November 26, 2016: SOAP #2550:  Matthew 23-25

Scripture:  Matthew (NIV) 23:25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. 27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean.

Observation:   A life that is acceptable to God starts on the inside.  The inside is always more important than the outside!  The inside sets the standard for the outside.  If the inside is good, the outside will not be allowed to remain bad.  If the inside is bad, the outside can be made to look good to hide the inside.  So, cleaning up the outside is not a guarantee that the inside will follow.

Application:  I must remember that God lives inside me and is the first to become aware of my thoughts and attitudes.   By the time they get to the outside where others see them, they are often made more acceptable, but God sees them from the beginning.  If I want God to feel at home in my life, I will need His help in rearranging my thoughts and attitudes.  If I set myself to know His Word and to keep myself aware of His presence, I will be able to count on His help in setting both the inside and the outside of my life in proper order.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, how I need your help to clean up the inside, to keep it clean, and to express Your life on the outside.  I want you to feel at home in me.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 25, 2016: SOAP #2549:  Matthew 20-22

Scripture:  Matthew (NIV) 22:15 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words…. 46 No-one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no-one dared to ask him any more questions.

Observation:  It had been quite a day.  First, the Pharisees tried to trap Jesus with a question paying taxes to Caesar. (verses 15-22)   A second question came from the Sadducees about a woman who had many husbands, the previous ones had died; in heaven, whose wife would she be?  (verses 23-33)    And finally an expert in the law asked which commandment is the greatest? (verses 34-40)    Now it was time for Jesus to ask the question.  How could David call the Christ “Lord” when He was David’s son?   He stopped their questions with a question.

Application:   It is not wrong to ask questions, but using words to trap The One Who is “the Word” is foolish.   No one knows the written word, the Bible, better than the Living Word, Jesus, the Son.  The written word reveals the Living Word who helps me understand the written word.  Loving Jesus leads me to love the Bible.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, thank you for your written word and the Living Word.  Holy Spirit, help me as the Living Word works in my life to align me with your written word.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 24, 2016: SOAP #2548:  Matthew 17-19

Scripture:  Matthew (NIV) 18:12 “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?  13 And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off.  14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.

Observation:   To the shepherds each sheep was important.  They would spend hours, even days, perhaps weeks at a time living with their sheep.  They would get to know them individually.  A good shepherd would quickly know that one was missing; he would recognize which one was missing.

Application:    On this Thanksgiving Day, I am so thankful that my Heavenly Shepherd loves me in the same way!  He spends every hour of every day with me.  He knows me.  When I wonder off, He personally seeks me out.  He is glad when I am safely back in the fold.  He is not willing that I be lost!

Prayer:   Thank you, thank you, thank you!  I have so much for which to be thankful on this Thanksgiving Day.  Thank you for loving me.  Thank you for being my Heavenly Shepherd!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 23, 2016: SOAP #2547:  Matthew 14-16

Scripture:  Matthew (NIV) 14:22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.  23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.  25 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.

Observation:   After feeding the 5000, Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and leave for the other side of the lake.  Then he dismissed the crowd and went up the mountain to pray.  When the evening came, he was alone but the disciples were already fighting the wind and waves.    The next we read is that Jesus went to them, walking on the water, but it was in the “fourth watch of the night.”   That would be between 3:00 am and 6:00 am.  Interesting it is that Jesus had prayed through most of the night; while the disciples had battled the storm most of the night.

Application:    Does Jesus ever send me into the storm?  Yes.  Does He ever leave me in the storm longer that I like?  YES!  What does Jesus do while I am in the storm?  He prays.  (Remember that He told Peter that he had prayed that his faith not fail! Luke 22:32) (Romans 8:34) What does Jesus do for me?  He shows me He is greater than the storm!

Prayer:   Lord, I can trust you.  You will not lead me into a storm for my destruction, but for my instruction.  In the storm, you will teach me more about Yourself.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 22, 2016: SOAP #2546:  Matthew 11-13

Scripture:  Matthew (NIV) 12:1 At that time Jesus went through the cornfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some ears of corn and eat them.  2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”

Observation:   The reason the disciples were being watched is because they were with Jesus.  When they had been fishermen, very few people, if any, would spend time watching them.  But now they were with Jesus and there was always someone watching.  Everything they did was scrutinized and criticized.   It seemed like nothing Jesus did was so good that someone could not find something wrong.  Anyone who claims to walk with Jesus will experience people watching their lives.  People want to see how close they walk to their words.  Is it real?

Application:   Living in a US Navy boot camp barracks, living in a US Marine Corps barracks, serving with a Marine platoon in combat, living on a US Navy ship—these were all times when my life was on display 24 hours a day.  It was important for me to quickly identify with Christ as soon as I arrived at a new duty station.  Then the people would understand why I did not participate with some of their normal activities.  Their constant scrutiny could be an unwanted burden.  Or I could take it as a blessing, seeing they were quick to point out bad attitudes or words hastily spoken.  I could apologize and repent.  They helped me live a life pleasing to the Lord.

Prayer:   Lord Jesus, you have put me on display.  It is your desire that people watch me as I live for you.  May you be easily seen in my words and actions.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 21, 2016: SOAP #2545:  Matthew 8-10

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.” Matthew (NIV) 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent out

Observation:   When we love someone, things important to them become important to us.  Here is a verse that is a window into the heart of God.  It tells us what is important to Him.   He sees the world as His harvest field and people as the valuable grain to be harvested.  If the harvest was plentiful 2000 years ago, what is it today???

Application:   As the Heavenly Father sent His Son, Jesus, Jesus sent the disciples into their world.  Today the Holy Spirit is sending me.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, help me see the people around me today as you see them, as ripe for the harvest.  May I be one of the workers in your field. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 20, 2016: SOAP #2544:  Matt 5-7

Scripture:  Matthew (NIV) 5:41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.  42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

Observation:    Very likely, some of the people to whom Jesus was speaking had been forced by Roman soldiers to carry the soldier’s load.  Jesus tells them to not only doing what was required, but to do more.  Instead of complaining about the interruption of being required to carry the load, they were to consider how thy might be even more of a blessing—even to the point of carrying the load an extra mile.

Application:   When my day is interrupted by an unscheduled request for help, I should not only help willingly and cheerfully, but see if there is any further way I can be of help.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, find me your cheerful servant willing to go the second mile to help those around me. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 19, 2016: SOAP #2543:  Matt 1-4

Scripture:  Matthew (NIV) 2:10 When they [the Magi] saw the star, they were overjoyed.  11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.

Observation:    The Wise Men [Magi] had been following the star for long months.  They had followed it to Israel.  It seems to have disappeared and so they went to the obvious place a King of the Jews would be born—to the palace in Jerusalem.  They had come to worship Him.  Herod referred their question to the religious leaders who searched the scriptures and discovered that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.  So, they head off to Bethlehem; and there it was!  When they “saw the star,” they were overjoyed!  But when they “saw the child” they bowed down and worshipped.

Application:  The trappings of the Christmas season can bring me joy.  I can enjoy looking at the lights and decorations.  But if I do not spend time in His presence, I will miss the whole meaning of Christmas.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, during this coming Christmas season, keep my focus on Jesus.  Help me to recognize His presence everywhere.  May it be a season of worship. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 18, 2016: SOAP #2542:  Ps 124, 2Cor 11-13

Scripture:  2Corinthians (NIV) 13:11 Finally, brothers, good-bye. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

Observation:   Paul is now closing his letter with a few short remarks.  “Aim for perfection” caught my attention.

Application:   I am so thankful that my salvation depends on His work and not my works.  My proper response to His great love and sacrifice for me should be to do the best I can.  After all God has done for me, I should never take a “good enough will do” attitude about what I do for Him.   To honor God, I should “aim for perfection” and do my best for Him.

Prayer:    Heavenly Father, may my attitude and the things I do for you bring joy to your heart.  May the things I do and the way I do them glorify you.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

November 17, 2016: SOAP #2541:  2Cor 7-10

Scripture:  2Corinthians (NIV) 9:10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.  11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

Observation:  In this passage, and its context, Paul is dealing with money.  He is collecting an offering to send to the church in Jerusalem.  God is the one who provides us “seed” to be sown (money to be given) AND “bread for food” (money to be used for living.)  As we are faithful in sowing the seed, He is faithful to “increase the store of seed.”  He enables us to be “generous on every occasion.”

Application:  I must be careful to recognize what money God has provided for food and what for seed.  If I eat my seed, I will not be able to plant the seed and so will not be able to reap the harvest the seed could provide.  Many years ago, the seed started as a small amount, but each harvest season it has increased.  God is faithful!  NOTE:  It concerns me when I hear people and ministries using these verses to convince me to give to their support.  I think they should be sowing their seed and expecting God to “increase their store of seed.” Then they can encourage me with their testimonies of God’s faithfulness.  (Paul was not using these truths to build his own financial support.)

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, find me faithful in using the money you have provided for me and my ministries.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!