Reminder

Aloha mai Waiokeola Ohana,

Praise the Lord, from whom all blessings flow.  Let’s end the year by thanking God for walking with and guiding us through the dark valleys of 2020.  Although we’re not completely out of the Covid-19 danger zone, our hope in Jesus can sustain, encourage and empower us to move forward into the unknown of 2021.    

How? By remembering that, "God loves us so much that He will meet us where we are at, but He loves us too much to leave us there (unchanged).”  Meaning that we will get out of our relationship with God, what we put in.  Simply put, the more time you spend with someone, the more you get to know them and the best way that I know how to stay connected to God is by intentionally reading the Bible everyday, talking to Him throughout the day, and by submitting myself to the Holy Spirit’s promptings.

To help you grow in our relationship with Jesus, I’m inviting you to join me on a journey that will take us through the whole bible in 3 years.  This bible reading plan starts tomorrow and will be posted on our Waiokeola website under the “Daily Devotional” tab.  I will stop sending my daily devotions via email on January 8th but will continue to post them on our website for your edification and as an example for you to follow.  However, remember that the goal is to eventually connect to God directly and to understand “What Jesus is saying to you."  And just as importantly, to determine, “What you are going to do about it."

I will be using the S.O.A.P. method, (or a slight variation of) for my daily devotions.

“S” is for Scripture
Take time to read the daily text and allow God to speak to you. Read slowly and look for a verse that particularly speaks to you that day, and write it in your journal.

“O” is for Observation
What do you think God is saying to you in this scripture? Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and reveal Jesus to you. Paraphrase what you noticed in your journal.

“A” is for Application
Personalize what you have read, by asking yourself how it applies to your life right now. Perhaps it is instruction, encouragement, revelation of a new promise, or corrections for a particular area of your life. Write how this Scripture can apply to you today.

“P” is for Prayer
This can be as simple as asking God to help you use this Scripture, or it may be a greater insight on what He may be revealing to you. Remember, prayer is a two-way conversation, so be sure to listen to what God has to say!

If you have any questions, feel free to email me at [email protected].

Aloha Ke Akua,
Pastor Jon