October 21, 2016: SOAP #2514:  Job 9-10; Acts 13-14

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 13:1 In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2 While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

Observation:  Worship is a good setting for God to speak to His people.  The heart is aware of His Presence.  The mind is contemplating His character and ways.  The ears are open to hearing what God is saying.  The person is in an attitude of faith and ready to commit to doing what God directs.   And for the church in Antioch, it was also a time of fasting.  Fasting is saying “no” to the flesh so that we can better hear God and say “yes” to Him.    The word to Saul was confirmation for what Ananias had spoken to him in Acts 9:15.   It was a word of timing; now was the time God would fulfill that word in Saul’s life.

Application:   It is good to tune my spirit to the Lord by tuning out things of the world, things that appeal to my human nature.  And during times of worship, I should expect God to speak to and through me.   When God speaks to me, I should be quick to take action to obey.

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, as you have created and called me to do your will, I expect that you will reveal your will to me.  Lord, as in the verses above, you did not talk specifically to Barnabas and Saul, but you spoke to the church about them.  May I also be present in church when you speak to someone about me.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 20, 2016: SOAP #2513:  Job 6-8; Acts 12

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 12:5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

Observation:   Peter was in prison, but the church was praying.  Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, but the church was praying.  Peter was bound with chains, but the church was praying.  There were sentries at the entrance and two levels of guards, but the church was praying.
The church was not picketing the jail; the church was praying.  The church was not standing outside the governor’s house; the church was on its knees in Mary’s house.  The church was not talking to its representatives; the church was talking to its God!   The church was not organizing a letter writing campaign; the church making a direct appeal to the One who has many creative ways of dealing with such problems.

Application:   In times of trouble, I can think of many things to do.  If they work, I may receive the glory.  But when I pray I am acting like it all depends on God; and when God answer’s my prayers, He gets the glory!  God has many creative ways of answering prayer.  Sometimes His creative ways include me, but my part can never be interpreted as bringing about the needed answer.  (i.e. Moses lifted rod could never be seen as the reason the Red Sea parted for Israel to cross.)

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, use my prayers to cause people to look to you for the needed answer and then give you the glory as they see your answer.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 19, 2016: SOAP #2512:  Job 5; Psalm 108; Acts 10-11

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 11:28 One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) 29 The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea. 30 This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

Observation:   Giving is a MAJOR part of a Christian’s life.

Application:    Sometimes God speaks to us to give a specific possession or amount of money.  We give in obedience to the One we call Lord.   Sometimes God has us give sacrificially.  We give more than our budget will allow.   We give in faith that God will make up the shortage.     Sometimes God shows us a need and we respond as the disciples did in verse 29 above.  We give according to our ability.  We recognize that we only have what God has given us and it all really belongs to Him.  So we exercise our authority over our finances and give as we are able.  We make a choice to manage our/His possessions in a way that will bring Him the most joy.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, I know my Heavenly Father is a giver and it brings Him joy when I am a giver.  Teach me to give, show me how and what to give.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 18, 2016: SOAP #2511:  Job 3-4; Acts 8-9

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 8:1 And Saul was consenting unto his [Steven’s] death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.  … 4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word.

Observation:   As Jesus was leaving He gave what we today call the Great Commission:  Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Just before He ascended into heaven He gave some instructions:  Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. However, the church seemed content to remain in Jerusalem until persecution caused them to scatter throughout Judea and Samaria.

It is interesting to me that Paul was key in fulfilling Acts 1:8.   First, as a passionate persecutor he helped scatter the church throughout Judea and Samaria.  Second, as a passionate believer, he personally carried the gospel to the uttermost part of the Roman Empire.

Application:   Times of trouble can motivate me and give me opportunity to shine the light of God’s presence and glory in my world.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, help me to be focused on the big picture and not just my comfort. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 17, 2016: SOAP #2510:  Job 1-2; Acts 6-7

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 7:30 “After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai.  31 When he saw this, he was amazed at the sight. As he went over to look more closely, he heard the Lord’s voice:

Observation:   Steven is on trial before the Sanhedrin, a council of seventy senators.  In his defense, Stephen is reviewing the history of Israel.  With only five words, Steven covers a period of forty years.   Moses had spent those forty years in the dessert, living in exile from his family in Egypt.   Each one of those forty years had 365 mornings and nights.  They had been long years of tending sheep.  Yet they are covered in one breath by Steven.

Application:  In looking back at God’s working in my life, I too see times when it seems nothing was happening in my life.  I believe God had “spacer” times to have me in the right place at the right time.  The times did not seem very productive, but they were important.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, I trust you to send me where you want me and to put “spacers” in my life so that I will be there at the perfect time.  Help me appreciate the “spacers.”  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 16, 2016: SOAP #2509:  Malachi 3-4; Psalm 148; Acts 5

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 5:40 …They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. 42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is

Observation:  For the early church in the book of Acts, being a Christian and serving the Lord NEVER STOPPED!   Every day of the week it was proper to talk about Jesus.  In the temple courts and in their homes, they talked about Jesus.  They never stopped!

Application:   I have known people so taken with an issue that they never stop talking about it.  It becomes a part of every conversation.  I know if we engage in conversation, we will soon be talking about their special passion.  May that be me and Jesus!

Prayer:   Lord Jesus, you fill my heart with your Presence!  Even when no other person is present, I know I am not alone.  Your praise flows from my heart through my lips.    Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 15, 2016: SOAP #2508:  Nehemiah 13; Malachi 1-2; Acts 4

Scripture:  Nehemiah (NIV) 13:6 But while all this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Sometime later I asked his permission 7 and came back to Jerusalem. Here I learned about the evil thing Eliashib had done in providing Tobiah a room in the courts of the house of God. 8 I was greatly displeased and threw all Tobiah’s household goods out of the room.  9 I gave orders to purify the rooms, and then I put back into them the equipment of the house of God, with the grain offerings and the incense.

Observation:   Nehemiah had been in Jerusalem earlier and had set things in order.  Then he had to return to his responsibilities in Babylon where he served the king.  After a while, he asked permission to return to Jerusalem.  There he found that Tobiah, who had resisted the Jews in rebuilding the walls around Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2:10 and 4:3) was now being allowed to live in the temple!!!

Application:  It is amazing how easily the enemy of our soul can slip into our lives and become a part of our affections.  We need to cleanse and restore the temple of our lives.  There may be priorities in our lives, our homes our church that have slipped and need to be re-established.   We once honored God by tithing, or serving in a special ministry, or having daily times dedicated to the Lord.  We need to be like Nehemiah and restore God’s priorities.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, in our nation we have allowed dangerous people to slip and take up residence in our government.  We have been blest with a constitution that frees the people and limits the government.  They want to remove the limits on government and change the constitution to limit the citizens.  Help us, like Nehemiah, to remove them.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 14, 2016: SOAP #2507:  Nehemiah 11-12; Psalm 1; Acts 3

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 3:6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”

Observation:  The crippled beggar was hoping people would give him money.  When he had Peter and John’s attention, he was expecting to receive some money.  But that day, he received more than money could buy!   Peter believed that what he had to give was better than money.

“…what I have…”  Are we aware of “what” we have?  We have the same God Peter had!  We have the same Holy Spirit!  We have the same Name with which to bring the authority of heaven to earth!
“…I give you…”  Are we willing to part with what we have?  Do we have enough faith to act upon what we have?
“…In the name of Jesus Christ…”  He was speaking under the authority of Jesus Christ.
“…walk.”  Do it!

Application:   I receive many Facebook requests for “support” or “participation in ministry” or “love.”  Many are looking for money to help with their worthy needs.  But God has given me something better than money.  He has given me His Word!  People who have the Word in their hearts are never without something to give!

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, thank you for giving me Your powerful word to share with others.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 13, 2016: SOAP #2506:  Nehemiah 9-10; Acts 2

Scripture:  Nehemiah (NIV) 9:17 They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them… But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore, you did not desert them, 18 even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf and said, ‘This is your god, who brought you up out of Egypt,’ or when they committed awful blasphemies. 19 “Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the desert. By day the pillar of cloud did not cease to guide them on their path, nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take. 20 You gave your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold your manna from their mouths, and you gave them water for their thirst.

Observation:    The Israelites had abandoned their God even when they were totally dependent on Him!   Not a smart move!   If God had stopped the supply of manna, or the water from the rock they would have all died in the wilderness.  Even though God was angry with them, He did not stop supplying their daily needs.  The cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not stop.

Application:   I too have found God to be forgiving, gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in love!   Even when I have refused His directions, He has not abandoned me.  He has not stopped leading me nor providing for me!   What a faithful God.  It makes me want to be more faithful in following Him!   He is obviously worthy of my devotion!

Prayer:   Lord, you are worthy of my devotion and obedience.  What an honor to follow you.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 12, 2016: SOAP #2505:  Nehemiah 7-8; Acts 1

Scripture:  Nehemiah (NIV) 8:7 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place. 8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading… 12 And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.

Observation:   Understanding God’s Word has always been important, in the Old Testament and in the New Testament.  Establishing schools has been a priority in Christianity.  God wants His people to understand His word!!!   The gift of teachers is one of the gifts mentioned in the fourth chapter of Ephesians.  It is the priority of leaders to make sure God’s people understand God’s Word.

Application:   My priority is not that people understand me, but understand God’s Word.   I need to encourage them to read God’s Word.  I need to help people understand what they read.  I need to encourage them to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s Word to their heart.  I need to encourage them to expect the Holy Spirit to give understanding and to personally speak through the Bible.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, it was your anointing that moved holy men of God to write God’s Word.  (2Peter 1:21)   It is your anointing in our hearts today that gives us understanding of God’s Word. (1John 2:27)   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!