August 4, 2021: SOAP #4262:  2Kings 22; 2Chronicles 34; John 6

SCRIPTURE:  John (NIV) 6:37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”

OBSERVATION: Jesus had taken the will of the Father to be His will.  He did not consider His life to be His own.  His single purpose was to do His Father’s will. His purpose was set by His Father. 

From the first recorded words spoken by Jesus as a boy in the temple to His prayer in the garden of Gethsemane before His crucifixion, Jesus clearly showed that His Father had first place in His life. 

APPLICATION:  The questions that come to my mind:  Who sets the purpose for my life?  How committed am I to doing His will?  Am I always wanting to know the big picture for my life, or can I trust Him to lead me day by day, or even hour by hour?  If I hear and obey His moment-by-moment directions, I know I will end up where He wants me.  If He gives me the big picture now, I will take every short-cut to arrive as quickly as possible.  And in so doing, I will miss training and ministry along the journey.  If I follow His day-by-day leading, I will be well prepared when I arrive at the destination He has for me. 

PRAYER: Lord, to do your Father’s will cost you your home in heaven, enduring the limitations of a man on earth, and the suffering of the cross.  But you considered your Father and His will well worth the sacrifice.   Lord, the joy of being a part of what you are doing makes any sacrifice required of me well worth enduring.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!