January 04, 2021: SOAP #4050:  Genesis 9-11; 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. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.

OBSERVATION:  Being “full of the Holy Spirit” and being “led by the Spirit!”  How exciting is that!  Surely great things are ahead!  Revival is coming!  But No!  The Spirit led him into the desert where “for forty days he was tempted by the devil!”  

APPLICATION:   Being a “Spirit-filled” believer does not mean that I will not have hard times.  It does not mean that I will never go into a desert.  There may be times when the Spirit clearly leads me into tough times where I am tempted. 

But this is my confidence: I am not in the trouble by myself!  The One with me has already been here!  He has already withstood the devil’s temptations!   He has been tempted and tested in every way common to man and came out victorious!   He has promised to be my Helper!!! 

PRAYER:   Lord, relying on your presence is my assurance of victory.  Thank you!  Amen. 

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

My personal SOAP saga:  I make sure not to miss any doctor’s appointments.  If they are important, then my appointment with God and His church is even more important!!!  This morning during communion, the body of Christ gathered in prayer around Sharon and me.  The Presence of the Holy Spirit was strong among us.  The touch of the Holy Spirit was sweet.  I still have some tightness in my chest, but I am feeling good.  😊  I need to make an appointment to see a doctor and have some x-rays later this week. 

January 03, 2021: SOAP #4049:  Genesis 6-8; Luke 3

SCRIPTURE:  Luke (NIV) 3:21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

OBSERVATION:  The relationship God the Father had with the Son of Man is the relationship God desires with each of us. Jesus, though Almighty God, Creator of the heavens and earth, “emptied” Himself to live as man.

He did not live as sinful man, for He was born without sin.  He lived as Adam lived before the fall with several great distinctions. First: Adam was created a mature man. Jesus was born a baby and had to grow through infancy, childhood, teen years, and young adult seasons of life. Second: Adam lived in a sinless world.  Jesus was born into a world full of sin.  Third:  In encountering Satan, Adam and Eve succumbed to the first temptation, Jesus resisted three. How appropriately, Paul writes of Jesus as the “Last Adam,” for those who by faith enter the death of Jesus die to the nature inherited from Adam.  We are no longer under the curse of sin brought on by Adam’s sin.  Our inheritance will no longer be calculated from Adams legacy.  Paul then speaks of Jesus as the “Second Man.”  We become a new creation with a new inheritance.  We are no longer under the domination of sin!  Jesus ended the old Adamic line and began a brand new “Christic” line!

APPLICATION:   My sins are forgiven, and I have accepted Jesus as my Savior and Lord—so how do I live, knowing that Jesus now lives inside with me?  I treat Him as a very honored guest.  I do not ignore Him.  I try to make Him comfortable living in me.  I introduce Him to others.  In everything I say and do, I consider His presence.  I do not knowingly do anything to embarrass Him or make Him uncomfortable.  I set my heart to grow in my knowledge of this honored guest in my life.  I ask Him questions and learn to recognize His voice.  It is all so simple! 

PRAYER:   My prayer:  To be like Jesus, to be like Jesus.  All I ask, to be like you.  All through life’s journey, From earth to glory, All I ask, to be like you!  Amen. 

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

My personal SOAP saga:  Today seemed better than yesterday.  I still have some tightness in my chest and get short of breath when I exert myself for four or five minutes.  The prayers of my wife and of the many SOAP readers are always with me.  Of that I am sure and grateful!  

January 02, 2021: SOAP #4048:  Genesis 3-5; Luke 2

SCRIPTURE:  Luke (NIV) 2:43-49 After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. … they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, …When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”  “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”

OBSERVATION:  In His words, I hear the 12-year-old asking His earthly mother, “Didn’t you know…?”  or “Where did you expect me to be?”  “Don’t you remember the angel who told you to expect my birth?  Don’t you remember the visit and gifts of the men from the east?  Do you remember Simeon and Anna meeting you at the temple?  Mom, where would you expect to find me?” 

It seems to me that Mary and Joseph would have saved themselves three anxiety filled days if they had brought what they knew from their past and applied it to the present. 

APPLICATION:   I hear the Holy Spirit saying to me, “Leon, what were you expecting?  Don’t you remember what I said to you?  Did you expect me to do nothing?” 

PRAYER:   Holy Spirit, help me to get to know the Father that I do not spend any time needlessly worrying if He will help me.  He sent Jesus!  He gave me the Bible!  Holy Spirit, He sent you to live in and work through me!    Amen. 

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

SOAP Saga update:  I have been encouraged by several SOAP readers to continue adding some updates on my physical condition.  For several days after being released from the hospital, I was doing fine.  Just a little weak.  The past two-three days I have had some tightening in my chest and discomfort when I first lay down.  These are indicators that fluid is slowly leaking back into the chest cavity.  But today as Sharon was prayerfully reading Genesis, the Lord drew her attention to Genesis 1:6-9.  As God divided the waters in creation and assigned them their places, so God would divide the waters/lymphatic fluids in my chest and put them in their assigned place.  And Leon says, “Amen!” 

January 01, 2020: SOAP #4047:  Genesis 1-2; Luke 1

SCRIPTURE:  Genesis (NIV) 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3 And God said…

OBSERVATION:  A fresh revelation came to me as I read the above verses.  When I read these verses, I commonly think of God being the Creator and God being a Speaker.  This time I saw something new for me.  The great darkness that existed before the sun, moon and stars filled the sky with light could not stop the Spirit from moving!  The Spirit was moving in the darkness! 

The Holy Spirit still moves in darkness.  The darkness cannot stop Him.  He can see as clearly in darkness as in noon-day light.  Those led by the Spirit need never fear the darkness. 

APPLICATION:   Much about the future lies in darkness, but of one thing I am sure.  The Spirit of God is already there and already moving.  To borrow some words from Bill Gaither, “I believe, help thou my unbelief.  I walk into the unknown (darkness) trusting all the while.” 

The darkness ahead in our nation, in our world, in my circumstances will not hinder the presence and working of the Holy Spirit!!! 

Though the Spirit of God was present, the work of creation did not begin without the spoken word of God.  The Spirit of God does not move at my words, but when I speak the words of God. The better I know the written Word of God, the better I will know Jesus, the living Word of God.  Then more and more my words will line up with the spoken words of God. 

PRAYER:  Jesus, as you spoke the words of your Father, so help me to faithfully speak your words—words of faith and not doubt—words of love and not disgust—kind words and not hurtful words.  Holy Spirit, set a watch over my mouth and nudge me when I start to speak from human weakness.    Amen. 

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

December 31, 2020: SOAP #4046:  Revelation 10-14

SCRIPTURE:  Revelation (NIV) 22:17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.

OBSERVATION:  As we come to the last verses of the last chapter of the last book in the Bible, we find the gracious Spirit of God, the One there in the first verses of the first chapter of the first book (Genesis 1:2).   He is extending an invitation to join Him.  He is not saying “go,” but “come.”  He is not telling us to go away but calling for us to join Him!

APPLICATION:   It is for those who hear His voice to join him, not only in His presence, but also join Him in extending the invitation, “Come!”

How ungrateful I would be if I received the “free gift” of salvation but did not extend the invitation to others! So, I invite you to join me in asking God to forgive our sins and to be our Lord. 

PRAYER:   Holy Spirit, I see that you and the bride, of which I am a part, are saying the same thing: “Come.”  There is power in agreement, especially when my words are Your words!  May I always be sensitive to what You are saying, and may I be faithful to join you in proclaiming Your invitation to “Come!”  Amen. 

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

My personal SOAP saga:  I have now been home for 6 days.  My strength and stamina are not where they were, but I have been feeling great!  Every ten to fifteen minutes I stop and take a few deep breaths.  I am praying for God’s continued hand on the leaking lymph vessel.  Originally the leak was so slight that it took over a week to fill my chest cavity with enough fluid to be noticeable.  So, the next few days should tell us more.  My appointment with the nurse practitioner yesterday went well.  My heart is still in A-fib as it has been for about 20 years, but the blood pressure is better.  Best of all, I am still going with HIM!  😊

December 30, 2020: SOAP #4045:  Revelation 15-18

SCRIPTURE:  2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Revelation (NIV) 18:6 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.  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.
10 Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry: “‘Woe! Woe, O great city, O Babylon, city of power! In one hour your doom has come!
17 In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!’
19  They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out: “‘Woe! Woe, O great city, where all who had ships on the sea became rich through her wealth! In one hour she has been brought to ruin!

OBSERVATION:  God is as holy as He is loving.  In His love, He will seem slow in keeping His promises of judgment.  His desire is to give people every opportunity to repent.  Yet, some people to their eternal loss, consider God too weak to bring judgment, or too uncaring and disinterested about things on earth.  They continue to live their day-to-day life with no thought of preparing for eternity. 

APPLICATION:   A volcano seems to be sleeping while the magma and steam continue to build under the ground; it suddenly burst forth in a great display of power and destruction.  It is nature’s warning and display of God’s power to bring judgment.  It is a warning of the suddenness of God’s wrath.  A volcano is small compared to what Creator God will do to His rebellious creation. 

PRAYER:  Holy Spirit, I do not want you to just get me ready on Sunday, or in times of nature’s destruction when I am surrounded by the storm; Holy Spirit, help me to LIVE READY!     Amen. 

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

December 29, 2020: SOAP #4044:  Revelation 10-14

SCRIPTURE:  Revelation (NIV) 12:14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach.

OBSERVATION:  Throughout the Bible we find that God always has a plan.  In so many ways, the Bible is a book about preparation.  It is a major topic!  Although, His servants may be required to walk by faith, God is never taken by surprise and is never without a plan.  He is always prepared! 

APPLICATION:   The more I read the Bible, the more convinced I am that I never need to worry.  I may not know what God is going to do, but I know He will do the right thing.  It will always be a holy thing and a loving thing.  It will always be for my good and His glory. 

Often when God waits until the last minute to bring about His supply or deliverance, and when I consider how God met the need—I come to realize that God was preparing the answer long before the need became a problem. 

PRAYER:   Heavenly Father, I believe you are already preparing for the next crisis I will face.  When I am walking with you, I can walk ahead into the storm with confidence.   Amen. 

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

December 28, 2020: SOAP #4043:  Revelation 5-9

SCRIPTURE:  Revelation (NIV) 8:3 Another angel, who had a golden censer, came, and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. 4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel’s hand.

OBSERVATION:  In Exodus (26:30) we read that Moses was told to build the tabernacle according to what he saw when he was in God’s presence on Mount Saini.  In Moses’ tabernacle we see the altar of incense the last piece of furniture before the ark.  It was the final stop where the priest would take the hot coals with incense to wave before the Lord as he approached the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat.  It was piece of furniture closest to the mercy seat. 

Here we see the altar of incense before God’s throne. 

APPLICATION:   The prayers we thought got no higher than the ceiling; the prayers we wondered if anyone heard, but we prayed anyway.  Those prayers mixed with incense help give heaven a beautiful fragrance. 

With all the junk God sees on earth every day (abortion, addictions, slavery, abuse, etc.) surely it must be a healing balm to His heart to hear His people call out to Him. 

PRAYER:    Heavenly Father, may a portion of those prayers be mine.  May they rise as a beautiful fragrance to your throne.  Amen. 

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

December 26, 2020: SOAP #4042: Rework of #2826:  Revelation 1-4

SCRIPTURE:  Revelation (NIV) 3:12 Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name.

OBSERVATION:  Overcomers are those who are so identified with Christ that God wants to be identified with them.  So, Jesus writes on them the name of God.  He writes the address of God.  And He writes on them His new name!   He wants everyone to know that this is His child!  They bring Him joy!  They are the ones referred to in Hebrews 12:2: …who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

APPLICATION:   An artist signs his/her work so everyone can know who created the beautiful work of art. The painter signs the painting. The building is often named after the builders. God wants to be clearly identified with those who have remained faithful and not given in to temptation! 

We can only imagine the joy Jesus has as He presents the overcomers before the throne of heaven!   Father, here is the reason you sent me!  For this one I died! 

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, I want to be one who carries your name! I want you to be glad to be known as my God! Jesus, I want my identity with you to bring you joy while I remain here and when I appear with you in heaven.  Amen. 

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

December 23, 2020: SOAP #4038:  Psalm 117; 119:81-176; 2John; 3John

SCRIPTURE:  Psalm (NIV) 119:130 The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.

OBSERVATION:  Many times, the Word of God is like a rose bud.  It is beautiful as it forms on the branch of the bush.   We like to watch them develop.  We check every day to see how they are developing, because we know something even more beautiful is coming.  Before too long, one petal will unfold itself from the bud.  Then a second and third.  Soon the beauty of the rose is revealed in all its glory.   

This is the way God unfolds His Word to my heart.  I am reading a passage I have read many times before.  But this time a word or phrase catches my attention.  Instead of rushing on, because I have only so much time to spend in God’s Word, I pause to meditate on the “petal” of what the Lord has just showed me.  As I consider that “petal” I find that another “petal” is opening to my understanding. 

APPLICATION:   It takes time for the petals of a rose to unfold; and it make take time for God to fully unfold the “petals” of a specific verse—but it is well worth the wait!  

PRAYER:   Lord, so often the wisdom and understanding I need comes to me as you unfold your word.  No wonder that it is the ones who wait upon the Lord who renew their strength and mount up on wings as eagles.   Amen. 

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

My personal SOAP saga:  Moving back into the normal flow of my life:  I arose this morning after my first night at home.  What a pleasant feeling.  One of the first things I did was to see how much I weighed.  241 lbs.  Quite a drop from the 272 I weighed when entering the hospital!  After a breakfast of a small portion of scrambles eggs, freshly squeezed orange juice, and one very small chocolate-macadamia pancake, I was full—probably one third of what I used to eat.  After breakfast, another task became very necessary.  I needed to add several holes in my belt!  It was too big to keep my clothes in place.  Ha!  This will probably be my last personal daily saga update, but I may give a report from time to time.  One of the great blessings of this SOAP ministry to me is the prayer support from around the world!  God brought Sharon and me through three tough weeks.  His word to me was true—He was not going with me; I was going with Him!   I was with Him, I stayed close to Him all the way.  I was there to do His bidding.  Thanks for your prayers.  😊