December 18, 2020: SOAP #4033:  John 2-4

SCRIPTURE:  John (NIV) 4:6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, …
18 The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” …
39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” …
42 They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”

OBSERVATION:  In reading from verse 1 to verse 43 the Lord brought to my attention that He was not offended by this woman’s past.  The things that offended her neighbors did not offend Him.  He was interested in her as a person.  And He was interested in her future.  Later her testimony motivated many people from the city to come out to where Jesus was at the well!  Jesus stayed in their city two days!  Her testimony stirred their interest, but Jesus convinced them to believe. 

APPLICATION:   I cannot allow someone’s to offend me.  I must be motivated by faith in what Jesus can do and how Jesus can use their future! 

PRAYER:  Holy Spirit, Make me like Jesus, unoffended by someone’s past but full of faith for their future. Amen. 

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

Personal note:  Good news: today I was through with the COVID quarantine.  Not so good news:  they had no empty room available to which I could be moved.  This hospital is full!  Great news:  Sharon will be able to visit me in another room!  Greatest news:  Every day I get to speak to three or four people about the Lord! 
–This morning a nurse practitioner checked out my drainage tube and found it to be clogged.  When she was done, it drained all day.  I needed some replacement fluids.  They have just set up a new “meals ready to eat” bag which will feed me IV for another 24 hours.  I am trusting God to stop the flow! 

December 17, 2020: SOAP #4032: 2Peter 1-3; John 1

SCRIPTURE:  John (NIV) 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

OBSERVATION:   Christmas is not only an expression of God’s love in sending His Son Jesus to die for our sins, it is also an expression of God’s holiness. The sacrifice for sin had to be prepared in a way that would stand the scrutiny of the highest court in the universe. Only a sinless sacrifice could pay for the sins of others. The sacrifice had to be proven sinless not because it had no opportunity to sin, but because it had every opportunity to sin, yet resisted and remained pure! Oh, what a Savior! He met the righteous demands of the One and Only Perfectly Holy God!

APPLICATION:   In love, God forgives me and pays for my sins by the death of Jesus. In holiness, He sent the same Holy Spirit that came upon Jesus — that same Holy Spirit to live within me and help me overcome temptation. Oh, what a God!

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, you are amazing! You know me perfectly. You have perfectly supplied for my needs! I am blest to be yours! Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

Personal note:  Today has been an interesting day.  No food since yesterday morning.  If one thinks hard, ice chips can taste like cherry cheesecake or mashed potatoes.  It is amazing what the mind can do with ice chips. Ha!  My blood pressure has been low today but seems to be doing better with new IV fluids.  In the last three 12-hour periods, the drainage has gone from 530 ml to 370 ml to 20 ml!  I am believing that the same God who took a small boy’s lunch and fed 5000, can take a 10% chance of this treatment working (given by the doctor) and make it 100%!  I am believing that tomorrow I will be moved off the COVID ward to a place Sharon can visit me!!!  It will be eleven days with no symptoms since the positive test.