June 24, 2017: SOAP #2760: 2Kings 11,12; 2Chronicles 24; 1Timothy 6

Scripture: 2Kings (NIV) 11:17 Jehoiada [the priest] then made a covenant between the LORD and the king and people that they would be the LORD’s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people.

Observation: The religious leader, Jehoiada, did not try to become king, the political leader. He served in three ways; in removing a godless woman who had made herself queen, in establishing the proper king on the throne, and by influencing the young king to rule in a godly way. His service was so appreciated by the people that he was buried with the kings when he died at the age of 130. (2Chronicles 24:2,15-16)

Application: Without doubt, I believe that Godly leaders were greatly used to bring a change in the government of the USA. Now is not the time for them to step back, but to use their influence to encourage our new leaders to govern with righteousness and wisdom, with the counsel of God’s Word. Many believers prayed for the elections; now they should pray for the safety and decisions of those elected.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we prayed for our elections, now we pray for those elected. They need you now more than ever. Thank you for recently sparing many lives! Protect them, and give them wisdom. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

June 23, 2017: SOAP #2759: 2Kings 10; 2Chronicles 22,23; 1Timothy 5

Scripture: 1Timothy (NIV) 5:8 If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Observation: Christianity is a very practical religion. True Christians are NOT so heavenly minded that they are of no earthly good. They are aware of the needs of their family members. And they are concerned enough to provide for them.

Application: If I am sensitive to the Holy Spirit, I may be aware of my family’s needs even before they ask for help. The gift I may give can become an extra special blessing when I discover that it is an answer to a need known only to God! Their request was made only to God. God’s answer came through me!

Prayer: Holy Spirit, you know the needs of my natural and spiritual family. May you find me an open vessel you can use to assist them. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

June 22, 2017: SOAP #2758: 2Kings 8,9; 2Chronicles 21; 1Timothy 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: Paul is writing to a young preacher. It is important not to become sidetracked on issues that have no value. Physical conditioning has value but Godliness has great value. Allowing the character of God to be developed in a leader’s life not only has value for the present life, but for the life to come. Godliness in a leader’s life not only benefits the leader, but also those who are following.

Application: If the enemy can get me focused on non-essential issues, time and resources are robbed from priorities. It is God’s desire that Jesus be recognized living in me.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, help me keep the main thing the main thing! Help me not to get sidetracked. As I age, may it be easier for You to be seen in me. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

June 201, 2017: SOAP #2757: 2Kings 6,7; 2Chronicles 20; 1Timothy 3

Scripture: 2Chronicles (NIV) 20:2 Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi).
3 Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to enquire of the LORD, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah.

Observation: Many people remember the end of this battle, but not the beginning. The crisis ended with the choir leading the army into battle only to find that the only thing left to do was to pick up the spoil!

It is good to consider the beginning of the crisis. When King Jehoshaphat first received the news, his first response was to call the nation to fast and pray! The great victory started with prayer!

Application: For every crisis I face, prayer is the place to start!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, how foolish of me to think that I can face any crisis in my own strength and with my own wisdom. Surely, I have been a believer long enough to know that I need you in everything I do! Thank you for re-emphasizing this today. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

June 20, 2017: SOAP #2756: 2Kings 4,5; Psalm 83; 1Timothy 2
A WHOLE LOT MORE!

Scripture: 2Kings (NIV) 4:3 Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few.

Observation: Her husband had died leaving behind debt. The creditors were coming to take her two boys. She came to the prophet seeking his help. The prophet was about to tell her to pour the little oil she had into borrowed jars, sell the oil, pay the debt, and live off the extra. But first she had to go borrow some jars. So, the prophet told her, “Don’t ask for just a few!” The miracle that was about to happen would only be limited by the number of jars she borrowed!

Scripture: 2Kings (NIV) 4:6 When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.” But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing.

Application: I often hear people in prayer use a word I have come to dislike: the word “just.” It is used in a manner that we really do not want to bother God very much, so, if He will “just” do this, or “just” help us, or “just” supply this need… If He will “just” answer this prayer we will not need to ask for anything else—as though we are offending Him by asking!!! One of these days I am going to rudely interrupt someone’s prayer and say, “NO! I do not want God to “just” do that…I want Him to do a WHOLE LOT MORE! I do not have “just” a few jars to be filled!”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I know in your loving and gracious heart you hear our prayers, but do such prayers bother you as they are beginning to bother me? Holy Spirit, help me not to limit you by my small-faith prayers. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

June 19, 2017: SOAP #2755: 2Kings 1-3; Psalm 82; 1Timothy 1

Scripture: 1Timothy (NIV) 1:13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

Observation: Paul’s past, of persecuting the church, made him acutely aware of the abundant grace God had given him. But God had also given him faith, as a fruit of the Spirit, and as a gift of the Holy Spirit. It was a faith founded in Christ Jesus. It was a faith that ministered to others through Paul. And God had poured out His love on Paul. In Christ, Paul saw how great God’s love was for himself. He saw how greatly God’s love would flow through him to others.

Application: The older I become and the more I read God’s Word, the more I appreciate God’s abundant grace that I have received. The more I appreciate God’s grace, the more I want to exercise the faith to minister God’s great love to others.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, I need your help. May grace, faith and love be seen working in me and flowing through me. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

June 18, 2017: SOAP #2754: 1Kings 22; 2Chronicles 18,19; Colossians 4

Scripture: Colossians (NIV) 4:10 My fellow-prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. …
11 Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. … 12 Epaphras…
14 Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas,,,
15 Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house…
17 Tell Archippus: “See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord.”
18 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.

Observation: Paul is closing his letter to the believers in Colosse. He mentions those by name who are with him and sending their greetings. He mentions by name those to whom he wants his greetings mentioned. He gives a final short message to Archippus. He takes the pen from the hand of whoever was writing for him and signs the letter in his own handwriting. And he adds three words: “Remember my chains.”

Application: I believe there are thousands around the world today who would love the opportunity to write letters to the church. They would encourage us to stay strong. They would tell us that it is well worth any sacrifice to serve Jesus. And like Paul, they would close their letter: “Remember my chains.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, it was for the believers in Paul’s day to pray for Paul. It is for me to pray for those in chains today for their faith. I pray for their freedom, but most of all I pray for a great revival in each heart. May your Presence fill them with your joy and with your love. Lift them on eagle’s wings, I pray. Save their captors. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

June 17, 2017: SOAP #2753: 1Kings 20-21; 2Chronicles 17; Colossians 3

Scripture: Colossians (NIV) 3:1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

Observation: Now we have been raised with Christ and have died to our old way of life; our lives are all wrapped up in Jesus. So, what does that mean? What changes should we make in the way we live? Major changes should be made in what we desire and in how we think.

What my heart desires, my mind will naturally be thinking of ways to satisfy that longing.

Application: I need to change the focus of my desires and thoughts. Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.” I am to make sure the King of Heaven is the King of my life. Everything in Heaven revolves around the King; everything in my life should revolve around the King!

Prayer: Holy Spirit, keep me aware of changes needed in what I want and in how I think. May your will be done in my life as it is in heaven. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

June 16, 2017: SOAP #2752: 1Kings 17-19; Colossians 2

Scripture: Colossians (NIV) 2:13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,

Observation: It would have done us no good if God would only have forgiven us a few of our sins, or some of our sins, or most of our sins. Unless all our sins are forgiven we are as if none of our sins are forgiven.

As Paul wrote to the people in Colosse, John wrote to the church: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1John 1:9

Application: I am thankful that all my sins are forgiven! I do not have to worry about some sin being too bad to be covered by the blood of Jesus. His sacrifice is sufficient! It is for me to confess, to acknowledge my sins, to admit that they are my sins. He is faithful and just to forgive and to cleanse/purify me from all unrighteousness! It is amazing Grace!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, your grace is amazing. To be totally forgiven—cleansed from all my sins. To be made just as if I’d never sinned! To be pure in God’s sight! To be totally free from the guilt of all my sins! Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

June 15, 2017: SOAP #2751: 1Kings 16; 2Chronicles 15,16; Colossians 1

Scripture: 1Kings (NIV) 16:13 …so that they provoked the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger by their worthless idols.

Observation: The level of anger is usually connected with the level of love. A mother may be angry when she hears of someone preying on children, but she really becomes ANGRY when it is her child!

So, it is very understandable when God gets angry at how people deal with Israel, His chosen people. He loves them. And when the people He has loved, and led, and fed—the people He has given a promised land, and fought for them, and to whom He sent His Son—when those people reject Him, He gets angry.

Application: The United States has many historical parallels to God’s dealing with Israel. God has blest us, watched over us, and used us. Clearly, we have experienced His favor. And at times we have experienced His judgment. Now, as a nation, in many ways we have rejected God. Unless we truly repent, we will experience His anger.

There is One that God the Father loves above all others—His Son Jesus the Christ. After all that Jesus has done for us, how would we expect the Father to react when we disrespect and reject Jesus! God’s judgment will be extremely rational. John 5:23 …that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, teach me to honor the Son as I honor the Father. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!