May 29, 2016: SOAP #2369: Proverbs 10-12; Romans 10

Scripture: Romans (NIV) 10:1 Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. 2 For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. 3 Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.

Observation: Paul can personally testify to misplaced zeal in serving God. He had personally been greatly zealous for the law. He had personally experienced the displeasure of others who in their zeal for the law saw Paul as a threat to the law. Zeal can be good, but zeal can also be misplaced. That inner fervor that burns in support of a cause, can be burning for the wrong cause. It can burn strong, but it can also burn wrong.

Application: A burning zeal can easily cloud my heart from seeing and/or understanding truth. I need to understand things from God’s perspective. The better I understand the Bible the better I will be protected from letting zeal lead me away from truth. The better I understand the Bible the better I will know that for which I should be zealous.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, help me understand the Bible. Help me walk in truth. Help me apply my emotions according to truth. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

May 28, 2016: SOAP #2368: Proverbs 7-9; Romans 9

Scripture: Proverbs (NIV) 8:27 I was there when he set the heavens in place, when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep, 28 when he established the clouds above and fixed securely the fountains of the deep, 29 when he gave the sea its boundary… 30 Then I was the craftsman at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence, 31 rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind.

Observation: The one speaking in the above verses is a personification of wisdom. Truly the Creator of the universe displayed great wisdom in creation! In verse 30 wisdom is said to have delighted day after day. I was reminded of Genesis 1 in which 6 times it is recorded that God said, “It is good” at the end of each day. And on the sixth day after creating man He said, “It was very good.”

Application: When I stand before God on judgment day, I want to hear Him say, “Well done.” When He looks back at our walk together through life, may His wisdom cause Him to respond, “It has been ‘very good!’”

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, I need your wisdom and help so that my life will bring my Heavenly Father delight each day. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

May 27, 2016: SOAP #2367: Proverbs 4-6; Romans 8

Scripture: Romans (NIV) 8:3 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, 4 in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. 5 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.

Observation: My heart rejoiced as I read the words “fully met!” God’s plan was that “the righteous requirements of the law might be FULLY MET in us!”   I see a tendency in the world to lower standards. It is done to help people having trouble meeting the requirements. They lessen the requirements. They do not have to run as fast. They do not need such a high test score.

Application: God’s plan was not to lower the standards, but to raise the individual. By the death of His Son on the cross, God took care of my past. By the indwelling life of the Holy Spirit I am enabled and empowered to live a life now that pleases Him. The Holy Spirit living in me continues raising me to meet God’s standards.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, how helpless I am to fulfill God’s requirements. I need your Presence, your teaching, and your empowering to live in a way that pleases my Heavenly Father. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

May 26, 2016: SOAP #2366: Proverbs 1-3; Romans 7

Scripture: Proverbs (NIV) 1:33 The LORD’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous. 34 He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble. 35 The wise inherit honor, but fools he holds up to shame.

Observation: Two days ago, the Lord drew my attention to a similar thought: God is attracted to humility. God gives the humble what everyone needs—grace. In their humility, they recognize their need for grace. In their humility, they receive the grace with thanksgiving. God loves to do things on behalf of people who admit they need Him.

Application: Pride can slip into my heart so easily, but humility is truly the only way to live. The more I know about my limitless God and the more I know my limitations, the more logical it becomes that I should give pride no place in my life. Like a putrid odor rebuffs me, pride rebuffs God. Like a sweet pleasant odor attracts me, humility attracts God.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, I want my life to pass your smell test! I want you to enjoy living in my heart, going where I go, hearing the way I talk, reaching out to those around me. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

May 25, 2016: SOAP #2365: 1Kings 10, 11; 2Chronicles 9; Romans 6

Scripture: Romans (NIV) 6:11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. … also verses 16 and 19

Observation: Paul had not yet visited the church in Rome, so his letter covers more detail about the Christian life than is included in the letters to the churches he had planted or visited. In this section, Paul emphasizes the importance of our choice. Sin had dominated our lives and Satan’s desire was to keep us as his robots, his trophies of how he could manipulate God’s creation to go contrary to God’s laws. The death of Jesus on the cross paid for our sins and set us free from Satan’s dominion.

Application: Now I am free and able to choose how to live. God’s dominance/Lordship in my life comes as I choose to “offer” myself and the “parts” of my body to Him as instruments of righteousness.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, today I offer myself to you. I submit to your authority. The more I get to know you, the more obvious it is that You alone are worthy to be Lord in my life. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

May 24, 2016: SOAP #2364: 1Kings 9; 2Chronicles 8; Psalm 136; Romans 5

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 136:1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever. … 23 to the One who remembered us in our low estate His love endures forever.

Observation: God may overlook the proud and haughty—those who think they can live successfully in their own wisdom and power. But humility attracts God’s attention. It is like a God magnet. He loves to use His power on behalf of those who have no power of their own. For then all will see that what is accomplished could have only been accomplished by God!

Application: My estate was low in that I was lost in sin. Yet He did not overlook me. My estate was low in that I could not save myself. Yet He thought of me. My estate was low in that I saw no value in myself. Yet He saw value in that I could become His child. My estate was low in that I had no power or knowledge to accomplish anything of value. Yet He saw what His Holy Spirit could accomplish through me.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, please remind me that being in a low estate is always the best place to begin every day and every task. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

May 23, 2016: SOAP #2363: 2Chronicles 6, 7; Psalm 135; Romans 4

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 135:15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. 16 They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but they cannot see; 17 they have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths. 18 Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.

Observation: In the first part of this Psalm, we read about the mighty actions of God. Here, in comparison, we read the limitations of the idol gods of the nations that surrounded Israel. What good is a mouth that cannot speak? What good are eyes that cannot see? What good are ears that cannot see? What good are nose and lungs that cannot breathe?

Application: In contrast to the limitations of idols, my God has a mouth and He speaks to me. My God has eyes and He sees me. My God has ears and He hears me. My God has breath and He breathes His Spirit into me. My God does not need to be carried and set in a place where everyone can see; my God carries me!

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, you are a living God with Whom I can communicate. You are without limitation! Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

May 22, 2016: SOAP #2362: 1Kings 8; 2Chronicles 5; Psalm 99; Romans 3

Scripture: Romans (NIV) 3:3 What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness? 4 Not at all!…

Observation: There is nothing that man can do that will cause God to be unfaithful; He is faithful to Himself; He is faithful to His character. God is faithful to His word. God does not respond to me because of my character, but because of His character. When he responds to my actions, he responds according to His holiness and love. His promises to bring judgment are just as important as His promises to bless.

Application: It is easy to respond in kind to others. If they are nice to, it is easy to be nice to them. If they are rude to me, there is a temptation to be rude in return. God desires me to be faithful to His character living in me.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, You have been faithful to me. As your child, I want to be faithful because I want to be like you. As your servant, faithfulness is required. As your son, I want people to recognize your faithfulness being expressed through me. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

May 21, 2016: SOAP #2361: 1Kings 7; 2Chronicles 4; Psalm 98; Romans 2

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 98:4 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; … 7 Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. 8 Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy; 9 let them sing before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.

Observation: As he encouraged universal praise to God, the psalmist included the earth itself. Anyone who has walked on the sands of the seashore can testify of the never-ending crescendo as the waves break over the shore. Anyone who has walked on the riverbank as the river meanders in the channel cut through the flat lands or considered the powerful and noisy flow through a canyon can testify that God receives His praise from nature. Anyone who has climbed through the trees standing stately on the side of a mountain and heard the wind moaning through their branches or stood above the tree line on the peak and heard the wind howling across the mountain tops—anyone who has heard the eagle scream, or the new-born robin’s tweet in its nest as it waits for its mother to bring its next meal—and on and on it goes. Everyone has witnessed the praise creation gives its Creator!   All of creation was created for God’s glory and gives praise to God!

Application: How much more should I who can see, and think, and understand, and speak—how much more should I use my voice to praise God. He is not only my Creator; He is my Savior!  He not only sees me in the big picture, He makes me the big picture! He personally treats me as though I am important!

Prayer:    Heavenly Father, I am humbled as I consider who you are and how much you love me! What can I do for you today? I will join my praise with the praise of all nature that surrounds me. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

May 20, 2016: SOAP #2360: 1Kings 6; 2Chronicles 3; Psalm 97; Romans 1

Scripture: 1Kings (NIV) 6:19 He prepared the inner sanctuary within the temple to set the ark of the covenant of the LORD there. 20 The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, twenty wide and twenty high. He overlaid the inside with pure gold, and he also overlaid the altar of cedar. 21 Solomon covered the inside of the temple with pure gold, and he extended gold chains across the front of the inner sanctuary, which was overlaid with gold. 22 So he overlaid the whole interior with gold. He also overlaid with gold the altar that belonged to the inner sanctuary.

Observation: King Solomon was building the temple that his father, King David, had wanted to build. When God told David that Solomon was to do the building, so David prepared by gathering everything needed to make the temple the most beautiful building in the world. The most beautiful part of the temple was the place where the ark of the covenant would be set. Everything in the inner sanctuary was overlaid with pure gold!

Application: The God who had Solomon make a temple in which He would dwell among His people now lives in me!   Since Jesus, through His blood sacrificed on Calvary, cleansed my heart, God has made my heart His dwelling. My heart is the inner sanctuary of my life. God desires that my human heart which is subject to the temptations of greed and selfishness and hatred be transformed and covered with the gold of His character, with His love and holiness.

Prayer:    Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary, pure and holy, tried and true. With thanksgiving I’ll be a living sanctuary for You. Cover the inside of my sanctuary with the gold of your character. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!