June 8, 2016: SOAP #2379: Ecclesiastes 7-9; Ephesians 4

Scripture: Ecclesiastes (NIV) 7:10 Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is not wise to ask such questions.

Observation: Looking at the past and learning from it can be good. But thinking that it was better than today can lead to problems. Daydreaming about the past robs from productive thinking about the present. It takes time from preparing for the future. For the past five years I have been driving a school bus for the public school where I live. This year they have discontinued their transportation department and have contracted with a private company to provide bussing services. In the training process for the new company I am finding that focusing on what I have lost has hindered me from appreciating the opportunities ahead.

Application: I have grown in my relationship with God since my younger days. My understanding of God’s Word is much greater now. Sometimes it is still a challenge to see my present through His eyes. But it is important to live my life according to what I know about my Heavenly Father.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, help me keep my focus on You and how I can best serve you. Make me a blessing. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

June 7, 2016: SOAP #2378: Ecclesiastes 4-6; Psalm 18; Ephesians 3

Scripture: Ephesians (NIV) 3:16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

Observation: In God is not a meager supply, but glorious riches. There is abundance in Christ Jesus! When He gives to us, He does not become short! Giving power to us does not make Him weak!

The delivery is made in the person of the Holy Spirit. The delivery is not laid at our door step, or in the yard, but actually “brought into the house.” The Spirit indwells us! He imparts strength in the inner man. This is not a new shirt, but a renewed heart!

Paul was not writing to unbelievers, but to saints. Obviously he understood that being born again did not in itself keep us on the mountain top always walking in victory. Trials and tribulations do come to believers. They need to be strengthened, and strengthened again, and strengthened yet again!

Application: I Praise God that there is abundance of strength available for my inner man through the Spirit.  I need a daily allotment of grace and power. My inner man is built up as I daily read your Word and spend time in your Presence.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, you know my weaknesses! You know that I cannot live victorious in my own strength. Thank you for making provisions for me! Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

June 6, 2016: SOAP #2377: Ecclesiastes 1-3; Psalm 45: Ephesians 2

Scripture: Ephesians (NIV) 2:6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no-one can boast.

Observation: God has big plans for us. God’s plans go far beyond this life. In the ages to come, God will use us as proof that He is capable of amazing grace. His kindness to us comes through Christ Jesus and we have done nothing worthy to earn it.

Application: God has designs for my life to be an eternal living trophy of God’s grace. This One who has such great future plans for me has taken up residence in me. My speech and my actions should display my appreciation for His Presence and His Plans.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, I am humbled to think that your plans for me reach far beyond my life on earth.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

June 5, 2016: SOAP #2376: Proverbs 30,31; Psalm 33; Ephesians 1

Scripture: Ephesians (NIV) 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

Observation:  What has the Father done? He blessed us with not just a few, but every spiritual, not temporal (temporary) but eternal, blessing. Who has the Father so blessed? Us! We are so unworthy, but God in grace has provided abundantly. He not only forgives, but justifies!   He not only cleanses, but sanctifies! He not only wipes out the past, but sets before us a new future! How does the Father dispense His blessing? These blessings are in Christ, not separated from Christ, but in Him. They are ours only as we are Christ’s. They cannot be found in money, in understanding, in sex, in pleasure, in entertainment, etc., but only in Him! Who did the Father do this for? He did it for us!

Application: What should be my response?  Praise. From the Greek word used here comes the word “eulogize.” We commend, extol, laud, and applaud. It is grace beyond reason that He has bestowed on us! The least I can do is give Him my all! My all includes my praise!

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, what you have done for me is beyond my full understanding. It is way beyond expectation. It is the opposite of what I deserve. The only explanation is your great love, mercy and grace. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

June 3, 2016: SOAP #2374: Proverbs 28-29; Psalm 60; Romans 16

Scripture: Proverbs (NIV) 28:8 He who increases his wealth by exorbitant interest amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor.

Observation:  In coming to the final chapters of reading through the book of Proverbs, I think back over the many verses that address the poor. There can be many causes for poverty. Being poor is not the worst thing in life. There are ways to treat the poor and ways to not treat the poor. These verses and more show us that poverty is an important issue to God.

Application: I do not need a special revelation from God to help the poor. I have the Bible! God has spoken clearly enough about his concern for the poor. He has made it clear that I should be willing to help them. Once my obligations (including my tithes) have been met, I can consider how to help people in need. Paul encouraged 2Co 8:12: “For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.” That says to me that I should not go into debt but give from what I have in hand. I can help the needs I can see and understand. If I am helping from a distance, I can give through a ministry that has personal actively involved in verifying the need. NOTE: being a Facebook friend is not sufficient for me to send money. I never send money to people I do not know.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, may you find my heart willing to help the poor. Give me wisdom to help them in ways that are beneficial. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

June 3, 2016: SOAP #2374: Proverbs 25-27; Romans 15

Scripture: Romans (NIV) 15:1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2 Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.

Observation: This verse gives some guidelines to be considered when we have opportunity to help our neighbor.   Our help should be done for their good and to build them up.

Application: I do not want people to become dependent on me and my help, but on God and His help. Along with any help I give, I need to explain how to trust God, I need to give an example of trusting God, and I need to encourage them to trust God.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, give me wisdom so that my assistance really works for good and builds up those I help. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

June 2, 2016: SOAP #2373: Proverbs 22-24; Romans 14

Scripture: Romans (NIV) 14:7 For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. 8 If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

Observation: Paul begins this chapter in verse one telling us that we should not judge each other on disputable issues. Then he continues to list two issues that were big to the Jews and Gentiles in the church. The first one dealt with what kinds of food to eat. The second had to do with which day was considered sacred. Our love for each other should be expressed in two ways. First, we should not judge a person whose faith is weak and holds to a certain diet or day. Second, we should not intentionally offend a weak brother by exercising our freedom as to diet and worship day.

Application: Last weekend I attended the 50^th high school graduation celebration. I can remember our choir singing: “No man is an island; no man stands alone. Each man’s joy is joy to me, each man’s grief is my own. We need one another. So I will defend Each man as my brother, each man as my friend.” I am not alone in this world. My life is intertwined with the lives of others. God’s love in me can be seen in how I consider others around me.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, I want it easily seen that I belong to you. Let your Holy Spirit direct my words and actions. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

June 1, 2016: SOAP #2372: Proverbs 19-21; Romans 13

Scripture: Proverbs (NIV) 19:11 A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offence.

Observation:  A lack of patience can be a lack of wisdom. A person of wisdom knows how to hold off anger. With wisdom they can understand the offence and its underlying cause. With wisdom they can devise a way to thoughtfully respond. With wisdom they find ways to control their anger.

Application: When I display a lack of patience, I am displaying a lack of wisdom. Hmmm. James 1:5 tells me that if I lack wisdom I can ask God and it will be given to me.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, the wisest thing I can do is to submit my life totally to Your Holy Spirit. Teach me, lead and guide me I pray. May your wisdom be seen in my patience. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

May 31, 2016: SOAP #2371: Proverbs 16-18: Romans 12

Scripture: Proverbs (NIV) 17:5 He who mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.

Observation: People often treat others differently—according to their status in society, or their wealth, or their education, or their talents… The above verse tells me that how we treat others shows what we think of their Creator!   At least that is how the Creator perceives it. Great artists often take the critic’s comments about their work very personally. They consider criticism of their art as criticism of themselves. There is no artist greater than God; there is no art more complex and unique than a person. No wonder God takes personally the way we treat the poor and others who we do not considered to have as much value as ourselves.

Application: I should treat everyone, rich or poor, important or common, popular or unknown, old or young, –everyone as though they are a special creation of God. For that is exactly who they are!!!

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, you consider any disrespect given to the poor as though it was given to you. You also take personally any special attention or assistance I give them. (Proverbs 19:17) Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

May 30, 2016: SOAP #2370: Proverbs 13-15; Romans 11

Scripture: Romans (NIV) 11:32 For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.

Observation: Everyone who has been born to parents who have sinned are also enslaved by sin. It is an alarming fact! However, there is also an amazing fact: God’s mercy is greater than the whole of sin! God is willing to show mercy to everyone who comes to Him. God is too holy to just sweep sin under the rug as though it was not very bad. Sin is more than a thoughtless mistake—it is rebellion against the person and authority of God. God made a sacrifice that was so holy it more than equaled the sinfulness of every sin that has ever been committed. In love for man, He sent His Sinless Son to die as payment for man’s sins.

Application: Physical death was not the end of Jesus life, nor will it be the end of my life. Thanks be to God that His mercy releases me from eternity without God in hell and opens heaven for me.

Prayer:   Thank you Heavenly Father for sending Jesus to die for my sins. Thank you Jesus for taking my place on the cross. Thank you Holy Spirit for revealing this truth to me. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!