November 01, 2018: SOAP #3255:  Psalm 121; Mark 9-10

Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 9:41 I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.

Observation:  As I was reading this passage, I noticed that Jesus was not addressing the people who were to give the cup of cold water, but to those who would be receiving the cup of cold water.

Jesus had said that he takes it personal when people mistreat us, but here He is saying that He also takes it personal when people do us good!

Because we belong to Jesus, God will notice the good that people do to us.  God will notice and will reward them.

Application:  There are times when I would like to repay a blessing I have received, but not sure how.  I need to remind God about this promise, then watch to see what He does to reward them!

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, I am thankful for the times you have rewarded me for something I did to bless someone else.  Now I am going to enjoy watching to see how you reward those who bless me.  This is going to be fun!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 31, 2018: SOAP #3254:  Job 22; Mark 7-8

Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 8:14 The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat….
17 Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” “Twelve,” they replied. 20 “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” They answered, “Seven.” 21 He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

Observation:  They had watched Jesus feed 5000 people with 5 loaves.  They had watched Jesus feed 4000 people with 7 loaves.  Now their concern was they had only one loaf to feed themselves.  They thought Jesus might have been mentioning their lack of foresight.  If 5 loaves fed 5000 and 7 loaves fed 4000, then 1 loaf should be enough for 13! (Twelve disciples and Jesus.)

Application: What God has done in the past should affect how I deal with the present!   What God has done in the past should affect how much I worry about present needs.  If I soften my heart, if I open my eyes, if I open my ears…then considering what God has done for me in the past changes my perspective of what He can and will do for my present situation!

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, continue reminding me of what you have done as recorded in scripture.  And continue to remind me of what you have done for me in my lifetime.  Father, you are more than willing and capable of meeting all of my needs!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 30, 2018: SOAP #3253:  Job 21; Mark 5-6

Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 6:39 Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. 42 They all ate and were satisfied, 43 and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. 44 The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.

Observation:  Jesus fed 5000+ people with not even enough food to feed one group of 50 or 100.  Then after feeding everyone until they were satisfied, they picked up 12 basketfuls.  I do not know how big the baskets were, but that they even picked up one is amazing!   Jesus provided more than enough!

Application:  Sunday at our church we had a dinner after the morning service.  Sharon and I were blest to take home some left overs.  We ate some that evening and have some for a future meal.  We talked about the dinner as we ate the leftovers.   We will talk about it the next time we eat some more.

I wonder how many people ate from those 12 basketfuls.  I wonder if they talked about how that food had been provided.  The story must have been repeated over and over.  I wonder if they shared some of the leftovers with neighbors who were not present when Jesus multiplied the loaves and fishes.

Everything God does has leftovers.  Leftovers include the blessings that continue long after God’s intervention.  Leftovers include memories.  Leftovers include sharing the testimony of God’s grace and mercy.  Leftovers continue to bless me and bless others as I share what God has done for me.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, thank you for leftovers!  Your blessings continue, even to the next generation!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 29, 2018: SOAP #3252:  Job 20; Mark 3-4

Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 4:26 He [Jesus] also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces corn—first the stalk, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

Observation:  God has created this world with some possibilities that can be of great benefit to people.  Planting seed starts a process that produces multiplication without additional work.  Planting plus waiting time equals multiplication.  The sun provides the warmth; the rain provides the moisture; the ground provides the proper environment.  Man’s part is preparing the ground, planting the seed, waiting with faith in God’s plan, and harvesting.

Application:  Seed and money work for us with the same principles.  Giving brings receiving.  Farmers should easily understand the principles of giving and receiving.  But I am glad one does not need to be a farmer to learn these principles.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, when you created the world, thank you for including principles by which we can live. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 28, 2018: SOAP #3251:  Job 19; Mark 1-2

Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 2:6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things?

Observation:  In the first chapter, Mark tells us of the Spirit descending on Jesus when He was baptized in water by John the Baptist.  He tells us that the Spirit sent Jesus into the wilderness where He was tempted by satan.

In the passage above I think we have an indication of how the Holy Spirit communicated with Jesus.  It was a spiritual exchange.  “Jesus knew in his spirit…”  His spirit was pure and He recognized that thoughts in His mind were coming from the Holy Spirit through His Spirit.  He recognized the input of the Holy Spirit with so much certainty that He acted accordingly.

Application:  I am learning to recognize when the thoughts in my mind are from a source outside me.  The Holy Spirit communicates through my spirit into my mind.  Sometimes it takes me longer to quiet my heart/mind to recognize what He is saying to me.  Sometimes I recognize it too late, after the opportunity has passed.

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, help me to recognize your voice/thoughts more quickly.  Thank you for your patience in working with me.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 27, 2018: SOAP #3250:  Job 18; Psalm 114; Acts 27-28

Scripture:  Psalm (NIV) 114:1 When Israel came out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of foreign tongue,
2 Judah became God’s sanctuary, Israel his dominion.
3 The sea looked and fled, the Jordan turned back;
4 the mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs.
5 Why was it, O sea, that you fled, O Jordan, that you turned back,
6 you mountains, that you skipped like rams, you hills, like lambs?
7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, 8 who turned the rock into a pool, the hard rock into springs of water.

Observation:  In a poetic way, the psalmist takes key points in the history of Israel to give proof of God’s presence and power!

Application: Yesterday, Sharon and I celebrated 50 years of marriage.  We too can look at our history and see evidence of God’s presence and power.  He has proved Himself to be true to His word; He has never forsaken us.  He has been with us when we have been together.  And when we were apart (I was in Viet Nam, Okinawa, Philippines) He kept us together.  He has and continues to be our provider.  We have found Him to be a great talker!  He speaks!  We have found great value in His Written Word.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, thank you for the written accounts of Israel’s history.  You can be easily seen.  And thank you for the memories of our history.  Israel’s written history and our personal memories are full of evidences of your love for us—your presence, protection, and provision. We are so blest to be your children!  Amen!

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 26, 2018: SOAP #3249:  Job 17; Acts 24-26

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 26:24 At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. “You are out of your mind, Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning is driving you insane.” 25 “I am not insane, most excellent Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable.

Observation:  That Paul had great learning could not be ignored.  That Paul understood the law was clear.  Paul was making perfect sense, but the logical conclusion was unacceptable to King Agrippa. He declared Paul insane because he did not want to accept the logical conclusion Paul was making. In a few verses we read that he walked out of the hearing.

Application: When an argument is so logical that it cannot be refuted, it puts the opposing side in an awkward position.  Often the response is in some emotional way.  Note how the pro-abortion people respond to the truth about life in the womb.  When abortion first became a national issue, there had not been as much research as we have today, so they argued that the fetus was just a blob of tissue.  Now that we have pictures of the baby developing in the womb, they cannot refute the truth.  It would not surprise me to hear one say, like King Agrippa, “Too much learning is making you insane!”

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, Jesus told us that you would guide me into all truth (John 16:3).  (“All truth” would include truth about abortion.)  You protect me from going insane by helping me grow in understanding truth.  Continue to reveal truth to my heart and mind, I pray.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 25, 2018: SOAP #3248:  Job 16; Acts 21-23

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 23:23 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:  The irony of the situation cannot be missed.  Here the same Roman government that crucified Jesus at the insistence of the Jews, now goes to great ends to protect Paul from those same Jews!

It is interesting to me how God used the Roman government for His glory.  First, the tax that brought Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem.  The crucifixion (Acts 4:28). The arrest of Paul by the Romans protected Paul from the Jews.  The peace of the Rome (Pax Roma) allowed Paul to move freely to spread the gospel.  The later imprisonment of the Romans gave Paul the impetus to write much of the New Testament as letters to churches.

Application:  That which seems to stand against my ministry may be used by God to expand my ministry!  Lack of resources may limit Leon’s plans, but it can never limit the gospel!  Like blowing wind and flowing water, when its movement is limited, it will find another way around, or over, or under.  The Holy Spirit is more powerful than blowing wind and flowing water!

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, may I be a channel through which you can readily flow.  Keep reminding me that what limits me does not limit you!  Keep reminding me that what seems to be against me, may work out for good!   Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 24, 2018: SOAP #3247:  Job 15; Acts 19-20

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 20:2 He travelled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece,

Observation:  Again, the Holy Spirit is directing my attention to Paul’s ministry to churches as he traveled through their area.  In chapter 20 Paul has started the trip towards Jerusalem, but he paused in the towns along the way to meet with believers.  His ministry was one of encouragement.

When entering a new area, the Apostle Paul had the ministry of an evangelist.  When he stayed for an extended visit he probably did more teaching.  However, when he was only stopping by for a few days, his ministry was one of strengthening and encouraging.

Application:  As my wife, Sharon, and myself travel from church to church, we see our ministry as one of encouraging.  We are senior citizens encouraging senior citizens.  As senior citizens, we should become experts in this important ministry of encouraging.

To counter the tendency to get involved in complaining or criticizing, we need to stay filled with the Holy Spirit and current in the ministry of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit will help us see people who need encouragement and give us the words to say.

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, I make myself available to you to minister encouragement to someone today who needs encouragement.  Make me a blessing.  Help me lift of the Name of Jesus and cause others to consider His love for them.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 23, 2018: SOAP #3246:  Job 13-14; Acts 17-18

Scripture:   Acts (NIV) 18:1 After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, 3 and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. 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.

Observation:  Upon the arrival of Silas and Timothy, Paul gives himself “exclusively to preaching.”  What was he doing before?  From verse 3 we see that Paul was supporting himself working as a “tent maker” alongside Aquila and Priscilla.  Now that Silas and Timothy were present, they could work to earn the money needed and Paul could give himself solely to preaching.

Application:  I am thankful for the servants of the Lord who work a second job to support themselves and their families while they are faithful serving in ministry.  My father worked as an automobile mechanic while pastoring a small church.

I am also thankful for the ministry of people like Silas and Timothy who give themselves to supporting those in leadership ministries, enabling them to put all their attention, strength, time and energy to fulfill the call of God on their lives.  They accept the vision of ministry; they accept the challenge of ministry; they personally accept the support of ministry! They have the ministry of enablers!

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, bless and anoint your servants who labor to support themselves and their families while serving in ministry assignments.  Bless their sacrifice!  I pray that you would bless them with people who share their vision and accept the challenge of enabling them to work at it full-time.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!