September 05, 2020: SOAP #3929:  Ezekiel 25-28; Revelation 10

Scripture:  Ezekiel (NIV) 28:17 Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So, I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.

Observation:   I see this passage presenting Satan/Lucifer.  He was probably the most beautiful of God’s creations.  He had a high position in heaven.  But pride came into his heart and he thought he deserved more.  (Isaiah 14:13-15) 

He thought his beauty made him worthy of equality with God, even taking God’s place!  Satan needed a good dose of humility. 

Application:  What a special find—to find beauty yoked together with humility.  –to find great talent encased in humility. –to find great knowledge mixed with great humility. 

Finding a talented person who is full of pride makes one look for another talented person who walks in humility. 

Humility has the unique quality to enhance everything it touches.  It beautifies.  It makes other qualities attractive.  It makes people attractive and their gifts useable.        

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, work humility in and through my life.  Make me useful to others.  Most of all, make me attractive to my Heavenly Father.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

September 04, 2020: SOAP #3928:  Ezekiel 22-24; Revelation 9

Scripture:  Ezekiel (NIV) 22:26 Her priests do violence to my law and profane my holy things; they do not distinguish between the holy and the common; they teach that there is no difference between the unclean and the clean; and they shut their eyes to the keeping of my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.
27 Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey; they shed blood and kill people to make unjust gain.
28 Her prophets whitewash these deeds for them by false visions and lying divinations. They say, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says’—when the LORD has not spoken.

Observation:   The Israelites had been freed from the slavery in Egypt to become a nation of people who honored the One True God.  God had chosen them for a special purpose, to bring forth the Messiah, the Savior of the world. 

In these verses, God, through the prophet Ezekiel, brings accusations against three groups of people, against the priests, against the government leaders, and against the prophets.  Instead of helping Israel move toward its special purpose, they hindered God’s plan.     

Application:   The church today needs those same ministries.  We need priests/pastors who will teach the people about sin and how we can determine what is sin.   We need government leaders who are servants of the people and not out to enrich themselves and making laws that they are not required to follow.  We need prophets, evangelists, TV preachers who tell us what God is really saying.      

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, today, more than ever before, we need your presence and ministry in the church.  With so many voices on TV and radio and internet, with so many books and so many claiming to be speaking for God, we need your wisdom in whom we follow and to whom we listen. Help us to know the Bible for ourselves so that we will not be deceived.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

September 03, 2020: SOAP #3927:  Ezekiel 20-21; Psalm 111; Revelation 8

Scripture:  Psalm (NIV) 111:
2 Great are the works of the LORD;
they are pondered by all who delight in them.
3 Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and
his righteousness endures forever.
4 He has caused his wonders to be remembered;
the LORD is gracious and compassionate.
5 He provides food for those who fear him;
he remembers his covenant forever.

Observation:  The Psalmist shows how the character of God can be seen in his deeds.  Who God is cannot be hidden.  It is revealed in what He does. 

Application:   I have been receiving 5-6 requests for money every day.  Most are needing help to buy food.  It has been my general practice and my advice to others not to send money to people I/we do not know.  So, what would God have me do?   

I believe God will use me to build faith that God is our provider.  The One who provided daily food and water for the Israelites crossing the wilderness on the way to the Promised Land—surely, He can provide for us today.  The One who fed His prophet by birds bringing food, and then from a widow’s small, but unending supply of food—surely, He can do that for us today.  The One who used a small boy’s lunch to feed 5,000 people—surely, He can do that today!    Paul sent out a request for money to help the churches in Jerusalem, but never a request for himself, yet we read his thanksgiving to churches that joined his ministry through giving.  Luke 8:3 speaks of women who supported Jesus through their money, but we do not see Jesus making any appeal for money. 

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, you have many ways to provide for us.  We are instructed to make our needs/request known to you.  We do.  Our faith is in you.  You are our provider.  To you will go all the glory and praise. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

September 02, 2020: SOAP #3926:  Ezekiel 17-19; Revelation 7

Scripture:  Revelation (NIV) 7:9 After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no-one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

Observation:  Salvation belongs to our God!   No one else understood man’s need for salvation.  No one else had the means to purchase salvation for sinful man.  No one else had the currency needed to make the transaction.  Salvation is a Holy God taking the just penalty of His fallen creation.   

Salvation is God’s plan and God’s work.  We receive the present and future benefits of that salvation by faith.   Sincere faith can be seen.  Faith that is strong enough to hold onto God’s provision is strong enough to be seen.  It effects the way we talk and what we do. 

Application:  The reality that God has already saved me from the results of my sins and placed His life within me—that reality fills my life with great thanksgiving.  That reality causes me to walk in faith for other things in my life.  That reality causes me to be joyful.  That reality makes me willing to joyfully endure hardship. 

People may not understand what has happened in my life, but they cannot miss the changes brought by that reality.       

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, salvation is your idea and your work!   To you goes all the glory and praise for my salvation.  May my appreciation be seen by those around me.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

September 01, 2020: SOAP #3925:  Ezekiel 15, 16; Psalm 70; Revelation 6

Scripture:  Revelation (NIV) 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

Observation:  Our entrance into heaven is set by our faith in the sacrifice of the sinless Jesus on the cross.  However, the rewards received in heaven will be determined by faithfulness to what God has assigned on earth.  The reward will not be on the size of the accomplishment, but on the faithfulness of the servant.     

A special place of honor is reserved for those who have given, and those who will give their lives.  They honored God with the full measure of their devotion, and God takes note and honors them.  The alter is a “killing place.”  The altar is the place of sacrifice.  The altar in heaven, and in the Tabernacle of Moses, and in Solomon’s Temple speaks to us of the sacrifice of Jesus, the Lamb of God slain for our sins.  The location of the martyrs under the altar in heaven links their sacrifice to the sacrifice of Jesus.   

Application:   There is often sacrifice involved in serving Jesus.  But “it will be worth it all when we see Jesus!”  Rewards are passed out after the contest, after the victory.  The contest is still underway.  Victory is assured, but not yet complete.  Oh, but a day is coming!!!  Every sacrifice will be rewarded.       

Prayer:  “Keep me true, Lord Jesus, Keep me true.  Keep me true, Lord Jesus, keep me true.  There’s a race that I must run.  There are victories to be won.  Give me power, every hour, to be true.” (Anonymous) Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

August 31, 2020: SOAP #3924:  Ezekiel 12-14; Revelation 5

Scripture:  Revelation (NIV) 5:11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders.
12 In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”

Observation:  Ten thousand times ten thousand, that is 100 million angels!  And that is in addition to thousands upon thousands!  Some translations use the word myriads.  However one says it, it is a large number, a very large number, even bigger than that!!! 

We may not realize it fully, but when we were born again, we became a part of something big, far beyond what we can imagine!   This is BIG!  It is so big that it cannot be contained on this little planet. 

Application:  When the storm’s waves threaten to invade and sink my boat, I must remember that the one in the boat with me could have called 12 legions (80,000+) of angels to save him from arrest by the Roman soldiers. (Matthew 26:53)   Like Elisha’s servant, I need my eyes opened to see that what surrounds me is also surrounded by the angel armies of heaven! (2Kings 6:17)   

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, no matter how big my problem, there are more than enough angels in heaven to surround those who surround me.  But even better than that, I have Your Son, Jesus with me in my boat!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

August 30, 2020: SOAP #3923:  Ezekiel 8-11; Revelation 4

Scripture:  Ezekiel (NIV) 8:1 In the sixth year, in the sixth month on the fifth day, while I was sitting in my house and the elders of Judah were sitting before me, the hand of the Sovereign LORD came upon me there.

Observation:  When God interacts with man, He enters man’s reality.  He works in man’s environment.  He works on man’s calendar and in man’s time.  The reality of God speaking to Ezekiel was so strong and clear that it was time-stamped in Ezekiel’s memory. 

They were strong words from God, and some people might push them aside by telling Ezekiel, “You are just imagining them. You were just dreaming.”  But Ezekiel knew where He was, and the exact day.   

Application:  When God has clearly spoken to us, it is good to write down what God has said.  It may also be good to write down the date and some description of what was happening in our day or life at that time.   

There have been times when God has definitely spoken to me (Leon).  Remembering the circumstances helps me remember the message.  I remember kneeling at the platform in the Larned AG church. (1953)  I remember driving away from a stop sign in Wichita. (2010)  I remember Woodston Camp. (1964)  I remember an altar at the Kailua Church. (1972)  I remember the mountains south of the DMZ. (1969)  I remember the office of Bayview Chapel. (1989)  I remember…  Remembering where I was helps me remember what He said.      

Prayer:   Lord, Your words are precious, I do not want to forget them. Thank you for walking with me AND TALKING with me, not just in life changing moments, but every day!  That God talks to me, how special is that!!! Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

August 29, 2020: SOAP #3922:  Ezekiel 4-7; Revelation 3

Scripture:  Revelation (NIV) 3: I know your deeds…
8 I know your deeds…
15 I know your deeds…

Observation:  The message to each church in chapters 2 and 3 has a similar format.  Yesterday the Lord brought to my attention “he who has an ear…”  Today my thoughts were pulled to “I know your deeds…” 

Throughout the Bible we see that we can not earn our salvation.  It comes to us only through grace.  However, that does not mean that our deeds/works are meaningless.  They will all pass through the fire of judgment.  Those consisting of hay, wood, and stubble will be burnt.  Those made of gold, silver, and precious stones will pass through the fire.  (1Corinthians 3:12-14)

In Revelation 1:14, John describes Jesus as having eyes like blazing fire.  Our deeds will pass under His scrutiny, under His x-ray vision.  To each church and to each one of us He can say, “I know your deeds!” 

Application:   This is only my opinion, but I think that my crown will be fashioned from what passes through the fire.  When I see Jesus, it will be obvious that He alone is worthy to wear a crown and I will lay my crown at the feet of Jesus.  My accomplishments will seem as nothing in comparison to His accomplishment!   

Prayer:   Lord Jesus, oh, to have a crown to lay at your feet. You alone are worthy of glory and honor, of praise and worship.  What a privilege to be a member of your church.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

August 28, 2020: SOAP #3921:  Ezekiel 1-3; Revelation 2

Scripture:  Revelation (NIV) 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches…
11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches…
17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches…
29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Observation:  Yesterday as I got out of our car to go into a store, I picked up the face mask we are required to wear.  And as I was putting it on, I thought, “It is a good thing that God gave me two ears; it would be hard to wear this mask with only one ear!”   Ears are such an important part in God’s creation of man. 

Our Creator is a speaker!  Pages and pages of the scriptures are quotes of God as He spoke to the prophets.  They had ears; they heard Him!  Jesus, the Son of God, is known as the “Word.”  He spoke to the disciples.  They had ears; they heard Him! 

Application:   There are many voices in the world.  I can choose to which ones I listen.  I need to choose wisely.  Sometimes I need to shut out the noise of the world to be able to hear, to focus on what God is saying to my spirit.  Having times of worship, spending time with other believers, meditating on the scriptures are all ways to tune my hearing to what God is saying.     

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, I like to sing, “Tune my heart to the voice of your spirit.  So, I may hear all you whisper to me.  Shut out the world and its bright temptations.  Focus my eyes (and ears) fully on you. (Unknown) Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

August 27, 2020: SOAP #3920:  Jeremiah 52; Revelation 1; Psalm 143-144

Scripture:  Revelation (NIV) 1:4 John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

Observation:   The apostle John is writing to the seven churches in the province of Asia.  His greeting to them is “grace and peace” from the eternal God, from the seven Spirits before the throne, and from God the Son, Jesus Christ.  Jesus is identified by His character (faithful), by His accomplishment (the resurrection), and His authority (the King over all kings). 

Not only because of who He is, but especially because of what He has done for us, to Jesus belongs “glory and power for ever and ever!!!”  All creation owes Him glory, but especially those who have been loved by Jesus, freed from their sins, and set into a place of honor to serve the Father God!

Application:   Obviously, Jesus is the center of God’s man-plan.  Jesus is the faithful witness of the holiness and love of God.  He forever has the high place in heaven for what He accomplished.  Every redeemed man and woman is a testimony to what Jesus accomplished. 

How proper for Jesus to be the center of my life.  How proper for Him to receive glory and power every day in and from my life!!!      

Prayer:   Lord, to you be the glory and power for ever and ever!  You are the center of God’s man-plan for Leon.  You are worthy of my dedication.  You are worthy of my worship. Amen 

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!