12 JUL 24 Friday SOAPS Daily Office Devotional

 12 JUL 24 Friday SOAPS Daily Office Devotional

Daily Office: Year 2 Week of the Seventh Sunday After Pentecost (Proper 8)

(Scripture, Observation, Apply, Pray, Share)

Reading Plan: Psalm 16, 17; Deut. 31:7-13, 24-32:4; Romans 10:1-13; Matthew 24:15-31

Do you care if others are saved?

S- “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.” Rom. 10:1

O- The evidence that you are saved is that you desire for people to be saved and share your faith.  The opposite is true too.  If you don’t care that others are going to enter eternity without Jesus, you are not saved yourself, period.  The more I meet lost people the more focused I am on praying, caring, and sharing the good news of Jesus.

A- I will refresh my focus and intentionally reach out to those who don’t know Jesus.  I will pray for them regularly, care for them, and share the good news as the opportunity presents itself.

P- Gracious Lord, thank you for seeking me out and putting a Christian in my life to share the good news of Jesus.  Help me to reach those that don’t know you and I lift up their names to you now, __________.  Please draw them to yourself, change their heart and will, and save them.  In Christ’s name, amen.

S- G, J, 

11 JUL 24 Thursday SOAPS Daily Office Devotional

 11 JUL 24 Thursday SOAPS Daily Office Devotional

Daily Office: Year 2 Week of the Seventh Sunday After Pentecost (Proper 8)

(Scripture, Observation, Apply, Pray, Share)

Reading Plan: Psalm 18:1-20; Deut. 3:18-28; Romans 9:19-33; Matthew 24:1-14

S- “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.  And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.” Matt. 24:9-10

O- In every generation, you may see what is said to come in Matthew 24, but understanding the times is critical.  Why? It reminds us that our life has meaning, and purpose, and is connected to a greater mission.  Our intentionality of serving Christ faithfully must come into focus in light of the times because hell is hot, life is short, and eternity is long.  There are people who need to hear the good news before it is too late.

A- I will continue to love, care, and share despite the indifference and rejection of others.  I will continue to seek the lost and train the saved to be disciple-making disciples.

P- Heavenly Father, thank you for preparing us for what will come to those marked by your name.  Help me not to be surprised or shrink back from obeying your commands when trials come.  Empower me to love my enemies and trust you in my suffering that you are there with me.  In your great name, I pray, amen.

S- Anna, Tony, David, Isaiah, Israel, Chris

10 JUL 24 Coffee with Chaps Devotional: Walking through anxiety and worry Day 4

 

Day 4: What happens when your protective factors fail?

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous hand.” Isaiah 41:10

There are times in our lives when we experience great trials, suffering, or major life-changing events.  During these moments we can start to fray emotionally, mentally, and physically to the point of a breakdown.  We can feel trapped and no longer see a way out of the situation.  This is because we rely on our insulating and protective factors like friendship, diet, exercise, sense of self-worth, purpose, practice of faith or community and those things start to fail.  What do you do?

At all times, we have to instead rely on God instead of our own self.  We have to remember that God is present and available.  He knows you, cares for you, and expects you to have life trials.  In the passage above, he draws you to himself in times of suffering and allows you to experience him as your strength, your help, your enabler, and the one who can bring you through it all.  A common love and grace is available to all humans, but here you find a particular love and grace available to his children alone.  He promises to be with you moment by moment, not only for your good and his glory.

Heavenly Father,  nothing is helping me cope and I feel like I’m trapped in this situation. (Pain/loss/illness) I need you.  Please help me to believe that you are here with me and to experience you.  You are my God and I am your child, so show me the way to glorify you in the middle of my distress.  Be my strength, my guide, my helper, my pillar, and deliver me with your mighty hand I pray, amen. 

23 JUN 24 Coffee with Chaps Devotional: Walking through anxiety and worry Day 3

Day 3: What are you focused on?

Matthew 6:33 “ But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

In the different seasons of life, our attention is drawn by our needs and wants.  As a child, I wanted a BMX bike and that was all I was focused on.  As a teenager, it was sports.  As a young adult, I was seeking a lifelong relationship.  What we focus on can bring us worry, stress, and anxiety until it is obtained or discontent when it is not.  Such is the reality of human nature.

We can overcome these things when God changes our nature and the Holy Spirit takes up residence.  Worry and anxiety lose their grip on you when you change your focus to the things that truly matter now and for eternity.  Jesus says you have that ability when you “seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness”.  These are enough to fill our lives with meaning, purpose, service, identity, and a deeper connection with the community of faith and God.  

The old hymn tells us, ‘Turn your eyes upon Jesus’, reminds us that when we look into the face of Jesus our worries and anxieties ‘will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace’.  Jesus adds that those needs we worry about will be satisfied in Him.

Heavenly Father, thank you for bending down and hearing my prayer.  You know what things I worry about and what you want from me.  Lord, strip away my worry and help me to focus on you, your kingdom, and your righteousness.  I want to find my satisfaction in you, in Jesus’ name amen.

15 JUN 24 Coffee with Chaps Devotional - Walking through worry and anxiety Day 2

 Are you carrying burdens?

Psalm 55:22 Cast your burden on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.

When you first leave home for college, you set off with a backpack filled with hopes and dreams.  You quickly realize that adulting is hard! As you walk this new journey your backpack can become filled with items that weigh you down like fear over grades, worry about juggling a part-time job and full-time school, needs & wants, difficulties with new relationships, failures, and the list goes on. Before long the pack is too heavy to move or live freely like you did when living with your parents.

One thing they won’t teach you in college is that God can take the burdens from your backpack and give you perspective, strength, and even joy.  Understand something about God, he sustains the entire universe including life from small insects to how planets orbit around the sun. No molecule is random or out of his control.  Our burdens are not too big for him to handle and he promises to be with us through these challenging times.  While we might think we are failing or drowning, God plans to use these stressors to develop us into the person he desires us to be.  Start talking to God about what is in that backpack of yours and get help from the One who can do something about it to alleviate the heaviness.

Heavenly Father, today my pack is too heavy because of the load I carry.  Help me to let go of anything that I do not need, and give me wisdom to deal with the rest.  I trust you to sustain and care for me as you and I walk this road together.  Make me into the person that you want me to be and use these burdens for your glory.  In your matchless name, amen.