Thursday, 30 May 2024

SOAP

Scriptures

Psalms 148

English Standard Version

Praise the Name of the Lord

1 Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens;    praise him in the heights!

2 Praise him, all his angels;    praise him, all his hosts!

3 Praise him, sun and moon,    praise him, all you shining stars!

4 Praise him, you highest heavens,    and you waters above the heavens!

5 Let them praise the name of the Lord!    For he commanded and they were created.
6 And he established them forever and ever;    he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.[a]

7 Praise the Lord from the earth,    you great sea creatures and all deeps,

8 fire and hail, snow and mist,    stormy wind fulfilling his word!

9 Mountains and all hills,    fruit trees and all cedars!

10 Beasts and all livestock,    creeping things and flying birds!

11 Kings of the earth and all peoples,    princes and all rulers of the earth!

12 Young men and maidens together,    old men and children!

13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,    for his name alone is exalted;    his majesty is above earth and heaven.

14 He has raised up a horn for his people,    praise for all his saints,    for the people of Israel who are near to him. Praise the Lord!

Joel 2

English Standard Version

The Lord Had Pity

18 Then the Lord became jealous for his land    and had pity on his people.

19 The Lord answered and said to his people, “Behold, I am sending to you    grain, wine, and oil,    and you will be satisfied; and I will no more make you    a reproach among the nations.

20 “I will remove the northerner far from you,    and drive him into a parched and desolate land, his vanguard[a] into the eastern sea,    and his rear guard[b] into the western sea; the stench and foul smell of him will rise,    for he has done great things.

21 “Fear not, O land;    be glad and rejoice,    for the Lord has done great things!

22 Fear not, you beasts of the field,    for the pastures of the wilderness are green; the tree bears its fruit;    the fig tree and vine give their full yield.

23 “Be glad, O children of Zion,    and rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given the early rain for your vindication;    he has poured down for you abundant rain,    the early and the latter rain, as before.

24 “The threshing floors shall be full of grain;    the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.

25 I will restore[c] to you the years    that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter,    my great army, which I sent among you.

26 “You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,    and praise the name of the Lord your God,    who has dealt wondrously with you.And my people shall never again be put to shame.

27 You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel,    and that I am the Lord your God and there is none else.And my people shall never again be put to shame.

Observation:

The King writes a Psalm of Praise unto GOD commanding all creatures to praise GOD because David is a person who knows GOD intimately. David knows GOD is deserving of all the praise because HE is wonderful and HIS love is so intense for every creature HE has created, because HE created them out of love. We may not understand everything that is happening around us or why GOD would allow some things that would break our hearts but one thing for sure is that GOD can be trusted even when hearts have to break. GOD can be trusted to work all things for the good for those who love HIM, who are near HIM, who fear HIM, who depend on HIM. The Prophet Joel writes a Promise from GOD for all those that have lost many things to the enemy, the enemy steals time, harvest, wealth, and every thing we ever hope to attain in life - all the blessings. But if we read carefully, it was GOD Himself who sent those of thieves to steal from us??? Does it seem harsh or strange that GOD would bring such sadness and loss to us? But HE also promises restoration because HE is a good GOD, nothing HE does on earth is without purpose or meaning. And HE can be trusted to work out all things for our good.

Application:

The walk of faith is a very hard and narrow road. It's not easy, it is sacrificing and just difficult. If I have to experience loss or pain, or sadness while I live, I have to keep trusting GOD, I have to let go and let GOD do HIS faithful work in me because HE is trustworthy. I do not have to do things my own way, I can always ask GOD what HE is doing and work together with HIM. The many things GOD does can be very hard for me, like allowing me to have intense feelings for someone I do not want to be with, struggling with it, having battles within me but after all the pain and suffering, comes joy and satisfaction in the GOD who loves all of HIS created beings.

Prayers:

Dear AVI,

HOLY are YOU O GOD Almighty! YOU deserve all the praises and thanksgiving! Toda for now the time of restoration and redemption has come for David and Kim. Thank YOU that after all the pain comes the breakthrough, YOUR healing, YOUR redemption. Thank YOU AVI, because YOU are good and YOUR love endures forever. Help me to keep trusting YOU LORD even when I have to feel things that hurt me. If YOU put someone in my heart, help me to trust YOU that YOU may only want me to pray for them, and nothing more. I pray O GOD, that I will not be attached to anyone in this life more than YOU because YOU are a jealous GOD. I pray for Diko that YOU would indeed give her JESUS because she is so noisy and her life is meaningless without YOU. I pray for Ako and Diko to know YOU and love YOU and that YOUR peace will fill their hearts in CHRIST JESUS. I pray for YOUR love to fill them even now as they are in our house, let them seek YOUR presence give them a hunger for YOU. I pray that I will know how to handle Diko and be honest to her if I need to be. I pray that YOU will bring awareness of her wretched self because all of us in this world are not good enough for YOU and that she will repent from all her pride. I thank YOU for Ako and I pray that YOUR peace will continue to reign in her heart and she will feel love in our home. I pray that YOU will bring Diko back to Canada before July because I don't know if I can handle her but YOUR grace will be more than enough. So I ask YOU FATHER, please have mercy on me and help me to live in accordance to YOUR will and grace for me. Give me energy O GOD to do everything YOU want me to do For YOU deserve all my best, all the glory honor power and praise.

In the Name of JESUS, Amen!