December 09, 2018: SOAP #3293:  1Timothy 5-6; Titus 1-4

Scripture:  Titus (NIV) 2:7 In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 8 and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

Observation:  Paul is writing to Titus, his spiritual son, and a developing leader in the church.  Titus did not have a leadership series of books, he probably did not have his own copy of the Old Testament scrolls.  He could not go online to find information about church leadership.  So, Paul wrote this letter.

Among the specific instructions I found this one general term: “doing what is good.”  (10+ times in the 46 verses of this book!)  Titus was to live his life “doing what is good.”  He was to encourage and teach others to “do what is good.”  God’s people should be “eager to do what is good.” (2:14) God’s people should be “ready to do what is good.” (3:1)

Paul did not refer Titus to a special book to learn more about this general instruction.  Those who would listen to Titus preach did not have anything available to them other than what Titus would include in his teaching.  Oh, but what they had!!!  They had the Holy Spirit dwelling in each of them, leading them into “what is good.”

Application:  How I appreciate having the Bible so readily available to me!  But I am learning something even more important.  I have the same benefit that Titus had, and the early church had—I have the indwelling Holy Spirit!!!

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, you are the same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 8:11) and the same Holy Spirit anointed Paul in his ministry and writings.  You are with me; be my conscience.  With your guidance and empowerment, I too can do “what is good.”  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

December 08, 2018: SOAP #3292:  1Timothy 1-4

Scripture:  1Timothy (NIV) 4:7 Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

Observation:  Training the physical body has value.  It has value in building strength and stamina.  A body that has been properly trained will have more energy and endurance.  Our bodies have been given to us by God, so it is proper to care for them and keep them in good working shape.

HOWEVER, the training of the physical body SHOULD NEVER take priority over the training of my inner-man (my will, my character, my attitude, my emotions) to be godly.

Even with the best training, this body is going to die.  Physical training cannot stop death.  But godliness not only has value for every aspect of my life on earth—it also has “promise” for heaven!

Application:  If I am serious about training my physical body, I can take specific actions, i.e. special diet, special exercises sessions, work with a trainer, etc.

If I am serious about training my inner-man to be godly, I can take specific actions, i.e.  daily Bible reading, daily prayer, pausing from time to time just to listen to what God may be saying, sharing my faith with others, finding a trusted friend who will give honest input, etc.

Prayer:   Lord, give me a trusted friend to help me grow in godliness.  And Lord, make me a trusted friend to help someone else grow in godliness. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

December 07, 2018: SOAP #3291:  Colossians 1-4
Note: Reworked from June 14, 2010 Too good not to repeat!

Scripture:  Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved …  13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Observation:  A true Christian is a person who has the Life of Jesus alive on the inside.  Living the “Jesus life” is quite different from my “old life without Jesus” and the Bible gives instructions on how we are to express that new life.  A key issue is forgiveness.  Surely the reason it is mentioned so many times in the Bible is because we will need to apply it so often. Verse 13 tells us to put up with one another.  Why?  Because no one is yet perfect.  The way not to hold a grudge and become bitter is to be a good forgiver!

Would you rather be told what to do, or shown what to do?  Who is our example for forgiveness?  None other than Jesus Himself!  And, note how personal this example is!  Not “as the Lord forgave David,” Not “as the Lord forgave Paul,” But “as the Lord forgave you!”

Application: Forgiving and forgetting are two different things.  Forgiving is a choice; forgetting is a process.  When I choose to forgive, I put up a “Forgiven” sign across the picture in my mind of that offence.  In that way, when I remember it, I remember it forgiven.  I make a commitment to remind myself that it is forgiven whenever it comes to mind.  I make a commitment to align my actions, not with the offence, but with the forgiveness.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, I cannot do this on my own, but with your presence I am sure we can do this together.  Make me like Jesus.  Help me forgive like Jesus has forgiven me. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

December 06, 2018: SOAP #3290:  Philippians 1-4

Scripture:  Philippians (NIV) 3:12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, 14 I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.

Observation:  In reading the above verses, I do not think that Paul was one to sit around and let life come to him.  He had been chosen; he had been called; he had been illuminated; he had been forgiven; he had been sent.  He was on a mission.  There was an urgency about his life.  He had a reason to live.  Each day’s activities revolved around his assignment.  He was living for the One who had died for him.

Even when he was detained and unable to travel, he did not let what happened to him stop him from “pressing” ahead with his purpose.  His mission was too important to waste time sitting in prison doing nothing.  What limited him, focused him!  He wrote letters!  He wrote the above verses while in prison!   Paul’s ministry continues today!

Application:  God can use my limitations to focus me.  If I will stop looking at what I cannot do, I will be better able to focus on what I can do.  If I am going to “press” ahead, it will be in doing what I can do—it will be in using what I have, ignoring what I do not have.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, what I do have is Your word!  What I do have is your promises!  What I do have is your Presence!   What I do have is Your Holy Spirit!  Holy Spirit, help me to minister out of the fullness of what I have and forget about what I do not have. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

December 05, 2018: SOAP #3289:  Ephesians 5-6; Psalm 119:1-80

Scripture:  Ephesians (NIV) 5:1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Observation:   We are His children, His dearly loved children.  He takes joy in us.  And as a little child tries to imitate their parents, so we should set about imitating our Heavenly Father.

We best imitate God by loving.  The best example for us to imitate is that of Jesus Christ who loved us while we were yet sinners.  His love cost, not others, but Himself.  He loved to the point of great personal sacrifice.  That is what we are to imitate!

Application:  My love for God started as a response to the love He had for me.  He loved me before I knew to love Him.  He loved me before I knew how worthy He is of my love and devotion.

If I am going to imitate His love, my love needs to be offered to those around me who may not appreciate or even want my love.  I may need to make a sacrifice for them even while they reject me.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, I know you are pleased when you see me trying to imitate Your Son, Jesus.  Holy Spirit help me love others like Jesus loved me. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

December 04, 2018: SOAP #3288:  Ephesians 1-4

Scripture:  Ephesians (NIV) 1:16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints…

Ephesians (NIV) 3:16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fulness of God.

Observation:  Paul did not just say he was praying for them, he wrote down the words and thoughts of his prayers.  I cannot help but note that Paul’s prayers are quite different than many prayers I hear today.

Paul prayed that people would come to know God and grow in their understanding of His plan.  He did not pray for their physical bodies, but their spiritual lives.  He did not pray for financial success, but revelation knowledge of God’s love.  He did not pray that their lives would be full of enjoyable and successful activities, but full of the fulness of God!

Application: I need to adjust my praying.  It is not wrong to pray for healing and success in life’s activities, but I need to pray more for spiritual growth and understanding.  I should use some of Paul’s thoughts in my prayers.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, guide my prayers. May my prayers deal with the eternal matters.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

December 03, 2018: SOAP #3287:  Romans 13-16

Scripture:  Romans (NIV) 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.

Observation:  Righteousness, peace, and joy are more important than eating and drinking!   So, if my freedom to eat or drink hinders someone’s righteousness, peace, or joy, I should forgo my freedom.   My freedom can be expressed in two ways.  I am free to partake, or I am free not to partake!

Application:  It may please myself when I take advantage of my freedom, but it pleases God when I do not push my freedom that may offend others.

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, keep me aware of how my life influences others.  Forgive my thoughtless words and actions that offended others.  Help me live each day to glorify Jesus and His sacrifice for me.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

December 02, 2018: SOAP #3286:  Romans 9-12

Scripture:  Romans (NIV) 10:8 But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 9 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

Observation:  Here Paul says it clearly.  It is a confession with the mouth of what is believed in the heart.

Faith without works is dead, and the confession of the mouth is an expression of the faith in the heart.  It is commonly the first expression of faith’s presence.

This faith accompanied by its confession brings salvation!

The confession is of the Lordship of Jesus.  We surrender to His control and rulership.  Our lives are now His to be lived as He directs.  This is completely reasonable.  He is omnipotent and omniscient and motivated by love died for me.  It would be unreasonable not to surrender to His Lordship!

The belief is that His death as payment for my sins did not end His life.  He is the resurrected Lord with power over death.  His death paid the penalty for the sins I have committed, and now His life within is the power to live in victory over sin!

Application:  I need BOTH!  I need His payment for the penalty of my sins.  AND I need His presence for the power to live each day.  His payment is a historical fact; His presence is an everyday reality!

Prayer:   Lord, help me to live in a way that demonstrates both:  the historical fact that you died for my sins, AND the current reality that you live within me.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

December 01, 2018: SOAP #3285:  Romans 5-8

Scripture:  Romans (NIV) 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Observation:  This verse is not for everyone; it has limitations. It for those who love Him. It is for those who are following the calling “according to His purpose.”

This verse makes no special category for the actions of the devil. The devil’s interference in our lives is lumped in with “all things.” There are no limitations on the “all things.”

It does not say that all things are good. Nor does it say that He only works through the good things.  God is working through “all things.”

For the person who loves God and is pursuing God’s calling, there is absolutely nothing to worry about.  God is in control.

Application: In an uncertain world, it is good to have things that are certain. It is good to have things that I can count on to never change. This is better than having it engraved in stone.  It is here engraved/recorded in God’s Word that God is actively involved in weaving the pieces of my life together that good will ultimately result!

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, thank you for refreshing this verse to me.  Engrave it upon my heart and mind!  You are working through all things for my good and your glory!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 30, 2018: SOAP #3284:  Romans 1-4

Scripture:  Romans (NIV) 4:4 Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. 5 However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. 6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: 7 “Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.”

Observation:  There are things that I could make for myself.  Those things would be quite evident that I made them.  They would show my limitations.  If I made myself a car, it would be obvious to everyone who saw it. It would not be trustworthy, that is if it would even run.  Ha!   On the other hand, if Chevrolet gave me a car … that car would be totally different.  It would have the look of being professionally made by people with skill.  It would be trustworthy to run at high speeds on the roadways of our country.
–If I am going to earn the best righteousness I can afford, it will be quite lacking to meet my need.  Most of my righteousness would consist of good intentions, but there would be selfish streaks running throughout.
–On the other hand, if God credits righteousness to me, then it will be righteousness with perfect intention at its heart, and perfect performance.
–With my righteousness, I will not have much peace of mind; I will always be worrying if it will suffice for entrance into heaven.  With God’s righteousness, I have peace of mind.  There is no need to worry about whether it will meet His requirements!

Application:  God’s righteous is mine by faith.  I believe that the sacrifice of Jesus covers my sins, and I confess my sins to Him and by faith receive His forgiveness.  I have what I could never earn!

Prayer:   Thank you, Jesus, for perfectly fulfilling the requirements for my salvation.  You have given me what I could never earn!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!