S – John 10:37 – “If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me.” – Jesus

O – In John 10, Jesus has explained that sheep know the voice of their shepherd.  He then explains that he is God.  “I and the Father are one.”  The Jews accuse him for blasphemy.  Jesus basically says the proof is in the pudding.  Look at what I do.  What I do will prove who I am.

A – As a Christian I bear the name of Christ.  I must live out what I believe.  Specifically today, I want to do the works of the Father in my home.  I want my family to see Christ through me.

P – “Lord, if I am not doing Your works, correct me!  Help me to lead others to You through what I do.”

S – John 9:3 – Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

O – Jesus has just met a blind man that He will heal with mud, His saliva, and a wash in the pool of Siloam (which is currently being uncovered in Jerusalem).  The story will end with many people hearing the testimony of how Jesus healed this man.  In this verse, Jesus says that this man’s handicap was allowed so that “God might be displayed in him.”

Picture I took this year of the steps leading into the Pool of Siloam in Jerusalem

A – Rebecca and I have questioned why God has allowed a health issue in our family.  I want to claim this to be true for our lives.  That God has allowed this so that “the works of God might be displayed.”  I want to start praying now for clarity in how He wants to display His works through us.

P – Lord, I confess that I have questioned the battle You have brought us through.  I pray that You will allow us to see how You want to display Your works through this situation.  I also pray for healing to display Your power.

S – John 7:18 – The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of Him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.

O – This verse implies that we can determine whose glory someone is seeking based on what authority they speak on.  In addition, it states that seeking God’s glory is a mark of a teacher of truth.

A – Daily, I must guard myself from speaking on my own authority or seeking my own glory.  I must find my authority in God’s Word and seek to bring Him glory.

P – Lord, guard my heart and my life from seeking my own glory.  Never let me speak or do anything on my own authority (John 5:19).  May I speak on Your authority alone.  To Your Name be the glory! Make it true of my life!

S – John 4:42 -They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”

O – The woman at the well went into the city and shared what Jesus had spoken into her life.   Some believed from her words.  After Jesus came in the city and the people encountered him personally, they had heard for themselves.  They respond with “…we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”

A – I need to daily encounter God personally.  In addition, I need to encourage those around me to not just take my word for it, but to meet Jesus personally.

P – Father, thank you for sending your Son to be my Savior.  Continue to let me hear it for myself and to encourage those around me to do the same.

S – John 3:20 – For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

O – People who do wicked things hate the light (Jesus – “the light came into the world”).  People who do not come to the light (Jesus) because they do not want their works exposed.

A – I have to live in the light!  I want to be someone who is not afraid of my works being known fully.  The farther I can stay away from darkness, the better.  Specifically, I must continue to be open with several men in real accountability and to live openly before God, my wife, my friends and the world.

P – Lord, expose me.  Shine light into my life.  Help me to live a life that does not fear coming to You, the light.

S – John 2:16 – And (Jesus) told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.”

O – Jesus wanted the people to remove anything that was being traded for profit from the place where people worshiped.  He made the clear statement “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.”

A – As a leader in a place of worship, I have to be careful to separate anything from the worship experience that is or could be seen as something done for financial gain.

P – Lord, help me to keep worship of You pure in my heart and at PCBC.  May I never seek to profit from worship personally.  It is all about Your glory and Your promotion.

S – John 1:39 – (Jesus) said to them “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where He was staying, and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.

O – Two of John the Baptist’s disciples just asked Jesus where he was staying and they end up getting to stay with him.  All over John 1 we see references to seeing Jesus (v 29, 36, 39, 46, and 51).

A – I want to LOOK for ways to SEE Jesus in action today.  I want to encourage people (like John the Baptist) to look at Jesus and not myself.

P – “Lord, show me yourself!  Let me see you at work.  Help me to encourage others to see you.”

After looking hard at different reading plans, I have decided to read through the New Testament with the Singles at PCBC.  I will introduce the plan to them tomorrow.

If you are not currently on a Bible reading plan, I would like to invite you to join us.  You can access it here and get it in many formats (e-mail, audio, web, phone – there’s and app for that, print out, etc.) and in most common translation.  I still prefer printing a reading list and using the Bible I am most familiar with.

In addition, I am going to invite the singles to SOAP journal with me.  It really pushes me to listen to what God is communicating through the Bible each day and apply it to my life.  If you have never seen this plan, check it out here.

This year you will see various SOAP entries from my personal journal, scripture lessons that I am learning outside of my daily NT readings and possibly some random stuff on the side.

Again, I invite feedback.  I want to interact with you as we pursue our Savior.

This year I plan to change my format for two reasons.  First, with an increase in preaching in my new ministry position at Park Cities Baptist Church, I have realized a greater need for my personal devotional time to be private.  Second, I have not seen my current blog format encourage many others in their personal devotional time.

I plan to blog several times a week.  These posts will still be an overflow of my time in the Word.

Do you have any suggestions?  What would be most encouraging for your walk with Christ?

Rebecca and I have been looking for to our 2012 reading plan.

Currently we are leaning towards this plan: http://www.bibleplan.org/cn/esv/

It would take us through the Bible chronologically, but still get us both in the Old and New Testaments each day.

Do you have any suggestions?