SOAP Entry Day 2: Acts 16

SOAP Journal Entry 2
Acts 16: Paul's Macedonian Call and Jail Break

Scripture: 
I had a hard time choosing which part of the passage stood out the most to me. I narrowed it down two parts of the story: Acts 16:14-15 and Acts 16:30-34.

Act 16:14-15 "One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. "If you consider me a believer in the Lord," she said, "come and stay at my house." And she persuaded us."

Acts 16:30-34 "He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household." Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole family. 

In both these parts, they talk about someone in their whole family believing in Jesus, being saved, and being baptized.

Observation:
I was just given an awesome reminder of how simple salvation is. Really, it is just "Believing in the Lord Jesus." That statement is so intense. Believing in the Jesus is recognizing him for who He is: The Son of God, the Lord (Master) of our lives, that He truly did die on the cross for our sins and was resurrected to life.  But what is awesome is, that it doesn't have to take forever to believe, you can hear the truth and accept it. With the story of Lydia and the story of the Jailer, they both believed what they heard for Paul and were baptized.  They didn't have to wait to get their lives together, they didn't have to give up something, they just had to believe.

Application:
Honestly, i had to take a step back. The word "Lord" was used 3 times in  this passage, and most of the time I don't take time to think of what being Lord really means. Lord: a person who has authority, control, or power over others; a master, chief, or ruler. I'm quite sure I don't always treat Jesus like he is truly the Lord of my life. I accept him as my savior, but not as my Lord. 

The best way I can think to apply this scripture is to look at Jesus as the Ruler of my life. To place him in the place of the authority that he should be holding, instead of me trying to be the one in control all the time.




Prayer:
Father, I struggle so much with allowing you to be the Lord of my life. But from your Word I can see that being a follower of Christ means letting Him be in charge of my life in its entirety. I pray that you will teach me to be humble, obedient, patient and disciplined. . I pray for reminders daily that I am not in control but that you are. This is a hard prayer to pray because I know it won't be easy and that you are a God who will follow through. But I am excited to see how you  will give me more opportunities to trust you, and seek peace in you. I thank you and praise you in Jesus name I pray, Amen.