March 12, 2019: SOAP #3386:  Deuteronomy 19-21; Galatians 3

Scripture:  Galatians (NIV) 3:23 Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. 24 So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

Observation:   Yes, I was held a prisoner by the law.  It was not that the law was mean and hated me; it was completely just!  I was a prisoner because I deserved it!  I had sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

Having no way to escape the holiness upon which the law is based, I was hopeless until I was told that Someone took my place and paid my penalty.  That payment was applied to my life when I confessed my sins and received forgiveness by faith.

My life is no longer under the supervision of a set of rules, it is under the supervision of the One Who is my Lord and the wonderful Holy Spirit!

Application:  I am not laboring under the requirement of the law, I am enjoying the presence of the Holy Spirit living in my life.  He opens my mind with fresh understanding.  He is my guide and confident.  Where once I walked in fear of breaking the law, now I walk in the joy of communing with the Holy Spirit.

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, you are the comforter and encourager that Jesus promised to send.  As you came to Jesus at the Jordan river when John baptized him, you have come to walk with me.  I am blest!   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

March 11, 2019: SOAP #3385:  Deuteronomy 16-18; Psalm 38; Galatians 2

Scripture:  Deuteronomy (NIV) 16:16 Three times a year all your men must appear before the LORD your God at the place he will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Tabernacles. No man should appear before the LORD empty-handed: 17 Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the LORD your God has blessed you.

Observation:   The Israelites were required to gather at the tabernacle three times each year.  They were not to come to the Lord with empty hands.  They were to bring an offering.  Their offerings were their way of acknowledging that God had a part in their harvest.  They had worked hard to prepare the soil; they had worked hard to plant the seeds; they had worked hard in gathering the harvest.  But if God had not done His part (like providing the nutrients in the soil, like providing the rain, like providing the sun) none of their efforts would have been fruitful!

So, their offering was to be in proportion to how God had blessed them!   It pleases God when we honor Him in our giving.

Application:  I am not to come empty-HANDED before the Lord.  Neither am I to come empty-HEARTED!  I should come with a heart full of thanksgiving!  And neither should I come empty-HEADED!  I should come with my mind full of His Word.  The greatest command, according to Jesus, is to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, souls, minds and strength.  Yes, the mind is included. It brings God no glory to be worshipped by mindless robots.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, I do not want to be empty-HEARTED nor empty-HEADED when I come before you.  I know that if my heart and my head are full, my hands will be full too!  I want to bring you and offering that you will enjoy.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

March 10, 2019: SOAP #3384:  Deuteronomy 13-15; Galatians 1

Scripture:  Galatians (NIV) 1:3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

John (NIV) 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Observation:  The words of Paul in Galatians agree with the words of Jesus as recorded by John.  It all starts with the Father who was motivated by love, –so great love!   The Father sent His Son, Jesus, to suffer and die on a cruel cross in payment for man’s sins.  The Son honored the Father and lived out the will of the Father.

In fulfilling the will of the Father, Jesus made it possible for the Father to have a family of sons and daughters being formed into the image of His one Perfect Son!!!  Jesus’ love for the father is multiplied by each child brought into the Kingdom of Heaven!  And as I grow, I am better able to express love for the Father, the love that Jesus wants me to give OUR Father!

Application:  Jesus made it possible for me to be brought into the Father’s family.  I honor Jesus as I love the Father!

And I honor the Father as I love the Son.  The Father takes great joy in Jesus…how could He not…just consider what Jesus did for the Father…and consider at what personal cost!!!

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, thank you for helping me to see the greatness of this family into which I have been born again!   Help me to live worthy of the honor I have received. Help me to live in honor of my Father and Jesus, His Son.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

March 09, 2019: SOAP #3383:  Deuteronomy 10-12; Mark 16

Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 15:1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3 and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” 4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.

Observation:  They were on a mission.  They knew they had a problem.  They did not know what they could do.  But they continued their mission.   They were determined.  They were not ones to stay at home because of they did not know how to move a tombstone!

Application:  I wonder how many times I have let a potential problem keep me from stepping out to do what God has given me to do.  Satan likes to keep my mind so focused on the “big stone” that I do not leave home.  I need to walk ahead knowing that the “Stone-mover” will be there even before I arrive!

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, may I never let a picture in my head of a big stone keep me from setting out to do what you have given me to do!  Today, I will move ahead trusting you to move any “stone.”  And when I arrive, I will find that you have already been there!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

March 08, 2019: SOAP #3382:  Deuteronomy 7-9; Mark 15

Scripture:  Deuteronomy (NIV) 7:17 You may say to yourselves, “These nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out?” 18 But do not be afraid of them; remember well what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt. 19 You saw with your own eyes the great trials, the miraculous signs and wonders, the mighty hand and outstretched arm, with which the LORD your God brought you out. The LORD your God will do the same to all the peoples you now fear.

Observation:    As Moses was preparing the Israelites to conquer the Promised Land, he calls upon their memory.  In these chapters, the word “remember” is used many times.  Moses reviews many of the things God had done in bringing them out of Egypt—things done in their lifetime!   God will finish what He started!  He will not leave them stranded in the wilderness!  He brought them out of Egypt in order to bring them into the Promised Land!

Application:  It is good not to let my memory of God’s dealing in my life fade into the distant past.  By remembering them, by considering them, by using my active thoughts to review them—they come out of my past into my present.  The lessons I learned in the past can be applied to the problems I have in the present.  That is “remembering well” -living in the present with wisdom gained from the past!

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, you have been with me every day of my 70+ years.  I have so much history from which to draw wisdom.  Help me to “remember well.”   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

March 07, 2019: SOAP #3381:  Deuteronomy 5-6; Psalm 43; Mark 14

Scripture:  Deuteronomy (NIV) 5: [Moses was speaking to the Israelites and reminding them this is what they had said] 27 “Go near and listen to all that the LORD our God says. Then tell us whatever the LORD our God tells you. We will listen and obey.”
[Moses continues] 28 The LORD heard you when you spoke to me and the LORD said to me, “I have heard what this people said to you. Everything they said was good. 29 Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!

Observation:   The Israelites had spoken to Moses, but God heard!  God liked what He heard!  “Everything they said was good.”

Application:  What was true of the Israelites is true of Leon today.  He hears every word that I speak today.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, it would bring me great joy to hear you say, “Everything Leon said today was good!”  I make that my goal for today.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

March 06, 2019: SOAP #3380:  Deuteronomy 3-4; Psalm 36; Mark 13

Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 13:14 “When you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation’ standing where it does not belong—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. …17d How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 18 Pray that this will not take place in winter, 19 because those will be days of distress unequalled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now—and never to be equaled again. 20 If the Lord had not cut short those days, no-one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them.

Observation:  Having read through the Bible many times, these verses often cause me to stop and think, stop and ponder what I am reading.  “Distress unequalled from the beginning, when God created the world…”  That would include Noah’s flood!

Application:  I am very skeptical when I hear some politicians and professors presenting their concepts of global-warming; I know that man has not kept records long enough for us to recognize any trends in weather.  However, I can consider that the flood during Noah’s day was a major change in weather and had a lasting effect on the earth.  Animal bodies frozen in ice speaks for a sudden weather change.  And Jesus’ words in Mark 13 speak of even bigger changes ahead in the earth.  Revelation 16:16-21 also speaks of major change to come.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, you alone have the perfect understanding of what has happened here on the face of the earth.  And as perfectly as you know history of this planet, you know what lies ahead.  (Praise the Lord!)  How foolish to think that I can plan my way!  I am trusting you to lead me through this day and each day to come. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

March 05, 2019: SOAP #3379:  Deuteronomy 1-2; Mark 12

Scripture:  Deuteronomy (NIV) 2:26 From the desert of Kedemoth I sent messengers to Sihon king of Heshbon offering peace and saying, 27 “Let us pass through your country. We will stay on the main road; we will not turn aside to the right or to the left….  30 But Sihon king of Heshbon refused to let us pass through. For the LORD your God had made his spirit stubborn and his heart obstinate in order to give him into your hands, as he has now done. 31 The LORD said to me, “See, I have begun to deliver Sihon and his country over to you. Now begin to conquer and possess his land.”

Observation:  Here we see the LORD making this king’s spirit “stubborn and his heart obstinate.”  Although others (vs 29) had let Israel pass through their land, King Sihon refused.  God had a purpose.  God used Israel to bring judgment to King Sihon.  God gave that land to Israel as a possession.  And I believe God used it to give Israel war-experience (vs 33) before entering the promised land.

Application:  God still deals with nations, especially those who have a history of God’s involvement in the founding of their nation—the USA being a prime example.  Why members of our congress, who have wasted countless millions of dollars on numberless projects, refuses to give President Trump a much smaller amount to build a wall along our southern border seems to me to be the hand of God giving them “stubborn and obstinate” hearts.  But God has a purpose!

God is bringing judgment on the USA for the sin of abortion.  His judgment is to bring one illegal immigrant into our nation for each child we have aborted.  It is for our nation to confess our sin, accept God’s judgment, and work to win the people coming into our land into the Kingdom of God!

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, give wisdom to our leaders.  Anoint your church to reap the harvest of souls you are bringing into our nation. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

March 03, 2019: SOAP #3377:  Numbers 32-33; Mark 10

Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 11:25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

Observation:  How important is forgiveness?  It is so important that I forgive others that my Heavenly Father will not forgive me if I do not forgive others!   It is very important to my Heavenly Father so, it is very important to me!

It is very reasonable for God to hold me to this standard.  When I received Christ as my Savior, the Great Forgiver took up residence in my life.  He is always with me to help me forgive.  He is always with me to remind me that I have been forgiven.  He is always with me to remind me that His death on the cross was sufficient to not only pay for my sins, but also the sins against me!

Application:  Knowing my life better than most people, I KNOW how much I need forgiveness.  It is important for me to forgive.

Knowing how fragile live can be and how quickly it can be over, I KNOW how quickly I need to forgive.  I cannot afford to hold a grudge!

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, I need your help to forgive.  Help me to remember that forgiveness is a choice and forgetting is a process.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

March 03, 2019: SOAP #3377:  Numbers 32-33; Mark 10

Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 10:6 “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female’. 7 ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, 8 and the two will become one flesh.’ So, they are no longer two, but one. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

Observation:   Making some humans male and others female is God’s idea.  It was He who designed the differences.  It was not for the purpose of separating them, but for the purpose of uniting them.  When their differences are united, “…the two will become one flesh.”   The differences give them opportunity to love and serve one another.  The uniting of differences gives strength and produces fruitfulness!

God is the one who created the differences, and God is the one who joins them in creating new life.  Divorce is man’s way of dealing with differences.

Application:  I have heard many blessings spoken over marriage commitments; I have heard many prayers requesting God’s blessings for a newly married couple.  That seems so right.  If God has joined them, we should expect God to bless them.  It is common for weddings to be performed in a church and/or by a member of the clergy.  We are acknowledging that marriage is God’s plan and expecting His blessing.

From my personal life experience, I have yet to hear a prayer requesting God’s blessing over a divorce.  I have never seen a divorce ceremony held in a church.  Divorce settlements are commonly conducted in a lawyer’s office.  That also seems right.  If man is separating what God has joined, how could we ask or expect God to bless a divorce!

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, use me to encourage and bless the marriages around me.  Use me to encourage and bring healing to troubled marriages. Restore them to full joy, I pray.  And Heavenly Father, I am blest to see how you can pull people out of great trouble to make their lives grow, blossom and bear fruit for your glory.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!