SOAP = Scripture Observation Application Prayer
Phil Print
S: Titus 3: 9-11 Do not get involved in foolish discussions about spiritual pedigrees or in quarrels and fights about obedience to Jewish laws. These things are useless and a waste of time. If people are causing divisions among you, give a first and second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with them. For people like that have turned away from the truth, and their own sins condemn them.
O: Keeping the main thing the main thing. So hard to do. There’s always a discussion to have. Always an argument to enter into. Always a group of people fighting over something. Paul’s counsel to Titus was DON’T. Don’t enter in. Don’t waste precious time. There are people everywhere who need to hear the Good News about Jesus. Keep that the main thing.
A: In our world where everyone has a blog and an opinion on their blog, it’s so easy to get sucked into all the heated debates going on. Should Tim Tebow wear his faith on his sleeves (I just wrote about this on MY blog!!)? Is Rob Bell is heretic? Does Rick Warren water down the Gospel? Do all mega-churches sell out to culture? Blah…blah…blah. Should we stay away from all debate? Of course not. But what Paul is instructing us to do is: A. Weed out those arguments that are nothing more than a useless waste of time; and, B. Stay away from those who want you to participate in every controversy on the planet.
P: Father, give us discernment on how we spend our time. Give us margin for the things you love. Help us today to focus…to see what you want us to see…and to seize the opportunities for good that you want us to seize. Amen.
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Posted on
Wed, December 7, 2011
by Phil Print