April 11, 2019: SOAP #3416:  1Samuel 11-12; 1Chronicales 1; 2Corinthians 11

Scripture:  1Samuel (NIV) 12:20 “Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the LORD but serve the LORD with all your heart.

Observation:   Samuel had presented Saul as king and now he was stepping out of leadership.  They had rejected the idea of God being their king and wanted a king as the other nations.  Samuel had tried to discourage them, but they insisted, and God chose Saul to be their king.  Samuel admonished them “not to turn away from the LORD but serve the LORD with all your heart.”

Serving God should mean that I serve God the way He likes to be served.  To please God, my service must come from my heart.  It is not just outward actions; it is a heart matter.

Application:   No one like to be served by someone who goes behind their back and complains about how terrible it is to serve them.

As a New Testament believer, “serving the LORD with all my heart” should be easy to understand.  To do something for the Lord, then complain about it under my breath is foolish.  After all, He lives in my heart.  He knows my thoughts.  Without a doubt, God is worthy of joyous, willing, whole-hearted service!

Prayer:  Lord, I want you to know that it is my pleasure to serve you.  And I want others to know that it is my pleasure to serve you. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

April 10, 2019: SOAP #3415:  1Samuel 8-10; 2Corinthians 10

Scripture:  2Corinthians (NIV) 10:17 But, “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”  18 For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.

Observation:  I have heard it said that a man considers himself successful when the significant people in his life consider him successful.  So, we can see how important it is for us to raise God to His appropriate level in our lives—THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PERSON!  What He says about us is more important than what anyone else says about us, no matter how important they seem in this life!

Application:  I cannot miss this application: there are people to whom I am a significant person.  What I say to them, and about them, can affect their lives.  God has placed me in their lives to have a good effect on them.  I need to be saying God’s words to them.  I need to tell them what God thinks about them.  I need to be taking their emphasis on me and placing it on HIM!  I need to be moving into the background as HE moves to the foreground!   Like John (3:30) said, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, guide me in being true to God’s purpose for me.  Use my influence to bring people closer to you. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

April 09, 2019: SOAP #3414:  1Samuel 6-7; Psalm 72; 2Corinthians 9

Scripture:  2Corinthians (NIV) 9:2 For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action.

Observation:   What a blessing to see a spirit of generosity sweep across a congregation.  Someone moved by the Holy Spirit steps up to give to a need that has been presented.  Something in their giving stirs the spirit in another brother or sister to give.  Maybe it was the sacrifice of the first giver.  Maybe it was something the Holy Spirit led them to say, but generosity is ignited in a second giver.  And then a third moves to give.  Some realize that God has provided an abundance for them, so they joyfully give.  Others make a joyful sacrifice, counting it a blessing to be a part of meeting the need.  They give, knowing that God will uniquely provide when their need arises.

Application:    How special to be a part of Spirit-anointed generosity!   What rejoicing to know that God used me!   The body met the need as each member gave as the Spirit led them to give.

And how special the testimonies that come out of such giving.  There are the testimonies of those whose need was met.  AND there are the testimonies of those who gave!  God replenished their finances; God provided a special supply; God arranged for a bill to be satisfied.  There are fresh testimonies that go on for months and months!

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, you are the greatest Giver of all!  You desire your children to be givers too!  I am acting like you when I give.  Giving brings joy to my heart.  May my giving bring joy to your heart also.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

April 08, 2019: SOAP #3413:  1Samuel 3-5; Psalm 77; 2Corinthians 8

Scripture:  2Corinthians (NIV) 8:24 Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it.

Observation:   Paul was sending some men to receive a promised offering for the church in Jerusalem.  In this chapter, Paul has told them about churches in other cities that are giving, encouraging those in Corinth to do the same.

In the above verse, I see, not an emphasis on money, but on love.  Love can be seen.  It is visible.  Love cannot stay hidden.  Love finds a way to uncover itself.  It rises to the surface.  The use of their money would be an outward demonstration of the love in their hearts.

Application:   The application of our resources is one way we prove our love.  How we spend our time and money.  How we choose our words.  What gets a second glance.  Of course, our inner thoughts and feelings are a part of loving, but they are not always visible.  Love becomes seeable.  Love is visible.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, Your love can be easily seen in sending Jesus to die for my sin.  I want my love for you to be easily seen in my service for you.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

April 07, 2019: SOAP #3412:  1Samuel 1-2; Psalm 66; 2Corinthians 7

Scripture:  Psalm (NIV) 66:8 Praise our God, O peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard; 9 he has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping. 10 For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver. 11 You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. 12 You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance.

Observation:   It is good that people can see our love and appreciation for God in the way we live.  But they might not fully understand why we do what we do.  So, we need to also SPEAK His praise.  People need to not only see, but also to hear the praises of God.

Application:  If I want people to HEAR God’s praise, I need to use my mouth to speak (or sing) His praise.  How long do people need to know me before they hear my estimation of the great God I serve?   Have they heard me speak God’s praise?  Do they know how highly I value God?

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, may the praises of God be often heard in my conversation. May I do my part to make sure the praises of God are heard.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

April 06, 2019: SOAP #3411:  Ruth 3-4; Psalm 64, 65; 2Corinthians 6

Scripture:  2Corinthisan (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.”

Observation:   In my limited travels, I have had the opportunity to visit temples in India, Sri Lanka, China.  Entering those temples, I saw lifeless statues and objects on which the worshippers focused their attention. What a difference is found in Christianity!!!

The temple of God is not a lifeless building, but a living person!   In the temple is not a statue, but the Living God!  Prayers are not offered to a lifeless idol that cannot hear, but to the God who hears, understands our prayers, and answers with love and wisdom!!!

Application:  I am a temple of the LIVING GOD!  In me dwells the “living God!”  He is alive today and living in me.  He is not the God who was alive, but the God WHO IS ALIVE!   It is good to know what He has done in the past—it is better to know what He did yesterday.  He is still alive and acts like He is alive.  He is doing what we would expect a living God to do!   When people visit this temple (me), they should expect to discover something current that the Living God has done/is doing!

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, so work in my life that people with whom I come in contact will know that the God in me is STILL ALIVE!  You are alive today and interacting with what surrounds me.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

April 05, 2019: SOAP #3410:  Ruth 1-2; Psalm 53, 61; 2Corinthians 5

Scripture:  2Corinthians (NIV) 5:2 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. 5 Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.  (KJV: …who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.)

Observation:   The presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives is like earnest money we give when we enter into an agreement to buy a house.  It is a small percentage of the purchase price that guarantees the remainder will soon be paid.

Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit.  And when the Holy Spirit began His ministry on earth, He is a promise of even more to come!  If the Holy Spirit is the earnest, it is impossible to imagine what the fullness will be!

Application:    The joy, the peace, the impartation of wisdom, the revelation of understanding the Word, the power in living, the revelation of knowledge, the faith, the miracles—all is because of the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life.  But even more amazing—this is the promise I have been given—there is even more to come!

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, You are amazing!  You came as a fulfillment of the promise Jesus gave to us.  And you have come as a promise that even more is in store.  I cannot begin to imagine what eternal life in heaven will be like!  It is going to be good!!! Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

April 04, 2019: SOAP #3409:  Judges 19-21; 2Corinthians 4

Scripture:  2Corinthians (NIV) 4:5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

Observation:  Paul was describing his ministry to the citizens of Corinth.  He had been truthful and open with everyone, making sure not to use deception.  Paul had not drawn people to himself, but to Jesus.  Paul was not lord, Jesus was Lord!  Jesus is Paul’s Lord and Paul desired that those living in Corinth make Jesus their Lord!  So, what was Paul’s relationship to the Corinthians?  He was their servant.

He was their servant “for Jesus’ sake!”  In honor of Christ, Paul served them.  In obedience to Christ, he served them.  With the goal of having the life of Christ formed within them, he served them.

Application:  How do…how should I see myself?  In relationship to Jesus: He is my Lord.  In relationship to others: their servant for Jesus sake.

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, do your work in me. The greatest honor in this world is to be a personal servant of the Creator of All.  Keep reminding me that I am a servant of others for Christ’s sake! Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

April 03, 2019: SOAP #3408:  Judges 17-18; Psalm 89; 2Corinthians 3

Scripture:  Psalm (NIV) 89:15 Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O LORD.
16 They rejoice in your name all day long; they exult in your righteousness.
17 For you are their glory and strength, and by your favor you exalt our horn.
18 Indeed, our shield belongs to the LORD, our king to the Holy One of Israel.

Observation:   Here is a blessing for those who recognize and draw attention to God’s presence.  Through their words of faith, and their acts of faith, they make His presence known.  People who hear what they say, and see what they do, recognize that God is present and active.

They are blessed because they “walk in the light of God’s presence.”  They live in the moment like they are actually in the presence of God.  And they really are!!!

Application:  I need to live like God’s mouth, God’s hands and feet.  I need to consider myself the suit of clothes that God is wearing.

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, guide my words and my actions to be a declaration of God’s presence.  Make your presence known through me.  May I be an avenue through which you can accomplish your will. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

April 02, 2019: SOAP #3407:  Judges 13-16; 2Corinthians 2

Scripture:  Judges (NIV) 13:1 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, so the LORD delivered them into the hands of the Philistines for forty years.

Observation:  This is the fifth time we find the word “again” used in this book in the same context.  (3:12; 4:1; 6:1; 8:33; 10:16)   They “again” did evil in the eyes of the LORD.  The book of Judges is proof that the law of Moses, the tabernacle, the sacrifices could identify sin, but could not keep people from sin.  They needed a strong leader, anointed by the Spirit of God, to deliver them from bondage and keep them in God’s favor.  When the prophet, or judge, died, they again did evil in the eyes of the LORD.

Another “again” that can be seen in the book of Judges is that “again” and “again” the LORD delivered them when they repented and called upon Him!  What a loving, gracious, and forgiving God!

Application:  As I read the book of Judges, I am thankful for the presence of the Holy Spirit dwelling in my life to guide me daily!  I am thankful for God’s being merciful and “again” forgiving me when I confess my sins.  (1John 1:9)

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, thank you for your willingness to forgive me every day!  I depend on your mercy and grace.  Holy Spirit, thank you for accompanying me each day to help me live victoriously! Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!