August 9, 2015: SOAP #2075:

Scripture: John (NIV) 11:45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did [raising Lazarus from the dead], put their faith in him. 46 But some of then went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.

Observation: It is interesting how two people who witness the exact same thing can respond in two totally different ways. Everyone present had witnessed Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Some of them responded by believing in Jesus; others responded by reporting him to the religious leaders who were jealous of Jesus.

Application: First, I need to be careful to respond to things around me in ways that demonstrate my faith. Second, it should not surprise me when people do not respond as I think they should. With the help of the Holy Spirit, I need to find another way to present the truth so that it can be accepted. Third, I need to be careful not to let the response of others discourage me.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, when I see you working in someone nearby, help me respond in faith. May my faith in what you are doing be an encouragement to them. Holy Spirit check me if I start to spread a negative report. Amen

August 8, 2015: SOAP #2074:

Scripture: John (NIV) 10:3 The watchman opens the gate for him [the shepherd] and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”

Observation: Jesus is teaching his followers, here referred to as sheep, about his position as their shepherd. In these three verses we see the importance of the sheep knowing the voice of their shepherd. They follow him because they know his voice.

People who spend daily time reading God’s Word are training themselves to recognize His voice. The more they know God’s Word, the better they will recognize the voice of The Good Shepherd and the more they will realize from which voices they should flee.

Application: When I hear something that seems questionable, I do not ask myself, “To which college did they go?” or “How long have they been preaching?” or “Will God really give me a thousand dollars if I send this ministry one hundred dollars?” NO! I ask myself, “Is that the voice of my shepherd talking?” I ask myself, “Is that what my shepherd would tell me to do?”

Prayer: Holy Spirit, there has never been a day on earth when a nation had more Bibles on the shelves of their homes than in the homes of the United States today. May they be read and valued more than ever before in history. Help us understand what we read so we can better recognize the voice of The Good Shepherd. Amen

August 7, 2015: SOAP #2073:

Scripture: Zephaniah (NIV) 1:12 At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent, who are like wine left on its dregs, who think, “The LORD will do nothing, either good or bad.”

Observation: What a mistake—to think that the LORD is disinterested and stands off in a distance. What a mistake—to think that God is not going to get involved! Yet reading further we find “The LORD within her is righteous…” (3:5) and “The LORD your God is with you…” (3:17). Clearly, God is not far away and clearly not disinterested!

Application: God was interested in Judah in Zephaniah’s day; God is interested in Israel today. God is also interested in my life and involved. He is not off somewhere in the sky without a concern about what happens on earth. That He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for my sins tells me that he is very interested and very involved!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, a day is coming when everyone will know that you are very interested in how we live. I want to live in such a way that I see your involvement in loving mercy rather than in fiery judgment. Amen

August 6, 2015: SOPA #2072:

Scripture: Habakkuk (NIV) 2:3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. 4 See, he is puffed up; his desires are not upright—but the righteous will live by his faith.

Observation: Habakkuk is waiting for the answer to his question as to why God would use a wicked nation (Babylon) to bring judgment on a more righteous nation (Judah). God tell the prophet that in the end Babylon would be destroyed because of their evil, however Judah would be spared. Babylon was “puffed up” with arrogance and had no desire to serve God. The righteous people in Judah would live by their faith.

Application: The God who brought judgment to the sins of Judah, and ultimately to the wicked nation of Babylon can be expected to bring judgment to a nation that has killed 50+ million babies in the womb. Surely we cannot claim to be so ignorant that we did not know what happened during an abortion! Surely we did not need a series of video tapes of abortionists explaining what happens to the little bodies. As judgment comes, the true church will need live by their faith. Today I should be encouraging people to actually live by their faith as that is what will be required. The older generation must show the younger generation how to put their faith into action.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, prepare your church for times of judgment. Make our living faith shine as a light in the darkness bringing hope and salvation to those nearby. Amen

August 5, 2015: SOAP #2071: 2Kings 23; 2Chronicles 35; John 7

Tolerance/Intolerance

Scripture: John (NIV) 7:7 [Jesus speaking to his earthly family] The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil.

Observation: Jesus was so loving and willing to forgive those who were beat down or approached Him in humility! Yet He was so unbending in pointing out sinful action in those whose pride prevented them from repenting! Jesus knew that God is BOTH loving and holy. Jesus was so tolerant—no sin was too great to keep someone from him. Jesus was so intolerant—no sin was acceptable or ignored. When it came to people He was tolerant, everyone was acceptable! When it came to sin He was intolerant, none was acceptable. Even His disciples did not escape His correction.

Application: Jesus is so tolerant of me that He forgives and forgets my past! Jesus is so intolerant of sin that He even suffered and died that I can approach Him and I can discover that His grace is sufficient for me. When I discover what price Jesus paid to forgive my sins, how can I continue in them and think that it does not matter?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, when I share your love, may I share that it is a holy love. And when I share your holiness, may it always be in the context of your love. Amen

August 4, 2015: SOAP #2070:

Scripture: John (NIV) 6:25 When they found him [Jesus] on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”

Observation: The day before, Jesus had fed 5,000. It had been a long day, and when the darkness of evening had come, the disciples got into a boat and headed for Capernaum. Many in the crowd saw the disciples leave and knew that Jesus was not with them. Jesus walked on the water to join the boat in the middle of the sea while it was going through a storm. In the morning, the crowd began looking for Jesus. He was nowhere to be found. A few boats came by and some of the crowd got into them going to Capernaum in search of Jesus. When they found him, they asked him the obvious question: “When did you get here?”

Application: Jesus is still doing things that defy human understanding. The longer I live, the more I find that the only answer to some questions is “Jesus.” How is it that I have not had a migraine headache since that first night at the home base of my unit in Viet Nam? The answer is “Jesus.” So many things in my life—the only answer is “Jesus.” Healings…provisions…circumstances that mysteriously work out for good…receiving important information just before needing it…meeting someone at just the right time…—they all give evidence that Jesus was present and involved in my life!

Prayer: Lord, you are amazing, and by your Spirit you do so many things that can only be explained by your presence and involvement. Today, help me to be more aware of those things that you do around me. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

August 3, 2015: SOAP #2069:

Scripture: John (NIV) 5:16 So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jews persecuted him. 17 Jesus said to them “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.” 18 For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

Observation: I am just as much human as my father is human. Jesus is just as much God as His Father is God. Jesus was born of a virgin impregnated by the Holy Spirit of God. Jesus is God, the Son. Yet he lived on earth as the Son of Man. That is how he most often referred to Himself.

Application: There is no mistake that we are given four gospels. The gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, show us how God the Father wants us to live on earth as mankind. Jesus laid aside his God-ness and lived on earth as the Son of Man anointed and led by God the Spirit—the same Holy Spirit that lives in me. The gospels show me how to deal with the circumstances that I face every day.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, as you lived and moved in Jesus, I need you to do the same in me. And as Jesus was careful to follow your leading, may you find me just as careful. Amen

August 2, 2015: SOAP #2068:

Scripture: 2Chronicles (NIV) 33:19 His (Manasseh’s) prayer and how God was moved by his entreaty, as well as all his sins and unfaithfulness, and the sites where he built high places and set up Asherah poles and idols before he humbled himself—all are written in the records of the seers.

Observation: Manasseh was such a wicked king. He led Judah in terrible sin, even greater than the surrounding nations that did not know God. He filled Jerusalem with innocent blood. (2Kings 21:16) Judgment came and Manasseh was captured. (2Chronicles 33:11) In captivity, Manasseh repented and the amazing grace of God gave forgiveness and restoration. The King repented and did what he could to change things. Judgment was postponed but later God brought judgment on the nation because of Manasseh’s sins. (2Kings 24:3) What grace that God would forgive Manasseh. Yet what a holy God that required judgment.

Application: The videos that have been recently shown in the news about the abortion providers selling body parts—those videos make it hard to deny that abortion is the shedding of innocent human blood. In looking at the body parts assembled to check the parts, one clinic worker is heard saying, “it’s a boy.” We have filled our streets with innocent blood.

Prayer: Lord, teach America to pray as Manasseh prayed! It was a prayer of a great sinner. It was a prayer of the most sinful king of Judah. It was a prayer of a king who led his people in to greater sins than the nations surrounding them, nations whom God had disposed because of their sin. It was the prayer of a king whom God had sent into captivity. Most amazingly, it was a prayer that reached your heart, oh God!!! Lord, help America to pray like Manasseh! Amen

August 1, 2015: SOAP #2067:

Scripture: Isaiah (NIV) 66:1 This what the LORD says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be? 2 Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the LORD. “This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.”

Observation: If we could build the most glorious dwelling place for God, it would be a poor comparison to the dwelling place God has built for man. It is impossible for man to use his abilities to impress God. So where on earth does God desire to live/dwell? It is in the heart of people with three characteristics. 1. It is in the heart of the person who is humble—one who respects God as the final authority and readily accepts the role of servant. 2. It is in the contrite heart—one that is easily corrected and does not take offence when corrected. 3. It is in the heart that has a very high regard for what God says. God enjoys being with people who listen to Him and do what He says.

Application: It is important for me to walk humbly under the Lordship of Jesus. It is important not to become offended, but to even welcome correction. It is important for me to be faithful in reading the Bible and to be listening throughout the day for what God would speak to my heart.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, for me to grow in these three characteristics, I need your help. Teach me, lead me, and train me to become proficient in these areas of my life. Amen