Walking With God Part 3

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Walking With God Part 3

SOAP {Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer}:
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Giving Up Socnets For Lent

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Giving Up Socnets For Lent

It's a bit late, maybe, but I decided yesterday (after posting one update to Twitter, Facebook, et. al.) to give up online social networking for Lent. I'm not Catholic, and I don't usually do this Lent thing. But I do want to grow ever closer to my Creator and Savior, and that's what Lent is all about; eliminating a source of distraction in your life and shifting that focus to God.

Twitter, Facebook, and the myriad other social networking sites (including newcomer Google Buzz) can certainly be a source of great distraction. So, other than some already set up automated processes like blog posts being added to my feeds, etc., I will not be updating any of the social media outlets until after Lent (Easter Sunday). I will not be reading the feeds, catching the Tweets, or following the Buzz. I will, instead, be pushing myself to shift the time I would have spent on social networking toward enriching my relationship with the Creator of all things.

Starting now, as I dig back into the book of Job; yet another great man who walked with God. Watch for a new SOAP entry about him here soon.

Send me your thoughts.

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Walking With God: Part 2

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Walking With God: Part 2

SOAP {Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer}:
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SCRIPTURE: 9b Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God. 10 And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11 Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. 13 And God said to Noah, "I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Genesis 6:9b-12 22 Noah did ... all that God commanded him. Genesis 6:22 1 But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided. Genesis 8:1 1 And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. Genesis 9:1
28 After the flood Noah lived 350 years. 29 All the days of Noah were 950 years, and he died. Genesis 9:28-29

OBSERVATION: Noah had such favor in God's eyes that he was chosen to re-father the human race.

APPLICATION: Like Enoch, Noah walked with God. Unlike Enoch, Noah died. But not until practically every one else on earth had been destroyed in the Great Flood.

Noah was favored by God, because he was a just and righteous man. Different versions of the Bible call him "blameless," or "perfect in his generation." Certainly not sinless, but maybe as close as a human could be? Though God didn't spare Noah from the taste of death as he did Enoch, God did spare Noah from tasting the death he dealt out to the world's population with the great flood. Noah and his family were chosen to survive the flood and to rebuild the human race. While everyone he had ever known was killed, Noah lived in the safety of his ark.

Imagine being told to build a large vessel so that you and your family could live while everyone else died. Unfathomable! But not for Noah. While you or I might think it a joke or a prank and brush it off, Noah got to business. Noah did as he was told. Would you? Would I? Or would we die, too, and the whole human race with us.

For 350 years after the flood Noah lived, repopulating the earth through his descendents. Then he died. Enoch never died; God took him. Noah lived while everyone else died, and lived on for centuries before he died.

How am I even worthy to walk on the same planet as such great men as Enoch and Noah? Do I walk with God like they did? I like to think I try, but do I really?

PRAYER: God, I know that I can never compare to such great men as Enoch and Noah. I'm not worthy of the gift You've given me in Your Son. I'm not worthy of Your grace. As a sinful being, the only thing I am worthy of is death.

But through Your merciful grace, You've made me worthy. You've made me great. You've washed away my sin. You paid a debt I could never repay. But You gave it freely, and made me free.

But do I share with others how awesome You are? Do I serve as the hands and feet of Christ in a way that would make you proud? Help me to do so, Lord. Show me Your will. And give me the strength to obey.

Joe

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Walking With God

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Walking With God

SOAP {Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer}:
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SCRIPTURE: 21 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. 22 Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23 Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. 24 Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him. Genesis 5:21-24

OBSERVATION: Enoch never died. He lived a life totally pleasing to God. Enoch walked with God. Then God took him. Plain and simple, God took Enoch.

APPLICATION: One of my favorite Christian tunes is "I Can Only Imagine" by MercyMe. I can only imagine what it will be like when I walk by your side. I hear it and think of my mother, who walked with God for as long as I know. Then God took her. But not like He took Enoch. My mother suffered with cancer the last year of her life, knowing the battle she was fighting long before any diagnosis was made. Then God took her from us. My mother passed away seven long years ago next month. God took her.

God took Enoch. But Enoch never suffered. Enoch never died. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him. Boom, right off the face of the earth; no more Enoch. Because he lived a Godly life. He was a Godly man. He walked with God. He knew -- he knows -- what it's like, he doesn't have to imagine. For Enoch is with God today, still walking.

Can you imagine what that would be like? Theories differ on how soon after death God takes His people home. Some believe it happens right away. I know that's what I want to believe; that mom was with us one moment and with God the next. Others believe that God's people will sleep until the Second Coming of His Son. We'll know, someday. Until then, we can only try to imagine.

But Enoch, he doesn't have to imagine. Because he walked with God, because he trusted and obeyed God, because he pleased God, God took him. Incredible! Hebrews 11:5-6 reveals that 5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Because Enoch sought God he walked with God. Because he walked with God he received the ultimate reward: eternity with God. With no delay. Enoch was not found because God took him. Oh to be considered by God as such a faithful servant as Enoch! I can scarcely imagine!

PRAYER: Father, I want to be Your faithful servant. While human doubt tells me that I could never be taken as Enoch was, my faith tells me that You can do whatever You wish. I want to please You, Father, even if my faithfulness pales in comparison to that of Enoch. In any case, Lord, I know that I will be with you again some day. Until then, I will just have to imagine.

Send me your thoughts.

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SOAP: Dealing With Doubt

SCRIPTURE: John 1:29-35 [NLT]; Mark 6:17-20 [NLT]; Matthew 11:2-3 [NLT]; Matthew 11:11 [NLT]; Matthew 11:4-5 [NLT]; Matthew 11:6 [NLT] {link}

OBSERVATION: Even John the Baptist had doubts.

APPLICATION: Dealing with doubt can be quite difficult. Life itself is full of trials and hardship, and even for the most devout followers of Christ, it can be difficult.

John the Baptist was one of the most devout Christians to ever live. The cousin of Jesus Christ, he came before Christ to announce his arrival into the world, to prepare the way of the Lord. Though he didn't know who the Lord was until he saw Him, he was prepared to make the announcement when the time came.

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 He is the One I was talking about when I said, 'A Man is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for He existed long before me.' 31 I did not recognize Him as the Messiah, but I have been baptizing with water so that He might be revealed to Israel."
32 Then John testified, "I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon Him. 33 I didn’t know He was the One, but when God sent me to baptize with water, He told me, 'The One on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the One who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' 34 I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that He is the Chosen One of God. John 1:29-35 [NLT]

Full of faith and without a moment's hesitation, John the Baptist proclaimed the Son of God.

Herod was king at the time, and he trusted and respected John. He knew that John was a good and holy man, but when Herodias -- Herod's sister-in-law / niece / wife (yes, really) -- wanted John arrested, Herod obliged her.

17 For Herod had sent soldiers to arrest and imprison John as a favor to Herodias. She had been his brother Philip's wife, but Herod had married her. 18 John had been telling Herod, "It is against God's law for you to marry your brother's wife." 19 So Herodias bore a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But without Herod's approval she was powerless, 20 for Herod respected John; and knowing that he was a good and holy man, he protected him. Herod was greatly disturbed whenever he talked with John, but even so, he liked to listen to him. Mark 6:17-20 [NLT]

Herod had John the Baptist arrested and thrown into the deepest and darkest of his dungeons, where Herodias would hopefully be pleased, but John would still be safe, regardless of his lack of freedom.

John, at this time, was going through the greatest trial of his life. He had done the work of the Lord, going before Jesus and preparing the way for Him, Baptizing in water in the name of God, and proclaiming the Messiah when Jesus arrived. John even Baptized Jesus Christ. Why, then, would God do such a thing as to have him thrown into prison by Herod? Had John been wrong? John began to doubt.

2 John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, 3 "Are you the Messiah we've been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?" Matthew 11:2-3 [NLT]

"Are you the Lord? Are You out there, God?" In his moment of doubt, John called out for God.

What do we do in our times of hardship? Do we pray, "God, get me through this. Just get me out of this, and make everything okay." Are we so centered on ourselves that we can think of nothing else? Or do we pray, "God, I can get through this. If this is Your will, I can do it. Just tell me why, Lord. Why? I just want to understand why I'm going through this." As if God owes us any kind of explanation. It is not our place to understand His ways, but maybe we ask Him anyway. Or do we find ourselves wallowing in doubt, as John did, and say, "God, why have You abandoned me? Are You there?"

John sent his followers to Jesus with that very question, because he had his doubts. Maybe he was wrong when he proclaimed Christ as the Messiah. Maybe this was his punishment. So his followers went to Christ and asked Him, "Are you really the Messiah?"

4 Jesus told them, "Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen— 5 the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor." Matthew 11:4-5 [NLT]

Did God answer John's request the way he expected? Did He say, "Yes, I am the Messiah?" Did He explain to John why he was suffering such hardship? Of course not, because it was not John's place to understand the ways of the Lord.

But Jesus did answer John's request, just as God always answers our prayers. Jesus, through John's followers, told John the Baptist to do three things.

Look Back: Jesus says, "Look at all that I have done for you. Have I not always been faithful to you?"

11 "I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist..." Matthew 11:11 [NLT]

"There is no one greater than John the Baptist," Jesus said. This was no punishment for making a mistake.

Look Around: Jesus says, "Look all around you and you tell me if I am the Son of God."

4 Jesus told them, "Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen— 5 the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor." Matthew 11:4-5 [NLT]

"Have you every known anyone who could do such things? Surely I am the Messiah."

Look Ahead: Jesus says, "Look to the future, for today is just a fleeting moment in time."

6 "And tell him, 'God blesses those who do not turn away because of Me.'" Matthew 11:6 [NLT]

"Do not lose faith," Jesus says. "For those who remain faithful will be blessed."

The month of July and this first week of August has been a trying time for me at work, with frequent visits from Vice Presidents in the company and the termination of my own supervisor. Many long days and longer weeks. Through it all, the Lord has been faithful. He has given me the stamina to push through the hardship and succeed. He has been with me -- very near to me, in fact -- and He continues to show me the way. I started this trying time with the first prayer I mentioned above, "God, help me to get through this." Though I also prayed for my now unemployed former supervisor, my thoughts were very much on myself and my family. But thankfully, I never turned to the second or third prayers, "God tell me why," and "Are You really there?" My prayers progressed to things like, "Please, God, be near, and help me through this. Use me as an example of Your grace," and then, "Thank You, Lord, for being so near to me through this."

That's not to say that I've never had doubts in my life. We all have doubts at some point or other. And God knows that we will. He doesn't tell us that we will be punished for our doubts. Quite the opposite, in fact, He tells us that He "blesses those who do not turn away." It's a wonderful, frightening, humbling experience to feel God so near. I don't deserve it, but am so thankful for it, and so thankful that I didn't turn to doubt.

Look back. Look around. Look ahead. How do you deal with doubt?

PRAYER: Thank You, Father, for being with me and guiding me through this difficult time in the workplace. For being so near and so faithful. For humbling me. For giving me the wisdom to turn to You instead of turning to doubt. Use me, Lord, and my experience, that others might come to know such nearness to You.

Your comments?

Joe

Maddy's Cancer Battle

AJA Press

Our Maddy Has Cancer

Earlier this week, I took our beloved eight-year-old (she just turned nine yesterday) Dalmatian, Maddy, to the veterinarian. She has a swelling on her right front leg that would rise and fall, and suddenly quit falling, swelling up more than ever. I posted the bad news on Twitter after delivering it to my wife: the dog who was our first child has cancer.

Canine Osteosarcoma, to be exact. From Wikipedia:

Osteosarcoma is the most common bone tumor in dogs and typically afflicts middle-age large and giant breed dogs such as Irish Wolfhounds, Greyhounds, German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers and Great Danes. It has a ten times greater incidence in dogs than humans. A hereditary base has been shown in St. Bernard dogs. Spayed/neutered dogs have twice the risk of intact ones to develop osteosarcoma.

The picture above is an X-ray of a healthy dog leg. The picture to the right is our Maddy's X-ray. In the far right of the picture of the healthy dog leg, you can see the large bone that is missing in Maddy's leg -- literally eaten away from the inside out by the cancer cells. The two bones in the healthy X-ray are the ulna and radius, though I couldn't tell you which is which. In Maddy's leg, one is completely eaten away and the other is very, very deteriorated. The large swelling, I understand, is a result of her body trying to fight the cancer.

The vet, who we have used for the first time but who came highly recommended, prescribed prednisone for her, to fight the inflammation and help relieve the pain. I'm not convinced yet that it is doing either, though all that I have read about it says that it takes several days of continuous use to have the desired effect. So far, it seems to have only succeeded in causing her to be more thirsty and urinate more.

We haven't yet decided what course of treatment to take. The doctor mentioned three options: amputation of the leg plus chemotherapy; amputation alone; pain management only. He seemed to believe that her case was too far progressed for amputation and chemotherapy to do much to prolong her life or improve the quality of what time she has left, which he says may be as little as three months or as many as six.

Again, studying the situation seems to suggest that amputation would greatly relieve her pain and improve the quality of the time she has remaining. It also seems that amputation plus chemotherapy might give her as many as four to ten months more life. However, all of the studying in the world doesn't necessarily apply to Maddy's case.

My wife and I are currently struggling with watching our Maddy. We keep hoping that she will just get better. It's hard not to do that. And we struggle with whether to try to just help her manage the pain, amputate the leg, or amputate and treat with chemotherapy. The struggle for me is that my own mother lost her fight with cancer several years ago. She started chemotherapy and ended it shortly thereafter, convinced that the treatment only made her feel worse and wouldn't prolong her life or add any quality to it. Reports suggest that chemotherapy in dogs does not have the same dramatic side effects as it has in people. I just don't know.

What I do know is that we love our dog, and we don't want to lose her. But we also have faith in God, and know that everything that happens is for His purpose. Sometimes, though, it's hard to accept that His purpose might mean taking away a loved one, like our Maddy.

Yesterday was her ninth birthday. She's been with us since she was six weeks old, long before either of our children were born. We had a birthday party for her today, and pampered and spoiled her. She had a hot dog to eat, plus two new hot dog squeaky toys. She had several doggie cookies, and one real cupcake, which she absolutely loved.

Tomorrow, I'll be speaking with the vet again about his thoughts on amputation, chemotherapy, or just pain management. I just need to make sure that whatever decision we make, we are making as informed a decision as possible. I need to make sure that we aren't making a selfish decision. I don't want to prolong her life just to keep her with us longer if it will be a miserable life for her. But I don't want to just manage the pain if more aggressive treatment might add some quality months or years to her life. It won't be an easy decision to make, whatever we decide. I just wish Maddy could tell us what she would choose.

Your comments?

Joe


Maddy's Cancer Battle

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SOAP: Strong In The Faith

SOAP {Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer}:

FOR TODAY'S FULL READING, CLICK THE TITLE LINK ABOVE | ABOUT SOAP

SCRIPTURE
12-13 The day God gave the Amorites up to Israel, Joshua spoke to God, with all Israel listening: "Stop, Sun, over Gibeon; Halt, Moon, over Aijalon Valley." And Sun stopped, Moon stood stock still Until he defeated his enemies. 13-14 (You can find this written in the Book of Jashar.) The sun stopped in its tracks in mid sky; just sat there all day. There's never been a day like that before or since—God took orders from a human voice! Truly, God fought for Israel. JOSHUA 10:12-14

OBSERVATION
Faith can indeed move mountains -- and so much more.

APPLICATION
Joshua of Nun had faith -- so much faith that he was chosen to replace Moses to lead Israel into the promised land. To think of the fact that God would not allow Moses into the city, but Joshua was chosen, is staggering. Such a great man of faith.

Jesus spoke of the power of faith the size of a mustard seed, and how even such a little amount of true faith can move mountains. Joshua had that faith. Joshua commanded the sun and moon to stop, and they obeyed. They obeyed! Which means that God obeyed Joshua, since the sun and moon certainly can't act of their own accord. God took the direction from Joshua to stop the sun and moon until Israel defeated her enemies! Can you imagine? Joshua had such faith in God that he could tell the sun and moon to stop and knew that God would comply. That is faith!

It is said that Thomas Nelson CEO Michael Hyatt [] wanted so badly to be a best-selling author himself that he wrote on a piece of paper "I am a best-selling author," and put his faith in God to do the rest.

How is your faith?

PRAYER
Father, do I have the kind of faith that Joshua had? Do I have the faith of Michael Hyatt? Do I have the faith that would move a mountain, or stop the sun and moon, or help me to become a best-seller? I want to have that kind of faith, Lord. I believe. I want to be strong in the faith.

Your comments?

Joe

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SOAP: Trust In The Spirit

SOAP {Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer}:

FOR TODAY'S FULL READING, CLICK THE TITLE LINK ABOVE | ABOUT SOAP

SCRIPTURE
15-17"If you love me, show it by doing what I've told you. I will talk to the Father, and he'll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can't take him in because it doesn't have eyes to see him, doesn't know what to look for. But you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be in you! 18-20 "I will not leave you orphaned. I'm coming back. In just a little while the world will no longer see me, but you're going to see me because I am alive and you're about to come alive. At that moment you will know absolutely that I'm in my Father, and you're in me, and I'm in you." John 14:15-20 [MSG]

OBSERVATION
We show our love for Christ by doing what He has told us to do.

APPLICATION
We cannot make it alone in this world. Christ knew that. He came into this world to pay the price that we are unworthy to pay, and when He returned to His Father, He knew that things would get more difficult for those who choose to follow Him. Jesus left us His Friend to help us when times become difficult. The Holy Spirit -- literally the breath of God -- is with us today, to guide us in doing what He has asked of us.

PRAYER
Father, I want to ask You to help me to be worthy of the wonderful gift You have given. But why? I'm incapable of being worthy of Your love. Incapable of being worthy of the precious gift of Salvation that I have received only by Your mercy and grace. Therefore, Lord, Thank You for Your mercy and grace. Thank You for Your gift. Help me, Lord, to share the news of Your wondrous gift with others, that they, too, might receive what they can never be worthy of.

MORE NOTES FROM TODAY'S SERMON AT E91

• Trust in the Spirit.
• 5-7 At the time God made Earth and Heaven, before any grasses or shrubs had sprouted from the ground — God hadn't yet sent rain on Earth, nor was there anyone around to work the ground (the whole Earth was watered by underground springs) — God formed Man out of dirt from the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life. The Man came alive — a living soul! Genesis 2:5-7 [MSG]
• 3 Jesus said, "You're absolutely right. Take it from me: Unless a person is born from above, it's not possible to see what I'm pointing to — to God's kingdom." 4 "How can anyone," said Nicodemus, "be born who has already been born and grown up? You can't re-enter your mother's womb and be born again. What are you saying with this 'born-from-above' talk?" 5-6 Jesus said, "You're not listening. Let me say it again. Unless a person submits to this original creation — the 'wind-hovering-over-the-water' creation, the invisible moving the visible, a baptism into a new life — it's not possible to enter God's kingdom. When you look at a baby, it's just that: a body you can look at and touch. But the person who takes shape within is formed by something you can't see and touch — the Spirit — and becomes a living spirit. 7-8 "So don't be so surprised when I tell you that you have to be 'born from above' — out of this world, so to speak. You know well enough how the wind blows this way and that. You hear it rustling through the trees, but you have no idea where it comes from or where it's headed next. That's the way it is with everyone 'born from above' by the wind of God, the Spirit of God." John 3:3-8 [MSG]
• The Holy Spirit is literally the Breath of God. How much do we really know about the Spirt?
• 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Ezekiel 36:25-27 [NIV]
• Ezekiel 37 [NIV] {not quoted here}
• What is at stake if we don't learn to connect and live by the Spirit? Life.
• How much of my life really needs the power of the Spirit?
• With faith there is always some degree of question. If there wasn't, it wouldn't be faith, it would be knowledge.
• We want God to be a noun, but He insists on being a verb: action, presence, Spirit.
• Fruit of the Spirit

Your comments?

Joe

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Strength Under Adversity

SOAP {Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer}:

FOR TODAY'S FULL READING, CLICK THE TITLE LINK ABOVE | ABOUT SOAP

SCRIPTURE
63 Jesus kept silent. Then the Chief Priest said, “I command you by the authority of the living God to say if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”

64 Jesus was curt: “You yourself said it. And that’s not all. Soon you’ll see it for yourself: The Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Mighty One, Arriving on the clouds of heaven.” MATTHEW 26:63-64 [MSG]

OBSERVATION
Under terrible conditions, the Savior never faltered.

APPLICATION
Jesus, when faced down by Caiaphas and his cronies, stood firm. Of course He stood firm, He's the Creator of the universe. When asked to condemn Himself by saying He is the Son of God, He chose instead to say, "You said it, I didn't."

Denied three times by Peter, betrayed by Judas Iscariot, and about to be condemned to death, Christ was a shining example of how we, too, should stand up for our faith.

Our world has become one in which it's easy to say what we believe, but becoming increasingly hard to live it without being subjected to ridicule and, in some cases, faced with some type of disciplinary action for speaking openly of our faith.

If I were to be pressed in a life and death position to affirm my faith, could I be so bold as my Savior was before Caiaphas? I want to believe that, with God's strength, I could.

PRAYER
Father, thank You for sending Your Son to do what no one else could ever have done.

Your comments?

Joe

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All It Takes Is Faith

SOAP {Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer}:

FOR TODAY'S FULL READING, CLICK THE TITLE LINK ABOVE | ABOUT SOAP

SCRIPTURE
14 At the bottom of the mountain, they were met by a crowd of waiting people. As they approached, a man came out of the crowd and fell to his knees begging, 15 “Master, have mercy on my son. He goes out of his mind and suffers terribly, falling into seizures. Frequently he is pitched into the fire, other times into the river. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they could do nothing for him.” 17 Jesus said, “What a generation! No sense of God! No focus to your lives! How many times do I have to go over these things? How much longer do I have to put up with this? Bring the boy here.” 18 He ordered the afflicting demon out—and it was out, gone. From that moment on the boy was well. 19 When the disciples had Jesus off to themselves, they asked, “Why couldn’t we throw it out?” 20 “Because you’re not yet taking God seriously,” said Jesus. “The simple truth is that if you had a mere kernel of faith, a poppy seed, say, you would tell this mountain, ‘Move!’ and it would move. There is nothing you wouldn’t be able to tackle.” 

MATTHEW 17:14-20 [MSG]

OBSERVATION
Faith is all it takes.

APPLICATION
God has given us tools to do his work. We have the Bible, we have platforms (such as the web, work, school, clubs, sports organizations, etc.) that God has placed us in to allow us to share his Word.

Amazing, really, that the early disciples who walked and talked with Jesus were later accused by Him of having no sense of God, of not taking God seriously. He told them that they didn't have even the smallest amount of faith, or they would have been able to work the wonders of healing the man's son.

How am I with doing God's work? Do I have the faith to spread His Word? Do I use every encounter I have as an opportunity to share Christ? Or is my faith so small that I back down in fear of ridicule, persecution, or discipline?

PRAYER
Father, help me to be more faithful in sharing Your Word in my daily encounters. Whether I share it through my words or my actions, help me to be a beacon of Your love to those around me.

Your comments?

Joe

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Video of the Day: Jeremy Camp's Walk By Faith

At this pivotal moment in history, it is more important than ever that we walk by Faith in our God, and not allow the flaws of one man to distract us from what really matters in life.

Direct video link.

Your comments?

Joe

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Selfishly Unworthy

SOAP {Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer}:

FOR TODAY'S FULL READING, CLICK THE TITLE LINK ABOVE | ABOUT SOAP

SCRIPTURE
1 After all this, God tested Abraham. God said, "Abraham!"

"Yes?" answered Abraham. "I'm listening."

2 He said, "Take your dear son Isaac whom you love and go to the land of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I'll point out to you." 3-5 Abraham got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey. He took two of his young servants and his son Isaac. He had split wood for the burnt offering. He set out for the place God had directed him. On the third day he looked up and saw the place in the distance. Abraham told his two young servants, "Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I are going over there to worship; then we'll come back to you."

6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and gave it to Isaac his son to carry. He carried the flint and the knife. The two of them went off together.

7 Isaac said to Abraham his father, "Father?"

"Yes, my son."

"We have flint and wood, but where's the sheep for the burnt offering?"

8 Abraham said, "Son, God will see to it that there's a sheep for the burnt offering." And they kept on walking together.

9-10 They arrived at the place to which God had directed him. Abraham built an altar. He laid out the wood. Then he tied up Isaac and laid him on the wood. Abraham reached out and took the knife to kill his son.

11 Just then an angel of God called to him out of Heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!"

"Yes, I'm listening."

12 "Don't lay a hand on that boy! Don't touch him! Now I know how fearlessly you fear God; you didn't hesitate to place your son, your dear son, on the altar for me."

13 Abraham looked up. He saw a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. Abraham took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.

GENESIS 22:1-13 [MSG]

OBSERVATION

The Great Provider never fails us.

APPLICATION
How great it must have been for Abraham to have been held in such high favor with God. Even after deceiving Pharoah and Abimelech, Abraham was considered a man of God.

When God put the ultimate test to Abraham, he obeyed. I would lay down my own life in an instant for those I love. But I cannot imagine sacrificing my own son as Abraham was asked to do.

I consider myself a faithful follower of Christ. I try to live as God would want. But in comparison to the faith of Abraham, mine seems to come up wanting.

PRAYER
How, Father, does a person have such faith as Abraham did? He was willing to give his son for You, just as You have given Your Son for me. Thank You for Your grace in light of my unworthiness.

Your comments?

Joe

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"Father, into your hands I commit my spirit."

Luke 23:46 [NIV]

I put my faith and my wellbeing into the hands of God.

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My Predictions for the Next Four Years

Should Barack Obama fulfill four years as President of the United States, I believe we're going to see some interesting and some very troubling things throughout his Presidency. These are my predictions:

• Republicans will regain control of the Senate in a huge landslide in 2010. The Democratic majority in the House of Representatives will narrow so much (in 2010) as to make it an insignificant majority.
  
• Barack Obama will make several token appointments (or offers of appointments) to Republicans and/or Independents in an attempt to cross party lines (thinking of the 2012 re-election campaign). Most (if not all) of those bi-partisan appointments will resign before the midterm elections.
• Barack Obama will speak about making amendments to the Constitution early in his Presidency. Congress might even concur and support prior to midterms, but the states will not vote to ratify.
• Barack Obama's first budget proposal will include federal funding for stem cell research, federal funding to help unwed mothers pay for abortion procedures, federal funding to schools for sex education programs and contraception programs (he'll describe it as a program intended to reduce teen pregnancy) as well as contraception programs for low income women.
• Obama's tax cut plan for the middle class will be lost among tax increases to fund increased spending and his plan to increase taxes on the wealthy to provide credits to the poor. The middle class will never see a tax cut under an Obama Presidency.
• We will find ourselves in an energy crisis similar to the Carter years, as Obama will refuse to drill offshore, will tax coal companies into near oblivion, and the country's reliance upon foreign oil will become crippling.
• America will return to an Affirmative Action state, with preferential employment for blacks and hispanics mandated and enforced through tax credits and penalties. Whites will begin to become the oppressed class.
• Obama will push legislation providing even more protection to the credit unworthy than the Community Reinvestment Act. This plan will include protection for credit card borrowers, added mortgage protection for struggling homeowners, and socialized medicine. If acted upon before the midterm election, the bill will see several rewrites in both houses of Congress and the final version will include protection from credit card debt, mortgage debt, and medical debt, but will fall short of instituting socialized medicine.
• Early in an Obama administration, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will announce her resignation. With a Democrat controlled Congress, Obama will nominate an extreme liberal to replace her on the bench, and Congress will confirm her nomination (yes, a woman, and likely a black or hispanic woman) quickly. Justice John Paul Stevens will either die or fall seriously ill and be forced to retire from the bench, resulting in a second speedily confirmed Obama liberal to the bench. The repercussions will be felt for decades.
• The now liberal government will attempt to prosecute President Bush and Vice President Cheney for war crimes.
• As more states enact legislation legalizing gay marriage, the Supreme Court will refuse to hear suits to ban it, resulting in gay marriage sweeping the nation on the state level. I would expect to see additional vacancies to the Supreme Court result in more liberal appointments and further Court action to legalize gay marriage on a national level.
• Private schools and home schooling will suffer greatly under the weight of mandated sex education, to include mandated education that homosexuality is normal and okay. Home schoolers will go underground and faith based private schools will be forced to comply or be shut down. Public education will become over-crowded due to the lack of private schools and home schooling issues, resulting in poor education across the country.
• Obama will attempt to fulfill his campaign promise on the Iraq war and will attempt to withdraw troops within 17 months. The progress of redeployment will be halted as terrorist elements will stage a dual attack on American troops in Iraq and on American soil. Obama will be forced to return redeployed troops to the region to restabilize Iraq and the middle east, and will order National Guard units to deploy on American soil in response to the attacks here. Martial Law will be all but officially declared in the new ground zero.
• I do have a prediction about Obama's promise to meet without preconditions with leaders of Iran, North Korea, etc., but I think it prudent to exclude that prediction from this article for now.

I could go on and on, but it will only begin to sound more spectacular. I think we will see much more than we can even imagine at this point in American history. Most importantly, after the Republicans resume some parity (and possibly control) in Congress, we will see a Republican President returned to the White House in 2012. Much of the damage caused by an Obama administration will take several decades to reverse as a liberal Supreme Court will continue to legislate their liberal agenda from the bench.

It will be at least a generation before we see one party control of the Executive and Legislative branches again.

God Bless America (please). We are going to need it!

Don't believe me? Bookmark this page and check my accuracy over the next four years.

Your comments?

Joe

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The Crumbling of An American General

As a United States Army veteran who served during the first Gulf War, when General Colin Powell served as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, I find myself today extremely disappointed not only with his endorsement of Barack Obama for President of the United States, but mostly with many of the comments the former Secretary of State and life-long Republican made while announcing his endorsement of Obama. [full video of the endorsement follows my comments below]

Speaking with Tom Brokaw on Meet the Press, General Powell made the comment that either candidate would be a good President. He went on to mention first several reasons that he could not support Senator McCain, then several reasons that he was throwing his support behind Barack Obama.

General Powell said that the Republican party has moved more to the right than he would like to see. I guess I never took him to be a Centrist Republican, but I'm afraid it's much worse than that. The General went on to reveal his extreme liberal leanings when he added, "I would have difficulty with two more conservative appointments to the Supreme Court, but that's what we'd be looking at in a McCain administration." Shocking to hear that anyone who has claimed to hold the conservative morals and values of the Republican party throughout his life would have a problem with conservative appointments to the Supreme Court.

The General said that the candidates have "taken a final exam over the past six or seven weeks" based on the economic crisis. He added that Senator McCain seemed unsure how to deal with the economic crisis, taking several different approaches to address the issue. He neglected to mention that any approach to the crisis is more leadership than Barack Obama displayed in his sit back and wait for a phone call approach. While Barack Obama cried about the possibility of a Presidential debate being canceled, Senator McCain put his country and the people ahead of his own personal and political interests and suspended his campaign to return to Washington and ensure that Congress took action. While Obama cried, Senator McCain displayed true leadership in the face of adversity.

The General said he was concerned about the selection of Governor Palin: "I don't believe she's ready to be President of the United states, which is the job of the Vice President." I would be more concerned that the individual elected to actually be President should be ready than that the Vice President be ready. And what makes General Powell feel that Barack Obama is ready to be President? His cited reasons included:

• Obama has shown intellectual vigor.
• He has a definitive way of doing business that will serve us well.
• Because of his ability to inspire.
• Because of the inclusive nature of his campaign.
• Because he is reaching out all across America.
• Because of who he is.
  

I could spend hours picking apart such rhetoric, but I would likely be labeled as a bigoted racist for pointing out that the "inclusive nature" of Obama's campaign is only natural. What else would be expected but for him to include people of his own ethnicity? And lest Senator McCain be accused of exclusion, the General pointed out that "John McCain is as non-discriminatory as anyone I know." If there is any exclusion involved in this race, it is the exclusion of people of ethnic backgrounds excluding Senator McCain based on a preference for the race of his opponent.

If we want to talk about inclusion, what of the inclusion of the average American, like Joe the Plumber? The Obama campaign has taken to mocking both Joe the Plumber and Senator McCain, saying, "now he says he's fighting for a plumber? How many plumbers do you know that make a quarter of a million dollars a year?" Of course Senator McCain is fighting for a plumber! Senator McCain is fighting for every American, just as he has throughout his life of service to his country. Barack Obama, in contrast, is fighting for the prestige of the office to which he aspires.

The General continued, "I also believe that on the Republican side over the last seven weeks the approach of the Republican party and John McCain has become narrower and narrower. Mr. Obama has given us a more inclusive and broader reach into the needs of our people. He's crossing lines -- ethnic lines, racial lines, generational lines." Ethnic and racial, essentially, are the same thing. Is it crossing ethnic and racial lines to gain support from people of your same ethnic and racial background? No. In fact, the only line crossed there is the line of common sense that would dictate that ethnicity should not be considered grounds for choosing a candidate. And I'm not so sure that crossing generational lines is such a good thing, as it appears to result in the registration of seven year old children to vote (if you need a link to verify that allegation, you've been asleep over the past several weeks).

There were two things General Powell cited during his time on Meet the Press that I found most disturbing of all. First, he said "I've also been disappointed by some of the approaches that Senator McCain has taken recently on issues that are not really central to the problems that American people worry about. This very, very limited relationship that Mr. Obama has with Bill Ayers." He thinks it's inappropriate to try to connect Obama to some type of terrorist feelings. "These kinds of approaches to the [McCain] campaign trouble me." The General is troubled that Senator McCain might be concerned with a President who has worked with, supported, and been supported by (recently, in fact) a known terrorist who wishes he could have done more to harm his country. Yeah, that concerns me, too.

Second, and most disturbing of all, the General is "also troubled with the Republican party pointing out that Obama is a Muslim." He says, "the correct answer is that he's not a Muslim, he's a Christian, he's always been a Christian." First of all, I don't care if Barack Obama is Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, or Christian. What disturbs me is the General's assertion that Obama has "always been a Christian." Not only has the General not known Obama long enough to know how long he has been whatever he claims to be, but no one has always been a Christian. Being Christian is not tied to a nationality, as many in the world seem to believe. Being American does not make one Christian by default. Being a Christian means believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and accepting him as your personal Savior. Barack Obama does not profess to have the morals and values that were taught by Christ. His stance on key issues is rarely inline with the teachings of Christ. It is not my place to judge whether Barack Obama is a Christian or not, but his actions and his stated beliefs tell me all I need to know to form my own opinion.

I am extremely disappointed with General Powell. I am disappointed because, like many, many Americans he has abandoned all that he has ever claimed to stand for and believe to support a candidate for President that would be historic. Historic because of his ethnicity. Historic because of his lack of experience. Historic because of his documented ties to unsavory elements. Historic because of his support for socialist principles. I am disappointed because, as a military veteran myself, I cannot comprehend how such a respected military leader as General Powell can support someone who has shown such blatant disrespect for those serving in our military today.

Sadly, to this writer, it appears that General Powell is not voting his party line, he is not voting his faith, he is not voting his principles. To this writer, it appears that General Powell is voting his ethnicity. I say that not because he and Obama have a common race, but because their race is the only thing they have in common. Unless General Powell has been lying about his conservative principles all this time, which would mean he and Obama have another thing in common: dishonesty.



Your comments?

Joe

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The Magic of Faith

Today's Daily Soap {Scripture | Observation | Application | Prayer}

• S: But Thomas, sometimes called the Twin, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples told him, "We saw the Master." But he said, "Unless I see the nail holes in his hands, put my finger in the nail holes, and stick my hand in his side, I won't believe it." Eight days later, his disciples were again in the room. This time Thomas was with them. Jesus came through the locked doors, stood among them, and said, "Peace to you." Then he focused his attention on Thomas. "Take your finger and examine my hands. Take your hand and stick it in my side. Don't be unbelieving. Believe." Thomas said, "My Master! My God!" Jesus said, "So, you believe because you've seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing." John 20:25-29 [MSG]
  
• O: Seeing is believing. Faith is believing without seeing.
  
• A: The Gospel of John shows us a perfect example of the difference between having evidence and having faith. As the risen Christ had appeared to a group of his disciples, they recognized Him to be all He had said He was and more. Even though they had never been told that He would raise from the grave and walk among them again, upon seeing Him they knew that to be the case. With the exception of one: "Doubting" Thomas. Thomas hadn't been with them when the Lord appeared. When the disciples told Thomas of what they had seen, he replied that he wouldn't believe it without proof. Without tangible evidence supporting the divinity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Thomas wasn't buying it. When the risen Savior first presented Himself to Thomas, He told him, "Examine the holes in My hands. Stick your hand where the sword pierced My side as I hung dying on the cross." He told Thomas, "Believe." Of course, Thomas could no longer doubt the evidence he had seen with his own eyes and touched with his own hands. He believed. Not because he had faith, but because he had evidence. Christ said, "Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing." For some it is so easy to find themselves in doubt, needing evidence before they'll believe. Faith has no meaning for them. In my home hangs a sign that reads:
  
  Faith is not believing that God can -- it is knowing that He will.
  
  I can tell you, having faith feels so much better than having evidence. Faith gives you something to look forward to -- anticipation. It's easy to believe what we can touch and see. To believe it upon faith alone is magical! For me, faith in God is the ability to see the evidence of His existence everywhere I look.
  
• P: God, You are. And I know it, because Your Word has said it. Thank You for being.
  

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God's Time and Manner

Today's Daily Soap {Scripture | Observation | Application | Prayer}

• S: A man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. This was the same Mary who massaged the Lord's feet with aromatic oils and then wiped them with her hair. It was her brother Lazarus who was sick. So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Master, the one you love so very much is sick." When Jesus got the message, he said, "This sickness is not fatal. It will become an occasion to show God's glory by glorifying God's Son." Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, but oddly, when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed on where he was for two more days. After the two days, he said to his disciples, "Let's go back to Judea." They said, "Rabbi, you can't do that. The Jews are out to kill you, and you're going back?" Jesus replied, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in daylight doesn't stumble because there's plenty of light from the sun. Walking at night, he might very well stumble because he can't see where he's going." He said these things, and then announced, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep. I'm going to wake him up." The disciples said, "Master, if he's gone to sleep, he'll get a good rest and wake up feeling fine." Jesus was talking about death, while his disciples thought he was talking about taking a nap. Then Jesus became explicit: " Now let's go to him." That's when Thomas, the one called the Twin, said to his companions, "Come along. We might as well die with him." When Jesus finally got there, he found Lazarus already four days dead. Bethany was near Jerusalem, only a couple of miles away, and many of the Jews were visiting Martha and Mary, sympathizing with them over their brother. Martha heard Jesus was coming and went out to meet him. Mary remained in the house. Martha said, "Master, if you'd been here, my brother wouldn't have died. Even now, I know that whatever you ask God he will give you." Jesus said, "Your brother will be raised up." Martha replied, "I know that he will be raised up in the resurrection at the end of time." "You don't have to wait for the End. I am, right now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live. And everyone who lives believing in me does not ultimately die at all. Do you believe this?" "Yes, Master. All along I have believed that you are the Messiah, the Son of God who comes into the world." After saying this, she went to her sister Mary and whispered in her ear, "The Teacher is here and is asking for you." The moment she heard that, she jumped up and ran out to him. Jesus had not yet entered the town but was still at the place where Martha had met him. When her sympathizing Jewish friends saw Mary run off, they followed her, thinking she was on her way to the tomb to weep there. Mary came to where Jesus was waiting and fell at his feet, saying, "Master, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died." When Jesus saw her sobbing and the Jews with her sobbing, a deep anger welled up within him. He said, "Where did you put him?" "Master, come and see," they said. Now Jesus wept. The Jews said, "Look how deeply he loved him." Others among them said, "Well, if he loved him so much, why didn't he do something to keep him from dying? After all, he opened the eyes of a blind man." Then Jesus, the anger again welling up within him, arrived at the tomb. It was a simple cave in the hillside with a slab of stone laid against it. Jesus said, "Remove the stone." The sister of the dead man, Martha, said, "Master, by this time there's a stench. He's been dead four days!" Jesus looked her in the eye. "Didn't I tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" Then, to the others, "Go ahead, take away the stone." They removed the stone. Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and prayed, "Father, I'm grateful that you have listened to me. I know you always do listen, but on account of this crowd standing here I've spoken so that they might believe that you sent me." Then he shouted, "Lazarus, come out!" And he came out, a cadaver, wrapped from head to toe, and with a kerchief over his face. Jesus told them, "Unwrap him and let him loose." ... From that day on, [the Pharisees] plotted to kill him. John 11:1-44,53 [MSG] (emphasis added)
  
• O: "To everything, there is a season, and a time to every purpose under Heaven." God accomplishes all on His own timeline and for His own purpose.
  
• A: Far be it from me to understand God's plan completely. To know why He does what He does -- that's not my job. It isn't any of my business. Yet. But I know that God has His plans. He has His own schedule. We all will go (or won't go) at a time of His own choosing, in a manner of His own choosing. Just as the daughter of singer Steven Curtis Chapman was struck down at an unexpected time, in an unexpected way, God doesn't always share His plans and schedule with us. If you've heard the Chapmans speak about their ordeal, you know that they're going through quite a rough time right now. Especially young Will Franklin Chapman, who was driving the vehicle that sent his little sister home to the Lord. But they're going through their ordeal with God. By all appearances, they haven't abandoned God. You see Chapman on shows like Larry King, and he can't stop praising God, even through the tears. Just as Mary and Martha had to go to the extent of burying their brother Lazarus so that the glory of God could be revealed when Lazarus walked out of his tomb, so today we might find ourselves in times of toil and strife. We may never know why God takes our loved ones when He does and in the way that He does. We may never know why we lose this job, or that house, or go through divorce and break ups. We may never know, but God does. And He has a plan that, in the end, if we are faithful and obedient, will glorify Him and benefit us.
  
• P: Thank You, Lord, for I know that no matter what comes my way in this life, I have You to guide me through it.
  

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