Sunday 9 June 2024

SOAP

Scriptures

Isaiah 40

English Standard Version

Comfort for God's People

1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare[a] is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins.

28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.

29 He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.

30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;

31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Scripture

Proverbs 4

English Standard Version

A Father's Wise Instruction

1 Hear, O sons, a father's instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain[a] insight,

2 for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching.

3 When I was a son with my father,    tender, the only one in the sight of my mother,

4 he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words;    keep my commandments, and live.

5 Get wisdom; get insight;    do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.

6 Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;    love her, and she will guard you.

7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,    and whatever you get, get insight.

8 Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;    she will honor you if you embrace her.

9 She will place on your head a graceful garland;    she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”

10 Hear, my son, and accept my words,    that the years of your life may be many.

11 I have taught you the way of wisdom;    I have led you in the paths of uprightness.

12 When you walk, your step will not be hampered,    and if you run, you will not stumble.

13 Keep hold of instruction; do not let go;    guard her, for she is your life.

14 Do not enter the path of the wicked,    and do not walk in the way of the evil.

15 Avoid it; do not go on it;    turn away from it and pass on.

16 For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong;    they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.

17 For they eat the bread of wickedness    and drink the wine of violence.

18 But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,    which shines brighter and brighter until full day.

19 The way of the wicked is like deep darkness;    they do not know over what they stumble.

20 My son, be attentive to my words;    incline your ear to my sayings.

21 Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart.

22 For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their[b] flesh.

23 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

24 Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you.

25 Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.

26 Ponder[c] the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure.

27 Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.

ObservationI have received this WORD in Isaiah 40:1-2 since before when I was so devastated when a Promise from GOD I have been holding on to in my heart did not come to pass. I would fight for GOD's promise in my heart by believing the impossible when HE revealed something to me. But when it does not happen and I truly believed in it to happen, HE would comfort me with these words... My warfare has ended, I won't have to fight for it anymore. After all this time, I would be the person already who would not believe in GOD anymore because so many promises that has not happened in my life yet, especially the one that I wanted the most to happen - to be loved by a husband. But GOD is perfect and just, HE is always executing justice in this world, yet HE is so much full of mercy as evidenced by the death of JESUS HIS Son for us, and HE is so faithful, HE is working in us a character that will equip us to be faithful stewards of HIS blessings, one of the reasons why I am still being prepared and have not received HIS Promise yet. HE is working in me endurance and patience that will make me worthy and fit to receive and nurture the Promise that I have been waiting for.

ApplicationI know that I am sick and tired of being tried and tested and failing GOD and failing myself. Yet after all this time, GOD gives strength to me, to continue to WAIT on HIM, to continue to trust HIM, believe in HIM and walk with HIM, HE would make me run at times, and this strength is the miracle that is evident in my life, my faith in GOD is a miracle, I know I don't have this much faith, so whatever I still have right now is not my own but GOD's, GOD's strength and HIS faith in me drives me to keep following HIM in spite and despite all the disappointment and dismay I have endured in my life. Today I receive these words of Comfort, Comfort, because I am heartbroken over many things with my family especially with those who are proud and whose hearts and minds are puffed up. I have lost the will to fight for people, I want to flee to the other ends of the earth and live my life without the heartbreak and pain of having to carry these people to GOD. But GOD keeps reminding me faithfully to keep my eyes forward, forward through all the struggles and pain, through all the hardship, keep walking directly forward where HE is, not letting me swerve to the right or left, just forward with HIM and today HE is assuring me, there is a rainbow, there is joy and bountiful harvest when I reap what I have sown in tears in faith and in love. Today my heart swells in pain, as I continue to wait for GOD I also receive HIS comfort. I am in tears, but I have hope because I see visions of HIS Promise happening in my life. Should I keep believing in what I am seeing today??? I will always believe GOD HE will take care of me HE is faithful, HE will never let me down.
Prayers My FATHER (AVI)Thank YOU for YOUR love, thank YOU for YOUR Faithfulness. I will hold on to YOU, I have no where else to turn to, I will trust in YOU, I cannot trust my own thoughts, my understanding is finite, but YOU know all things, and I will keep holding on to YOU My GOD and My KING.Please awaken the Spirit of Stephen for this man is the one YOU have put in my heart until today, even after I already want to give this up already, my heart is still feeling for him, thinking of him, desiring him, only YOU O GOD can remove these feelings but while I am waiting for feelings to be removed or be fulfilled, I will pray for Stephen Lao Yu that YOU will move in his life, let him hunger and thirst for YOUR WORD O GOD, let him know YOU like I do, let him experience YOU, and let him follow YOU. Please GOD, answer me and do not let these feelins go to waste but answer me O GOD Almighty! Move in him in JESUS Name, Amen!