September 21, 2020: SOAP #3945:  Daniel 7-8; Psalm 137; Luke 4

Scripture:  Luke (NIV) 4: 1 ¶  Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.

14  Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.

16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. 17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,…21 and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Observation:   Luke continues his emphasis on the presence and ministry of the Holy Spirit.  Obviously, this was a major factor in the ministry of Jesus.  Although Jesus did not stop being God, He laid aside His deity to live and die as a sinless man.  His sinless death provided forgiveness of sin for those who put their faith in Him.  The Holy Spirit empowered the ministry of this One who called Himself the “Son of Man.”  Note Luke’s record in verses 32 and 36 of this same chapter. 

Application:  The life of Jesus on earth is the perfect example of following the leading of the Holy Spirit and allowing the power of the Holy Spirit flow through Him.        

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, find in me open ears to hear what you are saying and a willing heart to do as you lead.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

September 20, 2020: SOAP #3944:  Daniel 5-6; Psalm 130; Luke 3

Scripture:  Luke (NIV) 3:16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

Observation:   Here in chapter three, Luke continues to tie the ministry of Jesus with the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  Luke is here quoting John the Baptist who was a forerunner of Jesus, sent to prepare the people for Christ’s coming and to introduce Jesus to Israel. 

In Acts 1 and 2 we can read of the fulfillment of this prophetic word.  On the day of Pentecost, those gathered in the upper room were all filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking praises to God in unlearned languages, with what appeared to be tongues of fire on each one’s head.  Peter addressed the onlookers and referred them back to the words of the prophet Joel.  He could have also referred them back to John the Baptist words as recorded by Luke.    

Application:  Every time in the book of Acts when people were initially filled with the Holy Spirit, they spoke in other languages.  Of course, once filled with the Holy Spirit, they went on to other Spirit-led ministry.  However, those gathered on the day of Pentecost is the only time we read about the tongues of fire.  

From personal experience, I have found the Holy Spirit is not tongues of fire on my head, but a burning flame in my heart.  He stirs my love for Jesus and sparks boldness in speaking for my Lord.        

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, John the Baptist promised that Jesus would baptize us into you for your anointing and empowerment.  Use me to bring glory to Jesus, I pray. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

September 19, 2020: SOAP #3943:  Ezekiel 47-48; Luke 2

Speak through me, Holy Spirit, speak through me!

Scripture:   Luke (NIV) 2:25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,
28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace.  30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all people, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”

Observation:   As in the preceding chapter, here again we see the Spirit’s work resulting in “speech” evidence. We see both praise and prophecy coming from Simeon.  When we think of the nine gifts of the Spirit (1Corinthians 12:7-10), most of them are linked to the tongue.  The gifts of tongues, interpretation of tongues, and prophecy are directly expressed through speech.  The word of wisdom and the word of knowledge often are revealed through appropriate words of direction or understanding.  Think of the many times Jesus activated the gifts of healing and miracles through His spoken word.       

Application:  As I interact with others, and as I write these SOAPs, the Holy Spirit wants to use my speech, and words, to minister God’s grace to others.  He brightens my thoughts and empowers me to communicate those thoughts.    

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, you anoint me as you reveal what you want me to write.  I pray you anoint those who read these SOAPs.  Use the SOAPs to speak words of your grace to each reader.  Give each reader faith that you want to speak through them.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

September 18, 2020: SOAP #3942:  Ezekiel 45-46; Luke 1

Scripture:  Luke (NIV) 1:15 [angel speaking of John] for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. …
35 The angel answered, [to Mary] “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God….
41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit….
67 His [John’s]father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

Observation:   The Holy Spirit had a major role in the life and ministry of Jesus.  And it does not take Luke long to introduce the Holy Spirit into his narrative.  As we continue in the book of Luke, we will find the stream of Spirit-empowered ministry continuing.

God the Father sent God the Son to live on earth as a man.  Jesus laid aside His deity (God-ness) to live as a man.  Though He had always been, and was while on earth, and always will be God the Son, He emptied Himself of His God-ness to live as a man.  He commonly called himself the “Son of man.”

While on earth as the Son of Man, he limited himself to only what was available to man, the Written Word and the Indwelling Holy Spirit. 

Application:  As we read through the book of Luke, we find the Son of Man surrendered to and empowered by the Holy Spirit.  As we read through the book of Acts, we find the early church continued surrendering to and being empowered by the same Holy Spirit.  As we live each day, we should expect to live our lives today surrendered to and empowered by the same Holy Spirit!   It continues today!

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, how we limit our potential when we do not acknowledge you, submit to your infilling, and learn to depend on your presence.  Bring another day of Pentecost revival to the church today we pray.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

September 17, 2020: SOAP #3941:  Ezekiel 42-44; Revelation 22

Scripture:  Revelation (NIV) 22:12 “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.

Observation:  Entrance into heaven is based on our faith in the work of Jesus on the cross.  He died to pay for our sins.  Our sins are washed away in the blood he shed.  Our garments were once stained with our sins, but they are washed clean in the blood of Jesus sacrifice! 

Separate from our entrance into heaven is the rewards each one will receive.  Those rewards will be based our what we have done.      

Application:   God is blessed by what we “do” for Him.  He does not miss the sacrifice and effort expended in serving Him.  He takes note, and He will be faithful to reward each one “according to what he has done.”       

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, your heart of love has often rewarded me more than my labors deserved.  I am sure it will be no different on that day mentioned in the verses above.  From my point of view: serving you is such a great honor.  But from your point of view:  having me serve you is a great pleasure.  May I be worthy of pleasuring you.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

September 16, 2020: SOAP #3940:  Ezekiel 40-41; Psalm 128; Revelation 21

Scripture:  Revelation (NIV) 21:9 One of the seven angels … said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal….
22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.

Observation:   The city of Jerusalem in Israel is a city that was built around the temple. Everything is in relationship to the temple.  All activity related to the temple.  The people lived and set their schedules around the temple. 

In contrast, the New Jerusalem, the Holy City, is a city WITHOUT A TEMPLE!   All activity is centered around the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb.  The presence of God makes the whole city the temple.  The people do not visit the temple/church building weekly or on holy days, they live in the temple and in relationship with God, they ARE the temple!    

Application:   It is easy for believers today to become building centered.   We think of the church as a building, yet we all are looking forward to going to a city that has no temple building!  Buildings can be gathering places, teaching places, fellowship places, but the church is the people of God.   

The heavenly fellowship that God desires is that He lives in me every day, all day.  He walks in me and talks with me.  He has made me His dwelling place.  He is not just an honored visitor on Sunday, He is a permanent part.     

Prayer:  God, you are a permanent part of my life.  You are THE important part of my life.  Every moment of every day revolves around you.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

September 15, 2020: SOAP #3939:  Ezekiel 38-39; Psalm 145; Revelation 20

Scripture:  Revelation (NIV) 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

Observation:  In chapter 19 the mention of the mark of the beast had to do with the punishment of those who received it.  In this chapter we find the reward for those who refused it.  They come back to life and have the high honor of being a part of Christ’s reign on earth for 1000 years. 

It is always worth the effort to follow and honor Jesus.   

This passage is also a good reminder that our life does not end with death.  What we will experience after death will far surpass anything we have experienced during our short time in this life.  I think of eternity as a mind-expanding experience.    

Application:  A strong message I have from my father’s life:  it is not always easy, but it is always worth the struggle to follow Jesus.   I love to sing:  “It will be worth it all when we see Jesus.  Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ.  One glimpse of His dear face, all sorrows will erase.  So bravely run the race till we see Christ!”     

Prayer:   Lord, your plans are amazing!  What a peace to know that your plans will succeed.  Nothing can stop your will or your plans.  You make promises that only you can keep.  …and we know that you will keep them. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

September 14, 2020: SOAP #3938:  Ezekiel 36-37; Psalm 110; Revelation 19

Scripture:  Revelation (NIV) 19: 11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war….14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. …
19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20 But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshipped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21 The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

Observation:  In these verses we see that those who take the “mark of the beast” will be following kings of the earth joined with the beast.  They have been deceived by miraculous signs performed by the prophet.  They have joined together to fight the One coming from heaven with the armies of heaven.  The beast and the false prophet will be captured and thrown alive into the fiery lake; the others will be killed, later to be brought before the great white throne judgment. (Revelation 20:12)     

Application:  This passage stands as a strong warning to be very careful of whom I am following.  Miracles are not proof that someone has God’s approval or that they are sent from God.  The better we know the Scriptures and have a current relationship with the Holy Spirit, the better we will read the warning signs that are always available when something is not right.        

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, thank you for the scriptures and especially for the indwelling Holy Spirit.  Holy Spirit, I want to clearly hear your voice.  To walk in this world, I need your guidance. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

September 13, 2020: SOAP #3937:  Ezekiel 33-35; Revelation 18

Scripture:  Revelation (NIV) 18:1 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. 2 With a mighty voice he shouted: “Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great! She has become a home for demons and a haunt for every evil spirit, a haunt for every unclean and detestable bird. 3 For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.”  
4 Then I heard another voice from heaven say: “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; 5 for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes.
6 Give back to her as she has given; pay her back double for what she has done. Mix her a double portion from her own cup. 7 Give her as much torture and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself. In her heart she boasts, ‘I sit as queen; I am not a widow, and I will never mourn.’ 8 Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.

Observation:   In the middle of this alarming passage of God’s judgment on sin, we read a most comforting verse.  As God remembers the sins of the nation and prepares to give them double, He also remembers “His people!”  “His people” are not perfect sinless people, but they are the ones whose sins have already been judged.  They were declared guilty; they received the offer of forgiveness and the death of Jesus as the payment for their sins; they are now justified—(just-as-if-I’d never sinned!)   

Application:  God does not forget His people!  He will not forget me!  He has a way to get me out of trouble.  I can trust Him!        

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, it is comforting and encouraging to know that you will not forget me.  How special to have a place in your memory!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

September 12, 2020: SOAP #3936:  Daniel 3-4; Psalm 81; Revelation 17

Scripture:  Psalm (NIV) 81:8 “Hear, O my people, and I will warn you—if you would but listen to me, O Israel! 9 You shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not bow down to an alien god.

10 I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.

11 “But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. 12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices. 13 “If my people would but listen to me, if Israel would follow my ways, 14 how quickly would I subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes!

Observation:   How God loves His people.  He wants them to listen to His warning.  He alone is their God.  God reminds them of what He has done for them.  But they would not listen!   In Revelation, chapters 2 and 3, to each church is written, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”  God is a speaker; His people must be listeners! 

Application:  God’s strength, God’s willingness to help, God’s wisdom, God’s ability does not benefit me unless I listen.  God speaks to me.  Hearing His word and the Holy Spirit provides me direction.  God’s Spirit speaks to my heart as I read His word, as I gather in worship and listen to anointed preaching, as I meditate on what I have hidden in my heart God personally speaks to Leon!     

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, to grasp the truth that you know me personally as an individual and that you speak to me personally humbles me.  You love me.  You speak to me.  You give me personal direction.  Forgive me for the times I have not been listening. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!