesus' name, amen

SOAP Journal 04-14-2008 (Psalm 105:17, 43-45)

Scripture:

Psalm 105:17 He sent a man ahead of them – Joseph was sold as a servant.

Psalm 105:43-45 When he led his people out, they rejoiced; his chosen ones shouted with joy. He handed the territory of nations over to them, and they took possession of what other peoples had produced, so that they might keep his commands and obey his laws. Praise the Lord!

Observation:

The progression of standing from the first-arrived slave to the triumphant delivered people is the story of God's move among all people. Joseph chose none of the details of his move into Egypt, he would have chosen none of them. Yet God knew who he was from his first insignificant day and how He was going to use Joseph's favor to bring salvation to "the land of Ham". And God's purpose was to fulfill the promise made to Joseph's great grandfather Abraham - to give Canaan to his offspring. His purpose in this is that He would have a distinct people who would keep his commands.

Application:

We start out as slaves and if we're not careful, we will pick up slavery's yoke again and put it on. We end up as God's servants - bonded to the only Master worth serving. For in serving Him, we are the enriched ones - the called out ones - the ones who bear His name. And so it goes, slaves drawing close to freedom - a freedom found in serving.

Prayer:

God, let me know the joy of serving You as Master and King. I want to be found faithful in Your house and among Your people. Forgive me my sin and forgive me, for I need to know You new mercies this day. In Jesus' name, amen.

SOAP Journal 04-10-2008 (Psalm 103:11-13)

Scripture:

Psalm 103:11-13 For as the skies are high above the earth, so his loyal love towers over his faithful followers. As far as the eastern horizon is from the west, so he removes the guilt of our rebellious actions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on his faithful followers.

Observation:

There are three analogies here (not two like the song we sing). Towering love, radical distance of removal of our rebellious acts and fatherly compassion all paint a picture of God who abounds in mercy over His followers. THEIR faithfulness is not a statement of sinlessness - they NEED his compassion in this passage. The first two analogies are superlative in sense that God's love and forgiveness surpasses anything in the human realm. The last establishes the basis of intimacy through the metaphor of the loving father, seen throughout scripture and, principally, in the teachings of Jesus.

Application:

The whole psalm is crafted as an expression of joy and celebration. How many of us drink in God's mercy to the extent the psalmist expresses it? Instead, we are quickly worn down by the judgments, criticisms and accusations of man, and the basis for the computation of self-worth is reduced to earning smiling approval from an otherwise sneering earthly judge. God's mercy should be foundational to our being, not something relegated to platitudinous theory.

Prayer:

Father, let me walk in full realization of Your love. Let it so overwhelm me that I export it richly. Let MY mercy abound this day. In Jesus' name, amen.

SOAP Journal 04-09-2008 (Psalm 102:15-17)

Scripture:

Psalm 102:15-17 The nations will respect the reputation of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth will respect his splendor, when the Lord rebuilds Zion, and reveals his splendor, when he responds to the prayer of the destitute, and does not reject their request.

Observation:

It is in redemption that God's name is most widely known. Those who oppress, tear down and subjugate others for the building of their own kingdom can't help but notice and respect the acts of a more powerful, more sovereign King. It is the nature of His work - that He is faithful to answer prayers of the lowly over and against the will and acts of the mighty, and rebuilds the people called by His name, revealing His splendor through those things - that speaks of the holy, righteous character of the true King and establishes His reputation.

Application:

If I am becoming like Him Who I worship, then my reputation will be as His - to respond to the state of the destitute and rebuild lives that have been broken down by oppression and the lies and acts of the "mighty" and proud enemy. I will not reject their request. I will see their lives for what they *should* be and work towards that glorious end. I am by no means omnipotent (or any omni-), but I know the heart of the One Who is.

Prayer:

Father, make me like You. Let me see those who need to be lifted out of their oppression. Let me intercede as You would, allowing sovereign will of people but making clear my (and Your) heart. At the same time, hear my prayer for deliverance, for no matter what blessings surround me, if I am kept back by the enemy's lies then I too am oppressed. In Jesus' name. Amen.

SOAP Journal 04-09-2008 (Psalm 102:15-17)

Scripture:

Psalm 102:15-17 The nations will respect the reputation of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth will respect his splendor, when the Lord rebuilds Zion, and reveals his splendor, when he responds to the prayer of the destitute, and does not reject their request.

Observation:

It is in redemption that God's name is most widely known. Those who oppress, tear down and subjugate others for the building of their own kingdom can't help but notice and respect the acts of a more powerful, more sovereign King. It is the nature of His work - that He is faithful to answer prayers of the lowly over and against the will and acts of the mighty, and rebuilds the people called by His name, revealing His splendor through those things - that speaks of the holy, righteous character of the true King and establishes His reputation.

Application:

If I am becoming like Him Who I worship, then my reputation will be as His - to respond to the state of the destitute and rebuild lives that have been broken down by oppression and the lies and acts of the "mighty" and proud enemy. I will not reject their request. I will see their lives for what they *should* be and work towards that glorious end. I am by no means omnipotent (or any omni-), but I know the heart of the One Who is.

Prayer:

Father, make me like You. Let me see those who need to be lifted out of their oppression. Let me intercede as You would, allowing sovereign will of people but making clear my (and Your) heart. At the same time, hear my prayer for deliverance, for no matter what blessings surround me, if I am kept back by the enemy's lies then I too am oppressed. In Jesus' name. Amen.

SOAP Journal 04-07-2008 (Psalm 96:10-13)

Scripture:

Psalm 96:10-13a Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns! The world is established, it cannot be moved. He judges the nations fairly.” Let the sky rejoice, and the earth be happy! Let the sea and everything in it shout! Let the fields and everything in them celebrate! Then let the trees of the forest shout with joy before the Lord, for he comes!

Observation:

The creation is evidence to God's rulership. Its permanence testifies to His sovereign power and presidence. Joyful emotional expression is present - even called forth - from among that which He created. As he comes to judge the earth, the creation celebrates in advance of His arrival.

Application:

It's no mistake that the enemy of our souls has centered his attack on faith on creation. If that link, that evidence, can be eliminated then there is no basis for rule, no judgment, no right from wrong - except as defined by the illuminati. Reading John Eldredge just TALK about the creation links OUR beings with those of the trees and fields and sea. And that is the true expression the psalmist presents - for what created thing can rejoice like people? If the trees rejoice and celebrate, how much more should those with tongues, minds and hearts?

Prayer:

Let everything that has breath - and even that which does not - praise the Lord. Let thanksgiving overflow in my heart and celebration in the judgment of my God be on my mouth. Father, I need to reverence You more, I need to call my sin more evil and recognize Your move more good and powerful. Let the trees talk to me. Amen.

SOAP Journal 04-04-2008 (Psalm 94:10-13)

Scripture:


Psalm 94:10-13 Does the one who disciplines the nations not punish? He is the one who imparts knowledge to human beings! The Lord knows that peoples’ thoughts are morally bankrupt. How blessed is the one whom you instruct, O Lord, the one whom you teach from your law, in order to protect him from times of trouble, until the wicked are destroyed.


Observation:


Beginning with a rhetorical question which has only one answer - "Of course He does" - the psalmist immediately links discipline with knowledge. The Hebrews 12 discussion of chastening fathers plugs in here. We are morally clueless without instruction and instruction without discipline is theory only. But the one who IS taught is protected while those who refused to learn are no more.


Application:


Being thankful for hardship sounds like sick masochism, but as it says elsewhere, as training, it is indispensible. I need to stop being a brute beast when I go through learning exercises like that and instead raise my hand like one in class "Is this what I am supposed to be learning? If not, You need to show me." And He does and He will. Mourning rather than gloating over those who didn't and/or won't learn the same lessons is how to view the destruction of the wicked. Yet there is a sense of justice that's there too. Mercy triumphs over judgment though, ALWAYS.


Prayer:


Lord, let me learn fully the lessons You have for me. Let me be wise in my morals, pure in my ethics. Let me instruct others even, but also keep them from the destruction that is there path now. In Jesus' name. Amen.

SOAP Journal 04-04-2008 (Psalm 94:10-13)

Scripture:

Psalm 94:10-13 Does the one who disciplines the nations not punish? He is the one who imparts knowledge to human beings! The Lord knows that peoples’ thoughts are morally bankrupt. How blessed is the one whom you instruct, O Lord, the one whom you teach from your law, in order to protect him from times of trouble, until the wicked are destroyed.

Observation:

Beginning with a rhetorical question which has only one answer - "Of course He does" - the psalmist immediately links discipline with knowledge. The Hebrews 12 discussion of chastening fathers plugs in here. We are morally clueless without instruction and instruction without discipline is theory only. But the one who IS taught is protected while those who refused to learn are no more.

Application:

Being thankful for hardship sounds like sick masochism, but as it says elsewhere, as training, it is indispensible. I need to stop being a brute beast when I go through learning exercises like that and instead raise my hand like one in class "Is this what I am supposed to be learning? If not, You need to show me." And He does and He will. Mourning rather than gloating over those who didn't and/or won't learn the same lessons is how to view the destruction of the wicked. Yet there is a sense of justice that's there too. Mercy of judgment though, ALWAYS.

Prayer:

Lord, let me learn fully the lessons You have for me. Let me be wise in my morals, pure in my ethics. Let me instruct others even, but also keep them from the destruction that is there path now. In Jesus' name. Amen.

SOAP Journal 04-03-2008 (Psalm 91:3-7)

Scripture:

Psalm 91:3-7 he will certainly rescue you from the snare of the hunter and from the destructive plague. He will shelter you with his wings; you will find safety under his wings. His faithfulness is like a shield or a protective wall. You need not fear the terrors of the night, the arrow that flies by day, the plague that comes in the darkness, or the disease that comes at noon. Though a thousand may fall beside you, and a multitude on your right side, it will not reach you.

Observation:

The promise of protection and deliverance is extensive. The snare (a picture of temptation), the plague (pestilence and disease) are things the righteous are rescued from. God's protection is testimony to His faithfulness. Attacks by night or day, dark plague or noonday disease are bypass the faithful believer. The thousand falling all around him testifies to the true destruction of the things that threaten, but "it will not reach you" states God's special, protective, distinctive shelter for His own.

Application:

These are all fearful things and the psalmist's words are clearly to dispell fear. It's not that trouble does NOT befall the righteous person, it's that it is not to scare us. Even in that (not in this passage), God's hand sustains and raises up His children. So we ARE special in His sight and under His protecting hand. We ARE specially protected and delivered - count on it.

Prayer:

Father, I need to own this, need to know that no matter what I go through You have promised my protection and deliverance. And truly, it is only fear that keeps me from the victory in the midst of those times. Grant that I could have faith to see Your hand to save. In Jesus' name. Amen.

SOAP Journal 04-02-2008 (Psalm 89:9-10, 89:49)

Scripture:

Psalm 89:9-10 You rule over the proud sea. When its waves surge, you calm them. You crushed the Proud One and killed it; with your strong arm you scattered your enemies.

Psalm 89:49 Where are your earlier faithful deeds, O Lord, the ones performed in accordance with your reliable oath to David?

Observation:

The sea is personified and given a bad attitude - one of surging pride. In creation God conquered it, though the application is wide and long. Then ... in the psalm, God gave favor to David with the same sovereign promises and moves that He created all things. Yet, his favor faded when the king (whichever) failed to follow God (can we say was NOT "a man after God's own heart"?). In vs 49, the psalmist (Ethan) recalls God's earlier oath, bargaining as it were for God to be true to His word. He (the psalmist) wants things back to the favorable way they were.

Application:

That the God Who rebuked the seas would take such a detailed, personal interest in the affairs of men to name a particular king - and his dynasty - as a recipient of His enduring favor boggles the mind with the implications of divine condescension (the good kind). It is true, clearly, that God's favor rests upon those who diligently seek Him. But, seek Him not and His favor you'll have not. The misunderstanding of the psalmist regarding God's promise is indicative of the human heart - like a little child we half-quote the sayings of our parents in our selfish bargaining. This is not to say the psalmist is not living in perilous times and under real oppression. It's just that God is after the heart, not a recitation of history. Joseph was oppressed too, but "the Lord was with Joseph".

Prayer:

Father, keep me from being a chatterbox, telling You why I (or we) deserve this or that. Grant that I can have Your peace through all the storms, for You are the one who crushed the proud sea. I could never do that, but You did it already! I praise Your name, dance Your dance, sing Your song. Praise You.

SOAP Journal 03-31-2008 (Psalm 85:10-13)

Scripture:

Psalm 85:10-13 Loyal love and faithfulness meet; deliverance and peace greet each other with a kiss. Faithfulness grows from the ground, and deliverance looks down from the sky. Yes, the Lord will bestow his good blessings, and our land will yield its crops. Deliverance goes before him, and prepares a pathway for him.

Observation:

The personification of lovingkindness, faithfulness, deliverance and peace show the active nature of the Lord's "good blessings" - "Yes, .. " is another way of saying what preceded. The meeting of the blessing "factors" comprises a form of "aligning of the planets" - a seasonal combination of God's attributes on display among His people and nation. This follows a season of judgment and indeed God will not and has not "remain(ed) angry forever" (earlier). The one tangible is "our land will yield its crops" - one would think a normal occurrence but in the mix of judgment and blessing, clearly it's the hand of God that fills the storehouses.

Application:

We can say that in Christ we have been delivered from judgment and it's true at the end of things, but enduring hardship as discipline and reckoning it pure joy when trials come have an aspect of our flesh being under active judgment. My own unwillingness to give up coffee, my income, my self-produced blessings, etc., are subjects of scrutiny in the Spirit - I know that full well. But trial also comes as a season - we live in a fallen world whose fallenness affects (and afflicts) us. The coming of blessing is a welcome event where deliverance and peace kiss and lovingkindness and faithfulness meet together. Pleasant times are on their way!!

Prayer:

Father, as the psalmist wrote, I must not return to my foolish ways. I pray You make me a candidate for Your promise, Your blessing and prosperity. Let me be pure, obedient, faultless in Your sight, for I give You all the glory. Amen.

SOAP Journal 03-28-2008 (Psalm 82:3-4)

Scripture:

Psalm 82:3-4 Defend the cause of the poor and the fatherless! Vindicate the oppressed and suffering! Rescue the poor and needy! Deliver them from the power of the wicked!

Observation:

This commandment, given to the "assembly of El" - the high and mighty among men (or among gods - small g) - singles out the oppressed for deliverance and defense. That is, the highest and mightiest of powerful beings are to expend their most direct attention and energies on behalf of the lowest and weakest of all powerless beings. And "the wicked" are seen as discrete from those at "El" - though maybe they become tacit supporters of the wicked if they do nothing for the oppressed and suffering.

Application:

Far from a call for socialism or any "equalizing" form of human law or governance, the call is personal here. It is to those individuals with power - and they exist in every form of government and institution. It is to me over the database team and the church in Milford. It is to me as a father and husband. It is to civil servants of all ranks and description - if they are "servants" in name alone they are missing it. We collectively need to find the ones who need help and help them. Period.

Prayer:

Lord God in heaven, thank You for the call to serve those who most need help. Let me see who they are, what they need and how to provide it. Let me overcome all voices and arguments that would sway me away from Your call, that would distract and delay. And let ALL of me be useful in Your service, for You saved ALL of me. In Jesus' name.

SOAP Journal 03-27-2008 (Psalm 78:32-35)

Scripture:

Psalm 78:32-35 Despite all this, they continued to sin, and did not trust him to do amazing things. So he caused them to die unsatisfied and filled with terror. When he struck them down, they sought his favor; they turned back and longed for God. They remembered that God was their protector, and that the sovereign God was their deliverer.

Observation:

In the face of world-changing, jaw-dropping miracles, the people of Israel failed to trust God to do "amazing things". Like the things He had been doing for the last season in front of their eyes and using their lives as demonstration of His salvation. So, He judged them and kileed some of them. They THEN responded with pleas for his favor and went after Him. They THEN "remembered" his protection and sovereignty.

Application:

If these people could get cynical and ascribe some other explanation to Egypt's plague and the parting of the Red Sea, how much easier is it for us to get cynical, explaining away everything we see and experience? We cease to trust; we look elsewhere for deliverance from trial. Judgment follows, which we HAVE to respond to and "light dawns on marble head" - we understand our need for Him. I want to be attentive to the move of God even in small places, not despising the day of small beginnings nor the inklings I get of God's mysterious movements. But I don't want to invent things that aren't there either.

Prayer:

Father, help me and us to see Your move, to celebrate Your deliverance, Your speaking to our hearts, Your wisdom and all manner of gifts and fruits You have sent into our lives. We want to know You in the wilderness, to walk with You through all our paths. Let us never need the judgment that follows cynical doubt - let use never ascribe Your move to another, or sheer chance. In Jesus' name.

SOAP Journal 03-26-2008 (Psalm 77:8-12)

Scripture:

Psalm 77:8-12 Has his loyal love disappeared forever? Has his promise failed forever? Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has his anger stifled his compassion?” Then I said, “I am sickened by the thought that the sovereign One might become inactive. I will remember the works of
the Lord. Yes, I will remember the amazing things you did long ago! I will think about all you have done; I will reflect upon your deeds!”

Observation:

The psalmist theorizes; he guesses as to why God has not acted on behalf of His (and his) people. First he postulates the states of God's heart that would warrant such abandonment. He doesn't love any more, He has left mercy behind as a practice of the past. But then, maybe He's just inactive, THAT thought is disgusting to the psalmist and it triggers a prolonged telling of spiritual history. That is, God CANNOT be inactive because of all His acts of the past PLUS the fact that He cannot change.

Application:

The act of explaining unanswered prayer - trials that the believer has not been delivered from, sicknesses the believer has not been healed from - is common to all people of faith. BUT those who know the Living God have promises that spring from the history books (of the Bible). God WILL NOT be inactive, He WILL NOT lack compassion or mercy. But it sometimes is incumbent for the believer to wait, because the dimension of time is in God's sovereign hands as well.

Prayer:

Father, help me to wait. Help me to look upon Your acts with faith for the present and future. Help me see my own sin which You are
dealing with and help me repent. Truly I am at Your mercy, so please show that mercy to all, and I will praise You for what You have
done. In Jesus' name. Amen

SOAP Journal 03-19-2008 (Psalm 65:11-13)

Scripture:

Psalm 65:11-13 You crown the year with your good blessings, and you leave abundance in your wake. The pastures in the wilderness glisten with moisture, and the hills are clothed with joy. The meadows are clothed with sheep, and the valleys are covered with grain. They shout joyfully, yes, they sing.

Observation:

The idyllic picture of abundance is pleasant to imagine. But it's not just imagination; it's a real scene of God's blessing - annual, perennial. Glistening pastures, joyful hills, sheep-covered meadows and valleys yielding bounties of grain are all in joy - they shout and sing.

Application:

It's not just that I need spring in the middle of March, the mud month in New England. I need a reminder of God's faithfulness, His lovingkindness and sustaining blessing year in and year out. Getting caught up in the entrapments of this life - things that men say are important - can utterly obliterate the scene of overall blessing. Those blessings need to be taken inventory of, they need counting, they need to be the source of praise. And all creation sings, not just me, the onlooker. The sentiment and expression of joy are an integral part of the beautiful scene.

Prayer:

Father, show me Your goodness in the midst of the muck. And not just for me, but for all your people, make this a known, beloved scene, for it speaks deep faith and assurance to our souls. In Jesus' name.

SOAP Journal 03-18-2008 (Psalm 62:7)

Scripture:

Psalm 62:7 God delivers me and exalts me; God is my strong protector and my shelter.

Observation:

It's terse, but this brief promise is a total one, covering all situations and trials, all circumstances and threats. So sin, which threatens to undo us, is escaped just as the satanic opposition that would threaten our physical lives and the advance of God's kingdom. This is defensive, though, for there is no conquest. The onslaught is acknowledged in the posture of the protected and sheltered.

Application:

It's ok to be defended, weak and in need of deliverance. This is part of where we're weak and He's strong. The trick is to let Him defend rather than defend myself, let him exalt me and not exalt myself. In this world that tries to look, sound and smell so good, it's a challenge to let God speak for us. He MUST uphold us, not us upholding ourselves.

Prayer:

Father, into Your hands I commend my spirit, as one who dies to self-defense and self-reliance. Your hand is more than enough to deliver me. Thank You for Your great mercy and kindness, Your patience and faithfulness even when I'm a pretentious clown. I give You glory.

SOAP Journal 03-17-2008 (Psalm 57:7-8)

Scripture:

Psalm 57:7-8 I am determined, O God! I am determined! I will sing and praise you! Awake, my soul! Awake, O stringed instrument and harp! I will wake up at dawn!

Observation:

In the context of protection/deliverance from the psalmist's enemies, the determination to praise God early in the morning is a steadfast heart of devotion that knows God is King who reigns over all creation. Praising Him is both a form of warfare accompaniment and a pledge of allegiance to the only One who saves. Recounting the attributes of God stirs the soul and gives courage for the day.

Application:

I preached the importance of spiritual disciplines even yesterday; I need to observe them today. I have every bit as many enemies as David did - at least it seems that way - and I need deliverance just as he did. The psalm begins with a cry for mercy, for David, as I am, was not perfect (needed forgiveness). But that doesn't remove God as our defender, it just means we must first acknowledge where we (even continually) fall THEN ask for deliverance.

Prayer:

O God my King, truly there is none like You. I need your forgiveness for sin first, then Your deliverance for my life. I will praise You for all You've done. In Jesus' name, Amen.

SOAP Journal 03-14-2008 (Psalm 55:2-3)

Scripture:

Psalm 55:2-3 Pay attention to me and answer me! I am so upset and distressed, I am beside myself, because of what the enemy says, and because of how the wicked pressure me, for they hurl trouble down upon me and angrily attack me.

Observation:

David barks out a near-accusation to the Lord. God is NOT listening! Otherwise how could he be in such calamity? First it's the words of the enemy, then the "pressure" last the "trouble" that plague David's heart. His soul under scrutiny and accusation looks to God for a better, more encouraging word, deliverance from the pressure and trouble forged against him.

Application:

The words are very real as is the pressure and the trouble. In my case, the motive I assign to pressure itself needs scrutiny; people are sometimes just trying to advocate for a customer or a business component. In a way I should feel honored that I preside over resources so valued. But .. the true enemy twists all those things into personal attacks and deeper accusations of not caring to the point that I can never do enough, never get the balance right or do the "right thing" (and that thing itself changes as I do the last one). Deliverance from THAT is what I need.

Prayer:

Father, make me cognizant of how the enemy twists words and motives in my mind and heart. Deliver me from pressure that's not even there, grant me patience with the impatient and angry. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

SOAP Journal 03-13-2008 (Prov 13:13-14 and 13:18)

Scripture:

Prov 13:13-14 The one who despises instruction will pay the penalty, but whoever esteems instruction will be rewarded. Instruction from the wise is like a life-giving fountain, to turn a person from deadly snares.

Prov 13:18 The one who neglects discipline ends up in poverty and shame, but the one who accepts reproof is honored.

Observation:

There's a hatred of instruction that this passages warns about. The cost of not "esteeming" and (therefore) listening is devastating and the reward for listening is abundant, saving and elevating to that listener. But the instruction must come from the "wise" or else it is proverbial fool instructing proverbial fool.

Application:

The stark contrast between listening and not shows both the peril that we dwell in and the enormous treasure that awaits us when we say "yes" to just opening our hearts to what God has to say. It is as Amy Grant sang

And just by listening you have made a decision; 'Cause the voice you hear is gonna win the fight.

I have personally despised the voice, the attitude or just the person who God uses to bring instruction. There is balance and accuracy that needs to be achieved, and it can be SO MUCH work to filter out the bad stuff, but turning off the hunger to hear life-giving instruction, admonishing and rebuke is a deadly decision.

Prayer:

Father, help me discern where I have closed my heart to Your instruction, where I've openly rebelled and not been obedient and show me
the consequences I have received. Help me repent and listen with a keen ear. In Jesus' Name.

SOAP Journal 03-11-2008 (Psalm 46:1-3)

Scripture:

Ps 46:1-3 God is our strong refuge; he is truly our helper in times of trouble. For this reason we do not fear when the earth shakes, and the mountains tumble into the depths of the sea, when its waves crash and foam, and the mountains shake before the surging sea.

Observation:

The surging sea is an aggressive, conquering force in this passage. The dry land, the home and sustenance of all humanity and everything we know, is shaken and destroyed. The calamity is at the level of our very foundation; it is not just threatening, but completely destructive to that which makes our very survival possible. It is in times of THAT kind of trouble that God is our refuge.

Application:

What trial do I face, or have I ever faced, that compares to this level of devastation? The refuge that is our God is defensive and THAT'S OK during the times of trouble. Indeed, all we have is defense and all we CAN HAVE is defense. HE is our offense, our Defender, our Refuge. And in that, He's all we need.

Prayer:

Father, forgive me for thinking any of my trials are at this level of calamity. Forgive me for not seeing You as my refuge, but instead trying to be on the offense without the timing of calling to be there. Truly You have preserved me and brought me to where I am in You this day. Be exalted in all my life. Amen.

SOAP Journal 03-10-2008 (Psalm 42:11, 44:15-16)

Scripture:

Ps 42:11 Why are you depressed, O my soul? why are you upset? Wait for God! For I will again give thanks to my God for his saving intervention.


Ps 44:15-16 All day long I feel humiliated and am overwhelmed with shame, before the vindictive enemy who ridicules and insults me.

Observation:

The honesty of the psalmist speaks deeply (deep calls unto deep) to the Lord. Nothing is withheld; the emotional state is laid bare and remains unsolved. Platitudes won't work - God has not delivered (as promised)! Well, not on time and as the psalmist would like Him to.

Application:

Vindictive enemies - yeah I have a few of those - but also there's a state of being where I expect non-deliverance and fully long for a lack of faithfulness from God. This justifies my humiliation. What are you depressed o my soul? How long a list do you want? Would you like details or just the Cliff Notes? Nah, the states of the soul are what they are. And God is Who He is, strong and mighty to deliver. The correct question is "what are you trying to teach me?" Whatever it is, I haven't learned it well enough yet. Coffee tastes too good still.

Prayer:

Father I pray to be sick of my situation until I turn from my sin. Help me break the patterns that bind me and turn to You afresh. In Jesus' name.

SOAP Journal 03-05-3008 (Psalm 34:18-19)

Scripture:

Ps 34:18-19 The Lord is near the brokenhearted; he delivers those who are discouraged. The godly face many dangers, but the Lord saves them from each one of them.

Observation:

This promise has no condition and no relative proportion. Brokenheartedness and discouragement are universal emotional states and "dangers" covers a wide swath of circumstances, but God's promise is salvation from 100% of those. Application:
It approaches 0 how often I remember this during discouragement and when I'm brokenhearted. My canceled projects at work combine as one voice into a canceled life if I listen to that voice. And that kills confidence and faith. God's deliverance is long-term and universal. I need to hold onto the promise across time and circumstance - not an easy feat but one without which I will be discouraged and brokenhearted.

Prayer:

Father, let me focus on something other than the immediate drudge and crisis. I need to see the "orach" - the greater highway of Your purpose and be encouraged that YOu will deliver me. In Jesus' name.

SOAP Journal 03-03-2008 (Psalm 30:5)

Scripture:

Psalm 30:5 For his anger lasts only a brief moment, and his good favor restores one’s life. One may experience sorrow during the night, but joy arrives in the morning.

Observation:

Anger from God (at our disobedience unto sin) and sorrow (resulting from loss, for a number of reasons - like God's anger) are to be temporary states from which we are restored. Neither are to be permanent emotional or situational states of being. "Stasis" (my word) is good favor and joy.

Application:

Beating myself up is a pet activity for me. I have higher expectations of myself than God and even after judgment has passed and my consequences experienced/endured, I will remind myself of past failure. This has to be seen as a tool in the enemy's hands to keep me neutralized and feeling disqualified for what God has called me to do. I do it at work; I do it in ministry. It needs to stop.

Prayer:

Father, I pray to be able to catch myself - that is, YOU catch me - when I am slipping into dark thoughts and ungodly, unrelenting sorrow. Help me to own YOUR joy and walk in it, singing the restored joy of my salvation. Truly I do belong to You. In Jesus' name. Amen.

SOAP Journal 02-29-2008 (Psalm 27:9-10)

Scripture:

Psalm 27:9-10 Do not reject me! Do not push your servant away in anger! You are my deliverer! Do not forsake or abandon me, O God who vindicates me! Even if my father and mother abandoned me, the Lord would take me in.

Observation:

How great is the acceptance of the Lord. How much more faithful is he to his servants than even the familial ties of child to parent. The "anger" word is key in understanding the human dynamic - angry parents can even disown their children - but not God. (From Netbible) - "take me in" is "gather" or "receive" - the Lord is pulling us to himself, gathering us in as it were.

Application:

Fear of rejection is primal to me; whether born from the experience of *being* rejected or the threat of sinning my way out of favor, acceptance or even fellowship. The Psalmist (David) is not claiming sinlessness (as he sometimes does) but appeals to God's mercy - which I need to own not just every morning but every moment. And rejection by men will certainly come - Jesus was rejected by His own - but never by the God who will always take me to Himself. This is a transaction I need to exercise regularly.

Prayer:

Father, You are my Father, my true Father Who always takes me in. Fuse that to my soul, O God, make it part of my breathing and living. Let me walk in that so I might give it away as well.
In Jesus' name, amen.

SOAP Journal 07-02-2007 (Zech 9:9-10)

Scripture:

Zech 9:9 Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Look! Your king is coming to you: he is legitimate and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey – on a young donkey, the foal of a female donkey. 9:10 I will remove the chariot from Ephraim and the warhorse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be removed. Then he will announce peace to the nations. His dominion will be from sea to sea and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.

Observation:

The parody of a triumphal entry by a war-winning king is the image of a monarch on a young donkey - a runt below and above. Jesus fulfilled this on His march over the palms to the noise of hosannas among the fickle people of Jerusalem. But here, in the originating prophetic text, we have the punch line - the extent and effect of His utter rule the next time we see Him. The machinery of war will be removed and the ruled land under Him will be extensive.

Application:

To learn how NOT to be impressed with the saber rattling and chest thumping rulers in my life is to grasp the rule of God's kingdom. Inasmuch as it defies worldly patterns and expressions, it is also internal versus external. The King on the donkey conquers hearts as much as He conquers physical land, indeed his physical land conquest is spiritual - the devoted hearts of people establish His righteouesness by advancing His internal reign.

Prayer:

Lord, let me seek Your rule, Your reign, more than the reign of men - or the reign of me. Conquering King, please conquer my heart. Show me places of rank rebellion, places of slow obedience - if there is a difference - and show me the wickedness, hurt or other basis for my lack of crowning You King over my heart. Come and reign! Hosanna!