May 31, 2017: SOAP #2736: Proverbs 16-18: Romans 12

Scripture: Romans (NIV) 12:17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.
18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.

Observation: We often think that it is our responsibility to make sure that those who do us evil reap what they sow. The words “repay” and “revenge” indicate that the motive is getting even, or giving back what we have received. Paul assures us that God is more than able to repay the evil that has come our way.

Application: The words ” … leave room … ” lets me know that I can crowd God out of the process. I wonder if there are evil people who have not gotten all that they deserved because in my insistence in repaying I have crowded God out of the picture.

There is very little opportunity to win a person as a friend when I am insisting on repaying them the evil they have done to me. However, God’s wrath can be redemptive. If I leave the repaying in God’s hands, they may become more than a friend, they may become a brother or sister in Christ!

“Be careful … ” tells me that this is something to which I must give attention. This has priority and I need to “be careful” to do what is right. There are many eyes on me. I should not say that it does not matter what people see. It does matter!

Prayer: Holy Spirit remind me that my Heavenly Father takes what happens to me personally. Remind me that He is more than able to set things right! Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

May 30, 2017: SOAP #2735: Proverbs 13-15; Romans 11

Scripture: Proverbs (NIV) 15:3 The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.

Observation: There is no one who has better eyesight than the LORD! He does not need glasses! He has 20/20 plus eyesight! He does not need informers. He has not sent out His assistants to report back to Him on how we are doing. He sees everything personally! He sees as well at night as in the day.

Such knowledge should strike fear in those who do evil. They will not escape. The JUDGE will not need a prosecuting attorney to make sure HE understands the gravity of the charges. The JUDGE is His own personal witness! No excuse will stand before this court!

Such knowledge should fill God’s servants with hope and encouragement! God sees the good too! The smallest good deed does not escape Him. Others may not notice, but God does not miss a thing!

Application: Often little children will look around to see if their parents are watching, hoping to get a “well done!” No need for me to look around to see if He is watching. He is!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I know you see everything that happens on this earth you created. I know your heart is broken at the evil you see. I pray that what you see in me brings you joy. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

May 29, 2017: SOAP #2734: Proverbs 10-12; Romans 10

Scripture: Romans (NIV) 10:5 Moses describes in this way the righteousness that is by the law: “The man who does these things will live by them.”

Observation: The only righteousness the law can give comes by keeping the law. A person’s righteousness is obtained and maintained by keeping the law. If he keeps the law, he is righteousness. If he does not keep the law, he is not righteous.

If it is important to God that we be righteous, and if righteousness can only be obtained through keeping the law, God is going to be sorely disappointed, because we have all broken the law. We were guilty even before it was given!

Application: If it is important to God that I be righteous, then He will have to find some way other than the law. He will have to find some way to impute righteousness to me, for I cannot get it on my own.

Praise the Lord, Romans 10 continues on to explain that there is a righteousness God offers me by grace and that I can receive by faith. (verses 9-11)

Prayer: Heavenly Father, in your great wisdom, you made a way. In your great love you sent your Son, Jesus the Christ, to make the perfect payment for my sins. Then you sent your Holy Spirit to live within me to help me live out my daily life. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

May 28, 2017: SOAP #2733: Proverbs 7-9; Romans 9

Scripture:  Proverbs (NIV) 8:15 [Wisdom speaking:] By me kings reign and rulers make laws that are just; 16 by me princes govern, and all nobles who rule on earth. 17 I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me. 18 With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity. 19 My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver.  20 I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, 21 bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full.

Observation:  The wisdom speaking in the book of Proverbs is closely tied to justice and wealth.  One characteristic of worldly wisdom is that it depends on wealth.  Those who have or control money are seen to have wisdom.  But with Godly wisdom it is different.  It does not depend on wealth, but true wealth depends on wisdom.  Enduring wealth accompanies this wisdom.  (vs.18) This wisdom even brings wealth to others. (vs.19)

Rulers using worldly wisdom have trouble making laws that are truly just.  And instead of having treasuries that are full, they end up leading their nation into great debt.

Application:  I have found that what applies to nations also applies to households.  When asked about our retirement plan, I can say it was simple we tithed.  We are enjoying His provision.  We have discovered the wisdom of God’s ways.  In Malachi 3:10 God said, “Prove me…”  He has proved faithful to His word!

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, as the songwriter wrote, Great is Thy faithfulness!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

May 27, 2017: SOAP #2732: Proverbs 4-6; Romans 8

Scripture:  Romans (NIV) 8:18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

Observation:   Two things are intertwined in this verse: suffering and glory.  In life, those who endure and overcome the greatest hardship generally share in the greatest glory.  Those we set as heroes are those who have faced great difficulties and overcame.  They did not give up in the struggle.

The state motto of Kansas, as seen on our state flag: ad aspra per aspera means “to the stars through difficulty.”  It refers to becoming a state and having a star, representing Kansas, added to the nation’s flag.  When Kansas was added to the union, the balance of “free” verses “slave” states was broken.  The “free” states now had a majority and the civil war began.  

Suffering and glory are intertwined; however, Paul says that though intertwined, they are not comparable!   The amount of future glory far outweighs any present suffering!  They are not even worth comparing!

The suffering is earthly, the glory will be heavenly!  The suffering is temporary, the glory will be eternal!  The suffering is often from the hands of man, the glory will come from the hand of God! The suffering is often misunderstood, even by our closest friends, but the glory will be clear to all!    

Application:  Serving God is well worth any sacrifice that may be required!

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, you are worthy of any suffering that may come our way.  And what you have prepared for us will far surpass any suffering endured here.  Amen         

Pastor Leon 

Making friends for time and eternity! 

May 26, 2017: SOAP #2731: Proverbs 1-3; Romans 7

Scripture:  Proverbs (NIV) 3:13 Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, 14 for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold.

Observation:   I get advertisement weekly about places to invest money.   Banks advertise their interest rates.  Investment companies advertise the rate of growth for their various funds.   Yet no matter how high the interest rate, no matter how great the return, King David told his son Solomon something was more profitable than investing in silver or than holding gold.    

Application:  Wisdom and understanding—that is where the real value in life can be found.  Wisdom and understanding help me with the true value of things in my life.  Wisdom and understanding not only help me obtain needed resources, they help me properly utilize the resources I already have.     

Prayer:   Jesus, I am thankful that you have become wisdom for me. (1Corinthians 1:30) Indeed, you are more precious than silver and more valuable than gold.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!  

May 25, 2017: SOAP #2730: 1Kings 10, 11; 2Chronicles 9; Romans 6

Scripture: Romans (NIV) 6:3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?  4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

Observation: Paul, who elsewhere wrote, “I am crucified with Christ â€¦ ” here reminds us that we were also buried with Him.  One does not bury a friend to kill them, but to properly place the body left behind in some appropriate location.  Since our bodies were taken from the earth, it is appropriate to bury them in the ground.  This is a symbolic burial because we still need our earthly bodies.  So, we baptize them in water instead of burying them in the ground. Praise the Lord that the great theme of salvation has two parts.

And so, baptism has two aspects.  The first is death.  The second is life.  Going under the water signifies our death to an old way of life, but being brought up out of the water signifies our resurrection to a new way of living.

Application:  Before I could identify with his resurrection in baptism by being brought up out of the water, I was first identified with His death by being placed under the water.  Paul writes a few verses later: count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:11)

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, keep reminding myself of this truth! I am dead to sin and alive to God!  Help me live like it is true, because it is! Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

May 24, 2017: SOAP #2729: 1Kings 9; 2Chronicles 8; Psalm 136; Romans 5

Scripture:  Romans (NIV) 5:11 Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Observation:   What God has done on our behalf is fantastic!  It is beyond comprehension.  It is something for which one should rejoice. However, in this verse, we rejoice not in what God has done for us, but in God Himself. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, we have come into relationship with our Heavenly Father, and what a Father He is!!!

It is through the work of Jesus that we have been reconciled, not just to Jesus, but through Jesus to the Father.  Through the words of Jesus as recorded in the gospels we see how Jesus stressed His relationship to the Father, His purpose being to do the will of the Father, His actions as fulfilling the command of the Father, His desire to glorify the Father, His plan to return to the Father having glorified the Father by doing the Father’s will.  Clearly the one priority of Jesus was His Father.

The reconciliation spoken of in this verse is a reconciliation that comes through Jesus but it’s focus is the Father.  It is to the Father we have been reconciled!

Application:  In studying the life of Jesus, I should not only be asking myself what is Jesus like, but what is the Father like!

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, you loved me so much you sent your “Only Begotten Son” to die in my place for my sins.  And now through Jesus, I am reconciled to you!!!  What an amazing privilege to be your son! Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

May 23, 2017: SOAP #2728: 2Chronicles 6, 7; Psalm 135; Romans 4

Scripture:  Romans (NIV) 4:2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God.  3 What does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

Observation:     Had it been possible for Abraham to have worked hard enough to stand before God completely righteous, then he would indeed have something about which to boast.  He would have been able to do what no man had ever before, or has ever since been able to do.  Ever since sin entered the picture it has been impossible for man to stand by himself before God.  The very best we can offer is like dirty rag in comparison to God’s perfect holiness.

God judges perfectly and knows how far short our works come in purchasing the righteousness needed to stand before a holy God.  Abraham may have impressed people, but he would have never been able to boast before God!

Application:  I am totally dependent on the righteousness God has provided for me through Jesus’ death on the cross.  What grace!   I have no reason to boast, but every reason to humbly dedicate my life to please Him!  How amazing the depths of God’s love for man!

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, my life is yours!  You provided for me what I could never provide for myself—righteousness that meets your standard! Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

May 22, 2017: SOAP #2727: 1Kings 8; 2Chronicles 5; Psalm 99; Romans 3

Scripture:  Romans (NIV) 3:21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.

Observation:  What an amazing gift is given to those who receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior!   It is forgiveness and cleansing from God!   If anyone knows how much forgiveness and cleansing is needed, God does!   If anyone knows what it takes to atone for sin, God does!  If anyone knows what sacrifice will be accepted at the judgment throne in heaven, God does!  If anyone could provide such a sacrifice, only God could, and God did!!!

Application:  If the righteous standing I need is provided for me by God Himself, I can have perfect confidence that it is appropriate and sufficient!  In faith, I can stand before God without fear!

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, in love you created man to share loving fellowship with you throughout eternity.  We broke that fellowship by breaking your holy standard.  Yet your love still desired fellowship with your creation.  Your holiness could only be satisfied with an appropriate and sufficient payment for my sin.  And in your love, you sent your son to be that for me!  I am amazed and humbled!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!