February 17, 2018: SOAP #2998:  Numbers 1-2; Acts 24

Scripture:  Numbers (NIV) 1:52 The Israelites are to set up their tents by divisions, each man in his own camp under his own standard.
Numbers (NIV) 2:34 So the Israelites did everything the LORD commanded Moses; that is the way they encamped under their standards, and that is the way they set out, each with his clan and family.

Observation:   Before leading the Israelites across the desert and into the promise land, they needed to be organized.  God gave them an orderly way to set up their camp.  This set the travel progression as they moved out in the morning and set up camp for the night.  It included taking down the tabernacle as they moved out and setting it up as they finished their journey for the day.  An orderly way was needed, and the God of Order provided the plan.

Application:  God’s rules are not to limit me, but to enable me to reach my potential.  God is a God of Order and He wisely serves me by setting the rules to guide and protect me.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, you love me and want to protect me from that which will harm me.  You want to help me enjoy this life and be the best I can be, so in your wisdom you give me rules.  Your rules are expressions of your love for me.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

February 16, 2018: SOAP #2997:  Leviticus 26-27; Acts 23

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 23:21 Don’t give in to them, because more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request.”
22 The commander dismissed the young man and cautioned him, “Don’t tell anyone that you have reported this to me.” 23 Then he called two of his centurions and ordered them, “Get ready a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at nine tonight. 24 Provide mounts for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix.”

Observation:  One of God’s main servants was being threatened, 40 Jews had taken an oath to kill Paul.  But God was not worried!  He did not panic.  He just had the Romans provide 470 soldiers, horsemen and spearmen to protect him.  They had taken an oath to Rome to do as they were commanded.  But that night they were God’s army, protecting God’s servant!

The enemy had surrounded the prophet Elisha and his servant.  The servant was afraid.  2Kings 6:16 “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 And Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes so that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all round Elisha.

Application:   Why should I fear what man can do to me when God has the armies of earth and heaven to protect me!!!

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, you have many ways to protect your servants.    I trust you, in this life, in death, and in eternity!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

February 15, 2018: SOAP #2996:  Leviticus 25; Psalm 25-26; Acts 22

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 21:28 …This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple area and defiled this holy place.”

Acts (NIV) 22:6 “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’ 8 “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. “‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied.

Observation:  Paul was beaten until rescued by the Roman soldiers.  He was being falsely accused of bringing Greeks into the temple area—an action that would be extremely offensive to the Jews.  He had actually paid for other Jews to go through the ceremonies with him. But when Paul was given an opportunity to publicly defend himself, he did not try to explain that he had not brought non-Jews into the temple.  He told them about Jesus!

Paul was more concerned about presenting Jesus than in defending himself.

Application:   Accusations against me, might be opportunities to tell people about Jesus.   Sometimes I am too quick to defend myself, to prove that I am right.  I should be more concerned about presenting Jesus!

Prayer:   Lord, forgive me for the times I allowed temporal issues to override eternal issues.  Holy Spirit, keep me focused on what really matters!  Keep me focused on the eternal issues. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

February 14, 2018: SOAP #2995:  Leviticus 23-24; Psalm 24; Acts 21
Remaining Steady (reworked SOAP #1787 from 10/25/2014)

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 21:3 After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo. 4 Finding the disciples there, we stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 But when our time was up, we left and continued on our way. All the disciples and their wives and children accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray. 6 After saying good-bye to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home.

Observation:   After doing all they could, there came the moment when Paul and his company went aboard the ship and the others returned home.  Love for the people compelled Paul to stay; love for Jesus compelled Paul to go.

Application:    We love them so.  We know they love us.  They leave the room and we watch the door close behind them.  Or we watch the door of the plane as it closes.  Or we watch the car as it backs out of the driveway.  Or we stand by the train as it slowly starts down the track.  Or we stand by their casket as it is closed for the final time.  Love ties our hearts together, but a greater love has called us away.

There is comfort when those leaving and those staying have the same commitment to the One who loves us both supremely.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, love for you calls for commitment.  Commitment to You and to Your will keeps us steady through times of good-by.  How we look forward to the day when there will be no good-by.    Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

February 13, 2018: SOAP #2994:  Leviticus 20-22; Acts 20

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 20:22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.

Observation:   The Holy Spirit had placed in Paul something that he could not shake.  He had to go to Jerusalem.  Trouble was surely ahead, but Paul could not be stopped.  What was it that caused Paul to have such disregard for the trouble that he would surely encounter?

The answer is found in his values.  His life had but one purpose or value.  It was to complete the assignment God had given him of presenting the gospel.

Application:  The value of my life is wrapped up in the assignments God has given me.  What are the things God has spoken to my heart?  What are His assignments for me?  Who are the people God has placed in my life?   What are the talents and resources God has given me?  How can they be used for the Kingdom of Heaven?

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, as I move through this day, show me the assignments that you have laid out for me today. Be they large or small, may my joy come from bringing you joy, by faithfully using what you have given me to fulfill what you have assigned me.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

February 12, 2018: SOAP #2993:  Leviticus 18-19; Psalm 13; Acts 19

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 19:24 A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in no little business for the craftsmen. 25 He called them together, along with the workmen in related trades, and said: “Men, you know we receive a good income from this business. 26 And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all.

Observation:   The silversmith, Demetrius, had a good business going.  But his sales were off since Paul had been in town for over two years.  Demetrius accused Paul of saying that gods made by the hands of a man was really no gods at all.

I am concerned that we may soon need an army of people like Paul saying the same thing today.  No computer assembled by man, with all its memory, with all its artificial intelligence, and whatever else it may have is a god, or can take the place of God!

Application:   In Exodus (11), people tried to make a tower that would reach the heavens.  God confused their languages, so they could not communicate.  Today, man is building “smarter” and “more intelligent” computers.  Soon all we know, and everything known about us will be contained in computers.  Soon computers, with no moral compass, will have enough capability to determine the direction of our lives.  A computer may be able to determine innocence and guilt, right and wrong based on the input of facts, but it will have no personal sense of mercy or compassion.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, in your wisdom, your fore knowledge, mercy, and compassion, keep us from the control of the amoral logic contained in computers.  You alone are God!  There can be no other!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

February 11, 2018: SOAP #2992:  Leviticus 15-17: Acts 18

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 18:4 Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks. 5 When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.

1Corinthians (NIV) 2:1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

Observation:  In 1Corinthians 2, Paul gives a personal description of the same time described in Acts 18.  In Corinth, the emphasis of Paul’s ministry does not seem to be on healings and miracles.  (I would be surprised if no healings and miracles took place while Paul was present in Corinth, but none are specifically mentioned in the scriptures.) The work of the Holy Spirit is seen in the anointing on the word.

When the Word of God is preached and taught under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, there is great convincing power.  Faith arises in the hearts of the hearers.  The convicting presence of the Holy Spirit compels them to obey.  Miracles may confirm, but not replace the Word.

Application:  I must depend on the ministry of the Holy Spirit to reveal the word in my heart and to anoint it to those who read.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, anoint these SOAP devotionals to bring about your desired results in my life and in those who read.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

February 10, 2018: SOAP #2991:  Leviticus 13-14: Acts 17

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 17:1 When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, …
11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character…for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.  …
17 So he reasoned in the synagogue [in Athens] with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the market-place day by day with those who happened to be there.

Observation:  In this chapter we read of Paul’s ministry in three cities: Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens.  We read of Paul presenting, explaining, and defending the scriptures.  We read of rejection and many who accepted his message; Jews and Greeks, men and women.  But one thing seems to be missing:  miracles.  We read of no notable healings or miracles in these cities.

The success of Paul’s ministry in these cities rested in the faithful presenting and defending the scriptures.  The Holy Spirit, who worked miracles through Paul in other cities, anointed Paul in presenting the Word of God.

Application:  I cannot over emphasize the importance of being familiar with God’s Word, the scriptures, the Holy Bible.   The more I know the Bible, the more I know my Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus.  The more I know the Bible, the more I make myself available to be used by the Holy Spirit.

Prayer:    Holly Spirit, use what I know of God’s Word to minister to those around me today!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

February 9, 2018: SOAP #2990:  Leviticus 10-12: Acts 16

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 16:13 On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there.

Observation:   Since there was not a synagogue in the city for Paul and his companions to joined other Jews in worship they made their way outside the city to the river expecting to find a place where people would gather for prayer.

There was no temple; there was no synagogue; but there was a place by the river.  At that place were hungry hearts, someone with a message from God, and the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Application:  I am so glad the church is NOT A BUILDING!  The church is people who have Jesus living in their hearts.   The church may have regular scheduled times of gathering, but the church meets anytime two believers meet.  It may be in a grocery store, at the market, at the post office or gas station.  It may be in a hospital around a sick friend.

We do not go to church; we are the church!  Let’s act like the church.  Let’s do what the church does.  Let’s expect the Holy Spirit to work through us wherever we are!

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, move through me in times when I have not usually expected you to do so.  Keep reminding me that I am the church wherever I am and whatever I am doing.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

February 8, 2018: SOAP #2989:  Leviticus 7-9: Acts 15

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 15:9 He made no distinction between us [Jewish believers] and them [Gentile believers], for he purified their hearts by faith. 10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

Observation:   Faith and Grace.  The importance of these two words in our relationship to God cannot be over emphasized.  Faith is the confidence/assurance in a person’s heart that something is absolutely true.  Grace is offering a gift that is totally undeserved to someone who has no standing on their own to gain the gift for themselves.  Salvation is offered in grace and received by faith.

Application:   Grace is God’s offering me the gift of salvation—a gift I can never earn nor obtain, other than as a gift.  Faith is the assurance in my heart that God’s offer is true, and I receive it by acknowledging my unworthiness and inability; all I can say is, “Thank you!”

Prayer:    Heavenly Father, your plan of salvation assures that only you get the glory.  You offered it before we even knew we needed it.  It can only be legally offered because of your work in sending your Son.  All the glory can only go to you!  You alone are worthy! Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!