November 10, 2015:  SOAP #2168:

Scripture:  1Corinthians (NIV) 8:8 But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. 9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling-block to the weak.

Observation:  Freedom is a wonderful thing.  It is good for a person to be able to make choices about what is best to do.  It is in freedom that one can best bring joy to God as they freely choose that which honors Him.  In the above verse, Paul was encouraging the saints in Corinth not to exercise their freedom to eat certain foods if it would offend a weaker believer who thought eating those foods was honoring the gods to which they had been dedicated.

Application:   My freedom can be exercised in two ways.  First is by participating in that which God has given me freedom to do.  The second is by not participating in that which God has given me freedom to do if it would hinder another believer.  The first way demonstrated my freedom; the second demonstrates my love.

Prayer:   Lord, thank you for freedom!  Holy Spirit help me use my freedom to honor my Heavenly Father and to serve my fellow believers.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 9, 2015:  SOAP #2167:

Scripture:  1Corinthians (NIV) 6:15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never!

Observation:   Our physical body is the avenue through which we communicate with the world around us.  Through words and actions, people come to know our nature and character.

Application:    Since Christ came to live in me, my body not only expresses the life of Leon, but also the life of Christ.   My goal is that my body give a true expression of His glorious life in me.    Before it was just Leon in this body.  When I received Christ in my life it was LEON and Jesus.  As I grow, it is becoming JESUS and Leon.  Our goal (Jesus and me) is that I become less and He becomes more until all that is seen is just JESUS.  (It honors Him when I choose to let it be just Jesus.)

Prayer:   Lord,  Today, I pray that someone will see You shining through me and desire to have what I have—which is You sharing this physical body with me.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 8, 2015:  SOAP #2166:

Scripture:  1Corinthians (NIV) 2:16 “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

Observation:   What an amazing statement: “But we have the mind of Christ.” From the context of the above verse we can understand that a believer can count on the presence of the Holy Spirit to help make good decisions.

Application:    I do not fully appreciate the Presence of the Holy Spirit who is omniscient. Sometimes I interpret my circumstances as though I am in the dark. I interpret my lack of knowledge, or lack of understanding as though I am hopeless. But all the time I have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside! Wow!

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, you have made provision for every aspect of my life. You sent your Son to die for my sin and birth me into your kingdom! Then you sent your Holy Spirit to live the life of the kingdom in me! Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 7, 2015:  SOAP #2165:

Scripture:  Galatians (NIV) 6:17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.  18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

Observation:   The law serves as a measuring rod to show how far man has fallen into sin.  The law was/is not able to control the sinful nature.  Forgiveness for sins comes through faith in the death of Jesus on the cross, paying the penalty for our sins.  Victory over sin comes in being led by the Holy Spirit!

Application:   To be led by the Spirit requires that I learn to recognize the many ways He speaks to me.  The best way to recognize His speaking is to become familiar with the Bible.   Another great way to recognize how the Spirit speaks is to faithfully gather with other believers.  As I hear how the Spirit is working in their lives, I can better see how He is working in my life.  Of course hearing and recognizing the Spirit’s voice is only the first part of being led by the Holy Spirit.  The most important part is obeying His voice—doing what He says.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, how I value your direction and input into my life.  You have never led me wrong.     Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November  6, 2015:  SOAP #2164:

Scripture:  Galatians (NIV) 3:3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?

Observation:     Paul is wondering how they are thinking.  How can they be so foolish, or blind?  Don’t they understand?  The way they started is the way they are to live.  They started by believing that they could do nothing to save themselves and that they had to depend totally on God for their salvation.  Keeping the Old Testament Law could not save them, it could not keep them saved, and it did nothing in gaining the favor of God.

Application:   The same is true for me.  I could not save myself.  Salvation came when I confessed my sins and accepted what Jesus did as the complete payment for my sins.  Just as I relied on Him for my salvation, I must continue to rely on Him to live His life through me.  Jesus is not living Leon’s life.  Leon is living Jesus’ life.  But the truth is that Leon cannot live Jesus’ life.  The only one who can live Jesus’ life is Jesus.  So Jesus must come and life His own life in Leon!   And that is just what He does!

Prayer:   Lord, it is hopeless for me to try to live your life.  Be my Lord and live your life in me.  I will not run ahead and make decisions without first checking with you.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 5, 2015:  SOAP #2163:

Scripture:  Galatians (NIV) 1:15 But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased 16  to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man,

Observation:  Paul realizes that fulfilling God’s calling on his life brought pleasure to God.  It was God’s pleasure to reveal the truth about Jesus to Paul.  It was God’s pleasure to use Paul to reveal that truth to the Gentiles.  Paul was highly motivated to start churches and encourage the new believers.  When he was in prison and could not travel in person, he did the next best thing; he wrote letters.  I am sure that God in heaven looked down and said, “That’s my servant, Paul!  He is doing just what I hoped he would do!”  Of course only God knew how many lives those letters would bless!

Application:   I like scriptures that show me what pleases God—that show me what He likes.  Thinking that God is pleased to use me makes me want to be diligent in serving Him.  God is pleased to use me to send out the SOAP devotions He gives me.  I want to bring Him great joy by doing it the best I can.  God is pleased to use me as a school bus driver.  I want to bring him glory by doing more than required by my earthly boss.  I want God to get as much pleasure out of my service as a SOAP-sender or school bus driver as possible.

Prayer:   Lord, pleasing you has high priority in my life.  Surrounded by a world that surely brings you much grief, may my life bring you much joy.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 4, 2015:  SOAP #2162:

Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 15:15 Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

Observation:  From the various scriptures within the context of the above verse, it is easy to understand that Pilate knew Jesus was innocent and clearly not deserving of death.  But Pilate had a problem.  He was more concerned about pleasing people than about pleasing justice.

Application:  The desire to please others can cause me to do or not do many things.  I need to carefully consider who I am pleasing.  The thought process of both big and small decisions should include who am I pleasing, and who will be displeased.  People will tell me that I should make my own decisions and not care about what others think, but to ignore what God thinks is to miss the greatest source of wisdom available to me.  I must remember that I was created to love God and to honor him with my choices.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, “Who am I pleasing?” bring this question to my mind many times throughout today.     Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 3, 2015:  SOAP #2161:

Scripture #1:  Mark (NIV) 13:37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”

Observation #1:   As Jesus was talking to his disciples about the end times, he uses the word “watch” several times.  I am reminded of the times with Golf Company 2^nd Battalion, 4^th Marine Division in Viet Nam.  As a corpsman I took my turn at night with the Lieutenant, the Sargent, and the radio man for the radio watch.  We kept in touch with our listening posts that were posted outside the perimeter of our camp to watch for any approaching enemy.  It was important to stay awake and be alert.

Scripture #2:  Mark (NIV) 14:38 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

Observation#2:   Being awake and alert was not enough; Jesus wanted them to pray!  He wanted them to communicate with the Father as they observed what was happening around them.

Application:   Watching and staying aware of what is happening in our world can make us feel helpless and be discouraged.  But in talking to the Father, we are reminded that He is more powerful than anyone or anything on earth.  We are reminded that He is wise enough to bring everything to a proper end.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, You want me to do more than just “watch.”  You want me to “watch and pray!”  You want me to pray about what I see around me.    Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 2, 2015:  SOAP #2160

Scripture:  Job (NIV) 23:3 If only I knew where to find him; if only I could go to his dwelling!

Observation:   Job is suffering even though he is innocent.  His suffering is because Satan has claimed that Job serves God only because God blesses him.  Job has obvious questions why.   He thinks that his suffering is coming from God and he wants to confront God and demand some answers.     Job did not know that God’s Son would come to our dwelling.  God knows where we are!  Jesus walked among us.  He became findable!

Application:  I am so thankful that Jesus is still findable!  Wherever I am, I need only call out for him in faith that He is present and hears me.  I praise God that He comes to my dwelling.  He knows where to find me!

Prayer:   Lord, Job wanted to find your dwelling; I am so glad that you know where I live.  Thank you for coming to where I live.  You make yourself findable!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 1, 2015:  SOAP #2159:

Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 9:8 Suddenly when they looked round, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

Observation:  It had been an amazing time.  Peter and John had been invited by Jesus to accompany him to a mountain top where Elijah and Moses visited Him.  But now the visitors were gone.  No one was with them except Jesus.

Application:  There are many occasions that bring special visitors into my life.  Weddings, funeral, anniversaries, birthdays, advancement celebrations, retirement parties…some people travel great distances to be a part of these occasions.  But, then they are gone.  It is then that I realize that the One who was with me before the celebration continues with me after the celebration.   The greatest guest at the wedding is not a guest…He lives here!  The greatest Comforter at the funeral did not drive in for a few days…He lives here!

Prayer:   Lord, You are my closest and most valuable friend.  You share the feelings of my heart and the thoughts of my mind!  It is ok to be alone with you.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!