October 17, 2016: SOAP #2510:  Job 1-2; Acts 6-7

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 7:30 “After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai.  31 When he saw this, he was amazed at the sight. As he went over to look more closely, he heard the Lord’s voice:

Observation:   Steven is on trial before the Sanhedrin, a council of seventy senators.  In his defense, Stephen is reviewing the history of Israel.  With only five words, Steven covers a period of forty years.   Moses had spent those forty years in the dessert, living in exile from his family in Egypt.   Each one of those forty years had 365 mornings and nights.  They had been long years of tending sheep.  Yet they are covered in one breath by Steven.

Application:  In looking back at God’s working in my life, I too see times when it seems nothing was happening in my life.  I believe God had “spacer” times to have me in the right place at the right time.  The times did not seem very productive, but they were important.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, I trust you to send me where you want me and to put “spacers” in my life so that I will be there at the perfect time.  Help me appreciate the “spacers.”  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 16, 2016: SOAP #2509:  Malachi 3-4; Psalm 148; Acts 5

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 5:40 …They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. 42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is

Observation:  For the early church in the book of Acts, being a Christian and serving the Lord NEVER STOPPED!   Every day of the week it was proper to talk about Jesus.  In the temple courts and in their homes, they talked about Jesus.  They never stopped!

Application:   I have known people so taken with an issue that they never stop talking about it.  It becomes a part of every conversation.  I know if we engage in conversation, we will soon be talking about their special passion.  May that be me and Jesus!

Prayer:   Lord Jesus, you fill my heart with your Presence!  Even when no other person is present, I know I am not alone.  Your praise flows from my heart through my lips.    Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 15, 2016: SOAP #2508:  Nehemiah 13; Malachi 1-2; Acts 4

Scripture:  Nehemiah (NIV) 13:6 But while all this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Sometime later I asked his permission 7 and came back to Jerusalem. Here I learned about the evil thing Eliashib had done in providing Tobiah a room in the courts of the house of God. 8 I was greatly displeased and threw all Tobiah’s household goods out of the room.  9 I gave orders to purify the rooms, and then I put back into them the equipment of the house of God, with the grain offerings and the incense.

Observation:   Nehemiah had been in Jerusalem earlier and had set things in order.  Then he had to return to his responsibilities in Babylon where he served the king.  After a while, he asked permission to return to Jerusalem.  There he found that Tobiah, who had resisted the Jews in rebuilding the walls around Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2:10 and 4:3) was now being allowed to live in the temple!!!

Application:  It is amazing how easily the enemy of our soul can slip into our lives and become a part of our affections.  We need to cleanse and restore the temple of our lives.  There may be priorities in our lives, our homes our church that have slipped and need to be re-established.   We once honored God by tithing, or serving in a special ministry, or having daily times dedicated to the Lord.  We need to be like Nehemiah and restore God’s priorities.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, in our nation we have allowed dangerous people to slip and take up residence in our government.  We have been blest with a constitution that frees the people and limits the government.  They want to remove the limits on government and change the constitution to limit the citizens.  Help us, like Nehemiah, to remove them.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 14, 2016: SOAP #2507:  Nehemiah 11-12; Psalm 1; Acts 3

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 3:6 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.”

Observation:  The crippled beggar was hoping people would give him money.  When he had Peter and John’s attention, he was expecting to receive some money.  But that day, he received more than money could buy!   Peter believed that what he had to give was better than money.

“…what I have…”  Are we aware of “what” we have?  We have the same God Peter had!  We have the same Holy Spirit!  We have the same Name with which to bring the authority of heaven to earth!
“…I give you…”  Are we willing to part with what we have?  Do we have enough faith to act upon what we have?
“…In the name of Jesus Christ…”  He was speaking under the authority of Jesus Christ.
“…walk.”  Do it!

Application:   I receive many Facebook requests for “support” or “participation in ministry” or “love.”  Many are looking for money to help with their worthy needs.  But God has given me something better than money.  He has given me His Word!  People who have the Word in their hearts are never without something to give!

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, thank you for giving me Your powerful word to share with others.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 13, 2016: SOAP #2506:  Nehemiah 9-10; Acts 2

Scripture:  Nehemiah (NIV) 9:17 They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them… But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore, you did not desert them, 18 even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf and said, ‘This is your god, who brought you up out of Egypt,’ or when they committed awful blasphemies. 19 “Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the desert. By day the pillar of cloud did not cease to guide them on their path, nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take. 20 You gave your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold your manna from their mouths, and you gave them water for their thirst.

Observation:    The Israelites had abandoned their God even when they were totally dependent on Him!   Not a smart move!   If God had stopped the supply of manna, or the water from the rock they would have all died in the wilderness.  Even though God was angry with them, He did not stop supplying their daily needs.  The cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not stop.

Application:   I too have found God to be forgiving, gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in love!   Even when I have refused His directions, He has not abandoned me.  He has not stopped leading me nor providing for me!   What a faithful God.  It makes me want to be more faithful in following Him!   He is obviously worthy of my devotion!

Prayer:   Lord, you are worthy of my devotion and obedience.  What an honor to follow you.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 12, 2016: SOAP #2505:  Nehemiah 7-8; Acts 1

Scripture:  Nehemiah (NIV) 8:7 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place. 8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading… 12 And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.

Observation:   Understanding God’s Word has always been important, in the Old Testament and in the New Testament.  Establishing schools has been a priority in Christianity.  God wants His people to understand His word!!!   The gift of teachers is one of the gifts mentioned in the fourth chapter of Ephesians.  It is the priority of leaders to make sure God’s people understand God’s Word.

Application:   My priority is not that people understand me, but understand God’s Word.   I need to encourage them to read God’s Word.  I need to help people understand what they read.  I need to encourage them to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s Word to their heart.  I need to encourage them to expect the Holy Spirit to give understanding and to personally speak through the Bible.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, it was your anointing that moved holy men of God to write God’s Word.  (2Peter 1:21)   It is your anointing in our hearts today that gives us understanding of God’s Word. (1John 2:27)   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 11, 2016: SOAP #2504:  Nehemiah 5-6; Psalm 146; Luke 24

Scripture:  Psalm (NIV) 146:5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, 6 the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— the LORD, who remains faithful forever.  7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free, 8 the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous. 9 The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

Observation:   We have to consider ourselves blest if God is our helper!   Where could we ever find another helper like Him?  We do not have a health problem too hard for Him.  We do not have a financial problem too hard for Him.  There is not an engineering problem that the One Who designed and built the universe cannot solve.  He has proved His love for us; He is kindly inclined to help us.  We are blest!

Application:   I need never be slow in asking for the Lord’s help.  His aid has come many times in response to my asking.  However, there are more times than I can count when His help came even before I knew to ask.  Only later as I reviewed what had happened, did I see the hand of my Helper working on my behalf.  Asking for His help to do what pleases Him does not offend Him.  Rather it blesses Him to know that I have faith in Him and that I am depending on Him.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, of all the many blessings you have brought into my life, surely that of being my helper must be high on the list.    Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 10, 2016: SOAP #2503:  Nehemiah 3-4; Luke 23

Scripture:  Nehemiah (NIV) 4:19 Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. 20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!”

Observation:   The wall around Jerusalem was being built and but was being opposed by the neighboring people.   They were threatening to attack the workers.  Nehemiah’s plan was to keep working but be prepared to fight.  When they heard the sound of the trumpet calling them to where the enemy was attacking, they should gather in that place.  Nehemiah assured them that God would fight for them!

Application:  When the enemy attacks, it is not good to stay off by myself.  I need to join with other believers.  God has promised to be with us when we gather together.  Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, help me be quick to recognize the enemy’s attack and to be quick to respond to the call to gather with my brothers and sisters.  I know you will fight for us! Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 9, 2016: SOAP #2502:  Nehemiah 1-2; Psalm 133-134; Luke 22

Scripture:  Nehemiah (NIV) 1:8 “Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations,  9 but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’

Observation:   God had sent Israel into captivity because of their sinful ways.  Nehemiah had risen to a high position in the land of his captivity.  When he heard news of his homeland, he grieved and went to the Lord.  His prayer was in line with God’s Word.  “God this is what you said.”    …but if…  Two small words that speak volumes.  “But” leads into a contrast.  Things do not have to remain the same.  Things can be different.  “If” is a conditional word.  The change presented by the “but” is conditional.   If I want the change, there is something required of me.

Application:    …but if… are words of hope and direction.  There is hope for our nation!  Things can change; we are not without hope, even in the darkest hours.  There is direction.  We must turn from our wicked ways and obey God.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, thank you for your words of hope and direction, not only for our nation, but for me personally.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

October 8, 2016: SOAP #2501:  Ezra 9-10; Psalm 131; Luke 21

Scripture:  Luke (NIV) 21:31 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 “I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Observation:    So many of the things previously mentioned are happening now in the world.  We can be assured that God’s kingdom is soon to be established on the earth.  While earthly and heavenly things come and go, there is one thing that remains—God’s Word.

Application:   The more of God’s Word I have in my heart, the more peace and security I have.  The more of God’s Word I have in my mind, the more I understand what is happening around me.  The more I put into practice the principles of God’s word, the more stability I have in times of trouble.  The more I share God’s Word with those around me, the greater is the effect I have in their lives.

Prayer    Heavenly Father, my life is based on Your Word.  It is underneath me as a sure foundation.  It is in me as the preserver.  It is easily seen around me in all of Your creation.  Thank you for Your Word!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!