November 23, 2016: SOAP #2554:  Romans 1-4

Scripture:  Romans (NIV) 1:9 God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 10 in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you.  11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.

Observation:   Paul has a yearning to meet his brothers and sisters in Christ who live in Rome. He wants to see them succeed.  He wants to see them grow.  He wants to see them strong.  He knows that he may have a part in their growth if he can just spend some time with them. Historically, some see evidence that Paul later got to Rome.  It is interesting to me to note that we have no cassette tape of his ministry there and no booklet of sermons preached when he was in Rome.  It is only in the delay of his going that we are blessed.  Out of a heart of concern, a heart of longing to see them, Paul writes this letter, which remains to bless us today!

Application:    May I learn to see delay as God does and may I be fruitful in my times of delay as was Paul.

Prayer:  Jesus, may I come to see you as the Lord of the Delay.  You are the Lord of my Delays.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 29, 2016: SOAP #2553:  1Thessalonians 4-5; 2Thessalonians 1-3

Scripture:  2Thessalonians (NIV) 3:2 And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.  4 We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command.

Observation:    In dealing with other believers, we can have “confidence in the Lord” because “the Lord is faithful.”   He is faithful to work in their lives as He is in our lives.

Application:   When I hear a bride and groom make their wedding vows to each other, I know that in that special moment, they fully intend to keep their promises.  I also know that in the days ahead, they will need a faithful Lord to strengthen them and enable them to live out their promises.  They will need “confidence in the Lord” that their spouse will do “and will continue to do as they promised.

Prayer:  Lord, I know you are faithful to help me, and faithful to help those around me. I have confidence that you will work in my life, and in the lives of those around me.    Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 28, 2016: SOAP #2552:  Matthew 28; 1Thessalonians 1-3

Scripture:   1Thessalonians (NIV) 3:10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.

Observation:   Paul’s love for the people in Thessalonica is obvious as one reads this letter.  Timothy had been sent to check on them and had just returned with good news.  Paul is rejoicing.  Yet he “earnestly” desires to see them again.   He is not concerned about their health, or if they all have jobs.  He is concerned about what might be lacking in their faith.

Application:    Some people are so worried about something missing in their retirement portfolio, or their kitchen, or on their car, but have no concern about what might be lacking in their faith!  I need to be more concerned about my son’s faith than his job.  I need to be concerned about my faith, and the faith of those I love.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, help me have the same concerns you have about me and those I love.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 27, 2016: SOAP #2551:  Psalm 125; Matthew 26-27

Scripture:  Matthew (NIV) 27:62 The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate.  63 “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’  64 So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” 65 “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.”

Observation:   Who remembered what Jesus had said?  It was the Chief priests and the Pharisees!   They even acted in accordance with what they remembered.  If the disciples had remembered His words, they would have been camped out at the tomb.  They would have wanted to be present when Jesus appeared from the grave.  (John 20:9)

Application:   Let it never be said that the people of the world know the scriptures better than I know them.

Prayer:    Holy Spirit, I confess that I need your help to remember what I read in the scriptures.  And give me the courage to act accordingly.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 26, 2016: SOAP #2550:  Matthew 23-25

Scripture:  Matthew (NIV) 23:25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. 27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean.

Observation:   A life that is acceptable to God starts on the inside.  The inside is always more important than the outside!  The inside sets the standard for the outside.  If the inside is good, the outside will not be allowed to remain bad.  If the inside is bad, the outside can be made to look good to hide the inside.  So, cleaning up the outside is not a guarantee that the inside will follow.

Application:  I must remember that God lives inside me and is the first to become aware of my thoughts and attitudes.   By the time they get to the outside where others see them, they are often made more acceptable, but God sees them from the beginning.  If I want God to feel at home in my life, I will need His help in rearranging my thoughts and attitudes.  If I set myself to know His Word and to keep myself aware of His presence, I will be able to count on His help in setting both the inside and the outside of my life in proper order.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, how I need your help to clean up the inside, to keep it clean, and to express Your life on the outside.  I want you to feel at home in me.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 25, 2016: SOAP #2549:  Matthew 20-22

Scripture:  Matthew (NIV) 22:15 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words…. 46 No-one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no-one dared to ask him any more questions.

Observation:  It had been quite a day.  First, the Pharisees tried to trap Jesus with a question paying taxes to Caesar. (verses 15-22)   A second question came from the Sadducees about a woman who had many husbands, the previous ones had died; in heaven, whose wife would she be?  (verses 23-33)    And finally an expert in the law asked which commandment is the greatest? (verses 34-40)    Now it was time for Jesus to ask the question.  How could David call the Christ “Lord” when He was David’s son?   He stopped their questions with a question.

Application:   It is not wrong to ask questions, but using words to trap The One Who is “the Word” is foolish.   No one knows the written word, the Bible, better than the Living Word, Jesus, the Son.  The written word reveals the Living Word who helps me understand the written word.  Loving Jesus leads me to love the Bible.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, thank you for your written word and the Living Word.  Holy Spirit, help me as the Living Word works in my life to align me with your written word.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 24, 2016: SOAP #2548:  Matthew 17-19

Scripture:  Matthew (NIV) 18:12 “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?  13 And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off.  14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.

Observation:   To the shepherds each sheep was important.  They would spend hours, even days, perhaps weeks at a time living with their sheep.  They would get to know them individually.  A good shepherd would quickly know that one was missing; he would recognize which one was missing.

Application:    On this Thanksgiving Day, I am so thankful that my Heavenly Shepherd loves me in the same way!  He spends every hour of every day with me.  He knows me.  When I wonder off, He personally seeks me out.  He is glad when I am safely back in the fold.  He is not willing that I be lost!

Prayer:   Thank you, thank you, thank you!  I have so much for which to be thankful on this Thanksgiving Day.  Thank you for loving me.  Thank you for being my Heavenly Shepherd!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 23, 2016: SOAP #2547:  Matthew 14-16

Scripture:  Matthew (NIV) 14:22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.  23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.  25 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.

Observation:   After feeding the 5000, Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and leave for the other side of the lake.  Then he dismissed the crowd and went up the mountain to pray.  When the evening came, he was alone but the disciples were already fighting the wind and waves.    The next we read is that Jesus went to them, walking on the water, but it was in the “fourth watch of the night.”   That would be between 3:00 am and 6:00 am.  Interesting it is that Jesus had prayed through most of the night; while the disciples had battled the storm most of the night.

Application:    Does Jesus ever send me into the storm?  Yes.  Does He ever leave me in the storm longer that I like?  YES!  What does Jesus do while I am in the storm?  He prays.  (Remember that He told Peter that he had prayed that his faith not fail! Luke 22:32) (Romans 8:34) What does Jesus do for me?  He shows me He is greater than the storm!

Prayer:   Lord, I can trust you.  You will not lead me into a storm for my destruction, but for my instruction.  In the storm, you will teach me more about Yourself.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 22, 2016: SOAP #2546:  Matthew 11-13

Scripture:  Matthew (NIV) 12:1 At that time Jesus went through the cornfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some ears of corn and eat them.  2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”

Observation:   The reason the disciples were being watched is because they were with Jesus.  When they had been fishermen, very few people, if any, would spend time watching them.  But now they were with Jesus and there was always someone watching.  Everything they did was scrutinized and criticized.   It seemed like nothing Jesus did was so good that someone could not find something wrong.  Anyone who claims to walk with Jesus will experience people watching their lives.  People want to see how close they walk to their words.  Is it real?

Application:   Living in a US Navy boot camp barracks, living in a US Marine Corps barracks, serving with a Marine platoon in combat, living on a US Navy ship—these were all times when my life was on display 24 hours a day.  It was important for me to quickly identify with Christ as soon as I arrived at a new duty station.  Then the people would understand why I did not participate with some of their normal activities.  Their constant scrutiny could be an unwanted burden.  Or I could take it as a blessing, seeing they were quick to point out bad attitudes or words hastily spoken.  I could apologize and repent.  They helped me live a life pleasing to the Lord.

Prayer:   Lord Jesus, you have put me on display.  It is your desire that people watch me as I live for you.  May you be easily seen in my words and actions.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 21, 2016: SOAP #2545:  Matthew 8-10

Scripture:  Matthew (NIV) 9:36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Matthew (NIV) 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent out

Observation:   When we love someone, things important to them become important to us.  Here is a verse that is a window into the heart of God.  It tells us what is important to Him.   He sees the world as His harvest field and people as the valuable grain to be harvested.  If the harvest was plentiful 2000 years ago, what is it today???

Application:   As the Heavenly Father sent His Son, Jesus, Jesus sent the disciples into their world.  Today the Holy Spirit is sending me.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, help me see the people around me today as you see them, as ripe for the harvest.  May I be one of the workers in your field. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!