S.O.A.P. 30 Day Challenge - Day #24, April 24, 2022 "The Work of the Lord Jesus is Easy and Light."

S. Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV) 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

O. Jesus invites His followers to replace a yoke of “human effort” or “works” with His yoke, “love, grace and truth - perhaps). What we learn from Jesus is that He exemplifies gentleness and humbleness of heart” . When we replace the work of human effort with the joy of of following Him, we find true fuflillment and purpose for our souls.

A. What a joy it is to follow the Lord Jesus. To walk with Him and to take His yoke - the yoke of letting Him lead us in gace and truth. When I do, he replaces the stress of life brought out by our efforts with gentleness and humbleness. The work of the ministry, Kingdom work can be challenging, but when we walk with Jesus closely and learn from Him, we can experience such rest and fulfillment for our souls.

P. Thank you Father for yor word. Thank you Lord Jesus for providing such a complete salvation. Thank you that we can remove or roll over whatever burdent of human effort that is stressing us and replace it with the yoke of following you, a yoke of grace and truth that produces a genteleness and humbleness in our soul. Holy Spirit fill me and guide me to continue to experience this gentleness and humbleness as I walk with the Lord Jesus. In Jesus’ name!

S.O.A.P. 30 Day Challenge - Day #23, April 23, 2022 "Avoiding Snares and Traps"

S. Pslm 141:8 (NIV) But my eyes are fixed on you, Sovereign Lord; in you I take refuge—do not give me over to death. 9 Keep me safe from the traps set by evildoers, from the snares they have laid for me. 10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by in safety.

O. David does not want to be drawn into the way of evil ones. He will be careful with what he speaks and does. He will fix his eyes (keep his eyes on - Ps. 25:15) on the Lord. The Lord is and will continue to be his safe place.

Again David is writing during a time when his anxieties could be extremely high. He’s running for his life from Saul. He’s actually living in enemy territory with the enemy. Yet during this time, he realizes the way to avoid the traps of the enemy (the physical and spiritual enemies) is to keep his eyes upon the Lord.

A. The enemy sets traps and snares for God’s people. We must keep our focus, our attention, our eyes literally upon Him. He is our safe place. It is easy to get our eyes “off” the Lord and then fall into or get caught into traps and snares that the enemy places in our pathway.

I have heard, read and said, “attention determines direction.” So I will keep my focused attention on Jesus who will lead me away from the snares and traps of the enemy.

P. Thank you Father for your word today. Thank you for the reminder of having our “spiritual” eyes and focus on you. Holy Spirit fill me and guide me to keep my eyes fixed upon the Lord and His calling in my life. Keep me from the traps of the enemy. I praise you (7x a day - Ps. 119:164). In Jesus’ name - Amen.

S.O.A.P. 30 Day Challenge - Day 22, April 22, 2022 "Can't Sleep? Hang Out with God"

S. Psalm 63:6-8 (NIV) On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.
7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. 8 I cling to you; your right hand upholds me.

O. David writes this Psalm during a difficult time in his life. He has experienced others who wanted to harm to him. He is on the run (for his life), hiding out in caves, forests, enemy occupied cities, etc. During various times throughout the night he thought of the Lord and wuold spend time then reflecting upon God, singing praises and praying for God’s provision.

A. I have times when I cannot sleep. I wake up and I cannot get back to sleep because my mind is very busy. When this happens, I get up from my bed and enjoy fellowship with the Lord - praying, reading His word and seeking His continued presence and provision in my life and ministry. Further, He always seems to let me, later, get the rest I need and may have missed out on earlier.

P. Thank you Father for your word today. Thank you for this time of early morning fellowship in which you give me insights, wisdom and peace from the Word and from the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit continue to fill me, illumine me and to be my guide. In Jesus’ name!