May 11, 2016: SOAP #2351: 2Samuel 19, 20; Psalm 55; Matthew 28

Scripture: Matthew (NIV) 28:8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshipped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

Observation: What a combination of emotions—“afraid yet filled with joy.” Were they afraid that what the angel had just told them might not be true? But despite their fear, they started off to do as the angel had instructed them, to go tell his disciples. And AS THEY WENT, Jesus met them!   He understood and dealt with their fear.

Application: What joy is mine to know that God knows who I am and has something for me to do. I must not let fear stop me from doing what I have been given to do. AS I OBEY, Jesus will come to me and remove the fear!

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, I count on your Presence as I step out “afraid, yet filled with joy.’’ It is well worth the risk to move in faith. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

May 10, 2016: SOAP #2350: 2Samuel 18; Psalm 56; Matthew 27 In God We Trust

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 56:3 When I am afraid, I will trust in you. 4 In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me? … 10 In God, whose word I praise, in the LORD, whose word I praise— 11 in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

Observation: The more one knows God, the more logical it is to trust Him! When He is for us, who can be against us! (Romans 8:31)
Application: Many people can sing from memory the national anthem of the Unites States, but few know that there are four stanzas. The fourth verse is my favorite:

O, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand,
Between their loved homes and the war’s desolation;
Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

I have made it a practice to never leave a coin laying on the ground, even if it is only a penny. I pick it up and read “In God We Trust.” It serves as a reminder that I have no reason to fear.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, when I am afraid I trust in you. When I am perplexed I trust in you. At all times, good and bad, I trust in you! Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

May 9, 2016: SOAP #2349: 2Samuel 17; Psalm 71; Matthew 26

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 71:1 In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame. 2 Rescue me and deliver me in your righteousness; turn your ear to me and save me.   3 Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

Observation: The last few days, God has been drawing my attention to similar verses. God is my Hiding place. It is good for me to make preparations for trouble ahead of time. In the verses above, I hear God assuring me that He is my refuge, my hiding place, my safety in time of trouble.

Application: Today God is emphasizing something special. He is not providing me a refuge, HE IS MY REFUGE!   I do not have a refuge apart from Him! Apart from Him, there is no reliable refuge!

Prayer:   In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge. You are willing and capable of protecting and providing for me. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

May 8, 2016: SOAP #2348: 2Samuel 15, 16; Psalm 32; Matthew 25

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 32:6 Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him. 7 You are my hiding-place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah

Observation: It is good to pray in time of trouble, but in these verses I hear the psalmist encouraging prayer before the trouble comes. Pray while you have time to pray. Pray when you can wait on Him. Pray until you find His will for your life. Later when the trouble comes, it will not destroy you. Make God your hiding place now before the trouble comes, then you will have a place of protection and deliverance.

Application: In this area of the world, many new houses that do not have basements are built with a tornado proof room to which a family can go when tornadoes are in the area. These “hiding places” should be stocked ahead of time with flashlights, batteries, storm radios, some food and water, some clothing and a first aid kit. When the storm is coming there will not be time to gather what might be needed. It must be prepared ahead of time. Every day, in spending time in prayer and God’s Word, I am preparing my hiding place to which I will go when trouble comes my way.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, how special it is to know that you are my safe place, you are my hiding place! You are my protection. You give me songs of deliverance that my heart can sing even when the storm is raging around me! Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

May 7, 2016: SOAP #2347: 2Samuel 13, 14; Matthew 24

Scripture: Matthew (NIV) 24:23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time.

Observation: Jesus was explaining to his disciples about the end times. Satan and his kingdom would be on an all-out attack to destroy God’s Kingdom. Jesus was giving them warning “ahead of time.”

Application: It cannot be stressed too much: I need to keep myself in touch with the Holy Spirit. As the disciples needed to be listening to Jesus, I need to be listening to the Holy Spirit. He can tell me “ahead of time.” He can help me be prepared  I wander how many times I have been totally unprepared for a crisis because I was not listening “ahead of time.”

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, I know you are faithful to speak to me. May I be faithful in listening. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

May 6, 2016: SOAP #2346: 2Samuel 11, 12; Psalm 51; Matthew 23

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 51:10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Observation: What a joy and peace is theirs whose hearts are right with God. Sometimes it is not appreciated until it is lost. David had sinned and lost his joy. He knew what it was like to have a heart at peace with God and full of His joy. Perhaps he had not considered the high cost of spending a night with Bathsheba. But the act was done and Bathsheba’s husband had been murdered. And David had lost his peace and joy. Only God could forgive and restore.

Application: Not only can God forgive and restore, He does it willingly to those who confess their sins and ask His forgiveness. Through the death of His Son, Jesus, my debt has been covered. Peace and joy are mine!

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, If I confess my sins; you are faithful and just to forgive my sins and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. (1John 1:9) With my mouth I confess that I have sinned; with my mouth I confess that you are my Lord. (Romans 10:9-10) Thank you for your forgiveness and the joy of your salvation. I surrender my life to your control. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

May 5, 2016: SOAP #2345: 2Sam 10; 1Chron 20; Ps 20; Mat 22

Scripture: Matthew (NIV) 22:4 “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

Observation: Four words in the above verse stopped my reading. The Holy Spirit had something to say to me. “Everything is ready” tells me that preparations are complete. The time is now. “Come” is an invitation to enter into the festivities. I must leave where I am and what I am doing.

Application: The time I have waited for is here. What God has in store is greater than the past. The joy of entering into God’s plans are greater than the sorrow of leaving my plans.

Prayer:   Lord, my life is yours. Your plans are more important than mine. You have prepared and equipped me to do what you have planned. Your plan is to be with me and do your work through me.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

May 4, 2016: SOAP #2344: 2Samuel 8,9; 1Chronicles 18,19; Matthew 21

Scripture: Matthew (NIV) 21:12 Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money-changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers’.” 14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them.

Observation: Jesus was known for the miracles and healings that accompanied His teaching ministry. When people heard that Jesus was nearby, they went to the temple expecting to be healed or to see healings and miracles. In the verses above, the people came to the temple because they heard Jesus was there. The blind and lame came expecting something to happen.

Application: When people come to church today—what are they expecting? I think that many church goers do not expect much, and they usually get what they expect. They go expecting to meet their friends, and they do. They expect to hear a message from the Bible, and they do. They expect to sing some songs of worship, and they do. But they do not expect to see healings and miracles, and they don’t!   Hmmmm…

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, we need your presence and ministry to change the expectations of people going to church. Change my expectations, I pray. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

May 3, 2016: SOAP #2343: 2Samuel 7; 1Chronicles 17; Psalm 2; Matthew 20

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 2:1 Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One. 3 “Let us break their chains,” they say, “and throw off their fetters.” 4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.

Observation: Nations, people groups, kings, and rulers may all gather together against God. They would throw off His bands. They say, “Who does He think He is to try to control us!” They may gather all their strength. They may combine all their knowledge. So, how does God handle such opposition? He laughs. They are no threat to Him!

Application: God deserves my greatest respect.   I respect Him by listening to His voice. I respect Him by obeying Him. Any opposition I face is not a bother to God and not worthy of my worry.

Prayer:    Heavenly Father, there is nothing on earth to measure your might or your wisdom. I am amazed that One so great is mindful of me and works all things together for my good! Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

May 2, 2016: SOAP #2342: 1Chronicles 16; Psalm 106; Matthew 19

Scripture: 1Chronicles (NIV) 16:15 He remembers his covenant forever, the word he commanded, for a thousand generations, 16 the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac. 17 He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant: 18 “To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion you will inherit.”

Observation: In David’s song, he reminded the people of God’s promise that can be read in Genesis 17:8 and four or five other places in Genesis.

Application: Almost every time I hear or read about Israel in the news, I remember that God keeps His promises! I am reminded that God is still interested in the affairs of people and nations! I am reminded that His promises to me are also reliable.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, you are the GREAT PROMISE KEEPER! Thank you for your faithfulness in keeping your promises to Israel. Thank you for being faithful in keeping your promises to me. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!