2 John
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2 John 1:5-6, And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.
John’s second letter is the second shortest book in the New Testament. John clearly wants to encourage his followers and motivate them to action. He wants them to love each other, walk closely with the Lord, and avoid false teachers.
This book and 3 John are the only books in which John refers to himself as the elder. This connotates his position in the community and his relationship to the listeners. By this point, he was older but the term itself most likely points to his authority in the church. Interestingly, the recipient of the letter is “the chosen lady and her children.” This wording has led to all kinds of discussion in the scholarly literature. Is this a specific woman John is referring to? Most likely, no. John is probably referring to a local church and its members. The term “chosen lady” would have been one of respect and admiration.
The focus verses for today really get to the core of John’s message to the church. First, love one another. What does love look like? When we walk in obedience to God’s commands, when we live in truth and do what God called us to do.
Two words for today: LOVE and TRUTH. We love God when we obey him and live his truth in meaningful ways. Part of this obedience is loving others. Love of God and love of others cannot be separated. They are intricately linked. Over and over again, John is making this point.
How are you living God’s truth? How are you loving others? This is not an either/or proposition. It’s a both/and command. This is hard stuff, my friends. I think we need some prayer…
Lord Jesus, How we need you! We do such a bad job holding truth and love together. Help us be people of truth AND people of love in all we do. Provide openings and opportunities for us to share your love with someone today! Amen.
1 John 5
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1 John 5:13, I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
At the end of John’s first letter, he continues to focus on what it means to love God. God is love and all he does is out of love. When we love him, our mission is to follow his commands AND demonstrate his love to others. In fact, loving God and others cannot be separated. John continues to weave this theme through every chapter of the letter.
Today’s focus verse is brief but important. Why is John writing this letter? To lead people to faith in Jesus and the assurance of eternal life. Let’s look at the wording again, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” That is John’s mission statement. He is all about pointing people to a closer, deeper relationship with Jesus, one in which they are assured of eternal life, SO THAT they can do the same for others.
What’s your mission statement? I feel like, as a whole, Christ-followers have experienced mission drift. We have focused on battling culture (a losing battle) rather than leading people to Jesus. You may disagree with me and that’s okay.
I’ve really done a lot of reflecting lately on my own mission. My mission is to demonstrate the love of Christ in all I do, teach the truths of the faith, and point people to Jesus.
Take some time today and write your mission statement. What do you need to do in life to get in alignment with your mission?
Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, Thank you for being the purpose of my life. Help me live my life on mission with you. Guide me, lead me, direct me. More of you, less of me. In Your Name, Amen.
1 John 4
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1 John 4:16-17, And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.
In the beginning of chapter 4, John warns against false prophets. This is a theme we see throughout the New Testament letters. People are entering the church and teaching things that go against Jesus in some way. In this case, the false teaching must have been about the incarnation. John says that one can know that a person has the Spirit of God in them (as opposed to a false spirit) if they acknowledge that Jesus came in the flesh, that Jesus came as a human, died on a cross, and was resurrected from the dead. He continues to encourage the believers, making sure they understand that they are children of God, and that whatever false spirits the world throws at them, they can resist. Why? Because he that is in them (the Spirit of the Living God) is greater than he that is in the world. What a great reminder for us as well! Regardless of the mess going on around us, regardless of temptations and distractions, we can stay focused and committed to the work of Jesus Christ because he that is in us is greater than he that is in the world. Jesus always trumps evil. Light triumphs over darkness.
I do want us to get to our focus verses, however. This is some beautiful and powerful text. John has just gotten done writing about how he and others were eyewitnesses to the incarnation. They have seen that the Father sent Jesus to be the Savior of the world. Think about what John had seen in his lifetime. He walked with Jesus, was part of his ministry, he was a witness to the cross, and then later to the empty tomb. And now John proclaims that those who believe this have God living within them. Thus, we can be assured of the love God has for us (verse 16).
How many people need to hear that today? God loves you and you can be certain of that! You can also be certain that if you’ve said yes to Jesus Christ, then the spirit of God lives within you. The Spirit of God, the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. Those are all exceptional and mind-boggling truths. But here is another important truth – the mark of those who know and love God is how they love one another. That’s what Jesus did, he loved God and loved others well, and that is the mark of someone who walks close to Jesus in this world.
The mark is set high. I’m sinful and distracted. On my own and in my own power, I will never, ever reach this. My only chance is Jesus within me. Your only chance is Jesus within you. But it is oh so worth the effort, my friends. Love can be made complete in us. Wow, wow, wow!
Let’s pray…Jesus, We need you. We need you. We need you. Transform us. Transform me. Mold me. Make me who you want me to be so that I can love others in a way that even vaguely resembles you. In Your Name, Amen.
Acts 2
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Acts 2: 1-5 (NIV)
"2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly, a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them. Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven."
(I urge you to read this chapter 2 or 3 times. This fascinating chapter has so much to teach us, and it is impossible to encapsulate it in one SOAP note.)
Pentecost in English is Shavuot in Hebrew. It is the fourth of seven feasts that God ordained at Mt. Sinai. It was initially a celebration of the wheat crop. Still, later, Jewish tradition added that it was the day Moses received the Torah (The Law) at Mt. Sinai. Peter and the disciples learned Jewish traditions of the feast and the giving of the Torah, no doubt through the teachings they received sitting at the feet of Jesus in preparation for this day. The disciples, considered blue-collar workers, did not receive the privileged education from Gamaliel as Paul.
Old Testament references/similarities to Pentecost:
In Exodus 13, God leads Moses and the Israelites as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. (Acts 2: 2-3)
Deuteronomy 5:22, "These are the commandments the Lord proclaimed in a loud voice to your whole assembly there on the mountain from out of the fire, the cloud, and the deep darkness; and he added nothing more. Then he wrote them on two stone tablets and gave them to me." (Acts 2: 2-3)
Numbers 11:25, "Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke with him, and he took some of the power of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. They prophesied when the Spirit rested on them—but did not do so again. " In Numbers, God put the Holy Spirit upon the 70 elders Moses appointed to help him. They spoke the 70 languages representing the Table of Nations in Genesis 10. (Acts 2:4).
Similarly, 13 centuries later, the 12 disciples and 120 believers at Mt. Zion, where Jews from every nation gathered, heard a prophetic message in their native language. Isaiah 2:3 references God's word going out from Mt. Zion and Jerusalem. The disciples were on Mt. Zion in Jerusalem, and the Holy Spirit came with flames and fire and the sound of a rushing wind.
Additional OT verses reference wind and fire: Exodus 19: 16-25; 1 Kings 19:11: Ezekiel 1:4, 37:5-14; Isaiah 29:6; 66:15-16
Isaiah 2:3," Many peoples will come and say, Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways so that we may walk in his paths. The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." (Acts 2: 6-11)
Isaiah 55: 3, "Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David. (Acts 2:17)
Jeremiah 31:30-33, "The days are coming, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel…. This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time," declares the Lord. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people." (Acts 2:17-21)
Joel 2:2, "And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. "(Acts 2: 17-21)
One of the many things God shows us through Scripture in the Old and New Testaments is that He communicates with us in unique ways. For God's Chosen People of the Old Testament, it was His visual and audible presence and His prophets and judges. After Jesus' ascension, there are similar signs of Mt Sinai that Jews would understand from teachings passed down through generations of Ruach Ha-Kodesh of the Old Testament. In chapter 2, they experience the powerful indwelling of Pneuma in the New Testament. Today, the Holy Spirit communicates directly with us in ways that we (individually) can understand and apply to our lives and relationship with Him.
As Gentile believers (most reading this SOAP) who have placed our faith in Jesus Christ, we are grafted into Israel's covenants. (reference Ruth 2 and Romans 11). We are members of The Royal Priesthood like the Israelites. We have the precious blood atonement of the Cross and the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit deep within us. Dwell on these things and attempt to process the sheer magnitude of what God has done for us. It is difficult to grasp the enormity of it. As we go about our lives, let us strive every day to keep His commandments, be His hands and feet, love our neighbors, and share our story of The Hope that lives within us all through the power of the resurrection and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, the more we study Your Word, the more we understand Your Words in Ephesians three. Our prayer to you today is in the words of Paul. " I ask God from the wealth of his glory to give you power through his Spirit to be strong in your inner selves, and I pray that Christ will make his home in your hearts through faith. I pray that you may have your roots and foundation in love so that you, together with all God's people, may have the power to understand how broad and long, how high, and deep, is Christ's love. Yes, may you come to know his love—although it can never be fully known—and so be completely filled with the very nature of God. To him who by means of his power working in us is able to do so much more than we can ever ask for or even think of to God be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all time, forever and ever! Amen.
Becky Jordan
Sunday, June 5th is Pentecost Sunday. Don’t forget to wear RED!
1 John 3
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1 John 3:16, This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
This final chapter in John’s first letter is about recognizing that we are children of God so that we can live accordingly. How do children of God behave? Well, first and foremost, they are motivated by love. The world may hate but we love, even when it’s hard and even when it’s uncomfortable.
Our focus verse is 1 John 3:16. Take a moment and read it again. Notice how similar it is to John 3:16, For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. But in our focus verse, John takes it one step further for the believer. Yes, Jesus died for us. Yes, if we believe in him then we have eternal life. But one more thing – because of all that, we must love our brothers and sisters so much that we sacrifice for them.
This has echoes of the Great Commandment as well in Matthew 22:37-40. Love of God and love of neighbor cannot be separated. How we try over and over again to separate our faith in Jesus from how we treat others. They are intricately linked.
How does this Scripture affect how you do life?
Let’s pray…Jesus, We love you and thank you for laying down your life for us. Help us lay down our lives for others. Help us sacrifice for others and love others in a way that glorifies you. In Your Name, Amen.
2 Peter 3
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2 Peter 3:8-9, But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
In the final chapter of Peter’s second letter, we find Peter continuing to warn the churches about false teachers. These were teachers who were mocking the believers for thinking that Jesus would return to judge the world. These teachers professed faith in Jesus but didn’t live as Christians were called to live. In fact, as Peter had alluded to in previous chapters, these false teachers could often be identified by their morals and their motives. They were greedy and selfish. They cared more for their own needs and preferences than they did about submission to Jesus as Lord. They didn’t lead virtuous lives and they didn’t care to do so. It isn’t surprising, then, that they don’t believe that Jesus will come back to judge them. They have formed Jesus into what they wanted him to be.
In today’s focus verses, we find Peter’s response. While it might seem like Jesus is taking time to return, the Lord always keeps his promises. God’s perspective is not our perspective. His timing is not our timing. His days are not 24 hour days that run according to the Gregorian calendar. Rather, God is patient and enduring. God loves his people and doesn’t want anyone to perish. He cares for every single human being across the whole world and he is giving them plenty of time to come back to him.
Bigger question: If God desires all to come to know him, to repent, and receive salvation, then how is this going to happen? Well, we are God’s plan A and there isn’t a plan B. God has called his people to share the Gospel here, there, and everywhere. This is a core part of who God has called US to be.
Let’s pray…Lord, Thank you for your patience with us. Thank you for loving us. Help us recognize your call on our lives so that we can be about sharing your Good News with the world. May we live our lives with joy and boldness. Give us courage, motivation, and a deep love for your people. More of you and less of me. Amen.
2 Peter 2
II PETER 2
II PETER 2:3b-10
…their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter; and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds), then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries…
God is truth! Time and time again, the Scripture reiterates this simple fact. As the God of truth, He cannot lie. So, when God speaks, He always speaks truth. However, in stark contrast, Satan is the father of lies. His primary goal as God’s adversary is to deceive and distort the truth in order to obscure God’s message.
So holy men of God were careful to write nothing in Scripture except what was delivered through the Holy Spirit. False teachers have no such regard. They blaspheme God and twist the truth for their own purposes. The reasoning of the false teachers went like this: Jesus is not going to return to judge the world; therefore, people can live however they want. As always, false teachers lie!
Such judgment is guaranteed to happen to every unrepentant false teacher and the scriptures we just read can come under three headings: 2:3b - The Promise of Judgment; 2:4-8 - The Precedent for Judgment, and 2:9-10a - The Pattern of Judgment.
Today we can relate to these scriptures well as we are now living in a time of false teachings in our world and even in our church. However, we know the ending – our God wins!!!
Let’s pray, Lord, we ask for the strength and the knowledge to discern false teachings of empty promises to escape the struggles of life and also, to not be like false teachers – half in and half out. We, as your followers, have to be “all in” for we know You are the God of Truth and You will never leave us. Amen and Amen!
2 Peter 1
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2 Peter 1:5-9, For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
Today, we start Peter’s second letter to the churches to whom he ministered in Asia Minor (now modern-day Turkey). It appears that very soon after Peter wrote the first letter, he felt compelled to send another. Why? Because there were reports of false teachers in their community, as well as dissension among the believers themselves. This had the potential for unraveling the young church. In order to combat both these destructive elements, Peter urges the believers to grow deeper in their faith, becoming more spiritually mature, by leaning on God’s Word.
Today’s focus verses are part of the letter’s opening sermon. Normally, this part of the letter would include some kind of thanksgiving but Peter neglects adding that. He seems to want to grab the attention of the readers by getting right to the meat of the subject. Thus, we can see right away that it isn’t a typical letter. Our focus verses themselves are a call to virtue. Because of what Jesus has done for us (Peter outlines this in the beginning of the chapter), we are called to live a certain way, to develop specific virtues that set us apart from the unbelieving world. In verse 5, Peter begins what’s called a virtue chain. Add to your faith goodness, add to goodness knowledge, add to knowledge self-control, add to self-control perseverance, add to perseverance godliness, add to godliness mutual affection, and add to mutual affection love.
This is similar to virtue chains in Romans 5 and Galatians 5. The order of the virtues is not that important (and vary in each case) but developing these virtues is of utmost importance. It’s in developing these virtues that we can be useful to the Kingdom. We aren’t useful to the Kingdom if we are negative, conflictual, and critical. We DO NOT honor Jesus if we are negative. We DO NOT honor Jesus and provide a good witness to the faith if we foster conflict. We DO NOT honor Jesus and provide a good witness to the faith if we are critical. But if we live out goodness, knowledge (I’ll add Godly knowledge), self-control, perseverance in the faith, Godliness, mutual affection and care for others, and love, THEN we demonstrate who and whose we are. We show the world Jesus through our actions and behavior.
Spiritual maturity is not demonstrated by judgmentalism, critical spirits, or seeing the world through a negative lens. That actually seems spiritually immature. Plus, the enemy rejoices when we become fixated on those things. But, wow, what could we do for Jesus if we very intentionally, very deliberately worked on living into these virtues? The outside world might stop and take notice and say “There is something different about her. I want to be like her. I want what she has.” And we have this beautiful opportunity to share the source of our hope.
Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, Show us which virtues we are lacking. Open our heart so we can see where and how we need to grow spiritually. Give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart that is open to you. In Your name, Amen.
1 Peter 5
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I Peter 5:6-9, Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
In this last chapter of I Peter, we find Peter giving final thoughts to the churches. This is where he lands the plane, he emphasizes certain critical points for their Christian walk. While Peter discusses a number of things, these three stand out as most important: humility, alertness, and faithfulness.
Let’s start by talking a bit about humility. In this context, humility means putting aside our own agenda for God’s. It means accepting the fact that we may not get recognition but we should serve God anyway. No task is too small or too menial for God’s Kingdom. God’s Kingdom is advanced so much more when people don’t worry about who gets the credit. That’s humility.
Then, there’s alertness. We need to be on guard. This means not allowing our minds to get sloppy. It means staying focused on God and not getting distracted by worldly influences. If we do, this provides an inroad for the enemy to sneak in and cause problems. Stay focused on the things of God.
Finally, there is faithfulness. Regardless of our earthly circumstances, stay true to God and the beliefs of the faith. It might not always appear to be so, but God always walks with us directing our paths. We are never alone, even when we experience persecution. God is faithful to us and calls us to stay faithful to him.
How are you doing in these areas? Where are you when it comes to being humble for the faith? How alert are you – do you struggle with distraction and sloppy thinking? Finally, where are you on the faithfulness scale? Have you stayed true to the faith?
Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, Help us be people who are humble, alert, and faithful, so that we can be of use to the Kingdom. Use us, Lord. Mold us into the people you have called us to be. More of you and less of me. In Your Name, Amen.
1 Peter 4
1 PETER 4
1 PETER 4:1-2, Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.
1 PETER 4:12-19, Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing happened to you, but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God, and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?” Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.
It is believed Peter wrote this letter shortly before or after the burning of Rome and at the beginning of the horrors of a 200 year period of Christian persecution.
In the first 2 verses, Peter discusses one possible response to persecution – to give oneself over to the will of God! Now in Verses 12-19, he turns to two other possible reactions.
First, believers may think they are being singled out and wonder why this “strange thing” is happening. Yet suffering should be expected for those who follow Christ.
Second, Christians may think they are being judged for some reason. But if they are living above reproach, they can rejoice that they are suffering according to God’s will and for His glory. They can also stand firm, entrusting the outcome to Him as they continue to do what is right.
No matter what the reason is for suffering, God does use it – sometimes as discipline and sometimes as instruction. It may be to train us in obedience; to produce patience; to prevent pride; to teach His ways; to prepare us to comfort others; or to prove us.
Let’s pray, Lord…Thank you for our sufferings. Help us to be like the oyster that takes a speck of sand and makes it become a pearl of great value and that we will do the same with our difficulties, combined with Your greatness and glory until we develop our own pearl of great price – strength of character. Amen and Amen!
1 Peter 3
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1 Peter 3:15, But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…
If you haven’t done so already, it’s worth reading the whole text. Peter is outlining how believers should behave in order for nonbelievers to be won over to the faith. The first part of the chapter refers to wives of unbelieving husbands. Remember, this must all be taken in context. At the time and in that culture, women had few (if any) rights and were basically treated as possessions. Keeping that in mind, Peter implores the believing wives of unbelievers to submit to their husbands in a way that highlight the love and grace of Jesus Christ, so that these men might eventually believe. Peter isn’t condoning the patriarchal culture, nor is he trying to undo it (that would be pretty difficult in their setting) but he simply wants to create structures that lead more people to Jesus. That is his primary motivation – leading more people to Jesus Christ.
The rest of the chapter discusses the need to do good, to be compassionate, and be humble, so that people will be introduced to Jesus. Again, the motivation is leading more people to Jesus. This leads to our focus verse for today. When the believers were kind, loving, generous, compassionate, and hope-filled, people outside the church would certainly notice. Peter says to be ready to explain the source of the hope, that is a living relationship with Jesus Christ. Don’t be preachy about it (“…do this with gentleness and respect…”) but be clear and express the why behind the action.
That being said, are you ready to explain the source of your hope? If you did something incredibly kind for a neighbor and they asked why you did it, what would you say? Pray about this, maybe even practice your answer so you will be ready to explain the source of your hope, Jesus Christ!
Let’s pray…Dear Jesus, Our hope is built totally and completely on you. Please give us openings to share our hope in you. May your Spirit give us the right words at the right time and help us NEVER to shy away from sharing about you. In Your Name, Amen.
1 Peter 2
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1 Peter 2:9-10, But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
In today’s focus verses, Peter is highlighting the blessings which belong to all believers. He starts by stating that they are a chosen people (by the way, that means WE are a chosen people). While the people of Israel were certainly chosen by God, God has now chosen a new group of people who have obtained membership in this chosen group not by inheriting it through Abraham but by believing in Jesus Christ. Similarly, Peter calls the readers of this letter a royal priesthood and a holy nation, words that are very similar to those found in Exodus, Isaiah, and Malachi, in describing those who lived under the Mosaic covenant. Now, those who profess faith in Jesus are part of the royal priesthood and they are a holy nation, not because of who they are related to but because of who they are in Jesus Christ.
Peter goes on to elaborate. God’s purpose in redeeming us is not only for our own benefit (although it certainly is to our benefit) but to glorify God. We get to declare his praises, for he has called us out of a life of darkness and into a life of light – glorious, wonderful, abundant life in Christ. Because of God’s mercy, we are freed from the bondage and darkness of sin and can live in the freedom of knowing that we have been forgiven and that we are new people.
Do you live in the knowledge that you have been forgiven and that you are a new person in Jesus? Do you truly believe that God chose YOU and that you are God’s special possession? Friends, God loves you and desires to be in an intimate relationship with you. Wherever you are in your relationship with Jesus today, spend some time with him. Get right with him if need be, praise him, rejoice in his blessings, and simply be grateful.
Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, Hear our prayers. We love you, we are grateful, we are amazingly humbled that you chose us. More of you, Jesus, and less of me. In Your Name, Amen.
1 Peter 1
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1 Peter 1:13-16, Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
Today, we start reading a letter written by the apostle Peter to the churches in five regions of Asia Minor, what is now modern-day Turkey. This first chapter is a call to recognize their living hope in Jesus, the joy that is found in Christ despite earthly persecution, and the need to pursue holiness of life.
Our focus verses for today deal with this issue of holiness. Peter implores these early believers to set aside their old way of life before they knew Jesus and to seek a life characterized by holiness. In the Old Testament, holiness referred to being set apart from everything else. God is holy and totally without sin, and he continually tried to foster holiness in his people. In fact, holiness is central to the character of God. In the New Testament, the concept of holiness still means set apart but it also refers to being morally pure. The early Christ-followers were set apart, not in the sense that they separated themselves from the world because they did not, but because they were ethically and morally different from those around them. They lived according to a different standard, seeking the righteousness of God.
Peter is encouraging these early Christians to seek God’s holiness, to live their lives in a way that looks entirely different from the culture around them. They were essentially to pattern their lives on Jesus Christ. Part of pursuing holiness is seeking God’s will daily, hourly, possibly even minute by minute.
Do you seek holiness in your life? Why or why not?
Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, I long for holiness. More of you and less of me. In Your Name, Amen.
1 Kings 22
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1 Kings 22:7-8, But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no longer a prophet of the Lord here whom we can inquire of?”
The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.”
We have come to the final chapter in the book of 1 Kings. You made it! While the story is far from over, I hope these past few weeks have been insightful for you. These Old Testament passages are filled with truth, sometimes really hard truth, but well worth our time digesting them and allowing God to speak to us through them.
In today’s chapter, we find Ahab, king of Israel, form an alliance with Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, to go to war with Syria (Aram) over the region of Ramoth Gilead. In an effort to ensure they would win, they seek the guidance from the prophets of Israel. Ahab quickly summons four hundred prophets who claim to speak for Yahweh and enthusiastically proclaim that God will guarantee their victory. Jehoshaphat is a bit wary of these four hundred prophets, as they were most certainly on King Ahab’s payroll and willing to say whatever pleased the king. King Jehoshaphat asked for a true prophet of the Lord.
Ahab is hesitant but has Micaiah summoned to prophecy on the topic as well. As you can see from our focus verses, Ahab actually says he hates Micaiah because he never says anything good about him. Rather than take this to heart and consider there may be an issue with his own actions, he simply blames Micaiah. Interestingly, Micaiah prophecies victory for Israel and Judah over Aram but also that Ahab would be killed in battle. Ahab, with his typical arrogance, dismisses Micaiah with anger but is indeed killed in the battle.
How often do we surround ourselves with people who will tell us what we want to hear? Obviously, Ahab made a habit of this. He liked his paid prophets because they petted his ego and agreed with him. They didn’t call him out on his behavior or idolatry. Micaiah, on the other hand, told it like it was. I’m wondering if we sometimes do the same. We hang out with people who tell us what we want to hear or think exactly like we do. We listen to news and podcasts that reinforce our own ideas. Do we allow ourselves to be challenged? I can’t help but think that’s the importance of constantly digging into God’s Word and spending lots of time in prayer. We need to listen to God so God can share his truth with us. Sometimes this truth will reinforce what we know or be exactly what we want to hear. Other times, it will be hard truth that convicts us and points us in another direction. But this is how God stretches us, grows us, and helps us better reflect Jesus.
Do you allow God to challenge and convict you and how?
Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, How we need you. On our own, we stay comfortable. We don’t grow. Lord, stretch us, challenge us, mold us, transform us, so that we can look more like you. In Your Name, Amen.
1 Kings 21
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1 Kings 21:27-29, When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly. Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: “Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.”
Up until this point, King Ahab has been evil in the sense that he turned away from God and engaged in idolatry. Now, he is complicit in brutality as well. When he doesn’t get a nearby vineyard that he desires, he throws a tantrum and allows his wife, Jezebel, to do what she sees fit to ensure the vineyard is his. Jezebel, with no hesitation or remorse, devises a plan to ensure that the rightful owner of the vineyard is killed. The vineyard now belongs to King Ahab.
Not surprisingly, this angers the Lord. God declares that the line of Ahab will be destroyed and that his wife, Jezebel, will be killed and eaten by dogs (which would be considered incredibly horrific because there could be no proper burial). At this, we see a drastic change in Ahab. He actually shows remorse. He puts on sackcloth and fasts; he humbles himself before the Lord. This appears to be the first positive thing that Ahab has ever done. God takes notice.
God decides to push back the destruction of Ahab to future generations. You see, God always wanted to get Ahab’s attention and have him turn from his evil ways. He never wanted Ahab to be destroyed, simply transformed into a Godly king like David; he wanted Ahab’s heart to genuinely change. God is incredibly merciful, always looking for way to redeem, always willing to give second chances.
Let’s pray…Lord, Thank you for your mercy. Forgive us for our many sins, for the way we fall short over and over again. Help us change our own hearts so we better reflect you. May we reflect your mercy, love, and grace, in all we do. More of you and less of me, Lord Jesus. Amen.
1 Kings 20
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1 Kings 20:13, Meanwhile a prophet came to Ahab king of Israel and announced, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Do you see this vast army? I will give it into your hand today, and then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
Syria, a long-time enemy of Israel, is once again threatening to invade. In fact, Syria’s king, Ben Hadad (along with a coalition of thirty-two other kings) makes demands on Ahab to avoid a fight. Ahab agrees to give money, women, and children to Ben Hadad if they will retreat. When the king of Syria and his coalition also demand that they be allowed to pillage and loot the palaces of Ahab’s officials, King Ahab refused. They will fight rather than surrender.
In today’s focus verse, we see God sending a prophet to Ahab who tells him that God will help Israel defeat the vast army of the Syrian coalition. Why in the world would God do this, considering Ahab’s blatant disobedience and evil over the past few chapters? So King Ahab will know that Yahweh is the Lord. God continues to give Ahab chances to turn from his old ways and serve the one true God. Our God is a God of second, third, and fourth chances. He wants a relationship with each of us.
As we finish the chapter, we see that God does in fact save the nation of Israel. But Ahab is disobedient once again. This will be his undoing…more tomorrow.
Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, We thank you that you are a God of second chances. We are grateful for your mercy and extravagant grace. Help us reflect your love, grace, and mercy in all we do as well, in order to lead people to you. In Your Name, Amen.
1 Kings 19
SOAP for Friday, May 13, 2022
By: Paul Lancaster
Scripture: Read 1 Kings 19 (NIV). (Today’s focus scripture v. 1-5)
Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.” Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a days journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.
In 1 Kings 18, we see Elijah at his best, a faithful leader who bravely stands his ground against a multitude of false prophets. But in 1 Kings 19, Elijah displays open fear of Jezebel. Upon hearing that he killed the prophets of Baal, she “sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, ‘So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow’” (1 Kings 19:2). As a result, Elijah quickly goes from resting in God’s will to running from God—and for his life.
No man or woman stands any longer than he or she is supported by the divine grace of God. The most experienced saints, if left to themselves, are immediately seen to be as weak as water and as timid as mice. While we may be comforted to know that the Bible’s characters share our weakness, we must also learn from their mistakes so that we do not repeat them. Elijah went from brave faith to fearful flight because his focus changed. As a result, he began to walk not by faith but by sight (2 Cor. 5:7).
Like Elijah, our experiences of despair and disappointment are often accompanied by self-pity. In such moments and seasons, we must begin by determining whether we feel discouraged because our focus has moved from God to our circumstances. Whenever we walk by sight and not by faith, our focus inevitably shifts from God and His provision to ourselves and our insufficiency.
Notice that after Elijah flees into the wilderness, he implores God, saying, “Take away my life” (1 Kings 19:4). He then complains to God, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too (v. 10).” Have you ever felt like you were the ‘only one left’? Was it true?
Elijah allowed the questions of his heart to overturn his faith rather than allowing his faith to overturn the questions of his heart. What fear (False Evidence Appearing Real) is overwhelming your faith? How about we all give it to God?
Prayer: God thank you for sending Jesus to die as a living sacrifice for us. By accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are given a new life. A new life, which includes your Holy Spirit living within us. Father, take our fears and anxieties away so we might stand boldly and faithfully in Your strength.
Amen.
1 Kings 18
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1 Kings 18:36-39, At the usual time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,] prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command. O Lord, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.”
Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The Lord—he is God! Yes, the Lord is God!”
God has called Elijah to come face to face with King Ahab once again. Times are tense – the drought is severe; animals and people are dying. Ahab blames Elijah for Israel’s trouble. Afterall, in Ahab’s mind, Elijah has offended Baal (the Canaanite god of rain) and that is why the rain has stopped. Elijah, amazingly brave and solid, denies Ahab’s claim and turns it around – it’s actually Ahab’s fault because he has been so disobedient to the Lord, Yahweh, and it is he who is in charge of the rain.
What’s interesting to me is that Ahab and the people of Israel were still worshiping Yahweh, but they also were the worshiping Canaanite gods of Baal and Asherah. Elijah is tasked with challenging Ahab on this issue. The king can’t have it both ways; it’s time to choose. Will he choose the one true God OR the Canaanite gods? Verse 21 is quite powerful, Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!” But the people were completely silent.
Elijah then proposes a contest to demonstrate who is really God – is it Baal or Yahweh? The prophets of Baal spent hours calling on Baal to light the altar, complete with dead bull and wood, on fire. They dance around it, then begin to cut themselves and allow their own blood to be shed, begging Baal to respond. Not surprisingly, Baal is silent. But when Elijah calls on Yahweh, the one true God, to light the altar (bull, wood, twelve stones to represent the tribes of Israel, and lots of water), God demonstrates his power in an awesome way. Everything is consumed in flames and the water is quickly soaked up. It’s only then that the people acknowledge that the Lord is God.
We may think that we’ve far removed from Ahab and the people of Israel during Elijah’s day. Granted, we probably aren’t bowing down to Baal and worshiping Asherah. But the reality is that we try to serve Yahweh along with other gods as well. What other gods vie for attention in your life? Money, power, jobs, family, boats, campers, travel, food, exercise, retirement plans, golf, you get the idea. There are so many things that we put before God or at least on the same level. We may think this is harmless but it is insidiously dangerous. What have you allowed to creep into your life and take on the same level of importance as worship, as ministry, as mission, as Scripture, as tithe, as God?
Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, Forgive us for all the things that get in the way of our relationship with you. We need you, Lord. On our own, we mess up over and over again. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. More of you and less of me. In Your Name, Amen.
1 Kings 17
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1 Kings 17:21-24, And he stretched himself out over the child three times and cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, please let this child’s life return to him.” The Lord heard Elijah’s prayer, and the life of the child returned, and he revived! Then Elijah brought him down from the upper room and gave him to his mother. “Look!” he said. “Your son is alive!”
Then the woman told Elijah, “Now I know for sure that you are a man of God, and that the Lord truly speaks through you.”
The evil of King Ahab and the idolatry and disobedience among God’s people has gotten really, really bad. Thus, God sends prophets to point out the error of their ways and essentially be their theological conscience.
In this chapter, we meet the prophet Elijah. His name literally means “My God is Yahweh” and that is basically the theme of his entire career. The chapter begins with Elijah proclaiming to King Ahab that there would be no rain for the next few years until the one true God declared it so. This is particularly important because the main Canaanite god, Baal, was worshiped as the god of rain. By Yahweh stopping all rain and dew, he is declaring that HE alone is God and that Baal is a fake god with no power.
The Scripture doesn’t explicitly state the response of King Ahab but we can guess it wasn’t good, for God tells Elijah to leave the area and go hide by Kerith Brook.
As you read through the chapter, Elijah’s obedience and trust in God are quite remarkable. He trusts God to provide provisions for food and water through animals and people! My favorite aspect of this chapter is how God uses an impoverished outsider, the widow of Sidon (a city in what is now Lebanon), to provide care and nourishment to one of the most faithful of all of God’s prophets. Keep in mind that a widow would have been one of the poorest and most vulnerable people in that world. And yet, God chooses her and she (possibly out of desperation) agrees to be part of God’s plan. As a result, she and her son are saved from the drought, the ensuing famine, and even illness. At the end of the chapter, her faithfulness to Elijah is rewarded with God bringing her son back to life. By being faithful and open to God at work, this widow puts to shame many others who rejected the one true God.
How often God uses the weak and lowly to shame the powerful. I think this is something we all need to reflect on today. When have you personally seen this at work?
Let’s pray…Lord, Help us remember who and whose we are. How often we behave like we have all the answers, like we don’t need you, like we know better than you. Forgive us, God. Help us live with a spirit of humility and grace, being open to new things you are doing in our lives. In Your Name, Amen.
1 Kings 16
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I Kings 16:29-34, In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria over Israel twenty-two years. Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him. He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him. He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria. Ahab also made an Asherah pole and did more to arouse the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than did all the kings of Israel before him. In Ahab’s time, Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho. He laid its foundations at the cost of his firstborn son Abiram, and he set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, in accordance with the word of the Lord spoken by Joshua son of Nun.
The Northern Kingdom is one, hot sinful mess! King after king, there is disobedience, idolatry, and violence. By the time we get to King Ahab at the end of chapter 16, we think it can’t get any worse. And yet, it really does. Ahab was the worst of the worst. He went above and beyond when it came to deliberately thumbing his nose at God and he took pagan worship to a new level.
Then, there was child sacrifice. To be honest, I wasn’t really clear about what verse 34 meant – what does it mean to build the foundations of a city or the gates at the cost of a child? Apparently, infants (alive or dead) would be placed in a container and then literally placed in the masonry of the foundation. The idea was to ward off evil and please the gods. I have a hard time even typing the words. How absolutely horrific and blatantly against the law of the one true God.
One more aspect of Ahab’s total disregard for the Lord – the rebuilding of Jericho. Most of you probably remember the great story of Joshua and the people of God conquering Jericho after circling for seven days. At the time, God warned of death to the person (and their family) who attempted to rebuild the city. And Ahab rebuilt it. The author is reminding us that while it might not appear to be so, God’s Word still stands. God is still in control. Ahab will not have the final word. Evil does not win.
Let’s pray…Lord, We trust in YOUR Word and YOUR Word alone. In the midst of evil, we cling to you. Remind us of your presence today. We need you, Lord, oh how we need you! More of you and less of me. In Your Name, Amen.