June 21, 2019: SOAP #3487:  2Kings 6,7; 2Chronicles 20; 1Timothy 3

Scripture:  2Kings (NIV) 6:15 When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh, my lord, what shall we do?” the servant asked. 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.
18 As the enemy came down towards him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, “Strike these people with blindness.” So, he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.

Observation:   Elisha’s servant was fearful of the enemy army surrounding them, so the Lord opened his eyes to see the complete picture including God’s army filling the hills all around them.  For the enemy army coming to take Elisha, the same Lord brought blindness.

Both miracles were in answer to Elisha’s prayer. Elisha already knew the utter hopelessness of the enemy’s position.  He was praying for his servant to know.  In the second prayer he was praying for the soldiers who would been killed.  Instead, they were captured, fed a good meal, and sent home.

Application:  The same Lord is with me today.  He has not diminished in power.  He can open my eyes; He can open the eyes of those working with me.   AND He can strike those working against me with blindness or make me invisible to them.  There is just no limit to what my God can do!   God has struck politicians in Washington D.C. with blindness when it comes to our southern border.   Judgment on our nation for the sin of abortion pours across that border every night and day.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, you are The Mighty God.  With you, nothing is impossible!  My life is in your hands!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

June 20, 2019: SOAP #3486:  2Kings 4,5; Psalm 83; 1Timothy 2

Scripture:  1Timothy (NIV) 2:1 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

Observation:  Here we are instructed to pray for “kings and all those in authority.”  This would include those who make, interpret, and enforce laws.  We are to pray for THEM so that WE can live peaceful, quiet, godly, and holy lives.

Application:   I need to keep informed about the laws that are being made and how they affect living a life that honors Jesus.

From the above verses, I see that I should pray for governmental leaders because…
1.  …they have authority for which they will be responsible.
2.  …they make laws that affect my daily life.
3.  …this pleases the One to Whom I will ultimately answer for my life.
4. …God wants them to be saved.
5. …God wants them to have a knowledge of truth that can only come through knowing Him.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, as our nation prepares for another presidential election in 2020, call those who know your voice to prayer.  Our nation greatly needs a spiritual renewal. Send it soon we pray.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

June 19, 2019: SOAP #3485:  2Kings 1-3; Psalm 82; 1Timothy 1

Scripture:  1Timothy (NIV) 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, 2 To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Observation:  Paul refers to Christ Jesus as “our hope.”  He is not a portion of our hope; He is our hope!  It is because of Jesus and His work on the cross that we can confidently quote:

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Application:   Does God want good for me?  I only need to consider Jesus!  Will God really work through all things for my good?  I only need to consider Jesus!

As a believer in Christ Jesus, I know that death does not end my life.  As passing through my mother’s birth canal brought me into a whole new dimension of life, so the death of my physical body will usher my soul and spirit into a whole new dimension of life!  God has all eternity to show me how all things work together for good!   Some things that appear to be failures here in this life, will prove to be great victories in heaven.

Prayer:  Jesus, you are my hope.  I have surrendered my life to you.  I trust you to work all things together for your glory and my good!   Amen!

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

June 18, 2019: SOAP #3484:  1Kings 22; 2Chronicles 18,19; Colossians 4

Scripture:  Colossians (NIV) 4:10 My fellow-prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.)

Observation:   Mark had started on Paul’s first missionary journey but had turned back.  When Barnabas wanted to take him along on the second, Paul refused.  It caused Paul and Barnabas to split up, Paul taking Silas and Barnabas taking Mark. Acts 15:27-39   But now things are different.  Paul is in jail writing a letter to the church in Colosse.  Mark, who is now with Paul, requests that Paul include his greetings in the letter.  Paul goes even further and encourages them to welcome Mark if he visits them.

Thank the Lord for Mark not getting so offended and not holding a grudge against Paul for the earlier rejection.  And, thank the Lord for Paul not carrying the past into the present.  Mark is the author of the second gospel.

Application:    God is bigger than my failures!   God can work through my weaknesses for HIS GLORY!   Rejection by the Apostle Paul did not hinder Mark’s future ministry.

Thank the Lord for Barnabas who took Mark along with him on a missionary journey, discipled and prepared him for future ministry.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, help me be like Paul who gave a second opportunity for ministry.  Help me be like Barnabas who did not see past failures as disqualifying from future ministry.  Help me be like Mark who did not become offended and bitter.  Help me know that God is the way-maker for ministry.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

June 17, 2019: SOAP #3483:  1Kings 20-21; 2Chronicles 17; Colossians 3

Scripture:  Colossians (NIV) 3:7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.

Observation:   The first four verses in this chapter tell us about the change that has happened to us.  We have been raised with Christ; my life is now hidden with Christ; Christ is my life.

Application:  My actions used to be in keeping with my old way of life, but now that Jesus has taken up residence in me, my actions need to change.  Through my actions people will see who is living in me!

My appreciation for what Jesus has done for me should cause me to want Him to be seen in me.

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, help me to let the life of Jesus shine through me.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

June 16, 2019: SOAP #3482:  1Kings 17-19; Colossians 2

Scripture:  Colossians (NIV) 2:16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.

Observation:   It is interesting to watch a young child first discover their shadow.  Some have a little panic attack as they try to escape.

A shadow is powerless.  It has no ability to think or to choose its actions.  It cannot cause a pre-determined action.  It’s just a shadow!

But a shadow can reveal some truth about what is casting that shadow.  How big it is.  A little about its shape.  How fast it moves.

And so, the law is a shadow people could follow to its source: to Christ!  The law could not save us, but Jesus can!   The law could not make me clean, but Jesus can!  Keeping the Sabbath cannot make me holy, but Jesus can!

Application:  Jesus is the reality I need to study.  The better I know Jesus, the better I will understand the Old Testament.  Better than that, the better I know Jesus, the better I will understand what God desires of me now.  The better I know Jesus, the better I will learn to rely on the Holy Spirit as he did.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, as you sent your Holy Spirit to lead Jesus as he lived on earth, so you have sent the same Holy Spirit to empower my ministry here on earth.  Teach me to rely on his guidance. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

June 15, 2019: SOAP #3481:  1Kings 16; 2Chronicles 15,16; Colossians 1

Scripture:  Colossians (NIV) 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2 To the holy and faithful brothers in Christ at Colosse: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.

Observation:   Paul was carrying out his service to the body of Christ with the understanding that it was God’s will.  He was not working under his own authority.  He had not chosen this assignment for himself.  He had been chosen for this assignment by God.

Application:  It is important for me to understand that I am a retired pastor writing daily SOAP devotions by the will of God.  It is God’s assignment for me.  And during the school year, I am a bus driver by the will of God.  It is God’s assignment.

Seeing my labor as being God’s affects me in two ways.  First, I must carry out my assignment to the best of my ability.  I am working for the Lord!  Sloppiness is not allowed.  God deserves only the best from me.

Second, I can count on His help and provision.  It is God’s assignment.  It is his work I am doing.  I expect that the God of all creation will take care of those doing his will.

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, whatever my assignment for today, remind me for whom I am working.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

June 14, 2019: SOAP #3480:  1Kings 15; 2Chronicles 13,14; Philippians 4

Scripture:  Philippians (NIV) 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Observation:   There is something we should not do about anything, and there is something we should do about everything.  We should not worry about anything; we should pray about everything.  If we do the second, we will be less inclined to do the first.

Application:  This verse does not tell me to gather a band of prayer warriors around to take my needs to our Heavenly Father.  There is nothing wrong with asking others to pray, but this verse tells ME to pray!   When I ask someone to pray FOR me, I should be asking them to pray WITH me.  I should already be praying.

Many times, when people ask me to pray for a need in their life, I ask them how they are praying; I will agree with them.  I want to know for what their faith is reaching.  What do they expect God to do for them?

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, your gift of peace that transcends all understanding is promised to those who present their requests TO YOU by prayer and petition with thanksgiving. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

June 13, 2019: SOAP #3479:  1Kings 13,14; 2Chronicles 12; Philippians 3

Scripture:  Philippians (NIV) 3:7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.  8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.

Observation:   NIV: surpassing greatness; KJV/YLB: the excellency; Message: high privilege; RSV: surpassing worth; Wyeth: priceless privilege.

The “surpassing greatness” of knowing Christ makes it well worth the loss of all other things.  It is the height of foolishness to allow the pursuit of something else in life to hinder one from the pursuit of knowing Christ.

This knowledge may start with reading words on a page, but it is so much more.  It is the knowledge that comes from experience.  It is meeting Jesus in real life.  It is walking though the days with him.  It is learning his ways.  It is knowing what he thinks about certain things without needing to look them up in the Bible.  It is feeling the joy he feels when seeing something that he likes.  It is feeling the sadness he feels when sin destroys his creation.  It is in knowing how to make him feel comfortable in one’s life.  It is in quickly recognizing attitudes that would cause him concern.  It is when the joy of the Lord (his joy) becomes my strength.

Application:   The joy of the Lord is my strength.  It gives me strength when I know I am giving him joy.  There is a great satisfaction when I know I am making him smile.

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, In a world so full of things that cause My Heavenly Father concern, help make my life a place for his enjoyment.  May the attitudes of my heart and the words of my mouth cause him to smile.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

June 12, 2019: SOAP #3478:  1Kings 12; 2Chronicles 10,11; Philippians 2

Scripture:  1Kings (NIV) 12:13 The king answered the people harshly. Rejecting the advice given him by the elders, 14 he followed the advice of the young men and said, “My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.”

Observation:   The people had come to King Rehoboam with a valid request.  They had been overworked by his father King Solomon; they requested relief.  King Rehoboam asked them to return for his answer in three days during which he sought counsel.  The elders advised him to serve the people and acknowledge their complaint.  Give them the relief they desired.  Then the new king rejected their counsel and listened to the younger counselors.

How foolish I say, until I read the next verse:  15 So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from the LORD, to fulfil the word the LORD had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite. (Note 1Kings 11:29-39).  God’s hand was bringing judgment!

Application:  And, so it is in the USA today.  The political party in control of the House of Representatives is so taken up with a desire to impeach our president, that they have no time to deal with our southern border where millions of illegal aliens are surging into our country.  Their confusion is of the Lord who has promised to bring one illegal alien into our country for every child we have aborted.  Let us pray for our president to truly understand what is happening, call our nation to repentance and prayer, and work to develop these illegal immigrants into the army of workers and taxpayers our aborted children should have been.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, as your hand of judgment is upon our nation, give us hearts willing to acknowledge our sins and repent.  Give us leaders who understand what you are doing.  As you have given our president favor in other nations, so give him favor in our nation.  Holy Spirit, for those who reads this SOAP, use each one to win one illegal alien to you.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!