August 31, 2015: SOAP #2097

Scripture: Revelation (NIV) 5:9 And they sang a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. 10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”

Observation: The scroll was in the hands of the One setting on the throne while a search was made for someone worthy. Even the One sitting on the throne was not worthy for this assignment. To open the seals which released judgments on the earth required one who had been to earth, lived as a created man, suffered unjustly, and killed for sins he did not commit. Only Jesus is worthy!   He was worthy because…!

Application: Jesus is not only worthy because of Who He is, He is worthy because of what He has accomplished!   He is worthy of my dedication. He is worthy should it be my life that I would give for Him in death. He is worthy should it be a life-time of days that I live for Him.

Prayer:   Lord, you are worthy of my living today for you. You are worthy of both the big struggles and the little inconveniences I may encounter in living for you. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

August 30, 2015: SOAP #2096

Scripture: Revelation (NIV) 4:8   Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”

Observation: From my understanding of the character of God, there are two over-riding characteristics of God’s nature. First: He is Holy. Second: He is Love. All of the other characteristics are expressions of these two. When Isaiah saw the Lord (Isaiah 6), the heavenly beings were saying, “holy, holy, holy.” Here in Revelation (4) we find the same thing.

Application: My mind tries to grasp something that seems just beyond its ability to understand. I wonder why the heavenly beings say “Holy, holy, holy,” and not “Loving, loving, loving.” Is it for angels to declare His holiness and for redeemed man to declare His love? It is beyond my understanding.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, I want to be as faithful here on earth declaring your holy love as those around your throne are faithful in declaring your loving holiness. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

August 29, 2015: SOAP #2095

Scripture: Revelation (NIV) 3:1 To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds… 7 To the angel of the church in Philadelphia…8 I know your deeds. 14 …church in Laodicea…15 I know your deeds…

Observation: “I know your deeds” a phrase spoken to five of the seven churches. To Smyrna he writes, “I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich.” To Pergamum he writes, “I know where you live…”

Application: Do I really know with Whom I am dealing? Do I really know this one I call my God? Do I think I can get by with anything? Do I think I can hide anything from Him? Do I really think He cannot see and does not know? Do I think I can sneak anything by Him? OR, do I really know with Whom I am dealing? Do I really know this one I call my God? Do I think that He does not see every acts of kindness? Do I think that he will leave my service un-rewarded? Do I really think it is not worthwhile to serve Him?

Prayer:   Lord, you know my deeds. You even understand the motives behind them. I trust you to be both holy and loving.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

August 28, 2015: SOAP #2094

Scripture: Ezekiel 1:3 …There the hand of the LORD was upon him. Ezekiel 3:14 …with the strong hand of the LORD upon me. Ezekiel 3:22 The hand of the LORD was upon me there, and he said to me, “Get up and go out to the plain, and there I will speak to you.”

Observation: Three times this phrase is used in today’s reading. It is used four more times in Ezekiel. I think of my dad putting his hand on my shoulder when as a child I walked with him. His hand reassured me of his presence. His hand encouraged me to move along, to keep going. His hand gave me direction as he would gently turn me in the direction we were to go.

Application: I know God does not place a physical hand on my life, but I am finding that recognizing the presence of the Holy Spirit works the same way. The Holy Spirit makes me aware of God’s presence. The Holy Spirit encourages me to move ahead. The Holy Spirit gently urges me which direction to take.   He brings strong thoughts to my mind and does not let me forget them. At first I may not recognize the thoughts as coming from Him, but when they line up with God’s Word and keep returning to my thinking…I soon learn to recognize that He is talking to me.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, keep talking to me! Keep it up until I get it! Confirm your words to me with the scriptures I read. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

August 27, 2015: SOAP #2093:

Scripture: Revelation (NIV) 1:9   I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet…

Observation: John was exiled on the island of Patmos, but he was in the Spirit. The Roman government could separate him from his family and friends, but they could not separate him from the Holy Spirit. They could keep him from visiting with his family, but they could not keep the Holy Spirit from visiting with John!

Application: Nothing in the world can keep the Holy Spirit from being with me and talking to me!   I am never alone! He is always with me. I always have Someone to talk to. I always have Someone to listen to!

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, what a special ministry you have to me/people today. You are the relationship link that keeps me/us connected to my/our Heavenly Father.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

August 26, 2015: SOAP #2092

Scripture: 3John (NIV) 11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.

Observation: Everyone can learn by watching others. Watching people can inspire us to try to do the same thing, or something similar. We can be inspired either to do good or to do evil. We need to use discernment to imitate the good and reject the evil.

Application: Today, I will look around me to find someone doing something good. Then I will consider how I might be encouraged to do something similar myself.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, help me learn from watching others. May I be inspired to be a more profitable servant of God and of others. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

August 25. 2015: SOAP #2091:

Scripture: 2John (NIV) 12 I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.

Observation: As John does here, several times Paul wrote about wanting to see face to face the people to whom he was writing. It is not enjoyable to be separated, but today we can be very thankful for the times Paul was in jail, and the time John could not be with those he loved. Their love motivated them to communicate. Their absence limited their communication to writing. There are no recordings of their voices but we do have their letters.

Application: Separation from those I love can force me to use various means of communication. I may write down those things I would rather say in person. But the fact that I take the time to get a pencil and paper, the time I take to think through what I need to say, the time to purchase a stamp and place it in the mail—those things can emphasize the importance of what I am trying to communicate. Just because I cannot speak to someone face to face, does not mean that I cannot communicate with them. Maybe the best communication might be some flowers or a gift.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, show me how to best communicate with those I love.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

August 24. 2015: SOAP #2090

Scripture:  1John (NIV) 5:11 … God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Observation: The beauty of this passage is its simplicity. One cannot have eternal life apart from Jesus. It is more than just knowing about Jesus; it is knowing Him; it is possessing Him. The presence of His life affects every deed and every word. As we grow in submitting to His life, our lives are changed to be more like Him.

Application: The life of Christ within me is to “ooze” out through my every words and deeds. It cannot go unnoticed for long.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, I love to sing: “Jesus on the inside, working on the outside; oh, what a change in my life.” (Cymbala) Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

August 23. 2015: SOAP #2089

Scripture: 1John (NIV) 4:11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Observation: As I was reading this verse, my attention was drawn to one of the shortest words—the word “so.” “…since God SO loves us…” The previous verse describes that great love. “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” It is not that Jesus died, but that the Father sent His Son to die for us. God loved us SO much!

Application: It is not that I should love God (whom I cannot see) but that I should love my brother (whom I can see.) My love for God is measured by my love for my brother. God’s love for me cost Him dearly. My love for my brother will cost me too. I may cost me putting up with small annoying habits; it may cost me my life; it may cost me anything in between.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, Your great love for me motivated You to go to the greatest extreme to demonstrate that love. Your love reached to me, now I must let it reach through me. Love through me today. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

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

August 22, 2015: SOAP #2088: Jeremiah 28-30; 1John 3

Scripture: Jeremiah (NIV) 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.”

Observation: What a wonderful promise God makes to the people of Jerusalem. But what makes the promise even extra special is to note where they are. They are not living in security in the city of Jerusalem. They are captives that have been taken to Babylon!

Application: Sometimes the promise of God does not come to me when I am worshipping the Lord on Sunday morning surrounded by God’s people in church. Sometimes God speaks to me during the week when I am surrounded by trouble. Times of trouble do not hinder God’s plans for me.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, help me to keep my focus more on my Heavenly Father than on my circumstances. Amen.

Pastor Leon Making friends for time and eternity!