The Field is the World (Matt. 13:38)

S: (1/22/11-Romans 7-8) “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” Romans 8:22-26, KJV. O: All this groaning—the whole natural creation, we who have the Spirit living in us, and the Spirit groaning within us in ways we can't express. It can't be wrong for us to groan in anticipation if the Spirit Himself groans along with us. A: How many times have I heard people "groan...

S: In that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the LORD at its border. It will be a sign and a witness to the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt. When they cry to the LORD because of oppressors, he will send them a savior and defender, and deliver them. And the LORD will make himself known to the Egyptians, and the Egyptians will know the LORD in that day and worship with sacrifice and offering, and they will make vows to the LORD and perform them. And the LORD will strike Egypt, striking and healing, and they will return to the LORD, and he will listen to their pleas for mercy and heal them. In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and Assyria will come into Egypt, and Egypt into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians. In that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, whom the LORD of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, a...

S: “Remember that my life is a breath; my eye will never again see good. The eye of him who sees me will behold me no more; while your eyes are on me, I shall be gone. As the cloud fades and vanishes, so he who goes down to Sheol does not come up; he returns no more to his house, nor does his place know him anymore. “Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. Am I the sea, or a sea monster, that you set a guard over me? When I say, ‘My bed will comfort me, my couch will ease my complaint,’ then you scare me with dreams and terrify me with visions, so that I would choose strangling and death rather than my bones. I loathe my life; I would not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are a breath. What is man, that you make so much of him, and tha...

For over two years now, I have been doing a new devotional routine called "SOAP" that my Pastor, Rick Fiechter, taught me from his experience with Pastor Wayne Cordeiro of New Hope Church in Oahu, HI . It seems such a simple process, and maybe even part of what many of you go through every day in your own devotional reading, without the formal name. But I have really benefited from the structural reminder. The idea is like how the acronym ACTS helps us for prayer, reminding us that a prayer life according to God's will should never lack Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication. SOAP stands for Scripture, Observation, Application and Prayer, reminding me each day that along with my reading of Scripture, I should pay careful attention to details of the true, grammatical meaning and its implications for the historical circumstance, I should listen to God for application to my own life. Because I believe God is always here with me and really experiences my devotio...