July 07, 2020: SOAP #3869:  Hosea 10-12; Psalm 73; Hebrews 4

Scripture:   Hebrews (NIV) 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Observation:  Jesus had to correctly answer every question on the test.  Jesus had to fulfill every requirement perfectly.  He walked in love and purity.   Getting 8 correct out of 10 questions is generally accepted in many schools.  But even 9 out of 10 was not acceptable for Jesus.   10 out of 10 was the only acceptable mark.  If His death would be acceptable on my behalf, He could have no sin of His own for which he would need to pay. 

I go to the throne of grace, looking for some help in dealing with my troubles.  I have no way to clean myself; I must go just as I am.  I have reached the end of faith in myself to live this life.  When I arrive at the throne of grace, I find I need something more.  The holiness of God convicts me of my sin.  But, I cannot un-do my sin.   I am trapped in sin.  To stay at the throne of grace, I need mercy.   There I discover that the wonderful Heavenly Father, had foresight for my need and sent His son to die on the cross to provide a sufficient supply of mercy. 

Application:   At the throne of grace, I found mercy!  His loving mercy paid for my sins.  He now offers me forgiveness on the basis Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross—it is sufficient to pay for my sins.  I believe His offer is true and with a grateful heart I say “Yes! I receive your forgiveness.  I thank you.  I make you my Lord!  I will live my life to please you.  Come live your life in me. Amen!”

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, hear my prayer and make my heart your home.  Make your presence noticeable in my life, noticeable to me and to those around me.  May I bring joy to you Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

July 06, 2020: SOAP #3868:  Hosea 6-9; Hebrews 3

Scripture:  Hebrews (NIV) 3:1 Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. 2 He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. 3 Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself.

Observation:   Jesus is faithful.  Faithfulness is proved by submission to another.  Faithfulness is proved with assignments that are less than desirable.  Faithfulness is proved when the assignment is inconvenient.  Faithfulness is proved when the assignment seems insignificant.  Faithfulness is proved when the personal cost is great. 

Jesus submitted himself to His Father even to the point of praying, “If it is possible, let this cup pass from me, but not what I will but your will.”  On the cross, faithfulness can be seen in the words, “It is finished!” 

Application:   Faithfulness makes one attractive to God.  A servant is only as valuable as he is faithful.  May I be a valuable servant of the Lord. 

Prayer:  I pray as I sing, “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! 

July 05, 2020: SOAP #3867:  Hosea 2-5; Hebrews 2

Scripture:  Hebrews (NIV) 2:3 …This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

Observation:  The message of salvation came from Jesus.  Jesus had returned to His Father’s side in heaven.  Now those who had seen and heard Jesus passed along their testimony to the one who wrote the book of Hebrews and those who would be reading this book.   AND even more, God Himself was involved in sending the Holy Spirit with gifts to validate their message. 

The miracles in the Bible demonstrated God’s concern for people and His willingness to get involved.  The miracles were proof of His presence and involvement.  In thinking through the Old and New Testament miracles, they were always beyond the possibility of man.    

Application:   When I hear people praying for a revival of miracles, of signs and wonders, my thoughts are drawn to a time of trouble coming that will force us to trust God alone.  With doctors unavailable, we may only have God on whom we can depend.  With a shortage of food, we may be forced to trust on God’s provision.  As governments become more anti-Christian, we may soon be persecuted and forced to trust God’s miraculous care.  There may not be a shortage of doctors and food, but a government mandate not to service people who are considered “harmful to the state.” 

May the testimony of our faith come from God Himself with “signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.” 

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, prepare me for the days ahead.  Make my life a living testimony of your presence.  Teach me to walk in faithful obedience.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

July 04, 2020: SOAP #3866:  2Kings 15-16; Hosea 1; Hebrews 1

Scripture:  Hebrews (NIV) 1:3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

Observation:   Jesus provided purification for sins.  His work was complete.  On the cross he declared, “It is finished!”  Then, having returned to the place from which he was sent, he sat down!  His action emphasized the finished work.  Now, from those who have received the salvation He provided, he receives praise and worship.    

Application:   “Arise, O Lord, to your resting place…” Psalm 132:8  “Arise, O LORD God, to Your resting place…” 2Chronicles 6:41  It is not that he was asleep and needed to wake up and get up from his resting place to take on satan in the battle of the ages.  No, it is not that way.  Them emphasis is that He has won and now takes his place of rest in heaven. 

It is now for me to give him a place of rest in my life.  I have surrendered to him.  He sits enthroned in my heart.  He can rest in His supremacy in my life.  The battle for Leon is over, and JESUS IS LORD! 

Prayer:  Jesus, to you I sing, “Oh arise to your rest, and be blest by my praise, as I glory in your embrace, as Your presence now fills this place.” (Karen Clark-Sheard)  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

July 03, 2020: SOAP #3865:  July 3:  Isaiah 6-7; 2Chronicles 26-27; Philemon

Scripture:   Philemon (NIV) 7 Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.

Observation:   Everyone’s life goes through ups and downs.  How special of the Lord to provide friends who love us through the low times.  They encourage us with their presence.  They listen to our stories.  They call our name in their prayers. 

Application:   In my memory there are many people about whom this verse could be written.  People have blessed Sharon, and myself, and our son Doron.  Their love has given us great joy and encouragement.  Not only have they refreshed us, their memories still refresh us.  We are blessed!  

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, your blessings come to me through many ways.  The blessing of your grace and forgiveness.  The blessing of your presence.  And the blessings of friends Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

July 02, 2020: SOAP #3864:  Isaiah 4-5; Psalm 115-116; Jude

Scripture:  Jude (NIV) 1:18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” 19 These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. 20 But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. 21 Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

Observation:  In the last times we can find many people trying to divide us as nations, people and the church.  At first their arguments may appear to be built on some facts, but they are using the facts to divide.  They just choose the facts that seemingly support their arguments.  They ignore other facts. 

Obviously, they do not have the Spirit of God.  The fruit of the Spirit is missing.  In the light of this, we are to take responsibility to build ourselves in faith.  And we are to invite the Holy Spirit to be active in our prayers.     

Application:  In light of the times in which I live, having a focused relationship with the Holy Spirit is vital.  I need the Holy Spirit be an active part of my prayer life.  I need the Holy Spirit to be an active part of my Bible reading.  I need the Author of the scriptures to show me how they apply to my life for the days in which I live.  I need to be actively talking with Him as I go through each minute/hour of my day. 

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, you are welcome in my life. I cannot even express how much I need you. Take the lead in every part of my life today. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

July 01, 2020: SOAP #3863:  July 1:  Isaiah 1-3; Titus 3

Scripture:  Titus (NIV) 3:5 He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. … 8 This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

Observation:  In the light of what Jesus has done for us, we should be devoted to doing what is good.  King James gives this thought as “careful to maintain good works.” 

It honors God when His people make it a part of their thought process to see how they can do good.  But more than just think about it—they should follow through with appropriate action. 

Application:  When I start looking around to see if I can do something that would be a blessing to God, I find that the Holy Spirit joins my looking.  He shows me things that I overlook.  Many times, He shows me small ways I can bless people without them ever knowing.  Then they do not know who to thank and all the glory goes to God!   

When my hand reaches out to give help to someone, I have never had someone thank my hand.  They look into my eyes and give me the thanks.  In the same way, when I see myself as a member of the body of Christ, I should not be bothered if someone forgets to thank me and all the thanks goes to God!   As a member of His body, I did it for His glory; I can rejoice that He is getting the glory!!!  

Prayer:  Lord, use me today for your glory!  May you receive the glory for what I do. It is good to be appreciated but knowing that you are being glorified for what I do is reward enough. You deserve all the glory! Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

June 30, 2020: SOAP #3862:  Amos 7-9; Psalm 104: Titus 2

Scripture:  Amos (NIV) 9:13 “The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when the reaper will be overtaken by the ploughman and the planter by the one treading grapes. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills. 14 I will bring back my exiled people Israel; they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. 15 I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them,” says the LORD your God.

Observation:  Of the countries present in the Old Testament, only Israel remains.  Though scattered and the target of a plot to eliminate them from the face of the earth, yet there they are, back in the land God promised.     

Application:   Does God keep His promises?   Just look at Israel!   Is God at work in the world today?   Just look at Israel!   Does God forget His promises?  Just read the above scriptures and look at Israel!   Is anything too hard for God?  Just look at Israel!! 

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, you are the God of Israel, AND you are the God of me!!  What an amazing God you are!  You are worth my love and service!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

June 29, 2020: SOAP #3861:  Amos 4-6; Psalm 86,87; Titus 1

Scripture:  Psalm (NIV) 86: 10  For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God.
11 Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
12 I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.

Observation:  The psalmist understood that true devotion to God as Lord meant that God alone deserved all his heart-felt devotion.  The psalmist was not proclaiming that he had an undivided heart.  He was not claiming that he could pull his heart all together.  The psalmist was asking God to unite his heart, to give him an undivided heart.   

Application:   God is God every day, not just on the Sunday, and not just six days, but all seven days of every week.  One day is not to be divided off for me to do as I please. 

Every conversation must be pleasing to God.  When I pray, when I sing songs, AND when I talk about people I do not like.  God should be at the center of all conversations. 

All my affections should be pleasing to God.  There should be no section of my heart with an attachment to something unpleasing to God. 

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, like the psalmist, I cannot do this on my own, I need you to give me an undivided heart.  Unite my heart so it is totally yours.  May my one desire be to please you. Amen

Pastor Leon
|Making friends for time and eternity! 

June 28, 2020: SOAP #3860:  Amos 1-3; Psalm 80; 2Timothy 4

Scripture:  Psalm (NIV) 80:1 Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock; you who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth 2 before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh. Awaken your might; come and save us. 3 Restore us, O God; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.

Observation:  This psalm is made up of three prayers.  Verses 1-3, 4-7, and 8-19.  Each prayer ends with the same request. (verse 3, 7, and 19)   In those three verses, the request that caught my attention is: “O God; make your face shine upon us…” 

Oh how I want God to make His face shine upon me!  When His face is upon me, I know I have His attention.  I am assured that He is aware of my situation.  I know He hears me.  He looks at me with eyes of compassion.  He listens to me with ears of interest. 

Application:  And now I know why He drew my attention to these scriptures.  For as I finished writing the above paragraph, God spoke to me:  Just like I want to see God’s face looking at me, God wants to see my face looking at Him!!!   He wants me to look at Him with eyes of love.  He wants me to be interested in what He is saying.  He wants my attention.     

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, forgive me for being so thoughtless.  I am quick to tell you what is important to me, but often too busy to listen for what is important to you.  I want to sing like Keith Green: Oh Lord, you’re beautiful. Your face is all I seek. And when your eyes are on this child. (and when this child’s eyes are on you) Your grace abounds to me. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!