June 30: Amos 7-9; Psalm 104: Titus 2

Scripture: Titus 2:14 (Jesus) who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

Observation: One characteristic of people who belong to Jesus is that they are “eager to do what is good.” It may be a burden. It may not be easy. But they are eager because they want to please the Lord. They want to please Him because they love Him. People who are eager usually do not complain. People who are eager accept the challenge before them joyfully.

Application: If there was ever anyone eager to do something it should be me eager to do what pleases the Lord. As the eagerness of others challenges me, my eagerness should be an example to others.

Prayer: Lord, I want you to see in ma an eagerness to do what pleases you. It is my privilege to serve you. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

June 29: Amos 4-6; Psalm 86, 87; Titus 1

Scripture: Titus 1: 1 ¶ Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness—

Observation: Paul’s purpose was to build up the body of Christ by encouraging their faith and increasing their knowledge of the truth. “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up” Paul wrote in 1Corinthians 8:1. But here Paul gives the purpose of knowledge—to lead us to godliness. Knowledge of the truth should make us better lovers of God and of others.

Application: Knowledge that God is with me and guiding my steps helps me remain calm when the car air conditioning breaks down and we spend an unexpected night in Illinois. There is great peace in knowing that God is with me. Instead of fretting over the problem, I can look for an opportunity to let Jesus shine through me. My problem becomes an opportunities for unexpected ministry. NOTE: any knowledge I gain should lead to making me a better servant of the Lord and give me more opportunity to serve others.

Prayer: Lord, the knowledge that you are faithful to take care of my problem sets me free to look for the opportunity to serve you. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

June 28: Amos 1-3; Psalm 80; 2Timothy 4

Scripture: 2Timothy 4:1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge:
2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.

Observation: Paul is in prison as he is writing this letter to Timothy, yet he sees himself “in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus.” He is writing with a conscious awareness that God is with him and that God in agreement with what he is writing.

Application: It is best for me when I stay aware of God’s presence. What I do in private or in public should be done with the awareness that He is with me and done with a desire to do as He would do. Whether I am doing house work, driving a bus, at church, writing a SOAP—it should all be done with an awareness of His presence!

Prayer: Lord, according to Your Word, you are with me at all times. Big or small, public or private, may everything I do please you. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

June 27: 2Kings 13, 14; 2Chronicles 25; 2Timothy 3

Scripture: 2Timothy 3: 1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.
2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,
4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—
5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.

Observation: God’s description of “terrible times” is much different than man’s. When man thinks of “terrible times,” he tends to think of health issues, money troubles, or oppressive governments, or bad weather, or natural disasters as earthquakes, tsunamis, wild fires etc. When God thinks of “terrible times” He is thinking of how wickedness affects the lives of the creation He loves so much that He sent His own Son to be the payment for their sins! To God, “terrible times” are when sin dominates the lives of people. Note: As our president recently celebrated “Gay Pride Week” in the White House, surely these are “terrible times” in God’s eyes.

Application: I need to align my thinking with God’s thinking.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, impress my mind with truth. Help me see things as they really are for that is the way you see them. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

S.O.A.P.

June 26: Jonah 1-4; 2Timothy 2

SOAP to and for

Scripture: 2Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

Observation: Correctly handling the word of truth would include loving it, reading it, understanding it and applying it to our lives. It would also include helping others to love it, read it, understand it and apply it to their lives.

Application: This “SOAP” ministry is simply passing along to others what the Lord is giving “to me for me.” They are not written for others, but for me. But the Lord uses them to help and encourage others also. Hopefully these SOAPs will encourage others to look into God’s Word and find God speaking “to them for them.” The “Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer” outline is a simple way for anyone to meditate on God’s Word.

Prayer: Lord, You have given me this ministry of SOAP. I want to "handle the word of truth" in a way that blesses You. First, I acknowledge it is “to me for me.” Second, use me to help others understand that Your Word is “to them for them.” Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

June 25: Joel 1-3; 2Timothy 1

Scripture: 2Timothy 1:3 I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.
4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy.
5 I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

Observation: The faith of young Timothy was generational. It began in his grandmother, then in his mother, and now was in Timothy. There is no mention of his grandfather or father. What an encouraging verse this should be for wives of husbands who do not believe in Jesus and for single moms! What a spiritual heritage these two ladies deposited in this young man’s heart.
In his writings, Paul often expresses his own joy which he has because of those who have come to believe in Jesus. In verse 4 he takes personal joy in a member of the younger generation.

Application: Planting my faith in my son and granddaughter is an important priority. And for my generation of believers, like Paul we can take joy in the younger generation of believers even though they are not our children or grandchildren.

Prayer: Lord, today open my eyes to how I can serve someone in the next generation. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

S.O.A.P.

June 24: 2Kings 11, 12; 2Chronicles 24; 1Timothy 6

Priority Investment Strategy!

Scripture: 1Timothy 6: 17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.
19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

Observation: People who have extra money often go to financial counselors. The counselors advise them in building emergency funds, in putting aside money for retirement, and in how to leave an inheritance for their family when they die. One really BIG area is missing. They have no advice for how to invest it so that a person can continue to be blest by their money after they die! The Bible does not overlook this important issue but rather makes it the priority!

Application: Personal note: Money goals for Leon are “to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.” Remember: My real priorities can be seen in how I use money.

Prayer: Lord, I want your priorities for my life to be easily seen in how I use the money you provide. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

S.O.A.P.

June 23: 2Kings 10; 2Chronicles 22, 23; 1Timothy 5

The Spin Stops with Him!

Scripture: 1Timothy 5:24 The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them.
25 In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not cannot be hidden.

Observation: Some evil works are obvious and can be seen by everyone; others go unnoticed. And the same is true of good works. Some are obvious. And some go unnoticed here on earth. BUT neither can be hidden from God who will judge and/or reward accordingly.

Application: God saw what I was doing before there were hidden cameras. And he saw so much more than the hidden cameras, he looked inside and saw my heart. He also remembers perfectly. The spin stops with Him. I cannot make things look good that were really bad, and others will not be able to make things look bad that were really good!

Prayer: Lord, You are the perfect judge for me because only you know me perfectly. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

June 22: 2Kings 8,9; 2Chronicles 21; 1Timothy 4

Scripture: 1Timothy 4:12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.
1Timothy 4:15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.

Observation: An old song we used to sing said, “On the Jericho road, there’s room for just two, no more and no less, just Jesus and you.” Like a few other old songs, they were nice to sing, but not totally scripturally correct. Jesus does not intend for our lives to be lived in solitude. People are going to be watching us. It is OK. That is the way Jesus wants it to be. That is part of our ministry.

Application: There are times when I want my privacy. When I am tired or after I have been working through a tough situation, I feel like I deserve my privacy. But if my life is truly His, like I claim that it is, then I have to die to my desires and spend time with people. How I deal with down times can be an example for them.

Prayer: “This little light of mine; I’m going to let it shine…” Lord I sing it, now help me live it! Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

June 21: 2Kings 6,7; 2Chronicles 20; 1Timothy 3

Scripture: 1Timothy 3:16 Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.

Observation: The mystery of godliness: That God wanted people to be "godly" is without question. The Ten Commandments provided guidelines as to how we were to live. But along with the commandments God gave instructions for sacrifices to be made when the commandments were broken! The law did not have the power inherent to enable the people to keep it. So why would God give a law that surely would be broken? That is the mystery! And the answer to the mystery is Jesus! God would demonstrate both His holiness and His love in sending His Son to die for our sins. His payment for our sins restores us and His living within us empowers us to live a life of love!

Application: The life Jesus lives within me has already successfully dealt with every temptation I face! As I learn to rely on His life within, I begin to understand this great mystery of how I can live a life pleasing to God. His payment for my sins restores me and His life within empowers me! Wow!!!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your forgiveness! And thank you for living in me! Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!