July 31, 2017: SOAP #2797: Isaiah 63-64; John 2

Scripture:  John (NIV) 2:23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name.  24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. 25 He did not need man’s testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man.

Observation:   The more I think on these verses, the more they amaze me.  They give a window through which I can see the plan of God.  Of course, Jesus knew what was in a man.  He was their creator.  He knew how he had made them.  He knew Satan’s work. He knew Adam and Eve in the garden.  He knew what it would take to restore righteousness to the heart of man.  They believed in Him now, but soon they would be part of a crowd crying, “Crucify Him!”  Oh, yes, Jesus knew what was in a man, for that is why he was there!

Application:  Jesus knows what is in me!  He knows the weakness of my flesh.  He also knows the power of His blood to forgive my sins.  He also knows the power of the Holy Spirit that He sent to dwell inside me.  His hope for me is secure in the presence of the Holy Spirit!

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, the more I understand your amazing plan in revealing your great love through your Son, Jesus, the more I stand in awe of you.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

July 30, 2017: SOAP #2796: Isaiah 60-62; John 1

Scripture:  John (NIV) 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Observation:  Grace and truth—what a powerful combination.  It is not grace without truth.  And it is not truth without grace.  Grace is God’s love reaching out to man.  Grace extends forgiveness and cleansing from sin to enable man to draw close to a holy God.  Truth is reality.  God is really holy and sin really destroys.

Grace must be grounded in truth.  Grace not accompanied by truth is worthless.  And truth must be accompanied by grace.  If not, we are all hopelessly doomed for God really is holy and the wages of sin really is death.

Application:  I believe the truth and receive Jesus as my Lord and Savior.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, thank you for the grace and truth that you offered to me through your Son, Jesus Christ.  I agree with you that I have sinned.  I believe the truth that Jesus died for my sin.  Forgive my sins and cleanse me from all unrighteousness.  In Jesus Name, Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

July 29, 2017: SOAP #2795: Isaiah 57-59; Psalm 103; 2Peter 3

Scripture:  Psalm (NIV) 103:6 The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel:
8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
9 He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.

Observation:  To the nation of Israel, and to many surrounding them, God made known His deeds.  He was a powerful God.  He was more powerful than all the gods of the Egyptians.  His deeds were amazing!  The ten plagues destroying the gods of the Egyptians.  The opening of the Red Sea allowed them to escape the Egyptian army.  The provision of water; the provision of food; the cloud as a pillar to lead them in the day becoming a pillar of fire at night.  Indeed, the Israelites saw the great deeds of God.

But with Moses it was different.  Moses got to know God’s ways.  He became familiar with why God did what He did!  To Moses was revealed God’s character.  (Exodus 34) Moses was shown God grace, mercy, compassion, justice, and holiness.

Application:  May I never experience God working on my behalf without learning a little more about the God who works on my behalf.  In every encounter, I should gain new insight into this God I love and serve.

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, help me look through what God does for me to see the God who does them for me.  Ask me what I learned about God’s character from what I just experienced.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

July 28, 2017: SOAP #2794: Isaiah 53-56; 2Peter 2

Scripture:  Isaiah (NIV) 53:11 After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.

Observation:   One is satisfied when the actual results are the same as the expected results.  Jesus is satisfied because His time on earth is considered a success.  The rejection, the suffering, the pain, the piercings, the agony—He was pierced, crushed, punished and wounded.  He was oppressed and afflicted, assigned a grave with the wicked, and the rich.  He was crushed and suffered by the will of His Father!  And when He looked back, He was satisfied.  He had accomplished what He had set out to do!  The results were worth the suffering!

Application:  Two ways in which God can be satisfied in my life.  First, He knows what I have been saved from.  He knows the sin and the hell that was awaiting me.  He can be satisfied in that He saved me from sin and judgment.  Second, He can be satisfied in what He wants to accomplish through me.  He can be satisfied as I fulfill His purpose for my life.

Prayer:   Lord Jesus, I want you to be satisfied with what You have accomplished and will accomplish in my life.  Holy Spirit, empower me to live a life worthy and pleasing to my Lord.  May Jesus be satisfied with my life.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

July 27, 2017: SOAP #2793: Isaiah 50-52; 2Peter 1

Scripture:  Isaiah (NIV) 52:11 Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing! Come out from it and be pure, you who carry the vessels of the LORD.
12 But you will not leave in haste or go in flight; for the LORD will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard.

Observation:   In reading this passage, God verified three things he spoke to me not too long ago—three things about His guidance.  First, God speaks.  I can trust His leading.  He knows the big picture.  Second, God is my rear guard.  He will be with me.  He will be watching over every step I take.  He will be protecting me from unknown danger.  And third, God goes before me.  He will arrive before I do.  He will be there when I arrive!  He will have things ready for my arrival.

Application:  There is no way to over emphasize the importance of waiting on a clear word from God before starting out into the unknown.  When trouble comes, as it surely will, I need to know I am where God sent me.  When I am certain that He has told me to go, then I can be certain that He is going with me.  And I can be certain that He will already be there when I arrive!

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, help me be patient until I hear you speak.  Then help me obey in faith.  I am excited to see how you are going to provide.  Mine is the joy of accomplishment; yours is the glory!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

July 26, 2017: SOAP #2792: Isaiah 46-49; 1Peter 5

Scripture: 1Peter (NIV) 5:10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

Observation: Justice is getting what I deserve. Mercy is not getting what I deserve. Grace is getting what I do not deserve.

There is no power on earth that can force God to be gracious. There is no intelligence on earth that could devise an argument so convincing that it would convince God to be gracious. God is gracious because that is His nature. His grace is limited only by His holiness. Holiness demands justice, but God’s love found a way, at great cost to Himself, to settle holiness’s demand for justice and extend grace to His creation He so greatly loves. Grace is an expression of God’s love. It is as amazing as is His love!

Application: The more I understand God’s holiness and love, the more I am humbled to know that the God of all creation—that He Himself settled my issues with being holy by sending His Son to die in my place on a cross. In mercy, He offered me forgiveness; in grace, He accepted me as His child. How can I not live as His humble servant in obedience to His will!!!

Prayer: Gracious Heavenly Father, you are amazing! I am in awe of your grace extended to me. I have not just read about it; I have experienced it! My heart overflows with praise and worship. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

July 25, 2017: SOAP #2791: Isaiah 43-45; 1Peter 4

Scripture:  Isaiah (NIV) 43:1 But now, this is what the LORD says—he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze….
5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west.

Observation:  His promise that the waters will not sweep over us is almost a promise that we will have to walk through some floods.  Why would He promise us not to be burned if there were no fires for us to pass through?  Living for God does not come with a promise of no troubles, or struggles, or difficulties.  But it comes with His promises to never leave us!  His promise is His presence!  His presence is the one constant in our lives.

Application:  In coaching small children in soccer, it was important to the players that their parents were present and watching.  The presence of the parent meant so much to the young athlete.  How much more does the Presence of Almighty God, my Heavenly Father mean to me.  He is interested in me.  He is watching me.  He is encouraging me.  He is not just on the sidelines cheering me on, He is on the field with me!  He coaches from within!

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, Your Presence is my greatest possession.  Your presence is the greatest blessing in our home.  Your presence in my life increases my value at work. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

July 24, 2017: SOAP #2790: Isaiah 40-42; 1Peter 3

Scripture:  Isaiah (NIV) 40:10 See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and his arm rules for him. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him….
12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance? … 15 Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.

Observation:  What an amazing God!  Isaiah 40 gives many descriptions of His grandeur.  He is not just big, He is immense!  He holds the oceans in His hand!  The nations are like specks of dust on his scales!

Yet in the middle of verses 10 and 12, we read:   11 He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.

This great big God who holds the oceans in His hands can carry a little lamb in His arms close to His heart!   He is as tender and gentle as He is immense and powerful!  What a God!!!

Application:  Truly, there is no god like my God!  He is big enough to take care of any problem I have, or any problem a nation may have, or any problem the world may have.  Yet he is loving and kind; He can wipe away a single tear from my eye!  His heart can feel my heart beat!

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, you are amazing.  You do not depend on me, but I am totally dependent on you…for that is the way you like it!  Like the song says, “You are big enough to rule your mighty universe, yet small enough to live within my heart!” (“How Big is God”: Hank Snow) Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

July 23, 2017: SOAP #2789: 2Kings 20; Isaiah 38-39; Psalm 75; 1Peter 2

Scripture:  1Peter (NIV) 2:13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.
16 Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. 17 Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king. 18 Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.
19 For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God.

Observation:  In the Bible, our temporary earthly status is of little importance in comparison to our eternal heavenly reward.  Our status in this temporary place cannot limit or guarantee our status in our heavenly dwelling.  Our relationship with Christ will be all that matters and we will be rewarded for what we have done for Him.  The bondage of living in North Korea cannot keep a person from heaven.  The privilege of living in the USA cannot keep a person out of hell.  All that counts is a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Application:  I must keep my eyes on the eternal prize.  I must live as a citizen of heaven and as a servant of the King of kings.  I am His representative here on earth.  I must have proper respect for every person created in God’s image.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, keep reminding me of these truths.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

July 22, 2017: SOAP #2788: Isaiah 36-37; Psalm 76; 1Peter 1

Scripture:  Isaiah (NIV) 37:15 And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD: 16 “O LORD Almighty, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 17 Give ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; listen to all the words Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God.
18 “It is true, O LORD, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste all these peoples and their lands. 19 They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands.
20 Now, O LORD our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O LORD, are God.”

Observation:  There is truth that is much greater than facts.  For example, the truth/law of applied aerodynamics is greater that the fact of gravity.  In the Lord’s prayer (Luke 11) Jesus taught us to pray truth about the Father before praying the facts about our needs and sins. The truth in verse 16 above is much greater than the facts in 18 and 19.  Verse 36 shows how much greater the God of verse 16 is than the Assyrian kings of verses 18 and 19.

Application:  When I know the truth that Jesus is a forgiver, it is right for me to confess the fact that I have sinned.  When I know that Jesus is a healer, it is ok to confess that I am sick.  I do not need to fear making a negative confession when I know the One Who is the Truth.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, teach me eternal truth from the Word.  Teach me the truth that drives away the fear of any facts that I may face.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!