A Green Shoot

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

• S: Isaiah Chapters 11-13
• O: Isaiah refers to the birth of Christ again: A green Shoot will sprout from Jesse's stump, from his roots a budding Branch. The life-giving Spirit of God will hover over him, the Spirit that brings wisdom and understanding, The Spirit that gives direction and builds strength, the Spirit that instills knowledge and Fear-of-God. Fear-of-God will be all his joy and delight. He won't judge by appearances, won't decide on the basis of hearsay. He'll judge the needy by what is right, render decisions on earth's poor with justice. His words will bring everyone to awed attention. A mere breath from his lips will topple the wicked. (ISAIAH 11:1-4 MSG) Jesse, mentioned in this passage, was the father of King David, from whom Jesus was descended by twenty-eight generations.
• A: Most of what I've shared so far in Isaiah has been prophecy of Jesus Christ. As the source of our Salvation, the significance of the birth of Jesus Christ is paramount. And much of what makes it significant is the amount of prophecy surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ -- prophecy that could only be filled by the Messiah. In the next post, I'll discuss some prophecy that, to me, seems eerily to speak of some very current events.
• P: Again, Father, Thank You for the gift of Salvation through your Son Jesus Christ.

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Isaiah's Prophecy Revealed

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

• S: Isaiah 9
• O: Isaiah's prophecy of the birth of the Savior, Jesus Christ, continues in the ninth chapter of the book of Isaiah, specifically verses six and seven. A child has been born to us; God has given a Son to us. He will be responsible for leading the people. His name will be Wonderful Counselor, Powerful God, Father Who Lives Forever, Prince of Peace. Power and peace will be in his kingdom and will continue to grow forever. He will rule as king on David's throne and over David's kingdom. He will make it strong by ruling with justice and goodness from now on and forever. The Lord All-Powerful will do this because of his strong love for his people. (NCV) Again, Isaiah made these prophecies nearly 800 years before the birth of Christ. As Matthew explains in his Gospel, Jesus is a decendent of King David some twenty-eight generations later, fulfilling the prophecy that the Messiah would come from the line of David.
• A: If you stay with me throughout my reading of the book of Isaiah, more prophecy of the birth of the Messiah will be revealed -- much of which was fulfilled nearly 800 years later in the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, and much of which is yet to be filled in the second coming of Christ. With such large portions of the book of Isaiah devoted to prophecy (59%), most of which has already been fulfilled, two things are clear: 1) Jesus Christ is the Son of God who came to save us from our sins so that we might live with Him forever in paradise, and 2) God wants so much for us to know and accept this fact that He revealed it to us nearly 3000 years ago, through the prophet Isaiah.
• P: Father, as the master clock by which You will determine the timing of the events of the end times continues to tick down, please help me to seize the opportunities I'm given to share the Good News with others, so that more may know You.

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Beginning Isaiah

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

• S: Isaiah 7-8
• O: The book of Isaiah is all about prophecy. A book that is throughly studied by Bible scholars, it is frequently overlooked by the Average Joe wanting to get to know a little more about God. It is the longest book from the Old Testament prophets, and reaches further into the future than any of the others. The author, Isaiah, prophesied of the virgin birth of Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah (The Lord himself will give you a miraculous sign. The virgin is going to have a baby. She will give birth to a son. And he will be called Immanuel. ISA 7:14, NIrV). This prophecy occurred nearly 800 years before Jesus' birth! I've just begun my study of the book of Isaiah, reading from multiple translations of the Bible (New International Version, New International Readers Version, King James Version, the Message), and there is still much to read. As I take this journey through the book of Isaiah, I'll be sharing with you key passages, what they mean to me, and how amazing it is that such accurate predictions have came hundreds of years in advance. Including prophecy about the tragedies this world will suffer during the Great Tribulation, and Christ taking his throne in the Millenial Kingdom. It's all there in the book of Isaiah. And, for you naysayers who think that some guy could have just written down what is already history as if it hadn't occurred yet, consider this: the book of Isaiah is among Biblical writings found in the Dead Sea Scrolls. These texts date back to the 2nd century B.C. -- at least two hundred years before Jesus' birth! So, those among you who might doubt, for them to be a forgery, they would still have been forged some two hundred years before the very events that they predict. Prophecy is prophecy, no matter how you slice it.
• A: Many scientists and historians would have you believe that the Bible is fiction, that there is no God, and that the stories of creation, the Great Flood, and Salvation are all false. Archeology has proven time and again that these great Biblical stories are indeed facts -- that they did occur. And the prophecies in the Bible are still coming true today! As we rapidly progress into the last days, knowledge is power -- the power to save!
• P: Father, guide me through my study of the book of Isaiah, and the wisdom contained therein. Help me to share the Good News from the prophet in a way that is clear, concise, and accurate -- not misleading in any way. And help me, Father, to learn from your word, as well, so that I may better serve You in all that I do.

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Soapy Joe is Coming Back

Soapy Joe is coming back! I have been reading the book of Isaiah, and will soon be blogging my devotionals from my readings there. I won't promise you an entry every day -- especially with the chaos of every day life lately -- but I will post multiple entries per week. So subscribe and stay tuned, and let me know what you think.

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To Do or To Be

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

• S: Galatians 5:16-26
• O: Those who live by the sinful ways of the world and refuse to accept Christ will not enter the kingdom of God,
• A: It's a pretty basic premise, really: what we do is nothing compared to what we are. There have been many people of great accomplishments in the world. Do you remember who invented the microwave? Or the person who developed the first cell phone? Or who came up with the first electronic calculator? These are all things that most of us couldn't make it through the day without, yet most of us couldn't name the inventors if our life depended on it. But if I asked you to tell me about the lives of Billy Graham, Bill Gates, George Washington, or Martin Luther King, Jr., you could probably tell me some very wonderful things about their personalities, not just their accomplishments. Because in addition to doing great things, they were all great people. They were all men who realized that what matters in life is not just what you do with it, but what you become with it. Those same questions will be asked of us at the time of Judgement. It won't matter if we had a great job, made lots of money, and achieved great fame. All that will matter is what we became. And we can only become what it takes to get into Heaven because of what Christ is: the Son of God who takes away the sins of the world. What will you answer when the Judgement Day comes? Did you do great things? Or were you a great person in the eyes of God (aka, a Christian). If you don't know the answer, then it's the wrong answer.
• P: Lord, Thank You for teaching me to become the most important thing I can be, a part of the family of God. I know that you still have plans for me and things you want me to do here in this life. Help me to make myself open to your bidding, and to not allow myself to get so caught up in what I'm doing to jeopardize what I'm being.

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God's Provisions

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

• S: Genesis 1:31; 1 Timothy 6:17
• O: God created heaven and earth from nothing. Out of the void of space, He thought the world into being. He filled it with forestation and livestock -- fish and animals of all kind. Then He created man to watch over, protect, and enjoy His creation. Then He created woman so that man would not be alone. And, in God's eyes, it was good.
• A: As a child growing up, I was a generally happy kid. Looking back, I remember that mom and dad frequently sacrificed so that we (their four kids) might have all that we needed and most of what we wanted. In fact, I've always told people that I had a good childhood, that mom and dad gave me everything I needed and wanted without spoiling me. Funny thing is, when I think about it, I didn't have all of the things that kids today expect and frequently take for granted. The Atari 2600 came into popularity during my childhood. The first home television game system, really, it was groundbreaking technology. Soon followed by Intellivision and Colecovision, they were the must have games of my childhood. But I never had one. A friend of mine had one, but not my family. Mopeds became prominent during my teen years, and the legal driving age was 14. Again, a friend had one, but no one in my family. In fact, we never even had cable television during my childhood. Growing up about halfway between Hamilton and Cincinnati, we pulled in twelve different stations using an over-the-air antenna. I've learned in adult life that most cities don't have access to such a large array of free television. The point to all of this is that I always remember childhood as a happy time, and having everything I wanted and needed. But I clearly didn't have all of the latest gadgets and toys. I had family, I had friends, and I had God. As a family, we did things together. We played games, and went camping and on other vacations together. We went to church regularly. We went to drive-in movies together (anybody remember those?). The bottom line is, I had a good childhood because my family taught me to enjoy and appreciate the things that God had provided. Creation, friends, family. Things that man cannot create and that you cannot find on the store shelves. Later in life, as an adult, I've enjoyed many of the tech gadgets created by man, but I'm still far from a materialistic person. Above all else, I still enjoy the gifts of God above all else. The view from here is good.
• P: Lord, Thank You for providing for myself and my family; for meeting all of our needs, and even satisfying some of our desired. Thank You for giving us your wonderful creation and for teaching me to enjoy and appreciate it. And most of all, Lord, Thank You for blessing me with a childhood in a family where family was indeed more important than the latest, greatest big thing.

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Preparedness

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

Today's SOAP inspired by The Leadership Bible

• S: Genesis 3:15
• O: God sees all, knows all, and has a plan for the future.
• A: From before the creation of the world, God had a plan. He knew that Eve would fall to temptation. He knew that man would struggle with sin. He knew that His Son would die on the cross to save us from our sins. And He knew that someday His Son would return us to take us to be with Him. Sometimes in my daily work, it's hard just to plan the activites for the current day, much less thousands of years into the future, as God has done. It can be difficult to get everyone else to align their plans with my own. It can be difficult to get everyone else to be productive. And it can be impossible to get those to whom I report to allow me to just run the business without their frequent interruption into the things that I know need to be done. Nevertheless, I can only be a successful leader if I'm always prepared with a plan. Rudy Giuliani said it in his book Leadership: you cannot always be prepared for what will happen, but if you prepare yourself and your team for what may happen, you are more likely to be prepared for any situation and will handle any eventuality.
• P: Lord, help me to be prepared. Not just in my career, but in the leadership you've called me to at home. Help me to be prepared for what might happen, so that when the unexpected happens, it really isn't so unexpected. Thanks to Your divine plan, I'm already prepared for Eternity. Help me, now Lord, to be prepared for today, tomorrow, and next week, and what the world might throw at me over that course of time.

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Communication

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

Today's SOAP inspired by the Men's Devotional Bible

• S: Song of Solomon 2:3-13; Psalm 85:10-13; Proverbs 3:1-6
• O: Love, faithfulness, and communication are interdependent characteristics of a lasting relationship.
• A: My wife and I sometimes run into a communication barrier. When she's busy, I want to talk. When she wants to talk, I'm busy. This morning as I sat down to read through this daily devotional, she started talking to me. I got frustrated. I was trying to spend some time with God, and my wife was interrupting us. When I complained, she was frustrated that I was sitting in the breakfast nook, where everyone could see me and be tempted to interrupt me. I explained that the kids weren't interrupting me, it was just her. I tried to remind her of my commitment to conduct my own personal devotional time every morning, and how easy it is to fall back on a commitment when you don't force yourself to build a habit of it (I have, after all, missed the past two days here and felt that getting through the process today was critical). In frustration, I closed up my laptop and stormed out of the room, pretty much resigned to giving up on it for the day. Then, without the barrier of the computer between us, we talked a little bit. When I told her the only other table convenient was in the dining room -- where I thought she wouldn't want me to set up at -- she suggested I do just that. So here I am, in the dining room, reading through a devotional that is all too fitting for the situation this morning. Relationships take work. Marriages, being the toughest and (hopefully) most enduring of all relationships, take an even greater effort. More work. They do not last without love. They do not last without faithfulness. They do not last without communication. Just as I mentioned on Average Joe American recently, communication is the cornerstone of any civilized society -- which includes any loving marriage. It can become too easy to spend all of our communication time talking about money, and bills, and the kids, and what needs done around the house, and all too easy to not spend it telling each other how we feel and what we need from each other. We must communicate. Both ways. All the time. About more than the mundane.
• P: Lord, help me to keep this realization of how important communication is to the success of my marriage. Help me to open my ears when my wife speaks and to remember that she is more important than whatever else is vying for my attention at the time. Help us both to open up the lines of communication and to share with each other what we think, how we feel, and what we need from each other. And help us to just put the mundane issues out of the way for a while.

READ TODAY'S DEVOTIONAL:

FIDELITY means a stubborn dedication to growth in personal relationship. A marriage partnership must have room for individual growth; but at the beating heart of any marriage is the delicate, fragile -- often painful -- but potentially joyful relationship of two persons face to face in personal encounter. The vital core of marriage is the special kind of sexual communion that vibrates on every level -- physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. All the institutional dimensions are only the framework for the dynamic center. And if partners are faithful in the complex ways mentioned above, their fidelity will mean a steady dedication to the growth of an honest and open relationship in every dimension. Fidelity is best practiced with an implicit understanding that the relationship happens within a permanent, lifelong structure. But within the structure of permanence, relationships are constantly shifting: they are never stagnagt, but grow deeper or become shallower. To be faithful means that we can never lazily accept the present as our fated destiny. For relationships never have to be what they are; they can change. The future has possibilities wherever two willing human beings affirm its possibilities for them. No one can make a claim to faithfulness in marriage if he does not keep the door open to the possibilities that his relationship can be better tomorrow than it is today. Personal relationships are nourished only through communication, and communication between two people enmeshed in daily preoccupations with jobs, budgets, diapers and new math can be very difficult to maintain. For one thing, it takes time . . . And, above all, it takes desire. Personal communication is difficult because it is painful for us to talk about what we are feeling; it is much easier to discuss the unbalanced checking account than to discuss how we feel toward wach other. But more, it is difficult because when we talk we are not sure what becomes of our message after it is filtered through the receptive apparatus of the person who receives it . . . Fidelity will give us the job of finding out what the other person is actually hearing from us and of patiently probing what the other person is acutally trying to say. --From the Men's Devotional Bible by Zondervan (link above)

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