Blogging through the Gospels: Matthew 2-3

Today’s Reading is Matthew 2-3

Before reading, take the time again to pray, presenting to God all the prayer requests you have on your mind. Thank Him, also, for all of the blessings he has provided you, naming several of them specifically. After that, ask Him to allow you to focus on your Bible reading and hear the message he has specifically for you.

Next, take a minute for two (set a timer if you must) to just sit there quietly and listen. Feel free to journal what you hear after you listen or just listen quietly. If you don’t hear anything that is okay. You are learning how to just clear your mind and listen to Him.

Next, open your Bible and read  Matthew 2-3. Read it once just to get the main idea. Then stop, and ask God which verse or verses are specifically for you today. Read it again while searching. Consider reading the same passage in another translation by using another Bible, a parallel Bible or BibleGateway.com.

Once you have found your verse, write or type out your SOAP message for the day, saving the title for last.

Here is what I heard:

Just listen and do as told. He does know best.

(Hmmm. Doesn’t this sound a lot like yesterday?!)

Scripture: Matthew 3:14-15

14But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

15Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

Observation:

Knowing Jesus’ identity, John was confused by Jesus’ request for John to baptize Him. Jesus reassured John, telling him it must be done.

Application:

Sometimes things don’t make sense to me in the Bible and sometimes I want to go off and do my own thing, not really listening to God’s direction because I think I know what is best. But He knows what is true.  And he knows what is best. And He is trying to tell me.

Had John not baptized Jesus as instructed, we would have missed that dramatic next action when heaven opened and the Holy Spirit descended onto him. Woah! THAT would have been a mistake!

I need to listen more and just do as told. More listening will probably bring more clear direction to me.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for being so understanding and kind, even when I head down the wrong wandering paths. Please, Lord, pull me back where you want me. Guide me in just following your truth and not making things more difficult by coming up with a path of my own.

Help me to hear you clearly and have the discipline to just follow and trust.

Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to hear you, follow you and always be loved by you, even through my mistakes.

I love you.

 

What did you hear in Matthew 2-3 today? Please share in the comments. Feel free to link to your own blog post about it.

I found this related post on the web:

KristiStephens.com: When Faith and Common Sense Collide


Comments

26 responses to “Blogging through the Gospels: Matthew 2-3”

  1. A day late, but still relevant to my life!

    http://realfaithjourney.blogspot.com/2011/04/praying-through-gospels-matthew-2-3.html

    Amy — I am loving this SOAP process. It is changing me!!!

  2. I pretty much got the same message, although I chose a different verse. I always seem to have trouble listening and obeying. I usually listen and then argue. Alas.

  3. amy goins Avatar
    amy goins

    have to get my blogs online.. i will share that today’s reading i love that Jesus verbally rebuked Satan by name & then was ministered to by angels..

  4. Pamela Avatar
    Pamela

    I’m trying, but just not there yet with the SOAP. I waited til the evening yesterday and today. I need to read in the morning before the day clogs up my mind! I do enjoy this shorter reading. It gives me more time to reflect on what I’ve read.

  5. I didn’t get online yesterday to put mine up, so today I put up day 1 and day 2: http://brandycormier.com/?p=503

  6. My SOAP is up, I’m loving this community!

  7. http://www.bethsfaithwalk.com/2011/04/05/gods-word-is-true-and-trustworthy/

    God’s word, and His promises, are true and trustworthy! He keeps His promises and I can trust Him!

  8. Wow!!! I am getting so much more out of my reading using the SOAP method. Here is my post….

  9. Matt 3:9…..I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.

    I do my reading before bedtime and when I journaled this entry I wrote for my observation…..God can do (and does do) what is impossible for us.

    But as I laid down to sleep, I continued talking and listening to God and I had this visual picture……A stone is dead, not doing anything but being there, kicked around as people walk by it. Before God entered my life, I was dead (to salvation), just living life and being kicked around by its circumstances and then God came in and gave me life in Him. A life worth living for His glory. A life changed by His presence.

    Amy, thank you so much for sharing the SOAP method, for leading the B90 challenge and Blogging through the Gospels!!

    1. Amen!!! That is awesome!! Thanks for sharing!!

  10. Good Morning! I really liked Matthew 3:10 this morning. Many scriptures caught my eye, but this on resonated in my soul and mind.

    I have enjoyed reading everyone else’s scriptures as well.

    Have a good day!

    1. Amen Penny!! I loved your Soap!

  11. I am amazed at God caring for the details. Prophecy being fulfilled. And God cares about us! “MY people” He says. We are His!

    My post: http://www.cassandraland.com/2011/04/blogging-through-gospels-matthew-2-3.html

  12. WoW!!! I get so much more out of the reading using the SOAP tool. Thanks for all the encouragement. Here is my post

    1. Me too Selena! I get much more using the SOAP method & I’m really enjoying it.

  13. I was struck today by the “instant obedience” that was demonstrated, even in the midst of the unknown.

    1. I was struck by that too. These are the times I would like to have a time machine and be a fly on the wall during the time that led up to Jesus’ birth and the few years after so I could see Mary and Joseph in action.

  14. Loved your devotion and the devotion guide from Day 2!! Thanks for all the encouragement you give to your fellow believers!!!

    Here is my day 2 Therefore bear fruit (S)in keeping with repentance;….Matthew 3:8
    http://theonethingps274.wordpress.com/2011/04/05/blogging-through-the-gospels-2/

  15. Neat things in today’s reading. I liked how God came right out and declared Jesus to be His Son–right out loud where everyone could hear! No need for us to wonder, as God didn’t say it in a puzzle or mystery, but rather plainly so we could understand. Here is a link to my blog post:
    http://tnquiltbug.blogspot.com/2011/04/blogging-through-gospels-matthew-2-3.html

  16. Matthew 3:10 really spoke to me…being very careful the ax is not aimed for my roots. Am I grounded in Christ, or in self?

    1. I SOAPed the same verse. :)

      1. Yep, that’s what I SOAPed, too :)

    2. I SOAPed this verse as well.

  17. Here’s my blog post on Matthew 2-3! http://tennesseephotographer.blogspot.com/2011/04/blogging-through-gospels-matthew-2-3.html

    Thanks again, this is so awesome! :)

    ~Austin M.

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