April 26, 2019: SOAP #3431:  2Samuel 1; Psalm 140; Matthew 13

Scripture:  Matthew (NIV) 13:15 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’

Observation: Here we have the bottom line.  This is why they are in such a predicament.  Their hearts are hard!  Hearing comes through the ears, but the message is understood in the heart.  Seeing comes through the eyes, but the understanding of what is seen is in the heart.  Our five senses keep us in touch with the world around us, but our heart must be sensitive to the Lord in order to process that information and make application to life.

Scripture:  Matthew (NIV) 13:16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.

Observation: But those to whom Jesus was talking are not like the others.  They are blessed because they really see with their eyes, and really hear with their ears.

Application: Although Jesus does not say it specifically, it is clear from the context:  The disciples did not have better ears, or better eyes.  It was the condition of their heart!   Their heart was tender and sensitive to spiritual truth.

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, I want a tender heart that is sensitive to spiritual things.  Only then will I be able to process the information taken in by my five senses.  I want to see things and understand them the way you do.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

April 25, 2019: SOAP #3430:  1Samuel 30,31; 1Chronicles 10; Matthew 12

Scripture:  Matthew (NIV) 12:33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.  34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36 But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Observation:   When the heart is full and begins to overflow—that is when the contents of the heart become visible.  It is interesting to hear people who have unexpectedly received a reward making a thank-you speech.  Their priorities can be seen.  The same can be said for someone who has unexpectedly been overtaken by some tragedy.

Application:   What comes out of my mouth when I do not have time to think?  In the moment of surprise, or physical pain, or an emotional jar—what comes flying out of my mouth?

It is important to fill all the shelves, cupboards, and closets in my heart and mind with God’s word.  When someone open a closet containing 70 years of my memories may they get a good dose of God’s Word!

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, help me fill my life with so much of the word that every memory cannot be shared without becoming a testimony of Jesus in my life.  May memories be full of what Jesus was doing in my life and what He was speaking to me.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

April 24, 2019: SOAP #3429:  1Samuel 28,29; Psalm 109; Matthew 11

Scripture:  Matthew (NIV) 11:27 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No-one knows the Son except the Father, and no-one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

Observation:   In this verse, Jesus gives us a small glimpse at the eternal relationship between God the Father and God the Son.  There is a relationship so deep that it cannot be understood without revelation.

In the gospel days, people did not recognize the full identity of Jesus.  But the Father knew.  He recognized His Son.  The Father knew who Jesus was, what Jesus was doing, and where He was.  The Father saw His Son teaching truth, healing the sick, doing miracles, etc.

Although “knowledge of the Father” was available in limited ways, “knowing the Father” was available only through the Son.  He said, “if you have seen me, you have seen the Father.”  (John 14:2&7)   Relationship with the Father is ONLY through the Son!

Application:  What a great relationship I have with the Son as my Lord and Savior.  As much as He values that relationship, Jesus desires more for me.  God the Son desires me to grow in relationship with Father God.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, through the finished work of Jesus on the cross, and the continued work of the Holy Spirit in my daily life, may I become the son you designed me to be. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

April 23, 2019: SOAP #3428:  1Samuel 27; Psalm 141; 1Chronicles 9; Matthew 10

Scripture:  Matthew (NIV) 10:40 “He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me.

Observation:   How people treat His disciples is very important to Jesus!  He takes it personally.  He considers it as though they blessed or mistreated Him!   And the same is true about the Heavenly Father.  How people treat Jesus is very important to God the Father.  He takes it personally.  He considers it as though they blessed or cursed Him!

Application:   How people treat me is not something I need to worry about.  Jesus is with me.  What they do to me they do to Him.  And when people bless me more than I am able to return, I know that He is able to bless them properly.

And I need to be very careful as to how I treat Jesus.  It might be easy to think of Jesus as just another man and not give Him the respect He is due.  Any disrespect I give Jesus is taken personally by the Father.

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, check me if I speak disrespectfully of Jesus. His is the name about all names.  It should always be spoken with greatest respect.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

April 22, 2019: SOAP #3427:  1Samuel 25,26; Psalm 63; Matthew 9

Scripture:  Matthew (NIV) 9:36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Observation:   When working for someone, it is good to know their perspective and priority.  Knowing how the boss sees a matter helps me know how to do my work in a manner that pleases him/her.

How much more important is it that I know how God views certain things.  How does God view crowds of people?  He sees them with compassion.  He sees how they are treated.  He sees how much they need help.  He sees them as a ripe harvest field.  (In the next chapter, Jesus calls the twelve, gives them authority, and SENDs them out to minister to the people.)

Application:   As to a specific application: how does God view the large number of persons crossing the southern border into the United States?  He sees the longing of each parent, desiring a better life for their children.  He sees those used by smugglers to carry their drugs or to draw attention elsewhere while they cross the border in an unguarded section.  God sees each woman suffering from sexual abuse.  He sees the bodies of those who die along the trail.

God sees and He has compassion.  To God they are like sheep without a shepherd.  To God they are a great harvest field.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, help me see those coming into our nation as you see them.  Use me for your glory.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

April 20, 2019: SOAP #3425:  1Samuel 24; Psalm 57, 58; 1Chronicles 8; Matthew 8

Scripture:  Psalm (NIV) 57:7 My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.
8 Awake, my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.
9 I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples.
10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.

Observation:  The women going to the tomb early on that first Resurrection Day, were hoping to be able to anoint the dead body of Jesus with some spices.  They were questioning about who might help them roll the stone away from the tomb.   I doubt if they were singing the psalm above.  What a surprise awaited them!

Application:  Now, almost 2000 years later, I “awaken the dawn” on a Resurrection Sunday and go to a place where other believers will assemble to worship the Risen Lord.   Later I “praise the Lord” “among the peoples” gathered at a place of worship.  Verses 9, 10, and 11 seem an appropriate prayer for Resurrection Day!

Prayer:   I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.  Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

April 20, 2019: SOAP #3425:  1Samuel 23; Psalm 31,54; Matthew 7

Scripture:  Psalm (NIV) 54:6 I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you; I will praise your name, O LORD, for it is good.
7 For he has delivered me from all my troubles, and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.

Observation:   This was written by David as he was being hunted by Saul about 1000 years before Jesus.  David realized that God was sparing his life every day.

I am reading it 2000 years after Jesus. As this is passion week on the church calendar during which we celebrate the death and resurrection of our Lord, I am considering this verse in the light of Jesus’ death and what it accomplished for me.  The greatest trouble I have is sin and its results.  But on the cross Jesus delivered me from the sin’s authority over me and with his resurrection life in me delivers me from sin’s attractiveness to me.

Application:   He frees me from the “have to” and the “want to” of sin!  Wow!  What a Deliverer is He!

Prayer:  Sing with me:  Thank you Lord, for saving my soul.  Thank you, Lord, for making me whole.  Thank you, Lord, for giving to me– Thy great salvation so rich and free!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

April 19, 2019: SOAP #3424:  1Samuel 22; Psalm 17,35; Matthew 6

Scripture:  Matthew (NIV) 6:7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Observation:  Babbling or vain repetitions: to repeat the same things over and over, to use many idle words, to babble.  (Strong’s with the Online Bible)

Application:  God wants to have a meaningful relationship with me.  He does not just speak meaningless words over me.  He is the wisest, smartest, most intelligent, being in the universe.  He is the greatest communicator.  His words have meaning; they are not thoughtlessly spoken.

I surely do not match His ability to communicate, but He obviously will not be satisfied with rote repetitions I thoughtlessly speak to Him.  He knows all the languages in the universe; I have trouble with English.  Since I often do not know the proper word, I struggle to put together a phrase that communicates what I am thinking.  And in the struggle, I communicate how greatly I value this God who sent His only begotten Son to die for my sins.

In my worship, it is good to engage my brain before starting my mouth.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, I as so blessed in reading and considering your words.  They are so full of meaning.  May my words to you contain meaning that blesses your heart. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

April 18, 2019: SOAP #3423:  1Samuel 20-21; Psalm 34; Matthew 5

Scripture:  Psalm (NIV) 34:1 I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. 2 My soul will boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. 3 Glorify the LORD with me: let us exalt his name together.

Observation:   David was running from King Saul who wanted to kill him.  He was hiding in Gath where the king did not make David feel welcome.  David acted like he was insane, but his heart was aware of God’s presence, his soul was boasting in God’s greatness, and his mouth was full of God’s praise.

But there was something that would make the time of praise even better.  That would be to share it with someone else!

Application:   Someone can join me in praising God, or I can join someone else.  My praise may stir someone’s heart to join me.  Their praise may stir my heart to join them.

Our praise together grows as we respond to what we hear.  It is good to hear other people praise God.   Hearing their praise often inspires me to new expressions of my praise.  It is good for me to find new words and phrases to use in praising God.  I believe it is good for God when He hears me stretching myself to praise Him with words and thoughts that I have never used before.

(NOTE:  I should listen to myself when I praise God.  I should make note of the 2 or 3 top phrases I use most often in praising God.  The I should ban myself from using those phrases for a week and force myself to thoughtfully develop some new expressions of praise.)

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, I want you to enjoy the time we spend together.  So, praise must be an important part of my prayer life.  Holy Spirit, challenge me to find new expressions of praise.  Help me to stretch beyond my habits and phrases that I can utter without thinking.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

April 17, 2019: SOAP #3422:  1Samuel 19; 1Chronicles 7; Psalm 59; Matthew 4

Scripture:  Psalm (NIV) 59:16 But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. 17 O my Strength, I sing praise to you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God.

Observation:  Strength and love—two character traits of God.  Strength is a part of God’s natural being.  He is spirit, eternal, and triune.  He is all powerful (omnipotent), all knowing (omniscient), and all present (omnipresent).  Love is part of God’s moral nature.  He is Love; He is Holy.  All other moral characteristics are expressions of God’s love and holiness.

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, David in these verses combines two of God’s character traits:  strength and love.  It is great to know that the most powerful being in the universe is also the most loving!

Application:  There is nothing powerful enough to prevent His love from reaching me!   God loves me and uses His power to hold me steady in the storm.  In love, He uses His power to deliver and restore me.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, I can truly rest in your love.  You are able to reach me.  You are able to lift me out of sin and despair.  You are able to set me in heavenly places with you.  I will sing of your strength; I will sing of your love! Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!