January 11, 2016:  SOAP #2230:

Scripture:  Psalm (NIV) 4:8 I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

Observation:   One day while serving with the US Marine Corps in Viet Nam I heard the Lord speak this scripture to me.  Previously I slept with my boots on, but from that day on I took off my boots to sleep. And we never had any trouble from the enemy at night, not at our home bas nor camped on the mountain side.  I would take off my damp socks that I had been wearing that day and put them down my pant legs to be dried by my body heat.  I would then put on dry socks and set my boot close by to let them air out while I slept.  My feet and toes were also able to air out during the night.  And I slept in peace, for the LORD made me dwell in safety!

Application:   What before was foolish made perfect sense when I heard God’s promise.  Only God knows if he ever needed to confuse the enemy or direct them away from our camp because one of His children was sleeping with his boots off.  Only God knows if my simple act of faith had any impact on the enemy.  But it had an impact on my life.  My God was trustworthy and I could sleep!

Prayer:   Lord, thank you for personally speaking to me and teaching me that I can trust you! My faith is expressed in small actions that I can do to honor You.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

January 10, 2016:  SOAP #2229:   

Scripture:  Genesis (NIV) 26:25 Isaac built an altar there and called on the name of the LORD. There he pitched his tent, and there his servants dug a well.

Observation:  Isaac did three things.  First, he built an altar.  Being mentioned first, speaks to me of priority.  That he built it, speaks to me of permanence.  Second, he pitched his tent.  Being mentioned second shows that his family relationship was secondary to his relationship to God.  Third, he dug a well.  He put effort into a project that would bless generations to come.  There was a time when life was lived along the banks of rivers.  With wells being dug, life could be lived far away from the river.

Application:   What is permanent must take priority over what is temporary.  My relationship to God is permanent.  All other relationships must be second to that.  My relationship to my home/family must be properly maintained.  And God wants me to put effort into that which will bless generations to come.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, help me to properly care for these three priorities.  Lord, thank you for those who translate these SOAP devotionals into other languages, making them available to those who do not live near the English-speaking river.  Bless and encourage them I pray.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

January 9, 2016:  SOAP #2228:  

Scripture:  Genesis (NIV) 24:43 See, I am standing beside this spring; if a maiden comes out to draw water and I say to her, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar,” 44 and if she says to me, “Drink, and I’ll draw water for your camels too,” let her be the one the LORD has chosen for my master’s son.’ 45 “Before I finished praying in my heart, Rebekah came out, with her jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water, and I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’  46 “She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too.’ So I drank, and she watered the camels also.

Observation:  God answered the prayer even before Abraham’s servant was finished praying!

Application:  Last night I was praying in the car while driving to meet the family of a person who had just died.  I asked the Lord to give me a specific scripture that would give them comfort.  When I arrived I discovered that God had just given one of the family members the perfect scripture.  While I was driving and praying, God was already answering.  When I arrived, God had already answered.  The Bible belonging to the one who had just died easily opened to the very page of a passage that was marked with a highlighter!  (1Corinthians 15:42-44) It ministered to her before her death and to her family after her death!  God had answered my prayer even before I prayed!

Prayer:   Lord, You are amazing.  What a privilege it is to serve you and observe your handiwork.  What a comfort to know you often answer my prayers while I am praying or even before I pray!   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

January 8, 2016:  SOAP #2227:

Scripture:  Luke (NIV) 8:22 One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. 23 As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.  24 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm.  25 “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement, they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”

Observation:   Jesus said, “Let’s go to the other side.”  Their circumstances caused them to forget what He had said.  Their circumstances brought the confession, “we’re going to drown!”  But the One with them was greater than their negative confession—and greater than the storm!   After everything was calm, He had a question for them, “Where is your faith?”

Application:   When my circumstances are greater than I can handle, I confess my hopelessness.  What is in my heart can be heard in my words.  I am so glad that the ONE with me is greater than my negative confessions.  I am glad HE challenges me to put my faith in HIS word.  HE is greater than my circumstances!  HE amazes me with HIS ability to overcome what seems impossible.  The more I know HIM, my confession changes from my hopelessness to HIS ability!

Prayer:   Lord, the better I know You and Your Word, the more the words I speak will reveal my faith in your amazing abilities. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

January 7, 2016:  SOAP #2226: Genesis 18-19;  

Scripture:  Luke (NIV) 7:7 [Roman centurion’s message] …I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.  8 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go’, and he goes; and that one, ‘Come’, and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this’, and he does it.” 9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” 10 Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.

Observation:   The centurion, being UNDER authority, understood authority.  Being UNDER authority caused him to be IN authority.  His word would be carried out because he commanded those under his authority.  He only needed to speak.  The centurion had authority over men; Jesus had authority over disease!  The centurion had authority in the human realm; Jesus had authority in the spiritual realm.  He recognized that the only thing necessary for his servant to be healed, was for Jesus to speak the word.

Application:   People want authority, but do not want to be submissive!  Authority comes in proportion to one’s submission.  The one who is faithful in little will be made ruler over much.  (The important words in the previous sentence are not “little” and “much,” but “faithful” and “ruler.”)

Prayer:   Lord, I want to be your faithful servant.  Use me as you desire and is best for your kingdom! Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

January 6, 2016:  SOAP #2225:  

Scripture:  Luke (NIV) 6:35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Observation:  This morning I saw a young man whose family I have known since moving to Kansas.  I commented to him that he looks so much like his father.  When talking to him, I felt like I was talking to his father.  This evening, I was privileged to visit with the father.  I remembered visiting with his son this morning.  I commented to him how much his son looked like him.

Application:   Why should I love my enemies, do good to them and lend to them without expecting to get anything back?  BECAUSE that is the way my Heavenly Father is!   It is proof that His life is really in me.  It is proof that I am His son and He is my Father.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, I pray that people will see you in me.  I pray that someone might tell you that I look like you.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

January 5, 2016:  SOAP #2224:  

Scripture:  Luke (NIV) 5:15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses.  16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Observation:   Prayer was so important to Jesus that He would “often withdraw” from the crowds to spend time alone with His Father.  Doing His Father’s will was important; so Jesus often spent time in prayer.  Jesus wanted His disciples to have the same priority.  He set them an example.  He told them to pray.  He even taught them how to pray.

Application:  If Jesus, the sinless Son of God, needed time to pray, how much more do I need to spend time with my Heavenly Father.   If prayer was a priority to Him, how much more should it be my priority.

Prayer:   Lord, you walk and talk with me.  You never leave me.  You face everything I face and hear everything I hear.  Yet it is important for me to have time when my focus is only on you and yours is the only voice I hear.  Time alone with you prepares me for the time I am in the crowd.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

January 4, 2016:  SOAP #2223:  

Scripture:  Luke (NIV) 4:32 They were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority… 36 All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What is this teaching?  With authority and power, he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!”

Observation:   Israel had many teachers.  They had rabbis who were expert in knowing what was in the books of Moses.  They had written much on the meaning of the law and on the limitations they claimed the law demanded.  Jesus revealed the hypocrisy of their teachings and lifted many burdens off the people.  His simple stories made points that could not be refuted.  But more than talk, Jesus demonstrated His Heavenly Father’s concern for people by delivering them from demons and healing their physical bodies.  The authority he preached was demonstrated by practical expressions of healing and deliverance!   The people understood this authority.

Application:  For my teaching of God’s Word to have authority, it must have seeable authority in my life; it must affect my actions.  If it does not affect the way I live, how can anyone expect it to affect the way others live?

Prayer:   Lord, I call you Lord in recognition of your authority in my life.  May your Lordship in my life be seen by others too.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

January 3, 2016:  SOAP #2222:  

Scripture:  Luke (NIV) 3:18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and preached the good news to them. 19 But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the other evil things he had done, 20 Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.

Observation:   Jesus spoke very highly of John: “I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist” (Matthew 11:11)  John’s message was a combination of “good news” AND “rebuke.”  If the church wants a commendation like John received from Jesus, it must be faithful to preach both the “good news” and the “rebuke.”

Application:   When someone grabs and saves me from falling on the ground, I appreciate their concern and help.  When someone risks their life to push me out of the way of a speeding car about to hit me, I GREATLY appreciate their concern and help!   The level of perceived danger affects the level of my appreciation!  If the truth about the terribleness of sin and its results is not known, then grace appears to be of little value and not greatly needed!

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, help me faithfully present truth.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

January 2, 2016:  SOAP #2221:  

Scripture:  Luke (NIV) 2:11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.  12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Observation:   Israel had long been looking for deliverance from the rule of Rome.  The good news announced by the angels was that a Savior was now present in the world.  But the Deliverer was only a Baby!  Deliverance would have to wait until the Baby was older.  It would take time.

Application:   Often God’s plan comes packaged in a way that I do not recognize.  I may even think that God forgot to answer my prayer.  But time brings maturity in me and in God’s plan.  And the time comes when His plan can be clearly understood and fulfilled.  He works out every detail!   The Baby became the Deliverer!

Prayer:   Lord, I trust you to work through all things for my good and for your glory!  Your promises are as sure as the past. Your promises are like history being written ahead of time.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!