October 31, 2015:  SOAP #2158

Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 8:2 “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. 3 If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.”

Observation:   These were Jesus comments to his disciples about the crowd of people whose desire to be with Him was greater than their desire to eat!  Their concern was Jesus; Jesus concern was them!  They were concerned about Him; He was concerned about them!  They had made His words their priority; He made their welfare His priority!

Application:    I have memorized Matthew 6:33; now this is how it looks in daily life.   When I seek first His kingdom, I can trust Him to provide for my personal needs.  When I am concerned about Him and make Him my priority, He is concerned about me and makes my needs His priority!

Prayer:   Lord, You are much better at taking care of me then I am.  Your resources are limitless; Your knowledge and wisdom is complete.  To trust my life to you is the wisest thing I can do!   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 30, 2015:  SOAP #2157 

Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 6:39 Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass.  40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties.  41 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.  42 They all [5,000] ate and were satisfied.

Observation:   As I read the above passage, my mind recalled the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt.  One of the first things God did was to organize them.  And here, before Jesus fed the 5,000 (Matthew 14:21 says, “…beside women and children.”), He organizes them.  For the disciples to feed the individuals would have taken several days, but to feed them in groups would have taken much less time.  Thinking about the logistics of this miracle raises a lot of questions I would like to discuss with someone who was there.  Did Jesus multiply the bread and fish in his hands, or did it continue to multiply in the hands of the disciples?  Where did they get the twelve baskets in which they placed the broken pieces of bread and fish?

Application:  Organization is a tool that God uses to insure that everyone receives the appropriate ministry.  I hurt my spiritual growth if I refuse to participate in organization.  Organization is also a tool God uses to make opportunity for my ministry.  I hurt my potential in ministry if I cannot submit to organization.

Prayer:   Lord, I trust you to both bless and use me as I submit to the organizational structure in which you have placed me.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 29, 2015:  SOAP #2156:

Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 4:2 He taught them many things by parables… 33 With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. 34 He did not say anything to them without using a parable…

Observation:  Parables were stories about common everyday items or experiences that people would readily recognize.  Jesus used what was easily recognized and understood to explain things that could not be seen.    Here is a personal example from earlier today:  On my school bus route I pass several fields that look like crop failures.  The plants were all dried and brown with dead leaves.  It appeared they had not had enough moisture.  But today, there were combines in the fields harvesting the fruit that remained in those dead plants.  There was something so valuable in that field that the owner hired combines to reap the crop.  Today was the day the owner had in mind when he planted that fields months ago.

Application:  Those plants looked older than I think I look (Ha), but in their “old age” they had the most value to their owner.  I am valuable to my Lord.  It could be that in my old age I have more value to Him than at any other time in my life.

Prayer:   Lord, I want you to get the best possible harvest from my life.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 28, 2015:  SOAP #2155:

Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 1:38 Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so that I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” Mark (NIV) 2:1 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home.  2 So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. … 13 Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them.

Observation:  Yesterday in the book of Acts I noticed that Paul had two avenues of ministry:  he went to people AND people came to him.  Today I see the same in the life of Jesus.  He went to people AND people came to Him.

Application:   There will be times when God draws my attention to someone and sends me to talk with them.  Other times, God sends people to me. I should consider everyone that enters my space an opportunity to minister.  They probably have a need, and I know The Great Need Fixer.

Prayer:   Lord, help me not to miss an opportunity to let you touch others through me.    Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 27, 2015:  SOAP #2154:

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 13:3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.  (also: Acts 16:10)

Acts (NIV) 28: 30 For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. 31 Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.

Observation:  Sometimes God sent His messenger, Paul, to the cities of the Roman Empire.  Sometimes God brought people to His messenger.  I have read that Watchman Nee was thrown in prison for preaching the gospel.  Soon so many guards were becoming believers that the authorities placed new guards with him every day.  When He was unable to preach to congregations in the cities, God brought him a new congregation every day.  They were as captive to him as he was to them!

Application: My ministry is not limited by my location or my resources.  It is limited only by my lack of vision and my lack of faith.  If God has not opened the expected door for ministry, then He must have opened another door.  If I do not have the resources to do what I think would be good to do, I should use the resources I have to do what I can do!  If I am faithful to use what I have, God will be faithful to provide what is needed to do His will.  It just does not make any sense that God would speak to me through His word and fill me with His Holy Spirit and then place me where there is no opportunity to serve Him!

Prayer:   Lord, I want to be your faithful servant in both ways:  send me where you please AND bring people to me that you want to reach through me.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 25, 2015:  SOAP #2152

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 26:24 At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. “You are out of your mind, Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning is driving you insane.” 25 “I am not insane, most excellent Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable.  26 The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner.

Observation:    In making his defense, Paul had just spoken of Jesus death and resurrection.  He was confident that Festus would have heard about Jesus because His death and resurrection had not happened “in a corner.”

Application:   Jesus has not forgiven my sins and taken up residence in my life so that I would be hidden away out of sight.  There are times when my life seems to be on display, even the things I think are insignificant.   God has planned my life to be lived out, like Jesus, in the open were people can see what is taking place.

Prayer:   Lord, when you called me to be your witness, it was more than just with words.  Help me live in such a way that people can see your message lived out in my life.    Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 25, 2015:  SOAP #2152:

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 22:14 “Then he said: ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth.  15 You will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.

Observation:   After Saul’s trip had been interrupted and he had been blinded by the bright light, Ananias was sent by the Lord to open Saul’s blind eyes and give him a word from the Lord.  Verse 15 is the basis of what God is calling each of His children to do.  We are to tell people what we have “seen” and “heard.”  We are responsible for what we personally have experienced and know.

Application:   When God brings a person across my path, I can have confidence that they need to hear what I know.  If they need what I do not know, the Lord would have directed them to someone else.  Also, I can have confidence that the Holy Spirit will bring to my remembrance what I am to tell them.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, speak through me to those around me. Use me for the good of the Kingdom.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 24, 2015:  SOAP #2151:

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 20:33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.  34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.  35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Observation:   Paul was giving a farewell address to the elders of Ephesus.  Obviously he was not afraid of hard work, nor did he think himself above hard work.  He used himself as an example of how to be diligent in work.

Application:     Since Christians are instructed to do everything for the glory of God (1Corinthians 10:31), my work should be to the very best of my ability.  My attitude at work should make me a blessing to the other nearby workers.   My supervisors should have no doubt that they are getting my best.

Prayer:   Lord, make me a blessing to my boss.  Make me a blessing to those who work near me.  Make me a blessing to those who benefit from my work.  But most of all, may my work be a blessing to you!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 23, 2015:  SOAP #2150:

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 17:26 [Paul speaking to the people of Athens] From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

Observation:   My attention was drawn to the phrase, “he is not far from each one of us.”  Whether in church or at work, whether in school or at a sporting gave, whether at home or traveling on the road…where ever, He is close!   The omnipresent God is everywhere I am.  He is present at every time of sickness or trouble.  This is true for “each one of us.”

Application:  How I limit myself when I do not consider the Lord’s presence.  I must train my mind to acknowledge His presence.  He is not present because I think about Him, but because He is present, I should think about Him!   He should be a part of every thought process.

Prayer:   Lord, today we will face each situation together.  I will be listening for your Spirit to lead me and speak through me.  May you be glorified in this day. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 22, 2015:  SOAP #2149:

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 16:12 From there we travelled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days. 13 On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there.

Observation:    Through a dream, Paul and those traveling with him had been directed by the Holy Spirit to the province of Macedonia.  There probably was no synagogue in the city of Philippi, so they looked by the river for a place where Jews would gather for prayer.  The water would be readily available for their ceremonial washings.  It might have been a house used for prayers, or just an open-air place with or without a roof.  From the few women gathered grew the church to which Paul wrote the letter we have in our Bible—Philippians.

Application:   The church is the church with or without buildings.  This week I have met with the church in a “church” building on Sunday morning, then again Sunday evening in an assisted living facility.  (People wanting a pastor to help with a funeral came just because they knew they would find someone there.)  Monday night I met with the church for spaghetti dinner in our senior pastor’s home.  Monday through Friday mornings Pastor Jerry from Faith Baptist joins me and a couple of other believers at a place of prayer between two school busses.  I wonder where the church will be meeting today.

Prayer:   Lord, Your church is a body of people in whom you live by your Holy Spirit.  Just as my physical body has the life of Leon in it, your physical body has your life in it!  When I was born again, your life entered me.  Thank you for the special privilege of being a part of your body.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!