April 10, 2018: SOAP #3050: 1Samuel 8-10; 2Corinthians 10

Scripture:  2Corinthians (NIV) 10:2 I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be towards some people who think that we live by the standards of this world.
3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

Observation:  It is a mistake to think that Christians continue to live by the standards of the world.  Our citizenship has changed!  We are citizens of another kingdom.  We live by different standards.

Pride is replaced with humility.  Boasting about our accomplishments is replaced with boasting in the Lord.  Getting is replaced with giving.  Finding joy in God’s approval replaces wanting the approval of man.  Authority is not a tool with which to dominate others, but a tool to be used in serving others.  We become servant leaders.

Application:   Walking humbly as a servant of God, using my talents and possessions to honor God in service to others…that changes everything I say and do.    It changes my purpose; it changes my goals.  It makes me useful to God!

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, teach me the difference between the standards of God’s Kingdom and the standards of this world.  Help me live my life to please my King!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

April 09, 2018: SOAP #3049: 1Samuel 6-7; Psalm 72; 2Corinthians 9

Scripture:  2Corinthians (NIV) 9:6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

Observation:   Verse 7 above has special value to me.  It tells me what God loves!  “God loves a cheerful giver.”  It shows me a way to bring joy to God’s heart!  (Interesting note:  the word for “loves” in the verse above is the same Greek word used in John 3:16. God must really love cheerful givers!)

Application:   Giving can be an expression of obedience.  Giving can be an expression of faith.  But, if my goal is to bring joy to God, doing it cheerfully is the key.  It has special blessing for God!

In giving, I am joining with God in supplying someone’s need.
In giving, I am bringing joy to others.
In giving, I cause others to be thankful and give praise to God.
In giving, I can rejoice with those whose needs are met.
In giving, I open the door for God to provide more seed for me.
In giving, I am recognizing that all I have really comes from Him.
In giving, I am just doing with what He provided, as He would do.
In giving, I am testifying that He will provide for my future needs.

Prayer:    Heavenly Father, you are the Great Giver!  I want my giving to bring joy to your heart!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

April 08, 2018: SOAP #3048: 1Samuel 3-5; Psalm 77; 2Corinthians 8

Scripture:  2Corinthians (NIV) 8:1 And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.
2 Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.
3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.

Observation:   Surly the Macedonians mentioned above were believers!  The life of Jesus was obvious in their lives!  Where else could they have lives filled with OVERFLOWING joy and RICH generosity while experiencing SEVERE trials an EXTREME poverty!

It cannot be unless Jesus is living inside!   Only His joy is overflowing even in times of severe trials!  Only His generosity is rich in times of extreme poverty!

Application:   Truly, these people did not see themselves as poor or in despair!   They had the true Treasure inside!

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, I have that same Treasure inside me!  Your joy is greater than the trials that come my way.  Show me how to let your generosity be expressed in a smile, a kind word, or a gift.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

April 06, 2018: SOAP #3046: 1Samuel 1-2; Psalm 66; 2Corinthians 7

Scripture:  Psalm (NIV) 66:1 Shout with joy to God, all the earth!
2 Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious! …

Observation:   I do not have to praise God; my arms are not twisted until I give in and praise His name.  I get to praise God; it is my joy; it is my pleasure.  And I should do it in a way he deserves.  My praise should be enjoyable to Him!  He should take great pleasure and delight in my praise to Him!

Scripture:  Psalm (NIV) 66:8 Praise our God, O peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard;

Observation:   Not only should God hear my praise, the people around me should also hear my praise to God!  They should hear the sound of joy in my voice.  They should hear respect and honor.  They should hear my appreciation.

Application:   May those overhearing my praise start thinking, “Leon must serve a wonderful God!  His God must be real special.  I wonder if I could meet that God?”

Prayer:    Holy Spirit, guide my thoughts so that the words that come out of my mouth influence the people who hear what I say.  May they also want to serve my God!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

April 06, 2018: SOAP #3046: 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:    Amazing truths are expressed in these verses.  That created human being can be the temple of the God who created all we see!!!  The living God shares our lives and accompanies us everywhere we go!   He knows every thought, hears every word we say out loud or under our breath.  He is our Father; we are His son and daughters!  …and this is all HIS idea!!

Application:   It is for me, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to live like the above is true, because it is!   I honor Him by where I go AND where I do not go.  I honor Him by what I do AND what I do not do.  I honor Him by what I say AND what I do not say.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, keep reminding me that I am a temple in which the God of all creation lives.  Put your thoughts in my mind as to what is pleasing to this heavenly visitor who is always with me.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

April 05, 2018: SOAP #3045: Ruth 1-2; Psalm 53, 61; 2Corinthians 5

Scripture:  2Corinthians (NIV) 5:1 Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2 Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, 3 because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4 For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

Observation:  Paul’s reference to our physical body as a tent has good parallels.  Tents are temporary as are our physical bodies.  Tents develop problems with use and age, as do our physical bodies.  After living in a tent for a prolonged time, people are ready to move into a more permanent house.

People often speak about dying as if death is swallowing up life.  But the way Paul describes death makes my spirit rejoice—the mortal is not “swallowed up” by death, but by LIFE!   Death does not end life, merely changes the mortal to eternal.

Application:  The baby’s departure from the womb surely is a good picture of the “mortal…swallowed up by life.”  The baby in the womb has no idea of the brightness, the sounds, the tastes, the freedoms that await.  All that the baby experienced in the womb is swallowed up in life.

As so, when I die, all the limitations, struggles, sufferings, of this life will be swallowed up in the eternal life of heaven!  What a day that will be!

Prayer:    Heavenly Father, like Paul, I must say that to die is gain!  And to be absent from this body is to be present with you!  What joy!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

April 04, 2018: SOAP #3044: Judges 19-21; 2Corinthians 4

Scripture:  2Corinthians (NIV) 4:8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

Observation:   Pressures from the outside try to crush us.  Issues we do not understand can make us lose hope.  Persecution can make us feel abandoned.  Being criticized, we feel like giving up.   But Paul was not crushed, not in despair, not abandoned, and not destroyed!  Why?  Because he had the life of Jesus INSIDE!  And as these things happened to him, as the outside of his body seemed to be broken, the inside became visible; what spilled out of the broken vessel was the life of Jesus!

Application:   What flows out of me when the outside is broken?  Feelings of despair or hope?  Do I feel like I am all alone, or can I still rejoice because the life of Jesus is in me?  When my body, or my emotions, are broken, what do people see?  Do they see anger and revenge or love and forgiveness?

Prayer:    Jesus, when the outside of me is broken, I want you to be seen.  May your sweet spirit shine through any pain.  May your eternal promises carry me through failure.  May your praise be continually in my mouth.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

April 03, 2018: SOAP #3043: Judges 17-18; Psalm 89; 2Corinthians 3

Scripture:  Psalm (NIV) 89:1 I will sing of the LORD’s great love for ever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. 2 I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself.

Observation:   God does not look at man and see how weak and frail he is and say to Himself, “I have to be faithful to man.  If I am not faithful to man, none of them will ever reach the goal I have for them.”  That is true, but God is not faithful because we are so dependent on Him.  No, God’s faithfulness is “established…in heaven itself.”

God’s faithfulness was established long before He created the earth and man to live on it.  God is faithful because He is faithful to Himself!   It is His nature to be faithful.

Application:  I must always remember that God is just as faithful to judge sin as He is to bless obedience!   All His promises are true.  How foolish it is to expect God to bless the good I do and ignore His promise to judge sin!

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, the cross is proof that you are faithful to judge sin.  Even when your own sinless Son took my sins, He received no special deal.  The wages of sin IS death.  I acknowledge my sins; I believe that Christ died for my sins.  Jesus, forgive me; come into my heart; help me live a life that pleases you and enjoys your faithful blessings.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

April 02, 2018: SOAP #3042: 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:    Satan’s schemes basically have to do with the mind of those he is trying to destroy.  He is known as the angel of light, the father of lies, the accuser of the brethren, a deceiver, a tempter.  He is not a roaring lion, but like a roaring lion.  He serpent who deceives and twists God’s Word.   By placing thoughts in the minds of brothers, he sews discord in God’s people.  He brings thoughts and ideas which catch the attention of believers, changing their focus from God’s Word to satan’s words.

No wonder Paul wrote in the same letter (2Corinthians 10:4-5) “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

Application:   The Bible teaches me that I am not a mind, but I have a mind.  My mind is not to control me; I am to control my mind.  The Bible tells me how to think.  The Bible gives me truth with which I can reprogram my thinking.

Prayer:    Heavenly Father, how I think is very important to you.  Holy Spirit, please bring truth to my thoughts.  Help me evaluate all things according to truth.  Jesus, thank you for being the way, the TRUTH, and the life.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!