Larry Soape – Page 25 – The Everyday Prayer

Fruits in Keeping

Re:Verse reading–Luke 3:1-20 (day four)

V. 8 – “Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance,”

No one wants to be called ‘judgmental’. In today’s politically correct environment, that would be disaster. Was John judging others? He was teaching that the actions of our life should be in line with the words of our mouth. Our lives should give evidence of the character and principles of God, if we claim a relationship with Him. God’s Word judges us. If the fruits of our lives do not agree with His Word, we are judged. As believers we must learn to recognize ‘fruits that are in keeping with repentance’.

Most of all, we need to examine our lives, to make sure we are producing the right fruit. Can people see in us the character of Christ? As the different people came to John for baptism, they asked how this relationship of repentance looked like in their lives. It’s a good question for each of us to ask…what does a relationship with Christ look like in my life?

My Father’s Affairs

Re:Verse reading–Luke 2:39-52 (day four)

V.49 No disrespect…no rebellion…no backtalk…no pridefulness…Jesus just responded to His parents with His heavenly wisdom. This was the first proclamation of Jesus of His identity as God’s son. Mary had just referred to Joseph and his anxiety of not knowing where Jesus was. Jesus began the break with His earthly family and His identification as God’s son. It was this statement of relationship with God that would most infuriate the Jewish leaders in coming days. Mary and Joseph knew Jesus better than anyone on earth…they knew of His birth and of the prophecy for His life. They knew He was to be the Messiah. What they didn’t know was how all of that would play out in Jesus’ life.

Who is Jesus? It is a question we each must answer. How we answer it will make all the difference in our life. Who is Jesus? Why did He come? How should I respond? These are questions to ponder in our hearts just like Mary did. What is your answer?

How Far From the Glory?

Re:Verse reading–Luke 2:1-20 (day four)

From the glory of the throne room of heaven to the humble beginnings of a stable birth…in our high tech world, it is almost unfathomable to comprehend that the most important birth of all the ages took place in these conditions. How could a life that had such primitive surroundings impact the entire world? And not just for the present day, but for all the ages to follow. They did not even have Internet when He was born!

We can often lose sight of the true GLORY of heaven…we are distracted by the hype and dazzle of the accomplishments of man. We get excited when we can gain useless information by the gigabytes each second. God spoke a word and the universe came into being! In His love and mercy, Jesus Christ gave up His glory to redeem mankind.

May this passage remind you once again how much Christ gave up, because of His love for you!

Walking Blamelessly

Re:Verse reading–Luke 1:1-38 (day four)

V.6 – “They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord.”

Wouldn’t that be a great verse to be said about you? To be obedient to God’s Word in every situation…to be recognized as being a faithful servant to God. Zacharias and Elizabeth had walked with the Lord for many years…they had established a reputation of faith. A reputation is not built in a short period of time, it is acquired over an extended period of time. God takes note of those who are faithful. He recognized Job’s faithfulness in all things, He saw in David a man after His own heart, and He saw this couple who walked blamelessly before Him. God rewarded their faithfulness by sending them a son…a son with a mission!

What does God see when He looks down upon you? Does He see one who walks blamelessly before Him in all the commandments? And not just every now and then, but always. Strive to build a reputation of righteousness in every situation!

Give Thanks

Re:Verse reading–Acts 23:11, 25:12, 28:16-31 (day four)

“Sing to the Lord, all the earth; Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day. Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples. For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, He also is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols But the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before Him, Strength and joy are in His place. Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; Bring an offering and come before Him; Worship the Lord in holy array. Tremble before Him, all the earth; Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; And let them say among the nations, The Lord reigns. Let the sea roar, and all it contains; Let the field exult, and all that is in it. Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the Lord; For He is coming to judge the earth. O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.” 1 Chronicles 16:23-34

I can’t think of a better reason to give thanks today! Happy Thanksgiving!

Bound

Re:Verse reading–Acts 20:17-38 (day four)

V. 22 – “And now, behold, bound by the Spirit…”

Paul was urged…constrained…compelled…pressed…to be obedient to the Spirit of God. It seems that the more you are committed to obey God, the more certain God will be in giving you guidance. A life lived in submission and obedience to God is rewarded by God’s active work in your live to do His will. An occasional burst of consecration will not suffice. George Muller’s life was an example of this principle. Muller’s life of complete dependence upon God resulted in God’s rich provision for his ministry with children. In our passage, Paul was bound…in other words, he had no choice but to obey!

How about your life? Are you so committed to obey God that He moves and works actively in your life? A quote attributed to Dwight L. Moody says, “The world has yet to see what God can do with a man fully consecrated to Him.” Will you be that man or woman?

Our Sovereign God

Re:Verse reading–Acts 17:10-12, 16-34 (day four)

The word is ‘sovereign’. God is sovereign over all. Look at verse 26…God made every nation and people, He determined their appointed times, and He even determined the boundaries of their nation. There are many today who believe they are in control…that they control the destiny of their nation. Dictators that believe they can conquer and control other nations and add to their kingdom. It is God who is in control…He is sovereign…He has complete control and authority over the nations. Regardless of what one despot thinks or another, apart from God’s plan, their plans to change the world map will not succeed.

God is also sovereign in our lives. We might outwardly acknowledge that He is in control of our lives, but how much do we live that belief? Stop and reflect on what ‘complete control and authority’ means in your life. Does your life demonstrate submission to the sovereignty of God?

A House of Prayer

Re:Verse reading–Acts 16:11-34 (day four)

One thing is different for Paul as he travels to the cities in Asia. Traveling with Silas, they enter the city of Philippi in Macedonia. On the Sabbath, rather than going to the Jewish synagogue, they go in search for a place of prayer. They find it outside the city beside the river.

In the Gospel of Luke, chapter 19, Jesus, quoting Isaiah, said, “My house shall be called a house of prayer.” Prayer should be one of the identifying characteristics of a church. For Paul and Silas, the place of prayer became the prison cell where they were held after their beating. Prayer is characteristic of believers as well as churches. In each of these cases, people came to know the Lord…Lydia and her household, the prisoners, and the jailer and his household. Prayer leads to evangelism. Holy Spirit inspired and infused prayer…does that describe your church and your life?

An Outward Sign

Re:Verse reading–Acts 15:1-29 (day four)

V. 8 – “And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us;

When a covenant or promise is made, it is often accompanied by a seal, a ring, or a document. This outward sign of a pledge made, gives witness of the bond between two parties. For instance, in a marriage ceremony, a ring is given to testify to the relationship established by the sharing of the covenant.

This is one of the roles of the Holy Spirit…He is a testimony of the pledge of a relationship between a believer and God. It is a covenant relationship! Peter had seen it back in chapter 11…now he reminds the elders of that role of the Holy Spirit. The Gentiles would not have the seal of the Holy Spirit if they did not have the covenant relationship. The Spirit bears witness.

Is that true in your life? Does the Spirit bear witness in you of a covenant relationship with God?

Filled With the Spirit

Re:Verse reading–Acts 13:1-52 (day four)

V. 52 – “And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.”

One of the keynote messages of Acts is the gift and work of the Holy Spirit. Over and over, we see how the gospel is communicated, men are inspired to preach, believers are delivered from prison, or hearts and lives are changed…all by the work of the Holy Spirit. Whether circumstances are difficult or encouraging, the Holy Spirit continually fills the disciples with joy. What a blessing to have the steadiness of the presence of the Holy Spirit!

Have you allowed your circumstances to steal your joy? It is easy to do. We get caught up in the business of life and lose sight of the perspective of the Holy Spirit. When Barnabas and Paul were set aside for God’s work, the church leaders were praying and fasting…looking for direction from the Holy Spirit. Seek daily for the Spirit to continually fill you…joy is so much better than stress and discouragement.