Matthew 9:1-8 (NLT)
Mt 9:1 Jesus climbed into a boat and went back across the lake to his own town.
Mt 9:2 Some people brought to him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "Be encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven."
Mt 9:3 But some of the teachers of religious law said to themselves, "That’s blasphemy! Does he think he’s God?"
Mt 9:4 Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, "Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts?
Mt 9:5 Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’?
Mt 9:6 So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins." Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, "Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!"
Mt 9:7 And the man jumped up and went home!
Mt 9:8 Fear swept through the crowd as they saw this happen. And they praised God for sending a man with such great authority.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
SOAP: Saturday, April 19, 2008
Hebrews 13:1-6 (NLT)
Heb 13:1 Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters.
Heb 13:2 Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!
Heb 13:3 Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.
Heb 13:4 Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.
Heb 13:5 Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said,
"I will never fail you. I will never abandon you."
Heb 13:6 So we can say with confidence,
"The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?"
Heb 13:1 Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters.
Heb 13:2 Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!
Heb 13:3 Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.
Heb 13:4 Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.
Heb 13:5 Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said,
"I will never fail you. I will never abandon you."
Heb 13:6 So we can say with confidence,
"The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?"
SOAP: Friday, April 18, 2008
1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (NLT)
1Co 13:1 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
1Co 13:2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing.
1Co 13:3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.
1Co 13:4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud
1Co 13:5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.
1Co 13:6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.
1Co 13:7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
1Co 13:8 Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!
1Co 13:9 Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture!
1Co 13:10 But when full understanding comes, these partial things will become useless.
1Co 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things.
1Co 13:12 Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.
1Co 13:13 Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.
1Co 13:1 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
1Co 13:2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing.
1Co 13:3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.
1Co 13:4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud
1Co 13:5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.
1Co 13:6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.
1Co 13:7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
1Co 13:8 Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!
1Co 13:9 Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture!
1Co 13:10 But when full understanding comes, these partial things will become useless.
1Co 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things.
1Co 13:12 Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.
1Co 13:13 Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.
SOAP: Thursday, April 17, 2008
Deuteronomy 7:6-16 (NLT)
Dt 7:6 For you are a holy people, who belong to the LORD your God. Of all the people on earth, the LORD your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure.
Dt 7:7 "The LORD did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations!
Dt 7:8 Rather, it was simply that the LORD loves you, and he was keeping the oath he had sworn to your ancestors. That is why the LORD rescued you with such a strong hand from your slavery and from the oppressive hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.
Dt 7:9 Understand, therefore, that the LORD your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands.
Dt 7:10 But he does not hesitate to punish and destroy those who reject him.
Dt 7:11 Therefore, you must obey all these commands, decrees, and regulations I am giving you today.
Dt 7:12 "If you listen to these regulations and faithfully obey them, the LORD your God will keep his covenant of unfailing love with you, as he promised with an oath to your ancestors.
Dt 7:13 He will love you and bless you, and he will give you many children. He will give fertility to your land and your animals. When you arrive in the land he swore to give your ancestors, you will have large harvests of grain, new wine, and olive oil, and great herds of cattle, sheep, and goats.
Dt 7:14 You will be blessed above all the nations of the earth. None of your men or women will be childless, and all your livestock will bear young.
Dt 7:15 And the LORD will protect you from all sickness. He will not let you suffer from the terrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but he will inflict them on all your enemies!
Dt 7:16 "You must destroy all the nations the LORD your God hands over to you. Show them no mercy, and do not worship their gods, or they will trap you.
Dt 7:6 For you are a holy people, who belong to the LORD your God. Of all the people on earth, the LORD your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure.
Dt 7:7 "The LORD did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations!
Dt 7:8 Rather, it was simply that the LORD loves you, and he was keeping the oath he had sworn to your ancestors. That is why the LORD rescued you with such a strong hand from your slavery and from the oppressive hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.
Dt 7:9 Understand, therefore, that the LORD your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands.
Dt 7:10 But he does not hesitate to punish and destroy those who reject him.
Dt 7:11 Therefore, you must obey all these commands, decrees, and regulations I am giving you today.
Dt 7:12 "If you listen to these regulations and faithfully obey them, the LORD your God will keep his covenant of unfailing love with you, as he promised with an oath to your ancestors.
Dt 7:13 He will love you and bless you, and he will give you many children. He will give fertility to your land and your animals. When you arrive in the land he swore to give your ancestors, you will have large harvests of grain, new wine, and olive oil, and great herds of cattle, sheep, and goats.
Dt 7:14 You will be blessed above all the nations of the earth. None of your men or women will be childless, and all your livestock will bear young.
Dt 7:15 And the LORD will protect you from all sickness. He will not let you suffer from the terrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but he will inflict them on all your enemies!
Dt 7:16 "You must destroy all the nations the LORD your God hands over to you. Show them no mercy, and do not worship their gods, or they will trap you.
SOAP: Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Ephesians 5:1-20 (NLT)
Eph 5:1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.
Eph 5:2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
Eph 5:3 Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people.
Eph 5:4 Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.
Eph 5:5 You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.
Eph 5:6 Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him.
Eph 5:7 Don’t participate in the things these people do.
Eph 5:8 For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!
Eph 5:9 For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
Eph 5:10 Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.
Eph 5:11 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.
Eph 5:12 It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret.
Eph 5:13 But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them,
Eph 5:14 for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said,
"Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light."
Living by the Spirit’s Power
Eph 5:15 So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise.
Eph 5:16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.
Eph 5:17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.
Eph 5:18 Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,
Eph 5:19 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.
Eph 5:20 And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Eph 5:1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.
Eph 5:2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
Eph 5:3 Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people.
Eph 5:4 Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.
Eph 5:5 You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.
Eph 5:6 Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him.
Eph 5:7 Don’t participate in the things these people do.
Eph 5:8 For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!
Eph 5:9 For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
Eph 5:10 Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.
Eph 5:11 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.
Eph 5:12 It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret.
Eph 5:13 But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them,
Eph 5:14 for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said,
"Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light."
Living by the Spirit’s Power
Eph 5:15 So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise.
Eph 5:16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.
Eph 5:17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.
Eph 5:18 Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,
Eph 5:19 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.
Eph 5:20 And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
SOAP: Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Romans 5:1-11 (NLT)
Ro 5:1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.
Ro 5:2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
Ro 5:3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.
Ro 5:4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.
Ro 5:5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
Ro 5:6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.
Ro 5:7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good.
Ro 5:8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
Ro 5:9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.
Ro 5:10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.
Ro 5:11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.
Ro 5:1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.
Ro 5:2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
Ro 5:3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.
Ro 5:4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.
Ro 5:5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
Ro 5:6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.
Ro 5:7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good.
Ro 5:8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
Ro 5:9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.
Ro 5:10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.
Ro 5:11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.
SOAP: Monday, April 14, 2008
Galations 5:13-24 (NLT)
Gal 5:13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.
Gal 5:14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
Gal 5:15 But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.
Living by the Spirit’s Power
Gal 5:16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.
Gal 5:17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.
Gal 5:18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.
Gal 5:19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures,
Gal 5:20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division,
Gal 5:21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Gal 5:22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Gal 5:23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
Gal 5:24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.
Gal 5:13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.
Gal 5:14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
Gal 5:15 But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.
Living by the Spirit’s Power
Gal 5:16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.
Gal 5:17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.
Gal 5:18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.
Gal 5:19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures,
Gal 5:20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division,
Gal 5:21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Gal 5:22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Gal 5:23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
Gal 5:24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
SOAP: Sunday, April 13, 2008
Matthew 5:27-30 (NLT)
Mt 5:27 "You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’
Mt 5:28 But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Mt 5:29 So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
Mt 5:30 And if your hand—even your stronger hand—causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
Mt 5:27 "You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’
Mt 5:28 But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Mt 5:29 So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
Mt 5:30 And if your hand—even your stronger hand—causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
SOAP: Saturday, April 12, 2008
2 Corinthians 4 (NLT)
2Co 4:1 Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up.
2Co 4:2 We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.
2Co 4:3 If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing.
2Co 4:4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
2Co 4:5 You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake.
2Co 4:6 For God, who said, "Let there be light in the darkness," has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.
2Co 4:7 We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.
2Co 4:8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair.
2Co 4:9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.
2Co 4:10 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.
2Co 4:11 Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies.
2Co 4:12 So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.
2Co 4:13 But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, "I believed in God, so I spoke."
2Co 4:14 We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you.
2Co 4:15 All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.
2Co 4:16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.
2Co 4:17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!
2Co 4:18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
2Co 4:1 Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up.
2Co 4:2 We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.
2Co 4:3 If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing.
2Co 4:4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
2Co 4:5 You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake.
2Co 4:6 For God, who said, "Let there be light in the darkness," has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.
2Co 4:7 We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.
2Co 4:8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair.
2Co 4:9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.
2Co 4:10 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.
2Co 4:11 Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies.
2Co 4:12 So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.
2Co 4:13 But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, "I believed in God, so I spoke."
2Co 4:14 We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you.
2Co 4:15 All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.
2Co 4:16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.
2Co 4:17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!
2Co 4:18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
SOAP: Friday, April 11, 2008
1 Timothy 3:1-13 (NLT)
1Ti 3:1 This is a trustworthy saying: "If someone aspires to be an elder, he desires an honorable position."
1Ti 3:2 So an elder must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach.
1Ti 3:3 He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money.
1Ti 3:4 He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him.
1Ti 3:5 For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?
1Ti 3:6 An elder must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and the devil would cause him to fall.
1Ti 3:7 Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the devil’s trap.
1Ti 3:8 In the same way, deacons must be well respected and have integrity. They must not be heavy drinkers or dishonest with money.
1Ti 3:9 They must be committed to the mystery of the faith now revealed and must live with a clear conscience.
1Ti 3:10 Before they are appointed as deacons, let them be closely examined. If they pass the test, then let them serve as deacons.
1Ti 3:11 In the same way, their wives must be respected and must not slander others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do.
1Ti 3:12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife, and he must manage his children and household well.
1Ti 3:13 Those who do well as deacons will be rewarded with respect from others and will have increased confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus.
1Ti 3:1 This is a trustworthy saying: "If someone aspires to be an elder, he desires an honorable position."
1Ti 3:2 So an elder must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach.
1Ti 3:3 He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money.
1Ti 3:4 He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him.
1Ti 3:5 For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?
1Ti 3:6 An elder must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and the devil would cause him to fall.
1Ti 3:7 Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the devil’s trap.
1Ti 3:8 In the same way, deacons must be well respected and have integrity. They must not be heavy drinkers or dishonest with money.
1Ti 3:9 They must be committed to the mystery of the faith now revealed and must live with a clear conscience.
1Ti 3:10 Before they are appointed as deacons, let them be closely examined. If they pass the test, then let them serve as deacons.
1Ti 3:11 In the same way, their wives must be respected and must not slander others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do.
1Ti 3:12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife, and he must manage his children and household well.
1Ti 3:13 Those who do well as deacons will be rewarded with respect from others and will have increased confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus.
SOAP: Thursday, April 10, 2008
Isaiah 40:9-11 (NLT)
Isa 40:9 O Zion, messenger of good news, shout from the mountaintops! Shout it louder, O Jerusalem. Shout, and do not be afraid. Tell the towns of Judah, "Your God is coming!"
Isa 40:10 Yes, the Sovereign LORD is coming in power. He will rule with a powerful arm. See, he brings his reward with him as he comes.
Isa 40:11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.
Isa 40:9 O Zion, messenger of good news, shout from the mountaintops! Shout it louder, O Jerusalem. Shout, and do not be afraid. Tell the towns of Judah, "Your God is coming!"
Isa 40:10 Yes, the Sovereign LORD is coming in power. He will rule with a powerful arm. See, he brings his reward with him as he comes.
Isa 40:11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.
SOAP: Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Ezekiel 34:11-16 (NLT)
Eze 34:11 "For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search and find my sheep.
Eze 34:12 I will be like a shepherd looking for his scattered flock. I will find my sheep and rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on that dark and cloudy day.
Eze 34:13 I will bring them back home to their own land of Israel from among the peoples and nations. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel and by the rivers and in all the places where people live.
Eze 34:14 Yes, I will give them good pastureland on the high hills of Israel. There they will lie down in pleasant places and feed in the lush pastures of the hills.
Eze 34:15 I myself will tend my sheep and give them a place to lie down in peace, says the Sovereign LORD.
Eze 34:16 I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again. I will bandage the injured and strengthen the weak. But I will destroy those who are fat and powerful. I will feed them, yes—feed them justice!
Eze 34:11 "For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search and find my sheep.
Eze 34:12 I will be like a shepherd looking for his scattered flock. I will find my sheep and rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on that dark and cloudy day.
Eze 34:13 I will bring them back home to their own land of Israel from among the peoples and nations. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel and by the rivers and in all the places where people live.
Eze 34:14 Yes, I will give them good pastureland on the high hills of Israel. There they will lie down in pleasant places and feed in the lush pastures of the hills.
Eze 34:15 I myself will tend my sheep and give them a place to lie down in peace, says the Sovereign LORD.
Eze 34:16 I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again. I will bandage the injured and strengthen the weak. But I will destroy those who are fat and powerful. I will feed them, yes—feed them justice!
SOAP: Tuesday, April 8, 2008
1 Peter 5:1-11 (NLT)
1Pe 5:1 And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you:
1Pe 5:2 Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God.
1Pe 5:3 Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example.
1Pe 5:4 And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor.
1Pe 5:5 In the same way, you younger men must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, serve each other in humility, for
"God opposes the proud but favors the humble."
1Pe 5:6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.
1Pe 5:7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
1Pe 5:8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
1Pe 5:9 Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.
1Pe 5:10 In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.
1Pe 5:11 All power to him forever! Amen.
1Pe 5:1 And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you:
1Pe 5:2 Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God.
1Pe 5:3 Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example.
1Pe 5:4 And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor.
1Pe 5:5 In the same way, you younger men must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, serve each other in humility, for
"God opposes the proud but favors the humble."
1Pe 5:6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.
1Pe 5:7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
1Pe 5:8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
1Pe 5:9 Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.
1Pe 5:10 In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.
1Pe 5:11 All power to him forever! Amen.
SOAP: Monday, April 7, 2008
Jeremiah 23 (NLT)
Jer 23:1 "What sorrow awaits the leaders of my people—the shepherds of my sheep—for they have destroyed and scattered the very ones they were expected to care for," says the LORD.
Jer 23:2 Therefore, this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says to these shepherds: "Instead of caring for my flock and leading them to safety, you have deserted them and driven them to destruction. Now I will pour out judgment on you for the evil you have done to them.
Jer 23:3 But I will gather together the remnant of my flock from the countries where I have driven them. I will bring them back to their own sheepfold, and they will be fruitful and increase in number.
Jer 23:4 Then I will appoint responsible shepherds who will care for them, and they will never be afraid again. Not a single one will be lost or missing. I, the LORD have spoken!
Jer 23:5 "For the time is coming," says the LORD, "when I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line. He will be a King who rules with wisdom. He will do what is just and right throughout the land.
Jer 23:6 And this will be his name: ‘The LORD Is Our Righteousness.’ In that day Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in safety.
Jer 23:7 "In that day," says the LORD, "when people are taking an oath, they will no longer say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, who rescued the people of Israel from the land of Egypt.’
Jer 23:8 Instead, they will say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the people of Israel back to their own land from the land of the north and from all the countries to which he had exiled them.’ Then they will live in their own land."
Judgment on False Prophets
Jer 23:9 My heart is broken because of the false prophets, and my bones tremble. I stagger like a drunkard, like someone overcome by wine, because of the holy words the LORD has spoken against them.
Jer 23:10 For the land is full of adultery, and it lies under a curse. The land itself is in mourning— its wilderness pastures are dried up. For they all do evil and abuse what power they have.
Jer 23:11 "Even the priests and prophets are ungodly, wicked men. I have seen their despicable acts right here in my own Temple," says the LORD.
Jer 23:12 "Therefore, the paths they take will become slippery. They will be chased through the dark, and there they will fall. For I will bring disaster upon them at the time fixed for their punishment. I, the LORD, have spoken!
Jer 23:13 "I saw that the prophets of Samaria were terribly evil, for they prophesied in the name of Baal and led my people of Israel into sin.
Jer 23:14 But now I see that the prophets of Jerusalem are even worse! They commit adultery and love dishonesty. They encourage those who are doing evil so that no one turns away from their sins. These prophets are as wicked as the people of Sodom and Gomorrah once were."
Jer 23:15 Therefore, this is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says concerning the prophets:
"I will feed them with bitterness and give them poison to drink. For it is because of Jerusalem’s prophets that wickedness has filled this land."
Jer 23:16 This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says to his people:
"Do not listen to these prophets when they prophesy to you, filling you with futile hopes. They are making up everything they say. They do not speak for the LORD!
Jer 23:17 They keep saying to those who despise my word, ‘Don’t worry! The LORD says you will have peace!’ And to those who stubbornly follow their own desires, they say, ‘No harm will come your way!’
Jer 23:18 "Have any of these prophets been in the LORD’s presence to hear what he is really saying? Has even one of them cared enough to listen?
Jer 23:19 Look! The LORD’s anger bursts out like a storm, a whirlwind that swirls down on the heads of the wicked.
Jer 23:20 The anger of the LORD will not diminish until it has finished all he has planned. In the days to come you will understand all this very clearly.
Jer 23:21 "I have not sent these prophets, yet they run around claiming to speak for me. I have given them no message, yet they go on prophesying.
Jer 23:22 If they had stood before me and listened to me, they would have spoken my words, and they would have turned my people from their evil ways and deeds.
Jer 23:23 Am I a God who is only close at hand?" says the LORD. "No, I am far away at the same time.
Jer 23:24 Can anyone hide from me in a secret place? Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth?" says the LORD.
Jer 23:25 "I have heard these prophets say, ‘Listen to the dream I had from God last night.’ And then they proceed to tell lies in my name.
Jer 23:26 How long will this go on? If they are prophets, they are prophets of deceit, inventing everything they say.
Jer 23:27 By telling these false dreams, they are trying to get my people to forget me, just as their ancestors did by worshiping the idols of Baal.
Jer 23:28 "Let these false prophets tell their dreams, but let my true messengers faithfully proclaim my every word. There is a difference between straw and grain!
Jer 23:29 Does not my word burn like fire?" says the LORD. "Is it not like a mighty hammer that smashes a rock to pieces?
Jer 23:30 "Therefore," says the LORD, "I am against these prophets who steal messages from each other and claim they are from me.
Jer 23:31 I am against these smooth-tongued prophets who say, ‘This prophecy is from the LORD!’
Jer 23:32 I am against these false prophets. Their imaginary dreams are flagrant lies that lead my people into sin. I did not send or appoint them, and they have no message at all for my people. I, the LORD have spoken!
False Prophecies and False Prophets
Jer 23:33 "Suppose one of the people or one of the prophets or priests asks you, ‘What prophecy has the LORD burdened you with now?’ You must reply, ‘You are the burden! The LORD says he will abandon you!’
Jer 23:34 "If any prophet, priest, or anyone else says, ‘I have a prophecy from the LORD,’ I will punish that person along with his entire family.
Jer 23:35 You should keep asking each other, ‘What is the LORD’s answer?’ or ‘What is the LORD saying?’
Jer 23:36 But stop using this phrase, ‘prophecy from the LORD.’ For people are using it to give authority to their own ideas, turning upside down the words of our God, the living God, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.
Jer 23:37 "This is what you should say to the prophets: ‘What is the LORD’s answer?’ or ‘What is the LORD saying?’
Jer 23:38 But suppose they respond, ‘This is a prophecy from the LORD!’ Then you should say, ‘This is what the LORD says: Because you have used this phrase, "prophecy from the LORD," even though I warned you not to use it,
Jer 23:39 I will forget you completely. I will expel you from my presence, along with this city that I gave to you and your ancestors.
Jer 23:40 And I will make you an object of ridicule, and your name will be infamous throughout the ages.’ "
Jer 23:1 "What sorrow awaits the leaders of my people—the shepherds of my sheep—for they have destroyed and scattered the very ones they were expected to care for," says the LORD.
Jer 23:2 Therefore, this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says to these shepherds: "Instead of caring for my flock and leading them to safety, you have deserted them and driven them to destruction. Now I will pour out judgment on you for the evil you have done to them.
Jer 23:3 But I will gather together the remnant of my flock from the countries where I have driven them. I will bring them back to their own sheepfold, and they will be fruitful and increase in number.
Jer 23:4 Then I will appoint responsible shepherds who will care for them, and they will never be afraid again. Not a single one will be lost or missing. I, the LORD have spoken!
Jer 23:5 "For the time is coming," says the LORD, "when I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line. He will be a King who rules with wisdom. He will do what is just and right throughout the land.
Jer 23:6 And this will be his name: ‘The LORD Is Our Righteousness.’ In that day Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in safety.
Jer 23:7 "In that day," says the LORD, "when people are taking an oath, they will no longer say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, who rescued the people of Israel from the land of Egypt.’
Jer 23:8 Instead, they will say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the people of Israel back to their own land from the land of the north and from all the countries to which he had exiled them.’ Then they will live in their own land."
Judgment on False Prophets
Jer 23:9 My heart is broken because of the false prophets, and my bones tremble. I stagger like a drunkard, like someone overcome by wine, because of the holy words the LORD has spoken against them.
Jer 23:10 For the land is full of adultery, and it lies under a curse. The land itself is in mourning— its wilderness pastures are dried up. For they all do evil and abuse what power they have.
Jer 23:11 "Even the priests and prophets are ungodly, wicked men. I have seen their despicable acts right here in my own Temple," says the LORD.
Jer 23:12 "Therefore, the paths they take will become slippery. They will be chased through the dark, and there they will fall. For I will bring disaster upon them at the time fixed for their punishment. I, the LORD, have spoken!
Jer 23:13 "I saw that the prophets of Samaria were terribly evil, for they prophesied in the name of Baal and led my people of Israel into sin.
Jer 23:14 But now I see that the prophets of Jerusalem are even worse! They commit adultery and love dishonesty. They encourage those who are doing evil so that no one turns away from their sins. These prophets are as wicked as the people of Sodom and Gomorrah once were."
Jer 23:15 Therefore, this is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says concerning the prophets:
"I will feed them with bitterness and give them poison to drink. For it is because of Jerusalem’s prophets that wickedness has filled this land."
Jer 23:16 This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says to his people:
"Do not listen to these prophets when they prophesy to you, filling you with futile hopes. They are making up everything they say. They do not speak for the LORD!
Jer 23:17 They keep saying to those who despise my word, ‘Don’t worry! The LORD says you will have peace!’ And to those who stubbornly follow their own desires, they say, ‘No harm will come your way!’
Jer 23:18 "Have any of these prophets been in the LORD’s presence to hear what he is really saying? Has even one of them cared enough to listen?
Jer 23:19 Look! The LORD’s anger bursts out like a storm, a whirlwind that swirls down on the heads of the wicked.
Jer 23:20 The anger of the LORD will not diminish until it has finished all he has planned. In the days to come you will understand all this very clearly.
Jer 23:21 "I have not sent these prophets, yet they run around claiming to speak for me. I have given them no message, yet they go on prophesying.
Jer 23:22 If they had stood before me and listened to me, they would have spoken my words, and they would have turned my people from their evil ways and deeds.
Jer 23:23 Am I a God who is only close at hand?" says the LORD. "No, I am far away at the same time.
Jer 23:24 Can anyone hide from me in a secret place? Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth?" says the LORD.
Jer 23:25 "I have heard these prophets say, ‘Listen to the dream I had from God last night.’ And then they proceed to tell lies in my name.
Jer 23:26 How long will this go on? If they are prophets, they are prophets of deceit, inventing everything they say.
Jer 23:27 By telling these false dreams, they are trying to get my people to forget me, just as their ancestors did by worshiping the idols of Baal.
Jer 23:28 "Let these false prophets tell their dreams, but let my true messengers faithfully proclaim my every word. There is a difference between straw and grain!
Jer 23:29 Does not my word burn like fire?" says the LORD. "Is it not like a mighty hammer that smashes a rock to pieces?
Jer 23:30 "Therefore," says the LORD, "I am against these prophets who steal messages from each other and claim they are from me.
Jer 23:31 I am against these smooth-tongued prophets who say, ‘This prophecy is from the LORD!’
Jer 23:32 I am against these false prophets. Their imaginary dreams are flagrant lies that lead my people into sin. I did not send or appoint them, and they have no message at all for my people. I, the LORD have spoken!
False Prophecies and False Prophets
Jer 23:33 "Suppose one of the people or one of the prophets or priests asks you, ‘What prophecy has the LORD burdened you with now?’ You must reply, ‘You are the burden! The LORD says he will abandon you!’
Jer 23:34 "If any prophet, priest, or anyone else says, ‘I have a prophecy from the LORD,’ I will punish that person along with his entire family.
Jer 23:35 You should keep asking each other, ‘What is the LORD’s answer?’ or ‘What is the LORD saying?’
Jer 23:36 But stop using this phrase, ‘prophecy from the LORD.’ For people are using it to give authority to their own ideas, turning upside down the words of our God, the living God, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.
Jer 23:37 "This is what you should say to the prophets: ‘What is the LORD’s answer?’ or ‘What is the LORD saying?’
Jer 23:38 But suppose they respond, ‘This is a prophecy from the LORD!’ Then you should say, ‘This is what the LORD says: Because you have used this phrase, "prophecy from the LORD," even though I warned you not to use it,
Jer 23:39 I will forget you completely. I will expel you from my presence, along with this city that I gave to you and your ancestors.
Jer 23:40 And I will make you an object of ridicule, and your name will be infamous throughout the ages.’ "
Sunday, March 9, 2008
SOAP: Saturday, March 15, 2008
Romans 8:31-39 (NLT)
Ro 8:31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?
Ro 8:32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?
Ro 8:33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself.
Ro 8:34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.
Ro 8:35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?
Ro 8:36 (As the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.")
Ro 8:37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
Ro 8:38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.
Ro 8:39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ro 8:31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?
Ro 8:32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?
Ro 8:33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself.
Ro 8:34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.
Ro 8:35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?
Ro 8:36 (As the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.")
Ro 8:37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
Ro 8:38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.
Ro 8:39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
SOAP: Friday, March 14, 2008
Romans 1:1-7, 16-17 (NLT)
Ro 1:1 This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News.
Ro 1:2 God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets in the holy Scriptures.
Ro 1:3 The Good News is about his Son, Jesus. In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line,
Ro 1:4 and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord.
Ro 1:5 Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.
Ro 1:6 And you are included among those Gentiles who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ.
Ro 1:7 I am writing to all of you in Rome who are loved by God and are called to be his own holy people. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
............................................................................................................................................................
Ro 1:16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.
Ro 1:17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life."
Ro 1:1 This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News.
Ro 1:2 God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets in the holy Scriptures.
Ro 1:3 The Good News is about his Son, Jesus. In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line,
Ro 1:4 and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord.
Ro 1:5 Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.
Ro 1:6 And you are included among those Gentiles who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ.
Ro 1:7 I am writing to all of you in Rome who are loved by God and are called to be his own holy people. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
............................................................................................................................................................
Ro 1:16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.
Ro 1:17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life."
SOAP: Thursday, March 13, 2008
Colossians 3:1-17 (NLT)
Col 3:1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.
Col 3:2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.
Col 3:3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.
Col 3:4 And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
Col 3:5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.
Col 3:6 Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming.
Col 3:7 You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world.
Col 3:8 But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language.
Col 3:9 Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.
Col 3:10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.
Col 3:11 In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.
Col 3:12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
Col 3:13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
Col 3:14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.
Col 3:15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
Col 3:16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.
Col 3:17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.
Col 3:1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.
Col 3:2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.
Col 3:3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.
Col 3:4 And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
Col 3:5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.
Col 3:6 Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming.
Col 3:7 You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world.
Col 3:8 But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language.
Col 3:9 Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.
Col 3:10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.
Col 3:11 In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.
Col 3:12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
Col 3:13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
Col 3:14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.
Col 3:15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
Col 3:16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.
Col 3:17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.
SOAP: Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Isaiah 25:1-9 (NLT)
Isa 25:1 O LORD, I will honor and praise your name, for you are my God. You do such wonderful things! You planned them long ago, and now you have accomplished them.
Isa 25:2 You turn mighty cities into heaps of ruins. Cities with strong walls are turned to rubble. Beautiful palaces in distant lands disappear and will never be rebuilt.
Isa 25:3 Therefore, strong nations will declare your glory; ruthless nations will fear you.
Isa 25:4 But you are a tower of refuge to the poor, O LORD, a tower of refuge to the needy in distress. You are a refuge from the storm and a shelter from the heat. For the oppressive acts of ruthless people are like a storm beating against a wall,
Isa 25:5 or like the relentless heat of the desert. But you silence the roar of foreign nations. As the shade of a cloud cools relentless heat, so the boastful songs of ruthless people are stilled.
Isa 25:6 In Jerusalem, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will spread a wonderful feast for all the people of the world. It will be a delicious banquet with clear, well-aged wine and choice meat.
Isa 25:7 There he will remove the cloud of gloom, the shadow of death that hangs over the earth.
Isa 25:8 He will swallow up death forever! The Sovereign LORD will wipe away all tears. He will remove forever all insults and mockery against his land and people. The LORD has spoken!
Isa 25:9 In that day the people will proclaim, "This is our God! We trusted in him, and he saved us! This is the LORD, in whom we trusted. Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!"
Isa 25:1 O LORD, I will honor and praise your name, for you are my God. You do such wonderful things! You planned them long ago, and now you have accomplished them.
Isa 25:2 You turn mighty cities into heaps of ruins. Cities with strong walls are turned to rubble. Beautiful palaces in distant lands disappear and will never be rebuilt.
Isa 25:3 Therefore, strong nations will declare your glory; ruthless nations will fear you.
Isa 25:4 But you are a tower of refuge to the poor, O LORD, a tower of refuge to the needy in distress. You are a refuge from the storm and a shelter from the heat. For the oppressive acts of ruthless people are like a storm beating against a wall,
Isa 25:5 or like the relentless heat of the desert. But you silence the roar of foreign nations. As the shade of a cloud cools relentless heat, so the boastful songs of ruthless people are stilled.
Isa 25:6 In Jerusalem, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will spread a wonderful feast for all the people of the world. It will be a delicious banquet with clear, well-aged wine and choice meat.
Isa 25:7 There he will remove the cloud of gloom, the shadow of death that hangs over the earth.
Isa 25:8 He will swallow up death forever! The Sovereign LORD will wipe away all tears. He will remove forever all insults and mockery against his land and people. The LORD has spoken!
Isa 25:9 In that day the people will proclaim, "This is our God! We trusted in him, and he saved us! This is the LORD, in whom we trusted. Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!"
SOAP: Tuesday, March 11, 2008
1 Corinthians 15:1-28 (NLT)
1Co 15:1 Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it.
1Co 15:2 It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place.
1Co 15:3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said.
1Co 15:4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.
1Co 15:5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve.
1Co 15:6 After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.
1Co 15:7 Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles.
1Co 15:8 Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.
1Co 15:9 For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church.
1Co 15:10 But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace.
1Co 15:11 So it makes no difference whether I preach or they preach, for we all preach the same message you have already believed.
1Co 15:12 But tell me this—since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead?
1Co 15:13 For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either.
1Co 15:14 And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless.
1Co 15:15 And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead.
1Co 15:16 And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised.
1Co 15:17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins.
1Co 15:18 In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost!
1Co 15:19 And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.
1Co 15:20 But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.
1Co 15:21 So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man.
1Co 15:22 Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life.
1Co 15:23 But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back.
1Co 15:24 After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having destroyed every ruler and authority and power.
1Co 15:25 For Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet.
1Co 15:26 And the last enemy to be destroyed is death.
1Co 15:27 For the Scriptures say, "God has put all things under his authority." (Of course, when it says "all things are under his authority," that does not include God himself, who gave Christ his authority.)
1Co 15:28 Then, when all things are under his authority, the Son will put himself under God’s authority, so that God, who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere.
1Co 15:1 Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it.
1Co 15:2 It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place.
1Co 15:3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said.
1Co 15:4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.
1Co 15:5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve.
1Co 15:6 After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.
1Co 15:7 Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles.
1Co 15:8 Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.
1Co 15:9 For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church.
1Co 15:10 But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace.
1Co 15:11 So it makes no difference whether I preach or they preach, for we all preach the same message you have already believed.
1Co 15:12 But tell me this—since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead?
1Co 15:13 For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either.
1Co 15:14 And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless.
1Co 15:15 And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead.
1Co 15:16 And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised.
1Co 15:17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins.
1Co 15:18 In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost!
1Co 15:19 And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.
1Co 15:20 But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.
1Co 15:21 So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man.
1Co 15:22 Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life.
1Co 15:23 But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back.
1Co 15:24 After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having destroyed every ruler and authority and power.
1Co 15:25 For Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet.
1Co 15:26 And the last enemy to be destroyed is death.
1Co 15:27 For the Scriptures say, "God has put all things under his authority." (Of course, when it says "all things are under his authority," that does not include God himself, who gave Christ his authority.)
1Co 15:28 Then, when all things are under his authority, the Son will put himself under God’s authority, so that God, who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere.
SOAP: Monday, March 10, 2008
Matthew 11:12-19 (NLT)
Mt 11:12 And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it.
Mt 11:13 For before John came, all the prophets and the law of Moses looked forward to this present time.
Mt 11:14 And if you are willing to accept what I say, he is Elijah, the one the prophets said would come.
Mt 11:15 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!
Mt 11:16 "To what can I compare this generation? It is like children playing a game in the public square. They complain to their friends,
Mt 11:17 ‘We played wedding songs, and you didn’t dance, so we played funeral songs, and you didn’t mourn.’
Mt 11:18 For John didn’t spend his time eating and drinking, and you say, ‘He’s possessed by a demon.’
Mt 11:19 The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ But wisdom is shown to be right by its results."
Mt 11:12 And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it.
Mt 11:13 For before John came, all the prophets and the law of Moses looked forward to this present time.
Mt 11:14 And if you are willing to accept what I say, he is Elijah, the one the prophets said would come.
Mt 11:15 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!
Mt 11:16 "To what can I compare this generation? It is like children playing a game in the public square. They complain to their friends,
Mt 11:17 ‘We played wedding songs, and you didn’t dance, so we played funeral songs, and you didn’t mourn.’
Mt 11:18 For John didn’t spend his time eating and drinking, and you say, ‘He’s possessed by a demon.’
Mt 11:19 The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ But wisdom is shown to be right by its results."
Monday, March 3, 2008
Mexican Fiesta Saturday, 8-March (6-8 p.m.)
Mexican Fiesta
When: Saturday, March 8, 6-8 p.m.
Where: Church of the Nazarene
16640 Moonlight Road, Gardner, KS 66030
Why: To raise funds for Trinity Family Youth Summer Mission Trip to Juarez, MX
Donations accepted.
Come enjoy food and fun!
Door prizes!
Let the kids try their luck with the pinata!
To RSVP call Michelle at 913-856-5789 or e-mail: michelle_corbin@embarqmail.com
When: Saturday, March 8, 6-8 p.m.
Where: Church of the Nazarene
16640 Moonlight Road, Gardner, KS 66030
Why: To raise funds for Trinity Family Youth Summer Mission Trip to Juarez, MX
Donations accepted.
Come enjoy food and fun!
Door prizes!
Let the kids try their luck with the pinata!
To RSVP call Michelle at 913-856-5789 or e-mail: michelle_corbin@embarqmail.com
Sunday, March 2, 2008
SOAP: Sunday, March 9, 2008
Matthew 9:14-17 (NLT)
Mt 14:1 When Herod Antipas heard about Jesus,
Mt 14:2 he said to his advisers, "This must be John the Baptist come back to life again! That is why he can do such miracles."
Mt 14:3 For Herod had arrested and imprisoned John as a favor to his wife Herodias (the former wife of Herod’s brother Philip).
Mt 14:4 John kept telling Herod, "It is illegal for you to marry her."
Mt 14:5 Herod would have executed John, but he was afraid of a riot, because all the people believed John was a prophet.
Mt 14:6 But at a birthday party for Herod, Herodias’s daughter performed a dance that greatly pleased him,
Mt 14:7 so he promised with an oath to give her anything she wanted.
Mt 14:8 At her mother’s urging, the girl asked, "I want the head of John the Baptist on a tray!"
Mt 14:9 The king was sorry, but because of his oath and because he didn’t want to back down in front of his guests, he issued the necessary orders.
Mt 14:10 So John was beheaded in the prison,
Mt 14:11 and his head was brought on a tray and given to the girl, who took it to her mother.
Mt 14:12 John’s disciples came for his body and buried it. Then they told Jesus what had happened.
Jesus Feeds Five Thousand
Mt 14:13 As soon as Jesus heard the news, he went off by himself in a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the crowds heard where he was headed and followed by land from many villages.
Mt 14:14 A vast crowd was there as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
Mt 14:15 That evening the disciples came to him and said, "This is a desolate place, and it is getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves."
Mt 14:16 But Jesus replied, "That isn’t necessary—you feed them."
Mt 14:17 "Impossible!" they exclaimed. "We have only five loaves of bread and two fish!"
Mt 14:1 When Herod Antipas heard about Jesus,
Mt 14:2 he said to his advisers, "This must be John the Baptist come back to life again! That is why he can do such miracles."
Mt 14:3 For Herod had arrested and imprisoned John as a favor to his wife Herodias (the former wife of Herod’s brother Philip).
Mt 14:4 John kept telling Herod, "It is illegal for you to marry her."
Mt 14:5 Herod would have executed John, but he was afraid of a riot, because all the people believed John was a prophet.
Mt 14:6 But at a birthday party for Herod, Herodias’s daughter performed a dance that greatly pleased him,
Mt 14:7 so he promised with an oath to give her anything she wanted.
Mt 14:8 At her mother’s urging, the girl asked, "I want the head of John the Baptist on a tray!"
Mt 14:9 The king was sorry, but because of his oath and because he didn’t want to back down in front of his guests, he issued the necessary orders.
Mt 14:10 So John was beheaded in the prison,
Mt 14:11 and his head was brought on a tray and given to the girl, who took it to her mother.
Mt 14:12 John’s disciples came for his body and buried it. Then they told Jesus what had happened.
Jesus Feeds Five Thousand
Mt 14:13 As soon as Jesus heard the news, he went off by himself in a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the crowds heard where he was headed and followed by land from many villages.
Mt 14:14 A vast crowd was there as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
Mt 14:15 That evening the disciples came to him and said, "This is a desolate place, and it is getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves."
Mt 14:16 But Jesus replied, "That isn’t necessary—you feed them."
Mt 14:17 "Impossible!" they exclaimed. "We have only five loaves of bread and two fish!"
SOAP: Saturday, March 8, 2008
Romans 12 (NLT)
Ro 12:1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?
Ro 12:2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.
Ro 12:3 As God’s messenger, I give each of you this warning: Be honest in your estimate of yourselves, measuring your value by how much faith God has given you.
Ro 12:4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function,
Ro 12:5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are all parts of his one body, and each of us has different work to do. And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others.
Ro 12:6 God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out when you have faith that God is speaking through you.
Ro 12:7 If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching.
Ro 12:8 If your gift is to encourage others, do it! If you have money, share it generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
Ro 12:9 Don’t just pretend that you love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Stand on the side of the good.
Ro 12:10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.
Ro 12:11 Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically.
Ro 12:12 Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful.
Ro 12:13 When God’s children are in need, be the one to help them out. And get into the habit of inviting guests home for dinner or, if they need lodging, for the night.
Ro 12:14 If people persecute you because you are a Christian, don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.
Ro 12:15 When others are happy, be happy with them. If they are sad, share their sorrow.
Ro 12:16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t try to act important, but enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!
Ro 12:17 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.
Ro 12:18 Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible.
Ro 12:19 Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God. For it is written,
"I will take vengeance;
I will repay those who deserve it,"
says the Lord.
Ro 12:20 Instead, do what the Scriptures say:
"If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
If they are thirsty, give them something to drink,
and they will be ashamed of what they have done to you."
Ro 12:21 Don’t let evil get the best of you, but conquer evil by doing good.
Ro 12:1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?
Ro 12:2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.
Ro 12:3 As God’s messenger, I give each of you this warning: Be honest in your estimate of yourselves, measuring your value by how much faith God has given you.
Ro 12:4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function,
Ro 12:5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are all parts of his one body, and each of us has different work to do. And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others.
Ro 12:6 God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out when you have faith that God is speaking through you.
Ro 12:7 If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching.
Ro 12:8 If your gift is to encourage others, do it! If you have money, share it generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
Ro 12:9 Don’t just pretend that you love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Stand on the side of the good.
Ro 12:10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.
Ro 12:11 Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically.
Ro 12:12 Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful.
Ro 12:13 When God’s children are in need, be the one to help them out. And get into the habit of inviting guests home for dinner or, if they need lodging, for the night.
Ro 12:14 If people persecute you because you are a Christian, don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.
Ro 12:15 When others are happy, be happy with them. If they are sad, share their sorrow.
Ro 12:16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t try to act important, but enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!
Ro 12:17 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.
Ro 12:18 Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible.
Ro 12:19 Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God. For it is written,
"I will take vengeance;
I will repay those who deserve it,"
says the Lord.
Ro 12:20 Instead, do what the Scriptures say:
"If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
If they are thirsty, give them something to drink,
and they will be ashamed of what they have done to you."
Ro 12:21 Don’t let evil get the best of you, but conquer evil by doing good.
SOAP: Friday, March 7, 2008
Colossians 3:1-17 (NLT)
Col 3:1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God’s right hand in the place of honor and power.
Col 3:2 Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth.
Col 3:3 For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.
Col 3:4 And when Christ, who is your real life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
Col 3:5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual sin, impurity, lust, and shameful desires. Don’t be greedy for the good things of this life, for that is idolatry.
Col 3:6 God’s terrible anger will come upon those who do such things.
Col 3:7 You used to do them when your life was still part of this world.
Col 3:8 But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language.
Col 3:9 Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old evil nature and all its wicked deeds.
Col 3:10 In its place you have clothed yourselves with a brand-new nature that is continually being renewed as you learn more and more about Christ, who created this new nature within you.
Col 3:11 In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.
Col 3:12 Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
Col 3:13 You must make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
Col 3:14 And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony.
Col 3:15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
Col 3:16 Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.
Col 3:17 And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through him to God the Father.
Col 3:1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God’s right hand in the place of honor and power.
Col 3:2 Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth.
Col 3:3 For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.
Col 3:4 And when Christ, who is your real life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
Col 3:5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual sin, impurity, lust, and shameful desires. Don’t be greedy for the good things of this life, for that is idolatry.
Col 3:6 God’s terrible anger will come upon those who do such things.
Col 3:7 You used to do them when your life was still part of this world.
Col 3:8 But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language.
Col 3:9 Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old evil nature and all its wicked deeds.
Col 3:10 In its place you have clothed yourselves with a brand-new nature that is continually being renewed as you learn more and more about Christ, who created this new nature within you.
Col 3:11 In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.
Col 3:12 Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
Col 3:13 You must make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
Col 3:14 And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony.
Col 3:15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
Col 3:16 Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.
Col 3:17 And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through him to God the Father.
SOAP: Thursday, March 6, 2008
Philemon 8-21 (NLT)
Phm 1:8 That is why I am boldly asking a favor of you. I could demand it in the name of Christ because it is the right thing for you to do,
Phm 1:9 but because of our love, I prefer just to ask you. So take this as a request from your friend Paul, an old man, now in prison for the sake of Christ Jesus.
Phm 1:10 My plea is that you show kindness to Onesimus. I think of him as my own son because he became a believer as a result of my ministry here in prison.
Phm 1:11 Onesimus hasn’t been of much use to you in the past, but now he is very useful to both of us.
Phm 1:12 I am sending him back to you, and with him comes my own heart.
Phm 1:13 I really wanted to keep him here with me while I am in these chains for preaching the Good News, and he would have helped me on your behalf.
Phm 1:14 But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent. And I didn’t want you to help because you were forced to do it but because you wanted to.
Phm 1:15 Perhaps you could think of it this way: Onesimus ran away for a little while so you could have him back forever.
Phm 1:16 He is no longer just a slave; he is a beloved brother, especially to me. Now he will mean much more to you, both as a slave and as a brother in the Lord.
Phm 1:17 So if you consider me your partner, give him the same welcome you would give me if I were coming.
Phm 1:18 If he has harmed you in any way or stolen anything from you, charge me for it.
Phm 1:19 I, Paul, write this in my own handwriting: "I will repay it." And I won’t mention that you owe me your very soul!
Phm 1:20 Yes, dear brother, please do me this favor for the Lord’s sake. Give me this encouragement in Christ.
Phm 1:21 I am confident as I write this letter that you will do what I ask and even more!
Phm 1:8 That is why I am boldly asking a favor of you. I could demand it in the name of Christ because it is the right thing for you to do,
Phm 1:9 but because of our love, I prefer just to ask you. So take this as a request from your friend Paul, an old man, now in prison for the sake of Christ Jesus.
Phm 1:10 My plea is that you show kindness to Onesimus. I think of him as my own son because he became a believer as a result of my ministry here in prison.
Phm 1:11 Onesimus hasn’t been of much use to you in the past, but now he is very useful to both of us.
Phm 1:12 I am sending him back to you, and with him comes my own heart.
Phm 1:13 I really wanted to keep him here with me while I am in these chains for preaching the Good News, and he would have helped me on your behalf.
Phm 1:14 But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent. And I didn’t want you to help because you were forced to do it but because you wanted to.
Phm 1:15 Perhaps you could think of it this way: Onesimus ran away for a little while so you could have him back forever.
Phm 1:16 He is no longer just a slave; he is a beloved brother, especially to me. Now he will mean much more to you, both as a slave and as a brother in the Lord.
Phm 1:17 So if you consider me your partner, give him the same welcome you would give me if I were coming.
Phm 1:18 If he has harmed you in any way or stolen anything from you, charge me for it.
Phm 1:19 I, Paul, write this in my own handwriting: "I will repay it." And I won’t mention that you owe me your very soul!
Phm 1:20 Yes, dear brother, please do me this favor for the Lord’s sake. Give me this encouragement in Christ.
Phm 1:21 I am confident as I write this letter that you will do what I ask and even more!
SOAP: Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Hebrews 2:1-18 (NLT)
Heb 2:1 So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it.
Heb 2:2 The message God delivered through angels has always proved true, and the people were punished for every violation of the law and every act of disobedience.
Heb 2:3 What makes us think that we can escape if we are indifferent to this great salvation that was announced by the Lord Jesus himself? It was passed on to us by those who heard him speak,
Heb 2:4 and God verified the message by signs and wonders and various miracles and by giving gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever he chose to do so.
Jesus, the Man
Heb 2:5 And furthermore, the future world we are talking about will not be controlled by angels.
Heb 2:6 For somewhere in the Scriptures it says,
"What is man that you should think of him,
and the son of man that you should care for him?
Heb 2:7 For a little while you made him lower than the angels,
and you crowned him with glory and honor.
Heb 2:8 You gave him authority over all things."
Now when it says "all things," it means nothing is left out. But we have not yet seen all of this happen.
Heb 2:9 What we do see is Jesus, who "for a little while was made lower than the angels" and now is "crowned with glory and honor" because he suffered death for us. Yes, by God’s grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone in all the world.
Heb 2:10 And it was only right that God—who made everything and for whom everything was made—should bring his many children into glory. Through the suffering of Jesus, God made him a perfect leader, one fit to bring them into their salvation.
Heb 2:11 So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters.
Heb 2:12 For he said to God,
"I will declare the wonder of your name to my brothers and sisters.
I will praise you among all your people."
Heb 2:13 He also said, "I will put my trust in him." And in the same context he said, "Here I am—together with the children God has given me."
Heb 2:14 Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—Jesus also became flesh and blood by being born in human form. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the Devil, who had the power of death.
Heb 2:15 Only in this way could he deliver those who have lived all their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.
Heb 2:16 We all know that Jesus came to help the descendants of Abraham, not to help the angels.
Heb 2:17 Therefore, it was necessary for Jesus to be in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. He then could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people.
Heb 2:18 Since he himself has gone through suffering and temptation, he is able to help us when we are being tempted.
Heb 2:1 So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it.
Heb 2:2 The message God delivered through angels has always proved true, and the people were punished for every violation of the law and every act of disobedience.
Heb 2:3 What makes us think that we can escape if we are indifferent to this great salvation that was announced by the Lord Jesus himself? It was passed on to us by those who heard him speak,
Heb 2:4 and God verified the message by signs and wonders and various miracles and by giving gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever he chose to do so.
Jesus, the Man
Heb 2:5 And furthermore, the future world we are talking about will not be controlled by angels.
Heb 2:6 For somewhere in the Scriptures it says,
"What is man that you should think of him,
and the son of man that you should care for him?
Heb 2:7 For a little while you made him lower than the angels,
and you crowned him with glory and honor.
Heb 2:8 You gave him authority over all things."
Now when it says "all things," it means nothing is left out. But we have not yet seen all of this happen.
Heb 2:9 What we do see is Jesus, who "for a little while was made lower than the angels" and now is "crowned with glory and honor" because he suffered death for us. Yes, by God’s grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone in all the world.
Heb 2:10 And it was only right that God—who made everything and for whom everything was made—should bring his many children into glory. Through the suffering of Jesus, God made him a perfect leader, one fit to bring them into their salvation.
Heb 2:11 So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters.
Heb 2:12 For he said to God,
"I will declare the wonder of your name to my brothers and sisters.
I will praise you among all your people."
Heb 2:13 He also said, "I will put my trust in him." And in the same context he said, "Here I am—together with the children God has given me."
Heb 2:14 Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—Jesus also became flesh and blood by being born in human form. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the Devil, who had the power of death.
Heb 2:15 Only in this way could he deliver those who have lived all their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.
Heb 2:16 We all know that Jesus came to help the descendants of Abraham, not to help the angels.
Heb 2:17 Therefore, it was necessary for Jesus to be in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. He then could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people.
Heb 2:18 Since he himself has gone through suffering and temptation, he is able to help us when we are being tempted.
SOAP: Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Joshua 24:14-28 (NLT)
Jos 24:14 "So honor the LORD and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD alone.
Jos 24:15 But if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD."
Jos 24:16 The people replied, "We would never forsake the LORD and worship other gods.
Jos 24:17 For the LORD our God is the one who rescued us and our ancestors from slavery in the land of Egypt. He performed mighty miracles before our very eyes. As we traveled through the wilderness among our enemies, he preserved us.
Jos 24:18 It was the LORD who drove out the Amorites and the other nations living here in the land. So we, too, will serve the LORD, for he alone is our God."
Jos 24:19 Then Joshua said to the people, "You are not able to serve the LORD, for he is a holy and jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and sins.
Jos 24:20 If you forsake the LORD and serve other gods, he will turn against you and destroy you, even though he has been so good to you."
Jos 24:21 But the people answered Joshua, saying, "No, we are determined to serve the LORD!"
Jos 24:22 "You are accountable for this decision," Joshua said. "You have chosen to serve the LORD."
"Yes," they replied, "we are accountable."
Jos 24:23 "All right then," Joshua said, "destroy the idols among you, and turn your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel."
Jos 24:24 The people said to Joshua, "We will serve the LORD our God. We will obey him alone."
Jos 24:25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day at Shechem, committing them to a permanent and binding contract between themselves and the LORD.
Jos 24:26 Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God. As a reminder of their agreement, he took a huge stone and rolled it beneath the oak tree beside the Tabernacle of the LORD.
Jos 24:27 Joshua said to all the people, "This stone has heard everything the LORD said to us. It will be a witness to testify against you if you go back on your word to God."
Jos 24:28 Then Joshua sent the people away, each to his own inheritance.
Jos 24:14 "So honor the LORD and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD alone.
Jos 24:15 But if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD."
Jos 24:16 The people replied, "We would never forsake the LORD and worship other gods.
Jos 24:17 For the LORD our God is the one who rescued us and our ancestors from slavery in the land of Egypt. He performed mighty miracles before our very eyes. As we traveled through the wilderness among our enemies, he preserved us.
Jos 24:18 It was the LORD who drove out the Amorites and the other nations living here in the land. So we, too, will serve the LORD, for he alone is our God."
Jos 24:19 Then Joshua said to the people, "You are not able to serve the LORD, for he is a holy and jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and sins.
Jos 24:20 If you forsake the LORD and serve other gods, he will turn against you and destroy you, even though he has been so good to you."
Jos 24:21 But the people answered Joshua, saying, "No, we are determined to serve the LORD!"
Jos 24:22 "You are accountable for this decision," Joshua said. "You have chosen to serve the LORD."
"Yes," they replied, "we are accountable."
Jos 24:23 "All right then," Joshua said, "destroy the idols among you, and turn your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel."
Jos 24:24 The people said to Joshua, "We will serve the LORD our God. We will obey him alone."
Jos 24:25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day at Shechem, committing them to a permanent and binding contract between themselves and the LORD.
Jos 24:26 Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God. As a reminder of their agreement, he took a huge stone and rolled it beneath the oak tree beside the Tabernacle of the LORD.
Jos 24:27 Joshua said to all the people, "This stone has heard everything the LORD said to us. It will be a witness to testify against you if you go back on your word to God."
Jos 24:28 Then Joshua sent the people away, each to his own inheritance.
SOAP: Monday, March 3, 2008
Deuteronomy 30:15-20 (NLT)
Dt 30:15 "Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between prosperity and disaster, between life and death.
Dt 30:16 I have commanded you today to love the LORD your God and to keep his commands, laws, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and become a great nation, and the LORD your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy.
Dt 30:17 But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and if you are drawn away to serve and worship other gods,
Dt 30:18 then I warn you now that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live a long, good life in the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy.
Dt 30:19 "Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, that you and your descendants might live!
Dt 30:20 Choose to love the LORD your God and to obey him and commit yourself to him, for he is your life. Then you will live long in the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."
Dt 30:15 "Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between prosperity and disaster, between life and death.
Dt 30:16 I have commanded you today to love the LORD your God and to keep his commands, laws, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and become a great nation, and the LORD your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy.
Dt 30:17 But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and if you are drawn away to serve and worship other gods,
Dt 30:18 then I warn you now that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live a long, good life in the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy.
Dt 30:19 "Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, that you and your descendants might live!
Dt 30:20 Choose to love the LORD your God and to obey him and commit yourself to him, for he is your life. Then you will live long in the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Sunday, March 2, 2008 SOAP
Matthew 7:7-11 (NLT)
Mt 7:7 "Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened.
Mt 7:8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks.
Mt 7:9 You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead?
Mt 7:10 Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not!
Mt 7:11 If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.
Mt 7:7 "Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened.
Mt 7:8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks.
Mt 7:9 You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead?
Mt 7:10 Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not!
Mt 7:11 If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.
Saturday, March 1, 2008 SOAP
Psalm 84 (NLT)
Ps 84:1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
O LORD Almighty.
Ps 84:2 I long, yes, I faint with longing
to enter the courts of the LORD.
With my whole being, body and soul,
I will shout joyfully to the living God.
Ps 84:3 Even the sparrow finds a home there,
and the swallow builds her nest
and raises her young—
at a place near your altar,
O LORD Almighty, my King and my God!
Ps 84:4 How happy are those who can live in your house,
always singing your praises.
Interlude
Ps 84:5 Happy are those who are strong in the LORD,
who set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
Ps 84:6 When they walk through the Valley of Weeping,
it will become a place of refreshing springs,
where pools of blessing collect after the rains!
Ps 84:7 They will continue to grow stronger,
and each of them will appear before God in Jerusalem.
Ps 84:8 O LORD God Almighty, hear my prayer.
Listen, O God of Israel.
Interlude
Ps 84:9 O God, look with favor upon the king, our protector!
Have mercy on the one you have anointed.
Ps 84:10 A single day in your courts
is better than a thousand anywhere else!
I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God
than live the good life in the homes of the wicked.
Ps 84:11 For the LORD God is our light and protector.
He gives us grace and glory.
No good thing will the LORD withhold
from those who do what is right.
Ps 84:12 O LORD Almighty,
happy are those who trust in you.
Ps 84:1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
O LORD Almighty.
Ps 84:2 I long, yes, I faint with longing
to enter the courts of the LORD.
With my whole being, body and soul,
I will shout joyfully to the living God.
Ps 84:3 Even the sparrow finds a home there,
and the swallow builds her nest
and raises her young—
at a place near your altar,
O LORD Almighty, my King and my God!
Ps 84:4 How happy are those who can live in your house,
always singing your praises.
Interlude
Ps 84:5 Happy are those who are strong in the LORD,
who set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
Ps 84:6 When they walk through the Valley of Weeping,
it will become a place of refreshing springs,
where pools of blessing collect after the rains!
Ps 84:7 They will continue to grow stronger,
and each of them will appear before God in Jerusalem.
Ps 84:8 O LORD God Almighty, hear my prayer.
Listen, O God of Israel.
Interlude
Ps 84:9 O God, look with favor upon the king, our protector!
Have mercy on the one you have anointed.
Ps 84:10 A single day in your courts
is better than a thousand anywhere else!
I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God
than live the good life in the homes of the wicked.
Ps 84:11 For the LORD God is our light and protector.
He gives us grace and glory.
No good thing will the LORD withhold
from those who do what is right.
Ps 84:12 O LORD Almighty,
happy are those who trust in you.
Friday, February 29, 2008 SOAP
Romans 8:18-25 (NLT)
Ro 8:18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later.
Ro 8:19 For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.
Ro 8:20 Against its will, everything on earth was subjected to God’s curse.
Ro 8:21 All creation anticipates the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.
Ro 8:22 For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
Ro 8:23 And even we Christians, although we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, also groan to be released from pain and suffering. We, too, wait anxiously for that day when God will give us our full rights as his children, including the new bodies he has promised us.
Ro 8:24 Now that we are saved, we eagerly look forward to this freedom. For if you already have something, you don’t need to hope for it.
Ro 8:25 But if we look forward to something we don’t have yet, we must wait patiently and confidently.
Ro 8:18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later.
Ro 8:19 For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.
Ro 8:20 Against its will, everything on earth was subjected to God’s curse.
Ro 8:21 All creation anticipates the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.
Ro 8:22 For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
Ro 8:23 And even we Christians, although we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, also groan to be released from pain and suffering. We, too, wait anxiously for that day when God will give us our full rights as his children, including the new bodies he has promised us.
Ro 8:24 Now that we are saved, we eagerly look forward to this freedom. For if you already have something, you don’t need to hope for it.
Ro 8:25 But if we look forward to something we don’t have yet, we must wait patiently and confidently.
Thursday, February 28, 2008 SOAP
John 6:22-40 (NLT)
Jn 6:22 The next morning, back across the lake, crowds began gathering on the shore, waiting to see Jesus. For they knew that he and his disciples had come over together and that the disciples had gone off in their boat, leaving him behind.
Jn 6:23 Several boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the Lord had blessed the bread and the people had eaten.
Jn 6:24 When the crowd saw that Jesus wasn’t there, nor his disciples, they got into the boats and went across to Capernaum to look for him.
Jn 6:25 When they arrived and found him, they asked, "Teacher, how did you get here?"
Jn 6:26 Jesus replied, "The truth is, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you saw the miraculous sign.
Jn 6:27 But you shouldn’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that I, the Son of Man, can give you. For God the Father has sent me for that very purpose."
Jn 6:28 They replied, "What does God want us to do?"
Jn 6:29 Jesus told them, "This is what God wants you to do: Believe in the one he has sent."
Jn 6:30 They replied, "You must show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What will you do for us?
Jn 6:31 After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! As the Scriptures say, ‘Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.’"
Jn 6:32 Jesus said, "I assure you, Moses didn’t give them bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven.
Jn 6:33 The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
Jn 6:34 "Sir," they said, "give us that bread every day of our lives."
Jn 6:35 Jesus replied, "I am the bread of life. No one who comes to me will ever be hungry again. Those who believe in me will never thirst.
Jn 6:36 But you haven’t believed in me even though you have seen me.
Jn 6:37 However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them.
Jn 6:38 For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do what I want.
Jn 6:39 And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them to eternal life at the last day.
Jn 6:40 For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life—that I should raise them at the last day."
Jn 6:22 The next morning, back across the lake, crowds began gathering on the shore, waiting to see Jesus. For they knew that he and his disciples had come over together and that the disciples had gone off in their boat, leaving him behind.
Jn 6:23 Several boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the Lord had blessed the bread and the people had eaten.
Jn 6:24 When the crowd saw that Jesus wasn’t there, nor his disciples, they got into the boats and went across to Capernaum to look for him.
Jn 6:25 When they arrived and found him, they asked, "Teacher, how did you get here?"
Jn 6:26 Jesus replied, "The truth is, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you saw the miraculous sign.
Jn 6:27 But you shouldn’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that I, the Son of Man, can give you. For God the Father has sent me for that very purpose."
Jn 6:28 They replied, "What does God want us to do?"
Jn 6:29 Jesus told them, "This is what God wants you to do: Believe in the one he has sent."
Jn 6:30 They replied, "You must show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What will you do for us?
Jn 6:31 After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! As the Scriptures say, ‘Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.’"
Jn 6:32 Jesus said, "I assure you, Moses didn’t give them bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven.
Jn 6:33 The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
Jn 6:34 "Sir," they said, "give us that bread every day of our lives."
Jn 6:35 Jesus replied, "I am the bread of life. No one who comes to me will ever be hungry again. Those who believe in me will never thirst.
Jn 6:36 But you haven’t believed in me even though you have seen me.
Jn 6:37 However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them.
Jn 6:38 For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do what I want.
Jn 6:39 And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them to eternal life at the last day.
Jn 6:40 For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life—that I should raise them at the last day."
Wednesday, February 27, 2008 SOAP
John 7:37-44 (NLT)
Jn 7:37 On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, "If you are thirsty, come to me!
Jn 7:38 If you believe in me, come and drink! For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water will flow out from within."
Jn 7:39 (When he said "living water," he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)
Jn 7:40 When the crowds heard him say this, some of them declared, "This man surely is the Prophet."
Jn 7:41 Others said, "He is the Messiah." Still others said, "But he can’t be! Will the Messiah come from Galilee?
Jn 7:42 For the Scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where King David was born."
Jn 7:43 So the crowd was divided in their opinion about him.
Jn 7:44 And some wanted him arrested, but no one touched him.
Jn 7:37 On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, "If you are thirsty, come to me!
Jn 7:38 If you believe in me, come and drink! For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water will flow out from within."
Jn 7:39 (When he said "living water," he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)
Jn 7:40 When the crowds heard him say this, some of them declared, "This man surely is the Prophet."
Jn 7:41 Others said, "He is the Messiah." Still others said, "But he can’t be! Will the Messiah come from Galilee?
Jn 7:42 For the Scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where King David was born."
Jn 7:43 So the crowd was divided in their opinion about him.
Jn 7:44 And some wanted him arrested, but no one touched him.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008 SOAP
Isaiah 55 (NLT)
Isa 55:1 Invitation to the Lord’s Salvation
"Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink—even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk—it’s all free!
Isa 55:2 Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen, and I will tell you where to get food that is good for the soul!
Isa 55:3 "Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, for the life of your soul is at stake. I am ready to make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the mercies and unfailing love that I promised to David.
Isa 55:4 He displayed my power by being my witness and a leader among the nations.
Isa 55:5 You also will command the nations, and they will come running to obey, because I, the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious."
Isa 55:6 Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near.
Isa 55:7 Let the people turn from their wicked deeds. Let them banish from their minds the very thought of doing wrong! Let them turn to the LORD that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Isa 55:8 "My thoughts are completely different from yours," says the LORD. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
Isa 55:9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
Isa 55:10 "The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry.
Isa 55:11 It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.
Isa 55:12 You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands!
Isa 55:13 Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow. Where briers grew, myrtles will sprout up. This miracle will bring great honor to the Lord’s name; it will be an everlasting sign of his power and love.
Isa 55:1 Invitation to the Lord’s Salvation
"Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink—even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk—it’s all free!
Isa 55:2 Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen, and I will tell you where to get food that is good for the soul!
Isa 55:3 "Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, for the life of your soul is at stake. I am ready to make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the mercies and unfailing love that I promised to David.
Isa 55:4 He displayed my power by being my witness and a leader among the nations.
Isa 55:5 You also will command the nations, and they will come running to obey, because I, the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious."
Isa 55:6 Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near.
Isa 55:7 Let the people turn from their wicked deeds. Let them banish from their minds the very thought of doing wrong! Let them turn to the LORD that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Isa 55:8 "My thoughts are completely different from yours," says the LORD. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
Isa 55:9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
Isa 55:10 "The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry.
Isa 55:11 It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.
Isa 55:12 You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands!
Isa 55:13 Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow. Where briers grew, myrtles will sprout up. This miracle will bring great honor to the Lord’s name; it will be an everlasting sign of his power and love.
Monday, February 25, 2008 SOAP
Psalm 63:1-8 (NLT)
Ps 63:1 O God, you are my God;
I earnestly search for you.
My soul thirsts for you;
my whole body longs for you
in this parched and weary land
where there is no water.
Ps 63:2 I have seen you in your sanctuary
and gazed upon your power and glory.
Ps 63:3 Your unfailing love is better to me than life itself;
how I praise you!
Ps 63:4 I will honor you as long as I live,
lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
Ps 63:5 You satisfy me more than the richest of foods.
I will praise you with songs of joy.
Ps 63:6 I lie awake thinking of you,
meditating on you through the night.
Ps 63:7 I think how much you have helped me;
I sing for joy in the shadow of your protecting wings.
Ps 63:8 I follow close behind you;
your strong right hand holds me securely.
Ps 63:1 O God, you are my God;
I earnestly search for you.
My soul thirsts for you;
my whole body longs for you
in this parched and weary land
where there is no water.
Ps 63:2 I have seen you in your sanctuary
and gazed upon your power and glory.
Ps 63:3 Your unfailing love is better to me than life itself;
how I praise you!
Ps 63:4 I will honor you as long as I live,
lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
Ps 63:5 You satisfy me more than the richest of foods.
I will praise you with songs of joy.
Ps 63:6 I lie awake thinking of you,
meditating on you through the night.
Ps 63:7 I think how much you have helped me;
I sing for joy in the shadow of your protecting wings.
Ps 63:8 I follow close behind you;
your strong right hand holds me securely.
SOAP: Our Plan for Listening to God
S for Scripture: Open your bible to the day’s reading. Take time reading and allow God to speak to you. When you are done, look for a verse that particularly spoke to you that day and write it in your journal.
O for Observation: What do you think God is saying to you in this scripture passage? Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and reveal Jesus to you. Paraphrase and write down the scripture passage in your own words.
A for Application: Personalize what you have read by asking yourself how it applies to your life right now. Perhaps it is instruction, encouragement, a promise, or correction for a particular area of your life. Write how this scripture passage can apply to you today.
P for Prayer: This can be as simple as asking God to help you use this scripture passage or it may be a greater insight on what He may be revealing to you. Remember, prayer is a two way conversation, so be sure to listen to what God has to say. Now, write it out.
O for Observation: What do you think God is saying to you in this scripture passage? Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and reveal Jesus to you. Paraphrase and write down the scripture passage in your own words.
A for Application: Personalize what you have read by asking yourself how it applies to your life right now. Perhaps it is instruction, encouragement, a promise, or correction for a particular area of your life. Write how this scripture passage can apply to you today.
P for Prayer: This can be as simple as asking God to help you use this scripture passage or it may be a greater insight on what He may be revealing to you. Remember, prayer is a two way conversation, so be sure to listen to what God has to say. Now, write it out.
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