March 20: Joshua 7-8; Psalm 69; 1Corinthians 5

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 69:4b I am forced to restore what I did not steal.

Observation: This chapter contains many word windows through which the reader can see the suffering Messiah. Many commentaries apply the latter part of this verse to Christ. They focused on Christ restoring to man what man lost in the fall. I found very little appreciation for what Christ restored to His Father. To the Father He restored the potential of fellowship with this highest of creation. To the Father He restored the legal avenue for fellowship with fallen man. To the Father He restored fellowship with that for which the Father was willing to sacrifice His Son! It is amazing to consider how much man is loved by the Father! It is amazing to consider how much the Son loves the Father to be willing to embark upon and complete the "earth" assignment!

Application: Jesus worked to restore a broken fellowship that He did not break. Now that my fellowship with the Father has been restored, it is for me to finish out my “earth” assignment continuing the ministry of Jesus in the anointing of the same Holy Spirit that anointed Jesus.

Prayer: Holy Spirit I want to work with you in continuing the ministry of Jesus to restore relationships to a loving Heavenly Father. Speak through me, touch through me, flow through me to a broken world. Amen

March 19: Joshua 3-6; 1Corinthians 4

Scripture: Joshua (NIV) 4:20 And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. 21 He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 22 tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’”

Observation: In driving around Kansas, I like to stop and read the historical markers placed beside the roads. I like to read about the Indians who once roamed the prairie, about the covered wagon trails, about the river crossings, and wells, and other points of historical interest.

At the Lord’s instruction (4:1) Joshua had one man from each of the twelve tribes pick up a stone from the middle of the Jordan. After crossing the river these stones were set up as a memorial so that future generations would not forget what God had done. It was very important for the Israelites to have such memorials; they did not have the Bible in their homes. Seeing those river stones would start conversations as children would ask their parents about their meaning.

Application: In living out our Christian life, it is good to think about future generations and leave something for a witness to what God has done. God did not stop working when the New Testament was completed. He continued and He continues! Knowing that God has been involved in our generation will help them to have faith that God will be involved in their generation.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, out of the hard places of our lives, may we take time to pile up some stones as a memorial for the next generation. May it be easy for them to see that You are the center of our lives. Amen

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer

March 18: Joshua 1-2; Psalm 37; 1Corinthians 3

Scripture: Joshua (NIV) 2:11 When we heard of it, or hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.

Observation: Before entering the Promised Land, Joshua sent spies into Jericho. Forty years earlier, the Israelites had refused to enter the land God had promised to them because they feared the people who lived there. They did not know that the inhabitants of their Promised Land feared the Israelites even more than the Israelites feared them!

In this verse we see that it was not the Israelites they feared, but the Israelite’s God! They feared Israel’s God more than the Israelites did!

Application: Fear is a form of worship. What I fear holds a place of worth and importance in my life. What a shame it is when the world fears my God more than I do!!! The greatest fear in my life should be that I disappoint my Heavenly Father or bring shame to Him.

Prayer: Holy God, you are the all-powerful creator, the maker of heaven and earth. You alone are to be feared and worshipped. You loved me so much you send your Son to die for my sins. The greatest joy in my life should be to bring you pleasure. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer

March 17: Deuteronomy 32-34; 1Corinthians 2

Scripture: 1Corinthians (NIV) 2:11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.

Observation: Teaching is a valid ministry for God has placed teachers in the church. Teachers are a gift from God we should appreciate. Surely one of the main things teachers should teach is how to recognize the Holy Spirit when He speaks. There is no greater teacher than the Spirit of God. Surely one of the greatest bodies of knowledge for maturing believers is how to hear and understand the Spirit as He speaks to us. Unless specifically directed by the Holy Spirit, one does not need to travel to another location or attend a special school; the GREATEST TEACHER actually lives within us!

Application: I am a new creation in Christ Jesus. I have God’s Word in my mind and God’s Holy Spirit living in me! What a powerful combination! Instead of wanting people to honor me for who I am and what I have, I need to be helping them, teaching them to understand who they are, Who lives within them, and what He can do through them!

Prayer: Holy Spirit use me to help people know that you live in them too. Use me to help them recognize your voice. You are speaking to us today! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer

March 16: Deuteronomy 30-31; Psalm 40; 1Corinthians 1

Scripture: Deuteronomy (NIV) 31:7 [Moses speaking to Joshua] “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the LORD swore to their forefathers to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. 8 The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Observation: What an amazing God. He promised to do two things that He could do only if He is really God. He would both go before them AND be with them. When they arrived, they would discover that He was already there. While leading the Israelites in the wilderness—at the same time—He was working inside the Promised Land to prepare for Israel’s victory

Application: With a God like that on my side, there is no reason to be afraid or discouraged!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You were with Moses and Joshua and the children of Israel when you led them into their Promised Land AND You are with me! You go before me to prepare the way AND You are with me as I go! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer

March 15: Deuteronomy 28-29; Galatians 6

Scripture: Deuteronomy (NIV) 28:47 Because you did not serve the LORD your God joyfully and gladly in the time of prosperity, 48 therefore in hunger and thirst, in nakedness and dire poverty, you will serve the enemies the LORD sends against you…

Observation: God was speaking through Moses to the Israelites. They could either serve the Lord with joy and gladness in prosperity, or they could serve their enemies with human suffering.

Sometimes I play a game with little children where I hide a small object in one of my hands behind my back. Then I move my hands in front where they can see them and ask them to guess which hand contains the prize. God does the same with us, only he never closes his hands. The choice is clear.

Application: It is impossible for me to read the choices God gave to Israel and not think that the same God is giving similar choices to the United States of America. We can either serve God, joyfully enjoying His prosperity, or we can ignore Him and serve mounting debt, growing poverty, increased invasion by illegal immigrants, racial unrest and other things that God can allow or bring.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, open our eyes so that we can clearly see the result of the choices available to us. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer

March 14: Deuteronomy 25-27; Galatians 5

Scripture: Galatians (NIV) 5:24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Observation: It is not those to whom Christ belongs, but those who belong to Christ. I hear in this scripture not an emphasis on me possessing Him, but Him possessing me!

When we belong to Him, He is Lord. He is Master. It is His life we are living. We are no longer our own. We have been bought with a great price. And so we have taken His desires to be our desires. As we walk in the Spirit we discover the joy of belonging to Him!

Application: There was a time when it was just words, two ways of saying the same thing. But as I have grown in Christ, I have learned that there is a great difference between me possessing Christ and Christ possessing me. It is a change from depending on me to depending on Him. It is a change from Jesus being my advisor to Jesus being my Lord! Yes, He is mine, but more importantly, I am His!

Prayer: Jesus, I am yours. All I am and all I have—it is all yours. There is no greater joy than fulfilling your will for my life. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer

March 13: Deuteronomy 22-24; Galatians 4

Scripture: Galatians (NIV) 4:4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.

Observation: At the proper time, a wealthy landowner would free his son from the tutorage and supervision of guardians to be recognized as the son with the full authority belonging to a son. And so there was a proper time when God sent His Son Jesus to free us from the requirements of the law. God’s people would enter into a new aspect of relating to God, not as children needing the protection of the law to keep them from sinning, but as sons and daughters in whom God’s Spirit lives, directing their every thought and deed. This is so much better!!!

Application: This is the “proper time” to be led by the Spirit of God. It is the proper time for me to expect the Holy Spirit to speak to me. When things do not go as I planned, I should be expecting that the Spirit will show me what He has planned. Instead of being disappointed, I should be excited to discover His will.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, this is the day, this is the time for you to walk and talk with me. Please keep working with me until I easily recognize your Presence, your voice, and your direction. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer

March 12: Deuteronomy 19-21; Galatians 3

Scripture: Deuteronomy (NIV) 21:9 So you will purge from yourselves the guilt of shedding innocent blood, since you have done what is right in the eyes of the LORD.

Observation: In this passage (verses 1-9), instructions are given as to finding a dead body and not knowing who is guilty of the murder. The issue of innocent blood is also found in Deuteronomy 19. In that chapter, if someone accidently killed another person without any malice or forethought, cities were assigned to which they could run to flee from the family of the dead. If they were guilty of murder, they would not be allowed to stay, but if they were innocent, they could stay in the city of refuge.

Application: This is obviously an important issue to God and should be to us also. The death of even one person was to be respected for it was made in the image of God. How can a nation that has shed the innocent blood of 50+ million aborted babies think that God does not see or care!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, forgive us for we have sinned against you by shedding the innocent blood of those being formed in your image. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!