LifePoints' Life Journaling

What's My Story?

2012-01-27T08:58:00.000-08:00

SCRIPTURE: Part of today's reading is the following from Acts 3:
Acts 3 Healing the Lame Beggar

1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. 2 And a man who had been lame from his mother’s womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking to receive alms. 4 But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him and said, “Look at us!” 5 And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!” 7 And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened. 8 With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God; 10 and they were taking note of him as being the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg alms, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

OBSERVATION:
A lot of people were familiar with this man who had been crippled and a beggar for many years. They passed by him daily, and many, no doubt, had given him money from time to time. Now he is walking, running, jumping, and praising God. Something amazing has happened to him!
As wonderful and amazing as a miraculous healing is, and I have witnessed it first hand on several occasions, something at least as miraculous, and sometimes even more amazing is the radical change or transformation that can occur when a person truly receives Christ as their Savior and Lord.

APPLICATION:
According to the Scriptures (such as 1st Peter 3:15) it is God's plan to show His power and goodness to people around us by the changes and unusual Christlike qualities they see as they observe us.

PRAYER:
Lord, remind me that my life purpose is not to just fit in with the world, but rather to stand out as different in my heart, values, purpose, passion, behavior, speech, etc., so that people take notice and want to know why I am like I am and how they can be like that too. Amen.

HE IS GOD!!!

2012-01-24T22:56:00.000-08:00

Scripture
Luke 24:6-8 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ”Then they remembered his words.

Observation
What adds great credibility to the testimony of Christ's resurrection is the fact that it was widely prophesied and foretold. Jesus Himself had told his followers in various ways on several occasions that He would suffer and die and rise again. And the writings of the ancient prophets also foretold the same. The very sacrificial system that was instituted under Moses was a foretelling of the need for blood sacrifice of a perfect animal to represent their faith in a coming atoning Savior.

Application
God has sewn up the gospel message very clearly and thoroughly in history, and the Bible sets it forth. If one will simply investigate the evidence available, there is no excuse for missing the point or sidestepping the decision to believe, repent, and follow Christ. The way is clear and the choice is ours to make.

Prayer
Lord, help me keep out front the main issue of your death and resurrection to be the Savior. We can have a lot of questions and confusion about a lot of things, but it is faith and obedience to you based on your proving yourself to be God by the resurrection from the dead that is the key to our salvation and to a relationship with you. Amen.

THE CHOICE IS OURS!

2012-01-23T08:54:00.000-08:00

Scripture: Luke 23:39-43 32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”

36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”

38 There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!”

40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

43 Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Observation: Two individuals in the same situation with Jesus between them choose very different paths. One rejected and even mocked Christ, while the other expressed faith in Him and appealed for mercy. Jesus didn’t respond to the mocker, as he had chosen his own fate to be apart from Christ. But Jesus assured the believing man that the same day he would be with Him in Paradise.

Application: Wow! What a contrast! Each person chooses what to do about Jesus and His claim to be God and Savior. To ignore Him or to mock Him is to receive the due consequences of one’s own sin, which the Bible says is spiritual death. (Romans 6:23) But to believe on Him as Savior and humbly ask for His mercy gives us the gift of eternal life with Him in Paradise. What an important decision to get right!

Prayer: Lord, may the simplicity of the issue of salvation not be obscured or complicated in my own mind in order that I may give a clear and urgent message to those who are unaware or disrespectful of the decision which they are making about You. Amen. And THANK YOU FOR SALVATION!!!

Coming Together Around the WORD

2012-01-21T20:54:00.000-08:00

I believe we are beginning one of the most effective and yet simplest ministries a church can offer in making daily devotions an easy thing to do and to share with others. The apostle Paul made a point of writing the same thing to the churches at Ephesians and Colossians on this subject. "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God." (Colossians 3:16 and Ephesians 5:15-21)

The SOAP method causes us to read the scripture, observe, apply to our lives, and respond in prayer and obedience. What follows is an illustration of how I used this method with a few verses of Scripture that were part of this day's reading.

Title: Always Do the Right Thing

SCRIPTURE
Exodus 1:17, 20,21

OBSERVATION
The understanding that God is "pro-life" was inherent even before Moses was given The Law. And God honored those who "feared Him" more than what a powerful Pharaoh might do to them for disobeying him.

APPLICATION
If God made His will so clearly known to people who had so little to go on, and rewarded their obedience, how much more are we accountable for our obedience to what has clearly been revealed, and how much more should we be confident that God will reward obedience!

PRAYER
Lord, help me to seek to always know your will and faithfully do it. Amen.

I look forward to posting many SOAPs from my study of God's Word and reading posts from many of you. I have been encouraged and challenged by the posts of several from LifePoints and Freedom who have been doing this on a couple other sites for some time. God's Word is alive and powerful, and it will never fail. (That promise from Luke 21:33 also happens to be in today's reading) So there is no better investment we can make than spending time getting into God's Word so it can get into us. See you here later. :)

WELCOME TO LIFE JOURNALING AT LIFEPOINTS

2011-11-14T14:04:00.000-08:00

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