SOAP Isaiah 53:5-6

Scripture: Isaiah 53:5-6 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own.Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.

What can I observe here? Life is not fair. We sometimes (often) want it to be, and act like it ought to be. But it isn't. If it were, each one of us would fall foul of the standards of holiness set out in God's law. If it were, it would also technically be possible to live godly lives by keeping the right rules. Still there are those who try to live as if that were the case. But the suffering servant reveals just how unfair God's economy is. All that we deserve is laid on him. There is no way we could pay the price for our sin, so he does it for us. This is not fairness, it is mercy and grace.

How can we apply this? Abandon the mindset that it's possible to earn or increase God's favour by living right. Lent is a period which reminds us that Jesus did that for us once and for all. Embrace the fact that what he did he did for you, so you don't have to cling on to the vain hope that life might end up treating you fairly. With Jesus it's so much better than that.

A prayer: Thank you Father that your mercy and grace means we don't have to receive all we deserve yet we can receive what we don't deserve: your forgiveness. This is life in all its fullness. Thank you for this amazing gift in Jesus. Amen

SOAP Philippians 1:29

Scripture: Philippians 1:29 For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him.

What do I observe here? Calling suffering a privilege is unusual, to say the least. But suffering fir the sake of the gospel us suffering with a purpose & allows us to enter into Christ in a deeper way. It also outs us in a place where we can receive his grace.

How do we apply this? Don't be afraid, or surprised when hardship comes. The Christian life isn't supposed to be easy. Christ is there in the midst. Look for the strength & power he provides for each situation.

A prayer: Glory to you risen Christ, who suffered for our sakes. Help me not to run away from suffering, but to look there for your grace. Please be the centre of my life today. Amen

SOAP Luke 15:22-24

Scripture: Luke 15:22-24 CEV But his father said to the servants, “Hurry and bring the best clothes and put them on him. Give him a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. Get the best calf and prepare it, so we can eat and celebrate. This son of mine was dead, but has now come back to life. He was lost and has now been found.” And they began to celebrate.

What can I observe here: The son didn't get the reception he expected (& deserved). His status as a son & the fact he was no longer lost meant much more to his father than the things he had done. It doesn't mean there were no consequences but his father didn't reject him.

How do we apply this? Jesus is showing us a picture of our Father God's love for us. We can live secure in the knowledge that when we come to him he will not reject us.

A prayer: Thank you Father for this picture of your love. Thank you that you love me so much that I can always come back to you, no matter how far that journey. I live this day secure in the knowledge that you are my Father & I am your child. Praise your name. Amen

SOAP Psalm 33:4-5

Scripture: Psalm 33:4-5 For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love …

What do I observe here? God's love is unfailing.

How can we apply this? This unfailing love, ultimately revealed in Jesus, cannot be emulated other than by his very presence dwelling within us. Trying to live up to it human strength will fail but fortunately he has promised his presence.

A prayer: Thank you Father a God for your promise, for your presence, for Jesus. Thank you Jesus that you came and lived and died and rose again that we might know life in all it's fullness. Please dwell within me today, by your Spirit guiding me in all I think and say and do. In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen

SOAP 1 John 1:9

Scripture: 1 John 1:9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 

What do I observe here? We don't need to become bogged down by our sins. We don't need to beat ourselves up about them. God will forgive - when we confess then to him. 

How do we apply this?  There's no need to live any day separated from God by our sins. Confession is good for the soul because it allows that soul to be at one with its creator. Time spent confessing (owning up to) and repenting (turning away from) our sins allows us a fresh start each day. 

A prayer: Thank you Father God for the promise of forgiveness in your Word. I confess my sins before you just now...  Please forgive me and help me, by your Spirits power, to live the life you have planned for me today. In Jesus name. Amen

SOAP Romans 6:23

Scripture: Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

What can i observe here? Life & death is experienced in the here & now. Many people are existing without truly living. Jesus came to give life in all it's fullness.

How do we apply this? Seek to live life to the full today, in the grace & strength Jesus provides.

A prayer: Thank you Father God for the gift of eternal life in Jesus. Please help me make right choices today, choices that lead me deeper into the life you offer. In Jesus' name. Amen

SOAP Romans 8:35-37

Scripture: Romans 8:35-37 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. …

What can I observe here? Life in Christ does not mean life without hardship, neither does hardship in life infer punishment or Christ's absence.

How do we apply this? Expect troubles as a natural part of life but don't be driven by the wind of circumstance. God's love is a constant and through it we are promised the power to overcome.

A prayer: Thank you Father God that there is nothing that is able to separate me from your love. Please help me to live the life of a conquerer today and to fulfil your purposes for me. In Jesus' name. Amen

SOAP Luke 24:32

Scripture: Luke 24:32 They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” 

What can I observe here?  Their hearts burned within them when the Word was opened (shared and explained) to them by Jesus

How can we apply this?  Like Jesus, his followers need to find opportunities to open the Word of God, tell his story,  reveal Jesus and get more hearts burning. 

A prayer: Thank you Father God that you still speak through your Word today. May I find new opportunities to open it to people that their hearts too may burn within them. Amen

SOAP Jeremiah 17:7-8

Today's Scripture: Jeremiah 17:7-8 “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank,with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heator worried by long months of drought.Their leaves stay green,and they never stop producing fruit. 

What can I observe here?  Well, living a life of trust  in God means tapping into a constant river of grace that will never run dry.

How do we apply this?  The tap root grows towards the source of nourishment. So we need to continually nourish our soul through coming close to God in his a Word and in prayer.

A prayer: Thank you Father God for your constant love. Help us to be totally rooted in you today that we might flourish & be fruitful in your sight. In Jesus' name Amen

Thoughts on Servant Leadership

I've just been reading some thoughts on servant leadership and they're well expressed:

Christians follow a servant king, one who came not to be served but to serve (Mark 10:45). The defining symbol of this sort of leadership is a towel. Yet servant leadership is often misunderstood. For Christians it doesn’t mean serving people, but serving God and through our service of God serving people; a subtle, but significant difference.

   

Serve people and we end up becoming a doormat, dutifully doing whatever they think best. Serve God and then we become a doorway, through which we enable people to walk into the priorities of the king and the purposes of the kingdom. Servant leaders serve God first, which means there will be times when we don’t do what people ask, when we say no (see Matthew 20:20-28). Such leadership is often difficult.

Not wishing to claim something as mine that isn't, here's where it's from:  www.cpas.org/leadon

I notice there's two words, servant and leadership. The first sometimes tries to outweigh the other. But leadership is the object here, whilst serving is simply the style that is adopted. Ultimately it's about leading someone somewhere & you can't do that if they're calling all the shots.