Author: Larry Soape

Re:Verse reading–1 Corinthians 15:50-58  (day four)

The ultimate fear is the fear of death.  It can cripple our lives…it can impact our decisions…it can paralyze us for action.  This fear is used all over the world to persecute the Church.  When believers have no fear of death, the persecutors are without influence or power over their lives.

Verse 57 says, “but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  We have victory over death and it holds no power of fear in our lives.  What a freeing promise!  The world cannot understand it.  ‘Would be’ martyrs have walked away free because their captors could not process their lack of fear.  Those who have died, without fear, have offered a most powerful witness of grace.  Richard Wurmbrand, a Romanian pastor during communist rule, could not be silenced.  He was arrested, and threatened, and tortured, but with no success.  The communists could not understand.  He had no fear of death…death was a victory for him.  Finally, Richard was released from prison because he was winning too many prisoners to the Lord.  Truly, our lives are in God’s hand.

Re: Verse reading–Luke 22:31-34, 54-62 (day four)

He was trying to hide in plain sight.  He just wanted to disappear from everyone’s radar.  Peter was proud of his relationship with Christ and was glad to be the key representative of Jesus’ chosen group when things were going good.  When multitudes responded and the sick were healed, Peter was first and foremost with Christ.  Now…when the tides turned against Christ…Peter struggled with his commitment.  He wanted to be close to see what happened but he wanted to be invisible to the opposition.

What was the difference in Acts 1-2 when Peter stood boldly and preached the Gospel to thousands?  Peter had been filled with the Holy Spirit!  Peter had tried to ‘be the man’ before, but in his best strength, he could not measure up.  It was the power of God through his life that brought power.

Have you ever done that…tried to serve God in your best strength, only to fall short?  Yield to Christ and to the power of the Holy Spirit to work through your life.  Bitter disappointment may be turned to thousands coming to Christ!

Re:Verse reading–Matthew 26:36-46 (day four)

Jesus was tempted just as we are, but He was without sin.  The struggle against the temptation to escape the cross was real.  Jesus returned three times to acknowledge His faith in God to choose the right course of action.  Many times, we struggle and ask God to deliver us from our circumstances.  We don’t always believe that God can or will deliver us, so we descend into fear.  Our focus is more often our own comfort rather than God’s overall plan.  Jesus knew that God could and would deliver Him if He asked…twelve legions of angels awaited.  In faith though, Jesus was willing to accept God’s will for His life.  His faith overcame the temptation to fear.

What if, what is most uncomfortable to us, is the best to fulfill God’s plan?  Are we willing to be so used of God that we would give up our safety and comfort?  Can we say, like Jesus, “not as I will, but as you will?”

Re:Verse reading–Luke 12:22-34 (day four)

This passage culminates in v. 31.  Luke records the Lord’s words to consider the ravens…consider the lilies…don’t seek what you will eat…don’t focus on the things that will distract you.  Verse 31 then says, “But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you.”

The best commentary on Scripture is Scripture.  In Matthew 6:33, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus adds, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.”  When we are focused on God, and having our lives paint an accurate picture of His holiness, we will have our needs met.  Out of reverence to God for what He has done for us, we should live our lives in obedience to Him.

Do you ever get distracted?  Have you been given the riches of the gospel, but live as if you are a pauper?  When we live our lives in the grace of the Lord, a lost world can witness the truth of His word, in our lives.  We give glory to God’s name!

Re: Verse reading—Jonah 1:1–3; 3:1–5, 10; 4:1–11 (day four) 

As a college student just a few years ago, I was influenced spiritually by one of our BSU staffers, Chuck Kelley.  (Dr. Charles S. Kelley, Jr. is now president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary)  Chuck shared with me one of his favorite Bible verses…Jonah 4:7.  “But God appointed a worm when dawn came the next day and it attacked the plant and it withered.”  Chuck said if God could use a worm, then surely He could use him…he was encouraged….I was encouraged!  I have shared this verse countless times over the years to encourage others.

God also used this worm to help re-orient Jonah to what was truly important…the hearts and souls of people.  How often do we lose sight of what is really important?  How often do we get distracted by our selfish pride so that we no longer see what has real value?  Once we are distracted from truth, fear rushes in.  Only faith can restore our vision!

Re:Verse reading–Daniel 3:1-2, 8-18, 25-29 (day four)

One of my favorite things about camping is sitting around the campfire at night.  Roasting marshmallows…gazing at the stars…fellowshipping with friends and family.  The one downside to the campfire is that all your clothes come back smelling like smoke…there is no avoiding it.  Verse 27 says Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, not only were not burned alive, but their clothes did not even smell like smoke.

Isn’t that just like God?  My first reaction if I faced a situation like this would probably have been, “Lord, save me!”  These men sought first the glory of God!  Their relationship with God was already settled.  He was in control of their lives as well as the world and circumstances around them.  God went far beyond what would have been my initial, feeble cry.  Not only did He save them, but their clothes were not burned and they didn’t even smell like smoke.  God’s glory was demonstrated to an entire nation.  Maybe I need to enlarge my vision of who God is!

Re: Verse reading– Jeremiah 1 (day four)

What a picture of a beautiful promise!  God has called Jeremiah to be His spokesman.  He already knows Jeremiah before he was even born.  God also knows the trials Jeremiah will face as he carries out His call.  God answers all of Jeremiah’s fears…fears of not knowing what to say and fears that the people will not listen because of his youth.  After God makes His promise (v.8), He proceeds to train Jeremiah.  In v. 11-12, God tests him to reassure Jeremiah that he accurately sees what God is telling him.

Has God done that for you?  Have you ever learned a truth or lesson from Scripture, only to be tested then in that same truth?  God works constantly in our lives to clarify His Word to the people around us.  We are His spokesmen.  Maybe it is time for us to “gird up our loins, and arise and speak to them.”  (v.17)

Re: Verse reading–Esther 4:4-17; 7:1-6 (day four)

Faith demands action!  There is no way to live by faith and be a person who is complacent and uninvolved in what is going on in culture.  Mordecai told Esther that if she did not act in faith, God would use someone else to do the job He had prepared her to do.  Esther would have a huge price to pay for her inaction though.

Have you ever tried to avoid doing what you knew you should do?  Have you said, “Let me pray about it,” when you already knew the answer?  Walking and living a life of faith requires us to become involved in God’s work.  It is not an option.  Our faith is an active faith…no hoping someone else will do it..no pew sitting.  It is our responsibility.  We must be prayerful and move in God’s direction and power, but the key word is that we must move!  Ask God to stir your heart and increase your faith…there is work to be done.

Re: Verse reading–1 Kings 19:1-18 (day four)

It was a legitimate question…”what are you doing here, Elijah?”  Elijah had lost his orientation.  It was true…he had done some mighty things for the Lord.  He had been very zealous; he had torn down the altars to Baal; he had killed the prophets of Baal.  If he had, in fact, been the ‘only one left’, then why was he hiding in a cave?  If he was the only voice for the Lord, he needed to be using that voice to proclaim the truth of the Lord.  God had demonstrated His power by sending down fire from heaven…and where did Elijah think he got the power to kill 400 false prophets and tear down altars and outrun chariots?  He had lost his vision.

Do we ever do that?  Does God do mighty things in our life and we see His hand at work?  Then, we are confronted by one of our fears and we completely forget that God is greater than our circumstances.  Elijah had to re-orient himself to God…what will it take in our lives for us to see again the glory of the Lord?

Re: Verse reading–Numbers 13:26-33; 14:1-9 (day four)

Verse 14:4 – “Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt.”  It was a bad report from a majority of the spies.  They were afraid…the cities were big, the walls were heavily fortified, and the people were giants.  Their eyes were on the wrong things.  Caleb and Joshua had their eyes upon the Lord.  They recognized that the Lord had removed His protection from these people.  Man-made fortifications were of no consequence, apart from the hand of God.  It was God who had sent the Israelites to the Promise Land and covenanted with them to give them the land.  Now, the Israelites wanted to be in control…notice in verse 4 they said “let us…”.  They wanted to determine their own destiny…not to follow the Lord’s direction.

Caleb and Joshua also recognized that a prerequisite for God’s provision was that He was pleased with them (v. 8).  “Without faith, it is impossible to please God.”  (Hebrews 11:6)  Caleb and Joshua knew it…we know it…what choice do we make?