November 11, 2017: SOAP #2900:  Psalm 122; 1Corinthians 9-11

Scripture:  Psalm (NIV) 122:1 A song of ascents. Of David. I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.”

Observation:  David was listening to what others were saying.  They were not commanding him to go to the house of the Lord.  They were not suggesting that he go.  They did not say, “I think it would be a good idea for you to go the Lord’s house.”

They said, “Let US go to the house of the Lord.”  They said, “Come with me.”  “Let’s go together.”  “I am going too; come with me.”  “I’ll go with you.”  They were saying, “This is important for you; this is important for me.”

Application:  When my dad came home from France after WWII he went to visit the lady who wrote him letters.  He was told, “If you go to their house on Sunday, you will have to go to church with them.”  He did.  They did.  God spoke to him.  He got saved.  He married my mom. He went to Bible college.  He became a pastor.  He was the best Christian I have ever met.

Friend are coming to visit, and I think about the places I would like to take them.  –a place of beautiful scenery.  –a historical site.  –a special shopping mall.  –the zoo.  –the botanical garden.  –the football, baseball, or soccer stadium.  But wait!  I am a God-lover!  I will take them to “the house of the Lord!”  I will take them to where I hear God speak to me!  I will take them to the place I join others in worship!

Prayer:   Lord, what a privilege to go to your house.  If there is any place on earth I would like to take someone, it should be your house.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 10, 2017: SOAP #2899:  Job 35, 36; 1Corinthians 7, 8

Scripture:  Job (NIV) 35:7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him, or what does he receive from your hand?
8 Your wickedness affects only a man like yourself, and your righteousness only the sons of men.

Observation:  Elihu is a young man who listened while three other men tried to convince Job that Job had sinned and needed to repent.  “Why else would God allow such troubles to come to Job,” they reasoned.

In Elihu’s thinking God was so high that God was not concerned with Job’s troubles.  “What difference would Job’s wickedness or righteousness make to God,” Elihu reasoned.

Application:  Elihu, how wrong you are!  My sin affected the Almighty so much that He will eternally bear the scars!  My righteousness brings great joy to God!  So much that He bestowed His own righteousness on me as my own!

Prayer:   Lord Jesus, to remove my sin and made me just as if I had never sinned you died on the cross.  Obviously, my wickedness affected you greatly!  You cleansed me from sin, and continue to do so.   Obviously, my righteousness means a lot to you!   I pray my life brings you joy.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 9, 2017: SOAP #2898:  Job 34; 1Corinthians 4-6

Scripture:  1Corinthians (NIV) 4:3 I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself.
4 My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.

Observation:  Paul does not say that what other people think is unimportant—just not very important!   But there is One whose judgment is all-important to Paul, even more important than his judgment of himself.  He willingly submits himself to the Lord for judgment.

Application:  The Lord knows me perfectly.  He alone can judge my actions, my thoughts, my motives.  He judges without any prejudices.  AND the Lord also knows perfectly the sacrifice He paid for me!   He understands it is sufficient to cover ALL my sins!  Having been forgiven ALL my sins, I now owe Him ALL my life.

Prayer:    Lord, what you think of me is more important than what anyone else may think.  I trust your judgment.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 8, 2017: SOAP #2897:  Job 33, 1Corinthians 1-3

 Scripture:  1Corinthians (NIV) 2:14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment: 16 “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

Observation:  Life is a series of decisions.  When we are young, decisions are made for us.  As we grow, we learn to make our own decisions.  We learn to choose future benefit over temporary present pleasure.  Maturity is reaching a level where we can make good decisions.

What is true in our natural life, God desires to become true in our spiritual lives.

Application:  I am finding the key to making “judgments about all things” is to depend on the indwelling Holy Spirit.  As I grow in understanding of God’s Word, and hone my listening skills to hear what the Holy Spirit says to me I make better decisions.  At times His direction is different than what seems obvious at first, but I have found that His decisions always work out for good.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, I depend on you for guidance.  Your wisdom far exceeds my understanding.  I trust you.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 7, 2017: SOAP #2896:  Job 31, 32; Galatians 5,6

Scripture:  Galatians (NIV) 6:3 If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, 5 for each one should carry his own load.

Observation:  Although I am not under the Old Testament Law, truth about God affects how I think about myself and my brother.  Having God in my life makes a difference!

Application:  Verse 3:  I need to have honest thoughts regarding myself.  Of course, the best place to find the truth about myself is in God’s Word.  To best understand me, I must begin not with me, but with the One Who made me.  What were His plans and purposes in this creation of His?   Only when I understand God’s plan and desires can I best understand me, for God created me to perfectly fit into His Divine plan.
Verse 4: There is a tendency in me (pride) to think highly of my achievements and less of my failures.  I can blow up my accomplishments into something big and think that my sin is of no consequence!  I can be quick to judge the results of my brother’s work while excusing the poor results of my own work thinking “my heart was in the right place.”  Or I take pride in how successful I am in comparison to my brother.  Or I am ashamed of my poor results in the light of my brother’s obvious successes.
Verse 5: Instead of taking so much time to see how my neighbor is doing, I should just get about doing what is before me to do!

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, I am so dependent on you living inside me.  Keep bringing these practical scriptures to my mink.  Keep me walking in humility, I pray. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 6, 2017: SOAP #2895:  Job 30; Psalm 120; Galatians 3,4

Scripture:  Galatians (NIV) 3:11 Clearly no-one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.” [Habakkuk 2:4]
12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.”

Observation:  If people could be justified, having their sin so removed that it was as if they had never sinned, then Jesus would not have been sent to die for our sins.  But it is impossible for one who has already broken the law to so perfectly keep the law that their past sins are covered.  And all have sinned, there is no one righteous, not even one!  [Romans 3:10]

Application:  I am ONLY made righteous by faith, and I must continue to live by faith.  Having a loving relationship by faith with God’s Son who died for my sins results in my wanting to please Him.  The way I live should demonstrate my love for God and my faith in what He has done.  My actions should reveal that Jesus is now living inside me.

Prayer:   Lord Jesus, I have sinned and am unable to cleanse myself from the results of my sins. Thank you for dying for me. I receive your death as the payment for my sins.  I receive You in my heart to live your life through me.  May my faith and love for you be easily seen in my words and actions. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 5, 2017: SOAP #2894:  Job 28-29; Galatians 1-2

Scripture:  Job (NIV) 28:20 “Where then does wisdom come from? Where does understanding dwell?
21 It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing, concealed even from the birds of the air. 22 Destruction and Death say, ‘Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.’
23 God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells, 24 for he views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.
25 When he established the force of the wind and measured out the waters, 26 when he made a decree for the rain and a path for the thunderstorm, 27 then he looked at wisdom and appraised it; he confirmed it and tested it. 28 And he said to man, ‘The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.’”

Observation:  Knowledge has to do with facts.  Facts are expressions of truth.  Wisdom is the application of those facts.  It is drawing conclusions based on truth.  It is acting out those conclusions.  If one assumes “facts” that are not true, then their wisdom will show itself faulty.

Application:  When I compile all the facts available to me, I find wisdom is to fear the Lord!  Understanding the truth about God and His character means that I will keep myself from evil.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, The more I understand the truth of your Word and see its application working in my life and the world around me, the more I understand the wisdom of fearing you and shunning evil!   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 4, 2017: SOAP #2893:  Job 26-27; Mark 15-16

 Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 15:45 When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph.
46 So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.
47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.  (Mary Magdalene and Mary, mother of Joses, watched the burial. MESSAGE)

Observation:  They had watched Him teach the multitudes.  They had watched Him feed the thousands.  They had watched Him heal the sick.  They had watched Him die.  And in verse 47, they watched the One they loved laid in the tomb.

There was nothing they could do.  They were helpless.  They could only relive their memories of what they had seen.  There was only one thing more they could do for Jesus.  Since they knew where He was buried, they could come later and bring some spices to anoint His body.  It was there they met the risen Lord!

Application:  Sometimes all I can do is watch.  Sometimes I am helpless to do anything.  Sometimes what I see provides opportunity for future ministry!  Sometimes what God does later is greater than anything I could have done earlier!

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, help me remember what I see.  Draw my attention to things that open the door to future ministry.  (Remind me to follow-up after the funeral.) Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 3, 2017: SOAP #2892:  Job 25; Mark 13-14
(Too good not to repeat from March 7, 2010)

Scripture:  Mark 14:63 The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked.

Observation: The High Priest tore his clothes. To him it probably was meant to be an expression of profound exasperation that Jesus would claim to be the Son of God. But consider the One standing before this earthly High Priest.  His garment would not be torn! (John 19:24) He was the true High Priest in preparation to give His life as the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the earth! The torn garment signifies the priesthood as being “torn” away from the descendants of Aaron and placed in the hands of the One who came after the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 5:6)   His “un-torn” garment speaks of an eternal priesthood!  We are now in “The Company of The Un-Torn Garment!” We stand before God the Father clothed with the un-torn righteousness of Jesus!

Application:  I recall in the 7th grade putting on my Bucklin High School band uniform for my first public performance; and later as a member of the Navy Training Center Drum and Bugle Corps, putting on my dress white Navy uniform in preparation my first parade; O how I wanted to do my best. I was identified with something bigger than myself. I wanted to be worthy of the uniform. How much more should I desire to be worthy to be a part of The Company of “The Un-Torn Garment” –to live worthy of the righteous garment of Christ!  (Colossians 1:10)

Prayer:  Lord, what special garments you have provided for your people—garments of righteousness and praise!   Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 2, 2017: SOAP #2891:  Job 23-24; Mark 11-12

 Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 12:41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts.
42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.
43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.
44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

Observation:  Jesus was watching people give.  Some gave out of their wealth, having sufficient left over to take care of their needs.  The widow gave out of her poverty, thinking only of the One to Whom she was giving and not of herself.  Sacrificial giving gets God’s attention.

Application:  The Greatest Giver of all teaches me an important lesson about giving.  Being a giver does not depend on how much money I have.  I can give out of wealth or out of poverty.  Sacrificial giving is not based on what I give, but on what I keep.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, I know you watch my giving.  May it bring joy to your heart!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!