July 01, 2021: SOAP #4228:  Isaiah 1-3; Titus 3

SCRIPTURE:  Titus (NIV) 3:4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

OBSERVATION: It is not in payment for the good we have done, nor it is a reward for some special favor.  It is because of His mercy made possible through the sacrificial death of Jesus and applied through the presence of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit has been distributed abundantly or generously.  He is more than sufficient to fulfill the purpose for which He is given to us.  We serve a generous God! 

APPLICATION:  My time and resources are limited so I cannot respond to every need.  Often, I must choose whom I should help.  But I have never had God withhold blessing from me because of a concern that He would run short and not be able to bless someone else.   This truth makes it easy to rejoice with others who are blest.  Their blessing does not diminish what God has for me!   And when I am unable to help someone, I am so glad I can point them to a generous God who never runs short!  My inability to help does not mean that God cannot help!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for your generous gift of the Holy Spirit!  You knew that I would not be able to continue on my own.  You knew what I needed, and you generously gave me your Holy Spirit.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

June 30, 2021: SOAP #4227:  Amos 7-9; Psalm 104: Titus 2

SCRIPTURE:  Psalm (NIV) 104:31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works—32 he who looks at the earth, and it trembles, who touches the mountains, and they smoke.
33 I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. 34 May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the LORD. 35 But may sinners vanish from the earth and the wicked be no more. Praise the LORD, O my soul. Praise the LORD.

OBSERVATION: This is a psalm/song about creation. The glory and wisdom of God is seen everywhere in the world He created. Everyone should be able to enjoy their works, and so should God.  His works should bring him joy.  Man is the part of creation that has the power to bring Him the greatest joy, also has the power to bring Him the greatest sorrow.

APPLICATION:  Meditation is a very personal activity.  What one meditates about usually depends on what is pleasing to the person.  However, the psalmist desires that his meditation to be pleasing to God! 

I have not taken much time to consider my meditation.  I have just thought about things that captured my attention at the moment.  I do not want to say anything that would be displeasing to the Lord.  I do not want to do anything that would be displeasing to the Lord.  I do not want to think anything that would be displeasing to the Lord! 

PRAYER: Holy Spirit, I need your help to keep my thoughts pleasing to the Lord.  May He enjoy sharing this life with me.  May my words, my actions, and my thoughts bring pleasure to Him.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making Friends for Time and Eternity

Personally note:  Thanks to everyone who prayed for Pastor Andrew.  He was released from the hospital today to his home.  He had some painful dislocations but no broken bones.  Praise the Lord!  His assistant pastor will help him with distributing the SOAPa.  Pray for his continued recovery and to make it over some financial hurdles.  Thank you!  😊 

June 29, 2021: SOAP #4226:  Amos 4-6; Psalm 86,87; Titus 1

SCRIPTURE:  Psalm (NIV) 86:5 You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you….
8 Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord; no deeds can compare with yours….
10 For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God….
13 For great is your love towards me; …
15 But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness….
17 Give me a sign of your goodness,

OBSERVATION: Who would not serve a God like our God!  He is so great and mighty that no other being can compare!  No other power could force God to be gracious and compassionate!  No other power could force God to be good and to forgive His creation.  Those are characteristics to which He must hold Himself. 

APPLICATION:  I stand in awe, for indeed I serve an awesome God!  I do not deserve His loving kindness.  I could never force Him to be kind to me.  If He dealt with me according to His righteousness and holiness, I could never stand in His presence. 

Yet in a miraculous way, He does deal with me in keeping with His righteousness and holiness.  Through the death of His sinless son, Jesus, I am cleansed from all unrighteousness!  I am justified—made just as if I’d never sinned!!!  Jesus has made His home in me and God the Father now sees me as He sees His holy and righteous Son, Jesus!  

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, seeing all this truth in one chapter excites me.  You are amazing.  No one has forced you to be loving and good.  There is no one who has the power to force to do anything.  You are the way you choose to be.  You act only in accordance with your nature.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

June 28, 2021: SOAP #4225:  Amos 1-3; Psalm 80; 2Timothy 4

SCRIPTURE:  2Timothy (NIV) 4:6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

OBSERVATION:  Paul worked in the awareness of two continuous realities.  The realities had their beginning in the past, were in the present, and would reach into the future.    
-The first was the continuum of his life.  He had “fought the good fight… finished the race…kept the faith.”  Now he would continue his life in the presence of the Lord who would reward him.  
-The second was the continuum of the church.  That for which Paul had been living his life would continue long after his departure (death).  Timothy needed to be prepared to continue serving the church. 

APPLICATION:  I need to see my life in relationship to the same continuous realities.  How I live my life now will affect how I live after my physical death.  It was a birthing process that brought me into this world, and death will be the birthing process that will take me into the continuation of my life in God’s eternity. 
-I need to see my ministry in relationship to the continuing church.  The environment will change, but the church will remain, and God’s truth will remain.  I must give understanding and application to the message in God’s word.  God’s word remains truth across all cultures and all times.  The part that is true in the USA is just as true in Asia and Africa.  What is true in Bangladesh is just as true in Pakistan and USA.  What was true in Moses’ day remains true today.  What is true today will always be true. 

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I want to be faithful in continuing to love and serve you. …to love and serve your . Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

June 27, 2021: SOAP #4224:  2Kings 13,14; 2Chronicles 25; 2Timothy 3

SCRIPTURE:  2Kings (NIV) 13:22 Hazael king of Aram oppressed Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz. 23 But the LORD was gracious to them and had compassion and showed concern for them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To this day he has been unwilling to destroy them or banish them from his presence.

OBSERVATION: The kingdom of God is a continuation.  The success or failure of one generation is often set by what a previous generation has done.  What one generation does not only affects that generation, but those who are not yet born.  In this verse, we see that Abraham (who lived around 2000 BC) had an affect 1150 years later during Jehoahaz’s reign (850 BC).  It was Abraham’s relationship with God that influenced God’s grace and compassion those many years later.

APPLICATION:  Those of us living today need to carefully follow the Lord.  We never know when what we say or do will affect those who are coming after us. 

Today there is a single mom who has wondered if her life is worth the struggle.  Yet as she continues to trust in God, she is training her children to trust Him also.  And after she is gone, those children will have a great effect on their generation because of the faith she planted in their lives. 

PRAYER: Holy Spirit, direct my thoughts, words, and actions to minister to my generation AND the generation that follows. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

June 26, 2021: SOAP #4223:  Jonah 1-4; 2Timothy 2

SCRIPTURE:  Jonah (NIV) 1:1 The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai:
2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”
Jonah (NIV) 3:1 Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time:
2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”

OBSERVATION:  The second word from the Lord was the same as the first.  Jonah had not misunderstood!  AND God had not changed His mind. 

But there was a change—a change in Jonah! 
Jonah (NIV) 1:3 But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish.
Jonah (NIV) 3:3 Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh.

Although the people of Nineveh were unimportant to Jonah, they were very important to God!  God would go to great lengths to make sure His message got to them. 

APPLICATION:  God will go to great lengths to get His message to me, even if He must tell me more than once.  (Consider Moses, Gideon, Jonah, Peter, and John Mark.  God had to tell them more than once or give them a second opportunity.) 

And I must not miss the message that God may give me a second opportunity to take His message to someone He loves. 

PRAYER: Lord, considering Who you are you should never need to tell me twice.  Considering who I am, sometimes I need you to tell me again.  And in your grace and mercy, you are patient with me and tell me again.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

Received this from Pastor Andrew’s wife 6/25/21:  To God be the Glory Amen and we thank God for Pastor Andrew. We thank God for Pastor Andrew he is doing better little by little, he is still under treatment the doctor have started treating the bone we thank God. And thank you so much Daddy for your prayers and support. God bless you Daddy. We thank God for the people who are praying for he we thank God for them Daddy…. God bless them all in Jesus name Amen.

June 25, 2021: SOAP #4222:  Joel 1-3; 2Timothy 1

SCRIPTURE:  2Timothy (NIV) 1:6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

OBSERVATION:  Paul was writing to his son in the Lord.  That Timothy succeed was important to Paul—not so much that he would succeed in the eyes of man, but in the eyes of the Lord!  So, he instructed Timothy in things that would encourage and empower Timothy’s ministry. 

Paul did not tell Timothy to attend a series of meetings by the Apostle Peter, or a church growth seminar led by James the brother of Jesus and now the leader of the Jerusalem church.  Paul did not encourage Timothy to hold on until he, Paul could come for a visit and stir his spirit.  No, Paul’s direction to Timothy was to do what Timothy could do.  This was Timothy’s responsibility. 

Timothy was to “fan into flame the gift of God!” “Stir up the gifts…” (KJV)  Paul said, “I remind you to fan into flame…” 

APPLICATION:  A campfire may be started with a small flame, even a spark will do.  But keeping it burning takes work.  Someone must take the responsibility to ensure there is a sufficient supply of dry tree limbs.  Someone must be responsible to check it regularly and to place more wood in the flame.  If the fire is to continue, it takes a continual supply of fuel. 

It is my responsibility to “keep the fire burning.”  Reading the Bible EVERY DAY keeps the fire burning as God reveals new truth that becomes fuel for the fire.  Daily prayer and worship are other ways to “fan into flame” what God has given.  And being faithful to join other believers for worship and hearing the Word helps me keep the fire burning. 

PRAYER: Holy Spirit, I know it is my responsibility to keep the fire burning, but I need your help.  Teach me truth as I read the Word.  Give me fuel for my flame.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

June 24, 2021: SOAP #4221:  2Kings 11,12; 2Chronicles 24; 1Timothy 6

SCRIPTURE:  1Timothy (NIV) 6:17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

OBSERVATION: This passage is not written for a way to gain finances, but how to use the finances one presently has.  The true life from God is a life of giving.  God is such a giver, no wonder those in whom He dwells find themselves inclined to give.

APPLICATION:  Financial counselors can give me good advice on how to make my money increase.  They can give me advice on how to invest what I have so that I will have sufficient money for my senior years.  But there are not many counselors who will give advice that reaches beyond the grave.  For that instruction, I must go to the Bible.   

Will giving buy my way into heaven?  NO!  But giving will make certain that I have treasures awaiting my arrival in heaven.  NOTE:  If I want my money to become a treasure in heaven, I must give it away or use it for the benefit of others while I am here on earth.

NOTE:  Faithful tithing has been my main retirement plan.  God is proving Himself to be more faithful than I am. 

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, much or little, the money you provide for me gives me opportunity to honor you.  You see the amount of the gift; You also see the amount remaining after the gift. You bless both! Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

Please pray for Pastor Andrew who prints and distributes SOAPs in Sierra Leone.  He was involved in a motorcycle accident and is in the hospital.  He was to be moved to a hospital with a “bone” surgeon.  He needs our prayers.  Thank you.  God answered your prayers for me when I was in the hospital the end of last year.  He will do it again!   Leon 😊

June 23, 2021: SOAP #4220:  2Kings 10; 2Chronicles 22,23; 1Timothy 5

SCRIPTURE:  1Timothy (NIV) 5:1 Do not rebuke an older man harshly but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.

OBSERVATION: From the first few verses of this book, we read that Paul had sent Timothy to Ephesus to lead the church.  Among other things, he was to make sure that they did not fall into false doctrine.  He was to watch his life and live as an example for others. 

In the verses above we see the challenge in Timothy’s relationships.  He was a leader and to use his authority to protect the church and guide them.  Yet in being over them he was to treat them as family.  He was to have respect for the older men and women.  He was to the younger men and women as his siblings.  Timothy was caught between being their spiritual leader and being a member of their family.  He would need the Holy Spirit directing his steps! 

APPLICATION:  Like Timothy, we are often caught in the middle.  Now as a senior citizen with some life experience, I see things that could be done in what I think is a better way, but God has assigned me to support leadership.  (This SOAP ministry started because a younger pastor asked me to do my daily devotions in this way.  I did not want to, but God told me to follow his direction.  Pastor Dayton’s direction has proved to be God’s direction.)  Like Timothy, I need the Holy Spirit to direct my response to those around me. 

Parents especially need the Holy Spirit’s help as they transition from responsible adults in their children’s lives…transition to older advisors encouraging their adult children to make their own decisions.

PRAYER: Holy Spirit, how I need your guidance in this season of my life.  Show me when I need to keep my mouth shut.  Give me wisdom in how I give advice.  Keep me from “belly aching” and complaining!  May I be supportive and an encourager. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity.

June 22, 2021: SOAP #4219:  2Kings 8,9; 2Chronicles 21; 1Timothy 4

SCRIPTURE:  1Timothy (NIV) 4:14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. 15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.

OBSERVATION: Timothy had been left in Ephesus to minister to the church.  Paul sends him this letter to encourage and instruct Timothy in ministry. 

In the verses above Paul uses two very strong words and very different words:  neglect and diligent.  Timothy was to be careful not to neglect the gifts and responsibilities imparted to him when he was set in ministry; he was to be diligent in ministry matters.    

As a young minister, he had much to learn.  He was not expected to be perfect.  His weaknesses would not be hidden. They would see where he was weak, but they would also see improvement as he matured.  People would be able to see his progress. 

APPLICATION:  Today, I should take the direction of the Lord very seriously.  I should not neglect the calling God has to serve Him.  I should not neglect the gifts and talents he has placed in my life.  I should be diligent to improve so my progress can be seen by others. 

PRAYER: Holy Spirit, I need your help.  Show me when I start to neglect my relationship with Jesus.  Show me things about which I should be more diligent to improve.  May I never get too old to improve.  May I never get too old to learn new things.  May new revelation of the Living and Written Word continue to excite me.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!