June 29, 2008 SOAP Devotional

June 29, 2008
Read Exodus 20
To read this text go to: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exodus%2020&version=51

Scripture- Exodus 20:1- Then God gave the people all these instructions:


Observations- God gives the people the Ten Commandments. These are given by God directly to the people—Moses does not act as an intermediary. This is not a collection of laws, because there are not punishments listed (the 2nd and 5th appear to have penalties, but those are more like “motivational clauses” designed to promote the observance of the divine instructions). Only these are written by the finger of God in the stone tablets. All other regulations and instructions are written down by Moses. These are the conditions of God’s covenant relationship with the Israelites. They are listed in the order of descending priority and focus on the Israelites’ relationship first to the Lord and then to other people. They are to be single minded in their devotion to the One who delivered them out of Egypt. That devotion to God will also be reflected in the way they act/treat others.

Application- Many would like to do away with the Ten Commandments. They seem to some to be harsh and legalistic. These are given by God to the people to help them understand that God desires an exclusive relationship. They, and we, are to worship no other gods and treasure this relationship because God treasures us (Ex. 19:5). We were created for relationship with God and that relationship was broken by sin. From that time to this, God has been pursuing humanity trying to win our allegiance back. This does not come without some responsibility on our part, though. Our surrender to God and obedience to Him should have a profound effect on our behavior. Our lives should show the evidence of God’s transforming love through the way we act toward God and how we treat others. God is not a fire insurance policy, but desires an exclusive relationship.

Prayer- Lord, help me to see how completely You desire to transform my life. Help me to count the cost and not take our relationship for granted. Thank you for offering me Your mercy and grace by being so lovingly patient with my wanderings. You know how prone I am to nibble my way lost. Keep calling me back and setting me on the right path. Amen.
Glad to be on the journey with you!
Pastor Matt
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June 28, 2008 SOAP devotional

June 28, 2008
Read Exodus 19
To read this text go to: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=2&chapter=19&version=51


Scripture- Exodus 19:4-6- ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You know how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.’ This is the message you must give to the people of Israel.”

Observations- God’s purpose in bringing them out of Egypt was not only to alleviate their suffering, but to strengthen their connection/relationship with Him. God describes the way He cared for them as carrying them ‘on eagles’ wings.’ Once they are delivered, they are called to a lifestyle of obedience and consecration. If the people will obey God, they will be His ‘own special treasure’—the thing that God cherishes most of all! If we keep our end of the bargain (living in obedience and consecration to God) then God says that we will be His priests—His representatives/agents in the world.

Application- God’s desire from the beginning was to have a special relationship with us. Here in the story of the Exodus, we see that expressed very clearly. God cares for us and wants our obedience in response. When we respond with loving obedience and surrender, dedicating our lives to serving Him in love, then we occupy a special place in God’s heart. Think of it in terms of a parent/child relationship. The parent loves the child because that child is its own offspring. When the child listens to our instructions and heeds our advice, then we find great joy and pleasure in that child. The love is still there, but it is now enhanced by the joy and pleasure we feel due to our child’s response to our instruction. How much more is that true of God! God’s love for us is always there, but joy and pleasure are added to that love when we live lives that are dedicated & surrendered to Him. When we do this, we are his treasured possessions, best able to represent His purposes in this world.

Prayer- Lord, help me to realize how much pleasure it brings to Your heart when I live in obedience and surrender to You. I am too often distracted by my own agenda/task list/to do list, and fail to seek Your will for my life. Thank You for the times when they are in alignment, and for Your mercy and grace when they are not. Help me to live ever more aware of Your presence in my life and of Your desire to have an intimate relationship with me. I give all that I know of myself to all that I know of You. Help them both to increase. Amen.
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Geeky Art

It's good to be back! I didn't post anything last week because I was out working on my paperwork to submit to our Conference Board of Ordained Ministry. I found this video today and it is really cool! Very artistic in a geeky kind of way.

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June 12 SOAP Devotional

June 12, 2009
Read Exodus 3
To read this text go to: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exodus%203&version=31

Scripture- Exodus 3:11- But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"

Observations- After making the transition to the new life that came following Moses’ killing the Egyptian guard, he encounters God through the burning bush. God uses this encounter to call Moses to serve Him in a great task. Moses first reaction is to question his qualifications for the job. I believe that the memory of his past sin is in full focus here. How can Moses go to the Pharaoh given that everyone knew about the crime he committed? When faced with God’s call, Moses looked immediately to his own limitations as the roadblocks to fulfilling that call.

Application- It has been said that God does not call the qualified, God qualifies the called. The Bible is full of stories of God using flawed, broken people to do great things. God has a habit of calling us to things that seem impossible. The lesson to learn in these moments is that it is not about us, but it is about God. God only needs our willingness to be used in order to use us to do great things. God sees the potential of what lies within us and taps that potential, while empowering us with the Holy Spirit. When this happens, we realize that the words of Paul from Philippians 4:13 are so very true, “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” When we are surrendered to God and fully relying on God, then we can do whatever we are asked to do, no matter how big and intimidating (or small and insignificant) it might seem.

Prayer- Dear God, help me to focus on Your greatness and not my faults. I know that You want to do so much more through me than I often allow You to do because, like Moses, I am arguing with You about all the reasons I think I can’t do what You are asking. Please knock me over the head if You have to, to get my attention and straighten my thinking out. I would rather be hit with Your holy 2x4 than miss out on the blessing of obedience. Thank You for being so lovingly patient with me. Amen

Peace,
Pastor Matt

PS—Thank you for praying for the Harre family. Joyce died and went home to be with Jesus yesterday at around 11:00am. There will be a service for her on Saturday, June 21st, at 3pm in the Sanctuary. There will be a reception following in the Gym.
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June 11 SOAP Devotional

June 11, 2009
Read Exodus 2
To read this text go to: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exodus%202&version=51

Scripture- Exodus 2:23-25- Years passed, and the king of Egypt died. But the Israelites continued to groan under their burden of slavery. They cried out for help, and their cry rose up to God. God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He looked down on the people of Israel and knew it was time to act.

Observations-The saga of Israel’s suffering continues throughout this chapter. It seems at first glance that God was no longer concerned about them.They went to Egypt as guests of honor at the invitation of the Pharaoh and now, several generations later, were slaves subjected to oppressive conditions. The memory of their forefather, Joseph, and his significant contribution to the survival of Egypt was now long gone. Their babies had been murdered, and they were being subjected to the hardship of slavery. I am sure they wondered where God was through all of this. The Hebrew here literally says that the way God heard their suffering through experiencing it with them—the sense of God entering their suffering himself. When the time was right, God acted.

Application- This chapter is not so much about God’s failing memory (as if that were a problem, which it isn’t) as it is about setting the stage for Moses entry into the story. The incredible picture that is presented here reminds us that when we are in our own “valley of the shadow of death” we can know that God is well aware of what is going on and is concerned about the events of our lives. I have a seminary professor and mentor that said to us several years ago, “You are perfectly known by God and perfectly loved by God. These are both necessary realities for us to experience the complete love of God. If we were perfectly known without being perfectly loved, then we would cower in fear. If we were perfectly loved without being perfectly known, then we would play games with God. As it is, both are true and we can know that God loves us and cares about what happens in our lives.”

Prayer- God, thank you for both knowing and loving me perfectly. Thanks for not letting me play games with You and for loving me enough that I don’t have to cower in fear before You. Thank you for being my deliverer and for being present when I walk through my own dark valleys in life. Help us to remember that You are always present with us and You hear our prayers. Amen.

God is with us!
Pastor Matt


PS—Please keep Joyce Harre & her family in your prayers. She suffered a massive stroke yesterday and is not expected to live much longer. She just lost her husband, Bob, a little more than a month ago. She is very close to making the transition from the loving arms of her family into the loving arms of Jesus. She is currently in Tampa General Hospital. Her daughter and son are there with her.
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June 10 SOAP Devotional

June 10, 2009
Read Exodus 1
To read this text go to: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=2&chapter=1&version=31

Scripture- Exodus 1:15-17- The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, "When you help the Hebrew women in childbirth and observe them on the delivery stool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live." The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live.

Observations- The book of Exodus is written from the perspective that the reader is already familiar with the book of Genesis. An important trend is continued from Genesis to Exodus regarding how God is portrayed. Genesis begins with God as the central participant in the story; a change occurs through out the book as God gradually retreats from the center of the stage and adopts the role of an off-stage director. This is most evident when Joseph takes the stage. He doesn’t have a direct encounter with God, like his ancestors did, but God controls his destiny as well as that of his wider family without revealing Himself directly. This chapter conveys the impression that God no longer reveals Himself in person. God offers His providential care, as shown in the story of the two midwives and the remarkable increase of the Israelites. These two midwives risk their lives by directly disobeying the king’s orders. Their fear of God was greater than their fear of the king and any consequences that might come from disobeying him (the king).

Application- There are times in our lives when we are faced with difficult choices. We know that to do what is before us will compromise our faithfulness to God. These situations are never easy. Like these two midwives, there are often people who have authority over us that do not share our faith commitment. They often don’t think twice before giving us orders to do things that are outside of God’s ethical and/or moral standards. While our lives might not be in danger if we disobey, our livelihood might be. We have to remember that no matter who may or may not see us, God sees everything and is a rewarder of those who choose to do right, even if it comes at great personal cost. This doesn’t mean that we have to be obnoxious about it, but our quiet, faithful obedience to God’s will is a witness to others. Many times there are people watching us just to see if we will live like we say we believe. What will they see in us?

God Is With You!
Pastor Matt
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Cletus Take the Reel

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