June 14, 2017: SOAP #2750: 1Kings 15; 2Chronicles 13,14; Philippians 4

Scripture: Philippians (NIV) 4:16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. 17 Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account. 18 I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Observation: In my lifetime I have heard these verses mentioned many times as church leaders were encouraging people to give financially in an offering. It is good to know that God likes to bless givers.

As I considered these verses today, I saw that Paul was not writing to encourage people to give, but thanking them for having already given! He was not asking for an offering. They had given to him many times in the past. And he had just received an offering from them. This letter was NOT to motivate them to give more to him, but to thank them for what they had ALREADY given.

Application: It concerns me when I see people struggle in their finances—have they learned to tithe? Have they made God the Senior partner in their finances? One of the great benefits of tithing is knowing that God is my financial partner when going through times when money is short. A major part of our retirement planning was, and continues to be, tithing.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, many times in the past you have proved yourself to be faithful to your word and to me. In the present, you are continuing to show yourself faithful. I fully expect you will continue in the days ahead. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

June 13, 2017: SOAP #2749: 1Kings 13,14; 2Chronicles 12; Philippians 3

Scripture: Philippians (NIV) 3:15 All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.
16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

Observation: No one has arrived at perfect maturity or perfect understanding. Everyone has room to grow. The Bible continues to yield golden nuggets to those who continue to read and study it with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Application: Being a Christian is a daily and life-long challenge to bring the desires that accompany my flesh under the control of my spirit which has become one with God’s Holy Spirit who shares this physical body with me. I cannot let my failures or my immaturity, or my lack of understanding get me discouraged. I must be faithful to live as best I know, and as best I can with what I already have!

Prayer: Holy Spirit, the Heavenly Father knew that I could not live the Christian life in my own understanding and strength. So, in assigning you to live this life in me, He has programmed me to succeed where I would have totally failed. I am glad to have you with me! Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

June 12, 2017: SOAP #2748: 1Kings 12; 2Chronicles 10,11; Philippians 2

Scripture:  Philippians (NIV) 2:14 Do everything without complaining or arguing,

Observation:     Everything we do, without exception, should be done with a sweet spirit.

Complaining or arguing (NIV) is described as a secret debate, not out in the open, but stirring up the undercurrent.  Murmuring or disputing (the words used in KJV) contains the idea of questioning or deliberating.  This in no way limits questions for the sake of understanding, but for the sake of contention.  One can find many examples of this in the political news.

Sometimes people ask question upon question merely for the sake of disruption.  Some people who do not like the answers just keep on asking questions hoping to get an answer that they can use in their agenda.

Also, there are people giving answers that do not give true understanding.  Some people give answers and make comments that are more emotional than informational.

Application:  If this verse is any indication of how Christians should interact with others, we need more Christians involved in our government.  Sometimes it is hard for me to listen to the news programs.

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, develop a sweet spirit in me. May it never be hard for my Heavenly Father to listen to me.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

June 11, 2017: SOAP #2747: Song of Solomon 5-8; Philippians 1

Scripture: Philippians (NIV) 1:3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy

Observation: Oh the memories Paul had of Philippi. He must have remembered how God had given him a vision of a man from the province of Macedonia calling him. He must have remembered how he and Silas were beaten and thrown in jail. He must have remembered the worship time at midnight and the earthquake that shook open the jail and set every prisoner free. Yes, Paul had memories of his time in Philippi. And whenever he remembered the church in Philippi, he gave thanks to God!

Application: Memories bring opportunity to appreciate what God has done! Like Paul, my memories can become reasons for praise. I remember my grandfather singing, “Precious memories, how they linger; How they ever flood my soul; In the stillness of the midnight, Precious sacred scenes unfold.” (by: Johnnie R. Wright)

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for the special gift of memories. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

June 10, 2017: SOAP #2746: Song of Solomon 1-4; Ephesians 6

Scripture:  Ephesians (NIV) 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God…13 Therefore put on the full armor of God… 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith… 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, 8 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.

Observation:   God wants His people to be strong to fight against the enemy and to stand against temptation.  He has made special provision for us to live in victory.  He has given us HIS armor!  The armor is hanging in the closet of His Word.  I take it out of the closet by reading His Word.  I put it on by living my daily life like it is true!   I believe it is true, so I live and think and act like it is true, because it is!

Application:  God knows me perfectly.  He has provided the proper protection I need for today.  I put on His armor with a thankful heart and take on the day with faith.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, throughout this day, remind me that I am dressed in the armor of God.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

June 9, 2017: SOAP #2745: Ecclesiastes 10-12; Psalm 94; Ephesians 5

Scripture:  Ephesians (NIV) 5:19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Observation:  How are believers different than the people in the world?  They talk differently! As in chapter 4, we again see the importance of our speech.    When we talk to each other we are to encourage each other with scriptures and the words of songs.  Being thankful is not something that should happen once a year, or once a week, or even once a day.  We are “always giving thanks to God the Father for everything!”

Application:  If I am “always giving thanks to God,” then people will know me as a thankful person—a thanks-giver!  Being thankful should be a recognized characteristic of my life.  Others should describe me as a thankful person.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, if anyone has reason to be thankful, I do!  Holy Spirit, help me to be known as an encourager and gracious speaker. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

June 8, 2017: SOAP #2744: Ecclesiastes 7-9; Ephesians 4

Scripture:  Ephesians (NIV) 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Observation:   As I understand the priorities of my Christian life, first is my relationship to Jesus.  Second could be How I think.  My thoughts must be brought into line with the Word and my growing knowledge of God.  Third would be how I talk.  Faith without works is dead.  True faith will always find some expression.  Although not the only expression, words are most often the first expression of our faith.

This verse clearly implies that there will be temptation to give voice to words that tear down rather than build up.  We will see things; and the enemy will bring things to our attention that seem so important; we are tempted to gossip.  As we mature in our Christian life, we resist that temptation.

It is amazing how harmful partial truth can be.  Although it is true, it can be very unwholesome.

Application:  The purpose of my speech is to build up those who hear.  I need to build them up according to THEIR needs, not mine or someone else’s needs.   Did Jesus ever perform a miracle without speaking?  I do not think so.  And God wants to use my words to minister His grace.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, help me to speak words, in prayer and in conversation, that can be used to build faith and accomplish your plan.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

June 7, 2017: SOAP #2743: Ecclesiastes 4-6; Psalm 18; Ephesians 3

Scripture:  Ephesians (NIV) 3:7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. 8 Although I am less than the least of all God’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.

Observation:     What a high privilege Paul counted it to be a minister of the gospel. This was not something he sought out for himself.  This was not a high goal for which Paul was aiming.  God chose Paul.  God interrupted Paul’s plans to give him a more worthy goal and purpose in life.

It was a gift of God’s grace that Paul received. The grace ministered by Paul to the Gentiles, was first ministered to him.  It was first working IN him, and then THROUGH him.

Application:  I too am privileged to be God’s servant.  It is my joy to serve Him each day.  Each day His grace is ministered to me by His Spirit as I look into His Word.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, thank you for ministering God’s grace to me each day.  I pray that the grace given me flows through me to others. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

June 6, 2017: SOAP #2742: Ecclesiastes 1-3; Psalm 45: Ephesians 2

Scripture: Ephesians (NIV) 2:21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
1Corinthians (NIV) 6:19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?…

Observation: In his letter to the believers in Ephesus, Paul teaches them that God has built Jews and Gentiles together to be a corporate body in which “God lives by his Spirit.” In his first letter to believers in Corinth he says that my individual body is a “temple,” “a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”

Individually and corporately the message is the same: God lives in me AND God lives in us who are believers. God lives in my body AND God lives in us as a body.

Application: I should treat my body as the temple it is. I should treat my body as HIS house. I should treat other Christians as the dwelling place of God they are. When with other Christians I need to remember that I am visiting HIS house.

As to my body, the Holy Spirit will direct the use of each part of my body. As to the body of Christ, others need me to use my gifts to help them; and I need the gifts of others to help me.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, thank you for sharing this life with me. It is so good to have you live in this body with me! And thank you for designing me to share life with other believers. We are designed for fellowship! Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

June 5, 2017: SOAP #2741: Proverbs 30,31; Psalm 33; Ephesians 1

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 33:16 No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength.
17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.
18 But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, 19 to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.
20 We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.

Observation: Bragging on the size of one’s army, or the greatness of one’s strength is foolish. The greatest aircraft carriers, the fastest jet airplanes, the most powerful and accurate missiles are not reliable for our defense.

But that does not mean there is no reliable defense available. The greatest defender of all is the LORD God! He defends those who fear Him and put their trust in Him.

Application: It is good to hear more of our national leaders express their personal faith in God. It is good to hear them express that the source of our blessing and defense is the LORD God!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, you promised that your eyes would be upon those who “fear” you and “hope in your unfailing love.” Fulfill this promise in the lives of our leaders and in the life of our nation we pray. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!