April 20, 2016: SOAP #2330: 1Samuel 23; Psalm 31,54; Matthew 7

Scripture: Matthew (NIV) 7:1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way as you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Observation: Surely this is one of the more well-known verses in the Bible—or at least much quoted. “Do not judge” is commonly quoted by someone who is being accused of doing something wrong and they do not want to hear it.

Application: However, when I see this verse in the light of its immediate context and of other scriptures about judging, it becomes clear that I am not being told not to judge, but how to judge. According to the following three verses, the priority in judging is to first judge myself. “Then I will see clearly…” to judge my brother. A second key point in judging is to remember that I will be judged with the same criteria I use to judge others. I should judge others as I want to be judged.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, you have been so gracious to me. May your grace flow through me to others. Holy Spirit, as a person needing mercy, remind me to be merciful. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

April 19, 2016: SOAP #2329: 1Samuel 22; Psalm 17,35; Matthew 6

Scripture: Matthew (NIV) 6:9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’

Observation: Only God knows how many times this prayer is prayed every day around the world. I wonder how many people realize what they are asking God to do. Asking God to forgive us as we forgive others seems a foolish thing to do if we are not willing to forgive.   If we are only willing to forgive some things, then we are asking God to only forgive us some things. For those who do not want to believe that God would treat us in such a way, just consider the next two verses: Matthew (NIV) 6:14 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Application: It seems to me that the only ones who can pray such a prayer are the ones who can personally call God their Father. It is the Presence of the Great Forgiver that enables me to forgive. To have received God’s forgiveness through the payment of Jesus on the cross for my sins, and then to refuse to forgive others is to de-value His death. I value Jesus’ great sacrifice when I accept that His death on the cross not only covers my sins against God, it also sufficiently covers the sins of others against me.

Prayer:   Jesus, what a great sacrifice you made for me!   I demonstrate your life and honor your death by forgiving others as you forgive me. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

April 18, 2016: SOAP #2328: 1Samuel 20-21; Psalm 34; Matthew 5

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 34:1 [Of David. When he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he left.] I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. 2 My soul will boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. 3 Glorify the LORD with me: let us exalt his name together.

Observation: David was running from King Saul who wanted to kill him, but David was not running from God! Trouble would not stop his praise. Trouble seemed to increase David’s resolve to praise the Lord. His praise would be an encouragement for others who were going through hard times. He even invited them to join him in glorifying the LORD!   He was not looking for someone to do this FOR him, but WITH him! “Let’s do this together!”

Application: May praise be the trademark of my life. By my example, and with my invitation, may others join me in giving the Lord praise.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, you are always worthy of praise. Even when I am in troubled times, I want to praise you! Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

April 17, 2016: SOAP #2327: 1Sam 19; 1Chron 7; Ps 59; Mat 4

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 59:7 See what they spew from their mouths—they spew out swords from their lips, and they say, “Who can hear us?” 8 But you, O LORD, laugh at them; you scoff at all those nations. 9 O my Strength, I watch for you; you, O God, are my fortress, 10 my loving God. God will go before me and will let me gloat over those who slander me.

Observation: As the Psalmist was thinking about his enemies, he did the smart thing. He worked into his thoughts about his enemies the truth about His God. There is no way his enemies could compare to his God!   His enemies thought they were making their plans in secret BUT his God knew what they were planning and laughed at them.

Application: The One who goes before me fully understands the thoughts and plans of those who oppose me. I can walk unafraid when I walk in His footsteps!

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, today I carefully walk in your footsteps. I will be looking for evidence that you are going before me. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

April 16, 2016: SOAP #2326:

Scripture: 1Samuel (NIV) 18:6 When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with tambourines and lutes. 7 As they danced, they sang: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” 8 Saul was very angry; this refrain galled him. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?” 9 And from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.

Observation: What a classic mistake for a leader—to be jealous of the accomplishments of someone who serves under their authority. Instead of being their greatest cheer-leader, they undermine their subordinate’s accomplishments and claim they are of little importance. They feel threatened thinking that the subordinate will someday take their position.

Application: Instead of dominating others, I need to see myself as the soil in which the next generation of leaders is planted and growing. Their accomplishments speak well of the soil in which they were planted and grew. My goal is that the future be in good hands.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, direct my thoughts and input into future leaders. May you get much praise from their ministry! Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

April 15, 2016: SOAP #2325: 1Samuel 17; Psalm 9; Matthew 2

Scripture: 1Samuel (NIV) 17:36 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 37 The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you.”

Observation: David did not see the battle as the others saw it. Most saw it as a fight between the Philistines and the Israelites. Goliath, the nine-foot tall giant, wanted to define it as a battle between himself and one Israelite soldier. David saw it as it truly was—a battle between Goliath and the Living God!   This was far more than just the Israelites against the Philistines. David had no doubt who would win this battle! He did not need to look for a better weapon, the sling in his hand would work fine.

Application: When I find myself in a conflict, I too need to identify who is involved. I need to boldly declare myself to be on God’s side. Like David, I need to use whatever is available to me and trust the outcome to God! If God is with me, I do not need to wait until I have more money, or better equipment.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, it is not how much money I have, or how great my plan. It is knowing that I am on your side and trusting you! Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

April 14, 2016: SOAP #2324:  

Scripture: 1Samuel (NIV) 15:22 But Samuel replied: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

Observation: King Saul had been commanded by the Lord to totally destroy the Amalekites, nothing was to be spared. But he had spared the king and many of the sheep. When Samuel confronted him, the king gave the excuse that the soldiers had kept the best sheep to be sacrificed to the Lord.

Two things are noteworthy. First, King Saul did not take the responsibility for the disobedience, but blamed others. Second, King Saul claimed that the disobedience was justified by some higher purpose—they were to be use for sacrifices. Leaders can always find someone else to blame.   They can justify what they do by claiming good intentions.

Application: I need to be faithful to take responsibility for my actions and for those under my authority. I must always acknowledge that I will never have a better idea than God’s! God will never say to Leon, “What a great idea! I wish I would have thought of that!” Obedience is not an option when God’s directives are clear.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, I trust you enough to obey you. I trust your understanding and wisdom. I trust your ability to speak to me and to work through me. I trust your love for me.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

April 13, 2016: SOAP #2323:  

Scripture: 1Samuel (NIV) 14:6 Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised fellows. Perhaps the LORD will act on our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few.”

2Corinthians (NIV) 13:4 For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God’s power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him to serve you.

Observation: Jonathan and his armor-bearer (just the two of them) climbed up a cliff to take on the Philistines and killed 20 of them in hand-to-hand combat. God used the “few” to bring victory to spread panic in the Philistine camp. Jesus looked totally defeated hanging on the cross, but was resurrected in power and now lives in awesome power!

Application: My weaknesses are so obvious to me, but by the Holy Spirit my life is bound to the powerful Life of Jesus! The purpose of my life is to glorify God by allowing the Holy Spirit to use me to serve others!

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, use me. I am depending on your Presence and power to make my life effective in serving others. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

April 12, 2016: SOAP #2322:  

Scripture: 2Corinthians (NIV) 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Observation: Recently my attention has been drawn to the word “delight.” In the Bible there are many reason for us to “delight” in God. We even see that God “delights” in us. In the above verse we are given a reason to “delight” even in our weaknesses and even in times when people mistreat us. It is then we are really strong.

Application: My weakness is the opportunity for God to work through me in a way that only He gets the glory. When people see what God does through my weakness and limitation, they easily recognize that it had to be God at work. They join me in giving God the glory!

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, thank you for using me. May you find me willing and available to do as you lead. May I not shrink back from trouble but move ahead in faith, eagerly anticipating that you will do what only you can do! Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

April 11, 2016: SOAP #2321:

Scripture: 1Samuel (NIV) 12:22 For the sake of his great name the LORD will not reject his people, because the LORD was pleased to make you his own. 23 As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. 24 But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. 25 Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away.”

Observation: Samuel had anointed Saul as King of Israel and was now moving into “retirement.” In these verses he gives them a three-point message. 1. God chose them and He will not reject them. 2. Samuel will continue to pray for them and teach them. And 3. Their choice would determine their destiny.

Application: I know I can count on God! I know I can count on others to pray for me. I know that my choices will affect my future.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, like Samuel, help me to be faithful to pray for others and to speak truth into their lives. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!