October 16, 2019: SOAP #3604:  Malachi 3-4; Psalm 148; Acts 5

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 5:42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.

Observation:   This new life was important to them!  Jesus had lived among them.  Jesus had taught them.  Jesus was the Messiah!  Jesus had fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies.  Jesus had taken away their sin.  This was fantastic!  Of course, they met together every day!

Not having a Bible at home, they depended on these gatherings to learn the truth about God.  They would read from the scriptures available to them.  They may have had a copy of one of Paul’s letters.  There were leaders in the gatherings responsible to teach them God’s priorities—apostles, evangelists, prophets, pastors, and teachers.

Application:  We may not consider our physical life a daily life, but each of us could make a list of daily things we do to take care of our physical life.  We do many of them without thinking.  It should not be difficult to understand that our spiritual life needs daily care also.

The daily care I give my physical life (which certainly is going to die) shows the value I place on my physical life.  The daily care I give my spiritual life shows the value I place on this life that will never die.  The daily care I give to my spiritual life determines its growth and strength.   My life in eternity will be determined by the spiritual input I take in now.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, in creation you abundantly provided for our physical lives.  AND you have carefully provided for our spiritual lives also.  Through the scriptures, through your Son, and through the ministry of the Holy Spirit you have abundantly provided for my spiritual life.  Thank you!   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!