February 4, 2017: SOAP #2620:  Exodus 37-38; Psalm 19; Acts 11

Scripture:  Psalm (NIV) 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.  2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.  3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. 4 Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world….

Romans (NIV) 1:18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.  20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

Observation:   Although I do not know the words, every language spoken on earth has words for sun, moon, and stars.  No one on earth is unaffected by the sun.  The language of the sun is spoken in every language and every location on earth.  The Creator is easily seen in His creation.

Application:   I should never walk through a day on earth without taking time to appreciate creation and to express my appreciation to the Creator!

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, this morning I was privileged to enjoy the beauty of your sunrise.  If I had no reason to praise you from within my heart, I have abundant reasons to praise you from what I see around me. I have no excuse for not praising you!   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

February 3, 2017: SOAP #2619:  Exodus 35-36; Acts 10

Scripture:  Exodus (NIV) 35:30 Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the LORD has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 31 and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts—

Observation:  God had commanded Moses to build the tabernacle in which God would live in the middle of Israel’s camp.  But God did not expect Moses to do it by himself.  In Egypt, God had provided the specific items for the Israelites to give.  God also provided wisdom and skills for certain men, Bezalel and Oholiab, to work with the gold and silver items for the tabernacle.  Everything needed for the building of the tabernacle was in the camp of Israel.  Nothing had to be imported.  God had made sure everything needed was readily available.

Application:   When God assigns a specific task, I believe God will provide everything necessary.  He will provide the finances, the raw materials, and the people with skills to do the work.   He will not give me all the necessary skills, but will give them to someone willing to help me.  Sometimes the key to understanding the details of the task God has given is to consider the skills of those God has placed nearby.  Moses did not dominate Bezalel and Oholiab, he released them into the ministry to which God had called them and for which God had equipped them.

Prayer:    Heavenly Father, I am just one part of the plan you are developing around me.  I want to be useful and faithful.  I want to help and encourage others to fulfill their calling to serve you.    Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

February 2, 2017: SOAP #2618:  Exodus 33-34; Psalm 16; Acts 9

Scripture:  Exodus (NIV) 33:7 Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting”. Anyone enquiring of the LORD would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. …
9 As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the LORD spoke with Moses. …
11 The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young assistant Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.

Observation:  As Moses assistant, Joshua needed to be close to Moses.  He needed to be available to be sent to get what was needed or to take a message to someone for Moses.  As a future leader, Joshua needed to be close to Moses to learn leadership skills.

But more than knowing Moses, Joshua needed to know God!  A day would come when Moses would no longer be available.  There would never be a day when God would not be available!  Moses knew that Joshua would need to hear God’s voice.  Joshua would need to know the right protocol of being in God’s presence.  It was good for Joshua, the future leader of Israel, to linger in the Presence of Almighty God.   Moses let him stay.

Application:  I remember as a young boy of 7 or 8, praying late at the altar on Sunday evenings.  Everyone had gone home except my parents waiting for me.  Most of the lights were turned off and the church door was locked for the night, but I was still at the altar.  My parents never hurried me, never told me it was time to stop praying.  I did not know enough to know what God was doing in my life.  I cannot tell you of any specific message he gave me during those prayer times.  I remember only that it was good to linger in His Presence.

Prayer:   In Your Presence, In Your Presence, there is peace.       In Your Presence, In Your Presence there is joy.        I will linger, I will stay in your Presence day by day      Till Your likeness may be seen in me.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

February 1, 2017: SOAP #2617:  Exodus 30-32; Acts 8

Scripture:  Exodus (NIV) 30:7 “Aaron must burn fragrant incense on the altar every morning when he tends the lamps.  8 He must burn incense again when he lights the lamps at twilight so that incense will burn regularly before the LORD for the generations to come.

Observation:   Yesterday we looked at the regular burnt offering that was made EVERY morning and EVERY evening in the tabernacle.  (Exodus 29:40-46) Today, in the next chapter we find two other daily requirements:  caring for the lamps and burning incense.

EVERY morning the lamps needed care.  The lamp needed to be refilled with oil.  The wicks needed trimming and adjustment.   EVERY evening they had to light the lamps.

Application:   I see the incense as a picture of my daily prayers.  I see the lamps as a picture of me.  I see the oil as a type of the Holy Spirit and the wick as a type of my flesh.  I need to be continually filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit.  And I need to keep the flesh (my attitude) properly adjusted.

When a wick is properly adjusted, the oil burns rather than the wick.  People say, “What a beautiful lamp!  Praise the Lord!”  When the wick is out of adjustment, it smokes and burns the wick.  People say, “Someone needs to trim and adjust that wick.”  People say, “That Christian needs an attitude adjustment!”

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, I want to be a lamp that brings you glory and joy.  May those around me see the fire of the Holy Spirit burning in me.    Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

January 31, 2017: SOAP #2616:  Exodus 28-29; Acts 7

Scripture:  Exodus (NIV) 29:40-46 Note: 40 With the first lamb offer a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with a quarter of a hin of oil from pressed olives, and a quarter of a hin of wine as a drink offering.

Observation:  These were the components of the daily sacrifice offered EVERY morning and EVERY evening at the tabernacle of Moses and then at the temple.   Even on special days when special offerings were made, these daily offerings could not be neglected.
1.  The lamb for a consecration offering, all on the altar until completely burnt up.  Spoke of the sacrifice of ourselves to the Lord.
2.  Fine flour spoke of the Word, the bread of life.
3.  Flour to be mixed with oil which spoke of the Holy Spirit.
4.  The wine as a drink offering spoke of our praise and worship offered to the Lord for His pleasure.

Application:   Here is a good outline for my daily relationship with the Lord.  Even on special days like Sundays and holidays, this should be my daily practice.
1.  My whole day is His—everything I do and everything I say.
2.  The Word is a daily part of my life.
3.  The Holy Spirit is with me to apply the Word to my daily life.
4.  I continue through each day with praise coming from a heart of worship.

Prayer:    Heavenly Father, today my I please you as I live my life as a daily offering. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

January 30, 2017: SOAP #2615:  Exodus 25-27; Acts 6

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 6:8 Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. 9 Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. These men began to argue with Stephen, 10 but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.

Observation:   The ministry of Jesus continued.  Like Jesus, Stephen did “wonders and miraculous signs.”  And like Jesus, those arguing with Stephen “could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.”  Jesus had promised that His followers would do the same works and have the same Holy Spirit as He had.  (John 14:12)

Application:  The church continues today.  The same Holy Spirit continues to indwell the church today.   The ministry of Jesus continues today.  No one can live the life of Leon except Leon.  No one can live the life of Jesus except Jesus.  Since I cannot duplicate Jesus myself, I must let Jesus be Jesus in me.  While on earth, Jesus lived a life full of the Holy Spirit.  Being full of the Holy Spirit—that made Stephen like Jesus—that is my only hope of being like Jesus.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, live in me as you lived in Jesus.  Live in me as you lived in Stephen.  Make me like Jesus.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

January 29, 2017: SOAP #2614:  Exodus 23-24; Psalm 14; Acts 5

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 5:16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed.

Observation:   If someone had read the above scripture to me and asked me who was doing the healing, I would have answered, “Jesus.”  I would have thought it was a verse from the gospels about Jesus ministry.  But a look at the reference shows it is from the book of Acts, and after the Day of Pentecost which took place AFTER Jesus had left the earth.  This verse is about the ministry of the apostles.

Application:   I am looking forward to the day when the above verse can be written again about the church.  Like the early apostles, I need to be excited about Jesus.  I need to be expecting His soon return.  I need to be familiar with the scriptures.  I need to be full of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, keep me excited about Jesus.  May I be looking for His return today.  Give me a fresh anointing every day and keep the scriptures always in my thoughts.  Then do through me as You desire.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

January 28, 2017: SOAP #2613:  Exodus 21-22; Psalm 12; Acts 4

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 4:24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.  25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit… 27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed.  28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.  30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”  31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

Observation:  Their prayer pleased God and He answered in a powerful way.  The prayer did not begin with an explanation of the need and how they were being oppressed.  It began with the greatness of their Sovereign and Creator God!  They referred to the God who speaks, and what He had said.   The terrible things done to Jesus had worked to accomplish God’s plan.   Now these same leaders were threatening the disciples.  They wanted to be as faithful as Jesus in speaking truth and doing healings and miracles.

Application:   Starting my prayers with the greatness of God builds my faith that He is able to answer my prayers.  Knowing God’s work and speaking it in my prayers, lets Him know that it is important to me and helps me know what to expect from Him.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, I know that my prayers do not inform you of things about which you have no knowledge.  May my prayers build my faith. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

January 27, 2017: SOAP #2612:  Exodus 17-20; Acts 3

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 3:2 Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money.  4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!”  5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”  7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong.  8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.

Observation:   This man was hoping for charity/money.  When he had the attention of Peter and John, he expected to receive some money from them.  But what he received was so much more!   The healing power of the Holy Spirit released by the name of “Jesus Christ of Nazareth,” changed the whole life of this crippled beggar.

Application:   I wonder how many people have asked me for food or money, and that was all they received.  A lack of money or food should never be an indication that I have nothing to give them.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, help me not to forget that you are with me.  You have resources that far surpass my limited supplies.  Help me give from your resources.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

January 26, 2017: SOAP #2611:  Exodus 14-16; Acts 2

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 2:1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.  2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.  3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.  4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Observation:   This would not have been a day to miss the gathering of believers.  It had been ten days since Jesus had ascended into heaven leaving them the instructions to wait in Jerusalem.  During those ten days, they had taken care of business by electing another apostle to take the place of Judas.  I wonder if any thought they were wasting time and had gone home.  But on the day of Pentecost, those who were present were glad they had stayed.  I am sure of it!!!

Application:  When God is moving among His people, when His presence is very noticeable, I often look around to see who is missing.   I know of people who have asked me to pray for them as they are going through such a hard time.  They should have been there, but some excuse kept them away.   They are missing what would have been a tremendous blessing.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, hold me steady when I get impatient.  Help me to be faithful where You have placed me in your church.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!