SOULJournal

Psalm 40

SCRIPTURE
¹ I waited patiently for the LORD; 
   he turned to me and heard my cry. 
² He lifted me out of the slimy pit, 
   out of the mud and mire; 
he set my feet on a rock 
   and gave me a firm place to stand. 
³ He put a new song in my mouth, 
   a hymn of praise to our God. 
Many will see and fear 
   and put their trust in the LORD.

OBSERVATION
David reminds us that sometimes the answer to our prayer is not immediate.  Sometimes the answer is slow in coming, but that does not mean that God has abandoned us.

UNDERSTANDING
David was crying out to God to help him and it seemed like God was not responding.  In one translation it says, I waited and waited and waited on the Lord.  How often it seems that way for us too.  We ask God to do something on our behalf and then we find ourselves in the waiting pattern.  It is easy to think in those moments that He is ignoring us, abandoned us or just plain spiteful.  But in those moments we must rehearse what we know about Him.  He is faithful.  He loves us.  His plans for us are better than the plans we have for ourselves and looks way beyond the present life.  His timing is perfect.  God will respond, but our response in the waiting can help point others to Him.  Not only will people put their trust in God because he lifted us out of the mud and mire, and set our feet upon a rock, but people can and will put their trust in God because even when the answer was a long time coming they saw that we still trusted in Him.

LIFE APPLICATION
In You O Lord I put my trust.  Though the situations of my life seem to be out of control, even though my prayers seem to have fallen on deaf ears, I believe that you will answer in the perfect time and do a great and wonderful work in and through me.  Let my actions and words show that I trust in You and may it point people to you so that many will see and fear and put their trust in You.

 

Mark 11

SCRIPTURE
25-26: And when you stand praying, forgive anyone you have anything against. Then your Father in heaven will forgive your sins."

OBSERVATION
There is so much riding on our decision to forgive others, yet so many people are walking around with unforgiveness and bitterness in their hearts and it is preventing them from experiencing real intimacy with God.

UNDERSTANDING
How do you know if there is unforgiveness and bitterness in your heart? 

1.  We easily see the bad in others. 
We are quick to pick them apart and see only the bad in them or in truth read everything they do as being with a bad motive.  We never give them the benefit of the doubt.

2.  We feel justified in criticizing and gossiping about these people. 
Now, normally, if we were gossiping, we might realize this is wrong, but because they wronged us we feel like it’s our right to tell everybody else what a low down, no good person this is, and you shouldn’t trust them, and it’s the right thing to do for me to expose you to truth. 

3.  We secretly celebrate their misfortunes. 

4.  We bring many other people down. 
Not only do we hurt ourselves, but we hurt people all around us by creating very dangerous and strategic alliances. 

LIFE APPLICATION

• Ephesians 4:31-32 (NIV) 31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Mark 10

All this talk about divorce begs the question, what does the Bible say about marriage? 

• Marriage is God's idea:  Genesis 2:18-24
• It requires a decision to commit fully to the relationship  Genesis 24:58-60
• Marriage holds times of great joy: Jeremiah 7:34
• Marriage creates the best environment for raising children: Malachi 2:14-15
• Trust is the foundation of all relationships, including marriage, and unfaithfulness breaks that bond of trust: Matthew 5:32
• Marriage is a covenant relationship which is permanent: Matthew 19:6
• Marriage is based on the choice to love one another, not on feelings: Ephesians 5:21-33
• Marriage is the living symbol of Christ and the church:  Ephesians 5:23-32
• Marriage is good and honorable: Hebrews 13:4

LIFE APPLICATION
God's design was that marriage was a permanent relationship between a man and a woman.  Our sinful nature has led to the permitting of divorce under certain conditions.  But God's design and desire is that we do our best to make marriage work.  In marriage we learn to accept each other, submit to each other, put the needs of the other person above our own, forgive one another, and the list goes on.  God uses this relationship to make and mold us into His image and likeness.   

Psalm 37

SCRIPTURE
3 Trust in the Lord and do good. 
 Then you will live in the land and enjoy its food. 
 4 Find your delight in the Lord. 
      Then he will give you everything your heart really wants. 

OBSERVATION
We should not be envious of sinful people and their prosperity, instead we should trust in the Lord who can answer prayers of the heart. 

UNDERSTANDING
How many times we fall into the trap of looking at those who are ungodly yet prosperous and we get envious and angry because we are trying to do what is right and it seems like it gets us nowhere.  David encourages us today in the Psalm that we are to trust in the Lord and don't be envious of sinful people's prosperity.  In verses 3 and 4 he reiterates the same thought, the promise is conditional.  Trust in the Lord and do good, then you will live in the land and enjoy its food.  Delight yourself in the Lord and then He will give you everything your heart really wants.  When you think about it, it makes sense.  When I delight in the Lord my heart is turned towards Him and I begin to want the things that He wants, so it is easy for Him to give me the desires of my heart because they are in keeping with His will.  

LIFE APPLICATION
When it all boils down we realize that trust in the Lord is of utmost importance.  No matter where we are in life are we willing to trust God and believe that He has our best interests in mind?  If we trust that all things will work together for good for those who love God and seek after Him then we will be content no matter the circumstances, and we will not compare ourselves with others.  That comparison never leads to anything good, instead it usually leads to things like anger, jealously and dissatisfaction.  Trust in the Lord AND DO GOOD.  Do what He wants us to do and we will find enjoyment and fulfillment in this life.

 

Mark 7

SCRIPTURE
   " 'These people honor me by what they say. 
      But their hearts are far away from me. 
 ⁷ Their worship doesn't mean anything to me. 
      They teach nothing but human rules.' —(Isaiah 29:13) ⁸ You have let go of God's commands. And you are holding on to the teachings that men have made up." 

OBSERVATION
The Pharisees are still alive and well today.

UNDERSTANDING
We must be careful not to gloss over the Pharisees and teachers of the law as nitpicky legalists. 

There was no doubt a lot of religious leaders in Jesus' time who wanted to keep their place in the "power structure" at any cost, so they opposed Jesus when He came challenging their motives.  But there were many who had simply followed the interpretations of the law that had been passed down as "the way of God" while the truth was that it was interpreted in such a way as to give the religious authority power.  Those Pharisees still exist.  Today many Christians fight to keep tradition rather than looking at the new wineskins that God is using.  We believe that a certain way of doing things that has been passed down for a couple of generations is the only way of God.  I know people who believe that the only proper Bible to read is the King James Version.

 LIFE APPLICATION
I wonder how many add-on rules and rituals do you impose people who want to know God? How many formulas have you added to the Bible and made them law?  What human-made rules, policies and doctrines have we given the same authority as God's Word?   Pharisees exist today. Ask God for insight so as not to be one of them.  We need to be careful that we are not making traditions the same as God's Word.

 

Mark 6

SCRIPTURE
30 The apostles gathered around Jesus. They told him all they had done and taught. 31 But many people were coming and going. So they did not even have a chance to eat.Then Jesus said to his apostles, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place. You need to get some rest." 32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a quiet place.

OBSERVATION 
Jesus emphasizes that rest is an important facet of our lives.

UNDERSTANDING
The disciples had come back from being on a ministry assignment.  They had gone from town to town preaching and declaring the good news about Jesus.  Now that they have gotten back Jesus wants them to debrief and then He encourages them to take time to rest.  Time and again we are reminded in God's Word that rest is an important part of our lives.  We need down time and time to refresh and recuperate from the everyday push of life.  From daily moments of refreshing to a Sabbath day rest God encourages us to stop and recharge.

LIFE APPLICATION
How are you doing in this regard?  Resting is as much a part of worship as all the other things we do to honor God.  Put aside a day a week to rest.  Take time daily to be refreshed as you spend time with God, away form the people coming and going.  Set aside time yearly to take extended time away from your busy schedule.  Resting is worship.

 

Mark 5

Mark is on a mission.  From the beginning of his writing he makes it clear what his intent is - to show Jesus Christ is the Son of God.  Jesus, Marks says, is the Son of God and here is the proof to show it.  God Himself authenticates Jesus at His baptism when He says, "This is my Son in whom I am well pleased."  Then Jesus proves He is God by the power He demonstrates.  He casts out demons and heals people.  But Mark says that this power doesn't come from somewhere, it is inherent in Jesus because He is God, so in the chapter we read today we catch a glimpse of Jesus personal authority.  Jesus calms the storms as the disciples are crossing the lake.  He commands the demons to leave the man.  He has authority to heal and make the unclean clean.  He has power over sickness and death.  And we are not done with Mark's account.

Like Mark we believe that Jesus is the Son of  God, who by His life, death and resurrection provides a way for mankind to return to restored relationship with God the Father.  And as Mark points out, the evidence is compelling, we don't have to feel like we are crazy to believe it or apoligize for having such a faith in Jesus.

Mark 3

SCRIPTURE
Mark 3:1-20

OBSERVATION AND UNDERSTANDING (Be Diligent by Warren Wiersbe)
This parable helped the disciples understand why Jesus was not impressed by the large crowds that followed Him. He knew that most of them would never produce fruit from changed lives, because the Word He was teaching them was like seed falling into poor soil. The seed represents God’s Word (Luke 8:11) and the sower is the servant of God who shares that Word with others (see 1 Cor. 3:5-9).

The human heart is like soil: it must be prepared to receive the seed before that seed can take root and produce a harvest. Like seed, the Word is alive and able to produce spiritual fruit, but the seed must be planted and cultivated before that harvest will come.

As in that day, so today, there are four kinds of hearts and they respond to God’s message in four different ways.

The hard heart (Mark 4:4, 15) resists the Word of God and makes it easy for Satan (the birds) to snatch it away. Soil becomes hard when too many feet tread on it. Those who recklessly “open their hearts” to all kinds of people and influences are in danger of developing hard hearts (see Prov. 4:23). Hard hearts must be “plowed up” before they can receive the seed, and this can be a painful experience (Jer. 4:3; Hosea 10:12).

The shallow heart (vv. 5-6, 16-17). This heart is like thin soil on a rock, very typical to Palestine. Since there is no depth, whatever is planted cannot last because it has no roots. This represents the “emotional hearer” who joyfully accepts God’s Word but does not really understand the price that must be paid to become a genuine Christian. There may be great enthusiasm for several days or weeks; but when persecution and difficulties begin, the enthusiasm wanes and the joy disappears. It is easy for fallen human nature to counterfeit “religious feelings” and give a professed Christian a feeling of false confidence.

The crowded heart (vv. 7, 18-19). This heart pictures the person who receives the Word but does not truly repent and remove the “weeds” out of his or her heart. This hearer has too many different kinds of “seeds” growing in the soil—worldly cares, a desire for riches, a lust for things—and the good seed of the Word has no room in which to grow. To change the image, this person wants to walk the “broad way” and the “narrow way” at the same time (Matt. 7:13-14); and it cannot be done.

The fruitful heart (vv. 8, 20). This heart pictures the true believer, because fruit—a changed life—is the evidence of true salvation (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 5:19-23). The other three hearts produced no fruit, so we conclude that they belong to persons who have never been born again. Not all true believers are equally as productive; but from every genuine Christian’s life, there will be some evidence of spiritual fruit.

LIFE APPLICATION
More and more I am convinced that there are many people professing to be Christ-followers who are going to be surprised to discover that they are not.  Are we showing the kind of fruit in our lives that is the evidence of true salvation?  Is there love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, self-control, faithfulness and gentleness becoming increasingly obvious in our lives?  Are we submitted to one another, loving and forgiving one another, pursuing unity?  The list goes on, but the question lingers...are our hearts fruitful?

Mark 3

SCRIPTURE
² Some Pharisees were trying to find fault with Jesus. They watched him closely. They wanted to see if he would heal the man on the Sabbath day. 

OBSERVATION AND UNDERSTANDING
Famous people are always under the watchful eye of the crowd.  Paparazzi, news media, gossip columns are always looking for the next juicy story.  That is probably how it was for Jesus.  People were constantly reporting on his opinions and his behavior, always looking for a way to trip Him up and discredit Him.

LIFE APPLICATION
While we certainly don't have that kind of intense scrutiny from the world, the truth is that we are still live under the microscope - people are watching to see if we really believe what we say we do.  They want to know if  our faith and profession of love for God is real or not.  And curious watchers can become eager listeners if we are truly living out our faith because a living and authentic faith will draw a crowd.  Let us be witnesses of God's truth and power by living lives of worship and service to God.  And when the opportunity arises from our living "always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander."  1 Peter 3:15-16

 

Mark 2

SCRIPTURE
¹⁵ Later Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house. Many tax collectors and "sinners" were eating with him and his disciples. They were part of the large crowd following Jesus.

OBSERVATION
Jesus came to seek and to save the lost so He went where they were.

UNDERSTANDING 
There are two ways we tend to deal with hanging with the lost.  The first is that when we become Christ-followers we cut off all contact with them.  We become like the Pharisees who looked down at those who were not as religious as they were.

The second response is that we hang out with them as Jesus did but what happens is that we allow them to influence us instead of us influencing them.  

Jesus hung out with the sinners, because those were the ones He came to seek and to save.  He has called us to go and proclaim the good news to all of the same people so it really is a requirement that we hang out with sinners.  We must follow in Jesus' footsteps and be the one who influences them to salvation instead of them influencing us towards sin.  And Jesus was careful to spend time with just the disciples as well.  He didn't spend all the time with the sinners but found time to pray, talk with the Father, and be prepared for the times He would spend with the sinners so that He could influence them instead of the other way around.

LIFE APPLICATION
We must follow in Jesus' footsteps: always on purpose, making sure to hang out with those who are not yet Christ-followers.  But being on purpose also means preparing for those times of being with "sinners."  We must spend time with other disciples so that we can grow, mature and be strong enough to handle the time with those we are trying to reach.