September 10, 2016: SOAP #2473:  Lamentations 3-5; Revelation 15

Scripture:  Lamentations (NIV) 5:17 Because of this our hearts are faint; because of these things our eyes grow dim 18 for Mount Zion, which lies desolate, with jackals prowling over it.  19 You, O LORD, reign forever; your throne endures from generation to generation.  20 Why do you always forget us? Why do you forsake us so long?  21 Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may return; renew our days as of old 22 unless you have utterly rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure.

Observation:   These last six verses in the book of Lamentations shows me that trouble did not blocked out Jeremiah’s vision of God.   He cried many tears over his people, but He remained confident that God’s reign was not threatened.   The sin for which Jeremiah’s generation was receiving God’s judgment, did not threaten God’s reign.

Application:   Nothing that has happened from Jeremiah’s day to my day has threatened to remove God from His throne.  Looking back through history, we see that the reigning God did not utterly reject the Jews.  He restored them to bring about the birth of Jesus.  Even more recently (since World War II) He has restored them again to their land and place among the nations as the church age comes to an end.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, indeed you reign forever; your throne endures from generation to generation!   Your authority and power have not been weakened.  You remain faithful to your word!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

September 9, 2016: SOAP #2472:  Lamentations 1-2; Obadiah; Revelation 14

Scripture:  Lamentations 2:1 How the Lord has covered the Daughter of Zion with the cloud of his anger! He has hurled down the splendor of Israel from heaven to earth; …  2 Without pity the Lord has swallowed up all the dwellings of Jacob… 3 In fierce anger he has cut off every horn of Israel. … 4 … he has poured out his wrath like fire… 5 The Lord is like an enemy;

Observation:   The holiness of God was expressed in anger at the sin of the people He loved—the people chosen to bring Jesus the Savior into the world.  Even though they were God’s chosen, he released His anger at their sin.  God’s anger was released to save Israel from the full destructive effects of sin.  His anger is proof that sin really matters to God.  The cross is the proof that in love He is willing to be personally involved in settling the issue of our sin.

Application:  How can I think that God will deal with my nation by overlooking our sins?   How can I think that our history does not matter to God?  How can I think that my history does not matter to God?    But as much as my history matters, I know my future matters even more.  He has great and eternal plans for me, far beyond my comprehension!

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, thank you for your grace and mercy.  Thank you for being a Holy God!  I worship you in the beauty of Your perfect holiness.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

September 8, 2016: SOAP #2471:  Jeremiah 42-44; Psalm 48; Rev 13

Scripture:  Psalm (NIV) 48:8 As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD Almighty, in the city of our God: God makes her secure forever. Selah

Observation:    What they heard had been verified by what they saw.  They remembered what they had been told; it might have seemed too good to be true.  But after seeing it with their own eyes, they had to admit that they had been told the truth.
The Queen of Sheba visited King Solomon and declared that what she saw was far better than she had been told.  (1Kings 10:6-7)   The Samaritans told the woman who had met Jesus at the well, “We heard what you said, but now we have heard him ourselves!” (John 4:42)

Application:    Having a personal experience with Jesus always surpasses what we have heard from someone else!
For people who have only previously heard that I am a Christian, may what they see verify the truth that I love Jesus!

Prayer:    Holy Spirit, may this be true in your church.  When people accept the invitation to come, may they have a similar testimony—being there was better than just hearing about it.    Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

September 7, 2016: SOAP #24780:  2Kings 25; 2Chronicles 36; Jeremiah 40-41; Revelation 12

Scripture:  2Chronicles (NIV) 36:22 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfil the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in writing:  23 “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: “‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Anyone of his people among you—may the LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.’”

Observation:    King Cyrus was a king of a nation that did not serve Jehovah God.  He was the most powerful man in the world.  Yet he seemed not to be a prideful man thinking he had accomplished everything himself.  He realized that the God of heaven had given him this great kingdom.  This God had a special purpose for him.  He had been assigned to build a temple in Jerusalem.

Application:    It is important to realize that God has put me where He wants me and has assignments for me.  Like King Cyrus, I need to make preparations to accomplish His assignment.   And it is good for me to realize that God can use people to do His will even if they are not yet part of His kingdom.  Like God caused King Cyrus to look on the Jews with favor, God can do the same for me.

Prayer:    Heavenly Father, what you have assigned me may seem impossible for me to accomplish, but I must walk in faith that you have people nearby who will look on me with favor and come to my help.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

September 6, 2016: SOAP #2469:  Ezekiel 29-32; Revelation 11

Scripture:  Revelation (NIV) 11:16 And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshipped God, 17 saying: “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. 18 The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great—and for destroying those who destroy the earth.”

Observation:   I see this as a time when God gathers all the authority He has delegated and begin to reign as the sovereign God He is.  He has assigned to every person a measure of authority and He will hold them accountable for the choices they made.

Application:   I will be held accountable for the authority I have over myself, over my family, over my ministry and every responsibility God has placed under my supervision.  To God, every responsibility is a spiritual responsibility.  There is no difference between church responsibilities and bus driving responsibilities.  To God I will answer for both.

Prayer:    Holy Spirit, keep reminding me that my life is all about serving my Heavenly Father and making decisions that will honor Him.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

September 5, 2016: SOAP #2468:  Ezekiel 25-28; Revelation 10

Scripture:  Ezekiel (NIV) 25:1The word of the LORD came again unto me, 27:1 The word of the LORD came again unto me, 28:1 The word of the LORD came again unto me, 28:20 Again the word of the LORD came unto me,

Observation:   God knew that Ezekiel would recognize His voice and would be faithful to pass along His message, so He spoke to Ezekiel again, and again, and again.

Application:  I must be faithful to listen for His voice.  Hearing His voice and understanding His word for today must be a priority.

Prayer:    Holy Spirit, make God’s word clear to me, not only what He said to the Israelites and the early church, but what He is saying to me and to those around me today.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

September 4, 2016: SOAP #2467:  Ezekiel 22-24; Revelation 9

Scripture:  Revelation (NIV) 9:20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:

Observation:  Sin is so illogical!   People worship idols made of gold, silver, brass, stone and wood.  These idols cannot see, cannot hear, or cannot walk.  The God who can see, who can hear, and who can walk—move Himself around without being carried, this God brings judgment on them for their sins, yet they illogically choose to worship the lifeless idols that cannot do anything for itself, or for them!

Application:  To put my trust in my job, or my government, or my savings account, or my own abilities rather than to trust in the Lord God is just as illogical!    To forget that God is holy is a major mistake!  To think that sin is of no importance is to ignore what it cost His Son to provide forgiveness and entrance for me into His presence totally forgiven.

Prayer:    Holy Spirit, help me make good decisions based on what I know about my loving and holy Heavenly Father. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

September 3, 2016: SOAP #2466:  Ezekiel 20-21; Psalm 111; Revelation 8

Scripture:  Psalm (NIV) 111:2 Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who delight in them. (MSSG) 111:2 GOD’s works are so great, worth A lifetime of study—endless enjoyment!

Observation:   Dictionary.com gives one of the definitions for the word “science” as “the systematic knowledge of the physical or material world gained through observation and experimentation.”  I think that is what the above verse is saying.  Even people who do not believe in God are fascinated with His creation.  They take delight in what He has created.

Application:    Knowing the Creator causes me to enjoy His handiwork that surrounds me.  His presence and works are seen in all his creation.  From the smallest atoms with their neutrons, protons, and electrons to the largest stellular formations with their stars, planets and moons I can see His majesty and intrinsic symmetry.  I see that same pattern in a cell, the basic structural unit of all organisms.  It is God’s signature design.  I am not a scientist; my knowledge is so limited; yet I do ponder God’s great handiwork.

Prayer:    Heavenly Father, thank you for the privilege of driving a school bus on the dusty country roads that cause my heart to overflow in praise at the wonder of Your creation.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

September 2, 2016: SOAP #2465:  Ezekiel 17-19; Revelation 7

Scripture:  Ezekiel (NIV) 18:21 “But if a wicked man turns away from all the sins he has committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. 22 None of the offences he has committed will be remembered against him. Because of the righteous things he has done, he will live.  23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?

Observation:   Passages that reveal what pleases God are always worth a second glance.  What brings God pleasure?   Psalm 116:15 tells us “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His faithful servants.”  They enter into heaven to spend eternity with Him.  For this they were created!   Their presence in heaven brings Him great joy!   However, the verse above shows us that He takes no such pleasure in the death of the wicked.  Their eternal home will be a place of torment and regret!   In that He can take no pleasure.

Application:    The more I know Him, the more I want to know about Him.  I want to know His likes and dislikes.   No wonder heaven rejoices when someone repents and sets their life to follow Him!  (Luke 15:7) That should be my goal, helping many turn to Him!

Prayer:    Holy Spirit, help me join in doing what brings the Heavenly Father much joy.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

September 1, 2016: SOAP #2464:  Ezekiel 15, 16; Psalm 70; Revelation 6

Scripture:  Revelation (NIV) 6:15 Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

Observation:    One does not have to read in the Bible very long to discover that God has a great capacity to love, and also a great capacity for wrath.   He is not a disinterested third party that hardly ever takes a second thought about the people He has placed on this planet.  He is very interested!   He greatly loves His creation.  And that which He greatly loves can stir His great anger!

Application:   When I love someone, I want to know their likes and dislikes.  I want to do things that bring them pleasure—things that are good for them.   I want to observe what they do and understand why.  Before long I am not surprised at how they react when confronted with various circumstances.  I want to know God in such a way.  I want to understand why He does what He does.

Prayer:    Holy Spirit, from what I read in the scriptures I have come to believe that the Heavenly Father wants me to know Him in such a close way that I can understand His heart.  You, Holy Spirit, are the key to revealing His heart to me.  You are the teacher I need.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!