Sharing the Wonderful Grace of God

 

Read Leviticus 22:31-33 and Acts 20

 

“Tumults or opposition may constrain a Christian to remove from his station or alter his purpose, but his work and his pleasure will be the same, wherever he goes.”
~ Matthew Henry

 

S.O.A.P.

Scripture – Observation – Application - Prayer

 

S:  “I want to finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do—to tell people the Good News about God’s grace … I never stopped reminding each one of you how you should live, counseling you day and night and crying over you …”  Acts 20:24, 31 Easy to Read Version

 

O:  The people loved Paul.  He mentored them and taught them in the Word (verses 1-2).  He would go about the churches encouraging them and often staying for months at a time to teach and instruct them (verses 3, 7).  The Spirit of the LORD spoke to Paul and helped him to discern when it was time to move to the next church or place (verse 22).  But no matter where he went the Gospel and the Good News of God’s Kingdom was his primary task (verse 25).  The hardest part perhaps for Paul was when he had to move on.  These were his spiritual children and it was with great sadness that he would have to leave them and go on to the next church or task at hand.  When he left them he would leave them in God’s care and with the hope that God’s grace would strengthen them (verses 32-35), but it was never easy (verses 36-38).

 

A:  To do the work that the LORD gives me and to continue to share the Good News of God’s grace. 

 

P:  Father God, thank You that You direct our steps through the Holy Spirit within us.  I pray that those reading and studying Your Word today would hear You speaking to them.  Encourage them about how special they are to You LORD according to Leviticus 22:31-33.  You call them out to be a special people, a treasure to You.  Help us each to finish the work(s) that You give us to do.  In Christ Jesus I pray.  Amen & Amen.

 

“It is good for friends, when they part, to part with prayer.

Those who exhort and pray for one another,

may have many weeping seasons and painful separations,

but they will meet before the throne of God, to part no more.”

 

~ Matthew Henry

Does God want us to be Happy :)

Proverbs 16:20 - He that handles a matter wisely shall find good and whoever trusts in the LORD happy is he.

The word translated in our English Bibles as happy is esher from the root word ashar.  Ashar means to go straight, make progress, be on the level, to lead on, to be made right, and to be made happy.  It can also mean to prosper or to be blessed.  Psalms 84 has several occurrences of this word and it talks about our happiness being tied into living in God's house, praising the LORD and finding our strength in Him.  Esher does mean happiness, but not the kind of happiness that depends on what happens around or to you.  It is a happiness based on a trust that the LORD has you in His hand and will use everything in your life for good.

Being blessed means we need to have lives built on a level foundation.  What is that foundation?  God's Word of course!  With the Bible as our foundation for how we live our lives, following His precepts, then we can prosper and be successful and blessed and, yes, happy!

Americans translate happiness in terms of prosperity and they translate prosperity many times in terms of wealth, but God's definition is different; as His ways often are.  God's definition of prosperity is being fully who God created you to be. 

What are your innate passions?  How has God built your character?  What are the desires of your heart?  For instance I love to write and study God's Word and learn new things and share it with others.  I have a heart for helping others.  I enjoy teaching and I don't mind public speaking. 

You see when we live life in the fullness of who God created us to be then we will find that inner peace and joy that you have knowing you are in the will of The Father and you are doing the things that he has made you to do. 

What are the things that energize and recharge your life? 

As we begin to seek the LORD, study His Word for precepts on which to build our lives (every aspect of our lives meaning how we parent, how we do business, how we have relationships, etc.) and begin praying for direction each day and then following His lead the more we will find that inner peace and happiness.  Then we demonstrate that outwardly being truly thankful and happy people and being grateful toward the God who blesses us. 

I pray this for you dear reader that you may know this kind of happiness of living the life He has called you to live.

For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,

which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:10


Love & Blessings,

  Michelle L. Kirkbride

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