April 9, 2017: SOAP #2684: 1Samuel 6-7; Psalm 72; 2Corinthians 9

Scripture:  1Samuel (NIV) 7:3 And Samuel said to the whole house of Israel, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”… 6 When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. On that day, they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the LORD.” And Samuel was leader of Israel at Mizpah. … 10 While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the LORD thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites.

Observation:  Israel had tried to defeat the Philistines by bringing the Ark of the Covenant to the battlefield.  The presence of God’s Ark did not help them as they were soundly defeated.   The Philistines captured the Ark and took it to their land where they experienced much trouble.   They returned the Ark, but were still the enemies of the Israelites.  The Philistines came to attack Israel as Israel was gathered for a time of repentance.  But this day was different; God uses His resources on behalf of Israel.

Application:  Sin is turning from God and breaking His standards.  Repentance is being sorry enough to admit I have sinned and changing my behavior.  Sin leads to defeat.  Repentance leads to victory.

Prayer:    Heavenly Father, it is important to you that Your people be holy.  You sent Your Son to die for our sins that we can be justified.  Then You sent Your Holy Spirit to live within us that we live a holy life.  Thank you!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

April 8, 2017: SOAP #2683: 1Samuel 3-5; Psalm 77; 2Corinthians 8

Scripture:  1Samuel (NIV) 5:1 After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.  2 Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set it beside Dagon.  3 When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD! They took Dagon and put him back in his place.  4 But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained.

Observation:   The Israelites had brought the Ark of the Covenant from its place in the Holiest of Holies to the battlefield.  In this way, they felt there was no way they could lose.  But God could not honor their desire because of sin.   30,000 Israelites died that day, but the greatest loss was that the Ark was captured by the Philistines!   What a great defeat!

But it was Israel that was defeated, not God.  God was not defeated that day.  The Ark of the Covenant was placed in Dagon’s temple and its presence brought glory to God.  The remaining verses in this chapter give further victories God won in the land of the Philistines.

Application:    Clearly God’s desire is to be glorified in the victories he brings for His people.  However, when His people persist in sin, God can be glorified in their defeat.  We must never forget:  God IS God!

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, You are far above the conflicts we face in this world.  Help me live my life in such a way that you can be glorified in the victories you help me win.    Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

April 7, 2017: SOAP #2682: 1Samuel 1-2; Psalm 66; 2Corinthians 7

Scripture:  1Samuel (NIV) 1:27 I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him.  28 So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life, he shall be given over to the LORD.” And he worshipped the LORD there. 2:1 Then Hannah prayed and said: “My heart rejoices in the LORD; in the LORD my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance.

Observation:   Hannah had suffered much ridicule because she was childless.  She had desperately sought the Lord for a child.  When the Lord gave her a son, she raised him until he was weaned, then brought him to the Eli, the priest, and gave him to the Lord!

Her prayer of praise includes the phrase: “I delight in your deliverance.”  It was indeed God’s deliverance.  For her, it was as miraculous as the parting of the Red Sea when Israel left Egypt.  It was a God-thing.  Only God could open a closed womb, and only God received the credit from Hannah.  God did this for Hannah in answer to Hannah’s prayer!

Application:  Any deliverance is appreciated, but that which can easily be identified as coming from God has special meaning.  It assures me that God is personally interested in me.  God personally acts on my behalf.

Prayer:    Heavenly Father, like Hannah, I delight in your deliverance!  I am so blest to be Your child.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

April 6, 2017: SOAP #2681: Ruth 3-4; Psalm 64, 65; 2Corinthians 6

Scripture:  2Corinthians (NIV) 6:16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God.  As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”  17 “Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”  18 “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

Observation:   How special to be the temple of the living God.  We are His dwelling place.  But God is particular about where He lives.  He is a holy God and wants His people to be holy.  And God wants more.  God wants more than us being a temple, He wants us to be His family, His sons and daughters.  He wants to be a Father to a big family!

Application:  I am a temple of God.  I am a child of God.  We have a unique relationship.  I am His son.  He is my Father.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, I am blest to be your son.  May I be a blessing to you today.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

April 5, 2017: SOAP #2680: Ruth 1-2; Psalm 53, 61; 2Corinthians 5

Scripture:  2Corinthians (NIV) 5:6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.  7 We live by faith, not by sight.  8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due to him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Observation:   The life of the believer is eternal life which has two expressions.  The first expression is being “at home in a physical body.”  The second expression is being “at home with the Lord.”   While at home in the body we “walk by faith, and not by sight.”  While “at home in the body,” we do things for which we will be rewarded when we arrive “at home with the Lord.”  Being “at home with the Lord” is much, much more preferable than being “at home in the body.” But in both expressions of our life, we have one goal: “to please him!”

Application:   My eternal purpose is to make God smile—to bring joy to His heart.

Prayer:    Heavenly Father, my goal for today is to fill your cup with joy.  I want you to be glad I am your child.  As an earthly father takes joy in his child, may you take joy in me. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

April 4, 2017: SOAP #2679: Judges 19-21; 2Corinthians 4

Scripture:  2Corinthians (NIV) 4:1 Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart…
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 

Observation:  Life was not always easy for the Apostle Paul.  He was opposed and persecuted almost everywhere he went.  He was beaten and imprisoned.   Through it all, he “did not lose heart.”  He did not allow the struggle discourage him, depress him, get him down, make him want to quit, or make him question if it was worth the struggle.   

Why did not Paul lose heart?  Paul knew his ministry came from God!  This was God’s assignment.  God had appointed him to this task.  And Paul was renewed day by day.  He did not wait until the church scheduled a revival, Paul had his own revival every day! 

Application:  When I know what I am doing is God’s assignment, I have joy in pleasing Him.  His Presence renews me and I can have my own personal revival every day.   

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, may I be renewed today.  Renew my heart.  Renew my spirit.  Renew my mind.  Give me a fresh awareness of your Presence.  Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity! 

April 3, 2017: SOAP #2678: Judges 17-18; Psalm 89; 2Corinthians 3

Scripture:  Judges (NIV) 18:23 As they shouted after them, the Danites turned and said to Micah, “What’s the matter with you that you called out your men to fight?”  24 He replied, “You took the gods I made, and my priest, and went away. What else do I have? How can you ask, ‘What’s the matter with you?’”  25 The Danites answered, “Don’t argue with us, or some hot-tempered men will attack you, and you and your family will lose your lives.” 26 So the Danites went their way, and Micah, seeing that they were too strong for him, turned around and went back home.

Observation:   The Danites had stolen Micah’s gods and convinced his personal priest to go with them.  Micha had gone after them but was greatly outnumbered.  Did he hear the words coming out of his own mouth?  “You took the god’s I made!”  The gods made by him depended on him for their protection which he was not strong enough to provide. “What’s the matter with you!” they asked Micah.  He should have been asking, “What’s the matter with ME?”   He should have said, “Good riddance, I need a god that can protect me, not one depending on me for protection!”

Application:  When I get upset because I lose something I value, I need to ask myself, “What’s the matter with me!”  The God of all creation loves me!  His Holy Spirit lives with in me!  Why should I be bothered about some earthly possession that I will not be able to take with me when I die?

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, help me keep my priorities straight and my focus on eternity.    Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

April 2, 2017: SOAP #267: Judges 13-16; 2Corinthians 2

Scripture:  2Corinthians (NIV) 2:10 If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, 11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.

Observation:   When we do not forgive we leave an open door for Satan to interfere in our lives.  Not forgiving is sin.  We have been commanded by God to forgive.  Not forgiving others is asking God not to forgive us!  (Matthew 6:15) Not forgiving is not appreciating the forgiveness God has given us.     Not forgiving keeps the hurt we have experienced fresh in our lives.  The issue is unsettled.  It is an account that remains open.  It keeps the past interfering with our present.

Application:   Not forgiving may or may not hurt the person who wronged me, but it always hurts me.  It hurts me again and again as I remember the pain and wait for the offender to make it right.   It is so much better to forgive!    Forgiveness is outwitting Satan!  It destroys the weapons he loves to use against me!

Prayer:   Jesus, your death on the cross was not only sufficient to pay for all my sins against you, it was also sufficient to pay for all the sins against me.  And as the Heavenly Father forgives me because of your sacrifice, so I can forgive those who sin against me.  And so, I pray, “forgive my sins as I forgive those who sin against me.” Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

April 1, 2017: SOAP #2676: Judges 11-12; Psalm 50; 2Corinthians 1

Scripture:  Psalm (NIV) 50:14 Sacrifice thank-offerings to God, fulfil your vows to the Most High, 15 and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”

Observation:   Thank offerings express appreciation for what God has done in the past.  Prayer for help expresses confidence that He is able and faith that He will help!  He likes that!  He likes to be believed.  He likes to be needed.  He likes to show that He uses His power and ability on behalf of the weak and helpless.

Application:    My weaknesses do not bother God.  He is not staying awake all night worrying over my weaknesses.  He is not wringing His hands in concern over my inabilities.  God has more than enough strength, and more than enough ability to make up for my lack.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, you like it when I depend on you.  My weakness provides you the opportunity to demonstrate your strength.  You express your love by doing what I cannot do for myself!  You forgave my sins!  I thank you.  I honor you. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!