March 8, 2016:  SOAP #2287:

Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 15:29 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30 come down from the cross and save yourself!” 31 In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself!  32 Let this Christ, this King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

Observation:  My heart is drawn to the irony in the words of the chief priests and teachers of the law.  First:  He did have the power to save himself.  He could have stopped the proceedings at any point.  He had the power, but He did not use it!   Second:  If Jesus had saved himself He would not have been able to save others.  His death is the only acceptable payment for the sins of man.

Application:   Jesus willingly gave Himself for me!  In great love He chose what would bring the highest good for me even though it cost great suffering for Him.  To Him I owe my all!

Prayer:   Lord, thank you for not withdrawing yourself from the suffering and shame of the cross.  It was your suffering and shame that qualified you to be the payment for my sin!   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

March 5, 2016:  SOAP #2284 

Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 12:28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” 29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

Observation:   A question that had been asked and discussed for generations was now brought to the only One who could authoritatively answer it.  What Jesus said was most important was really most important.  When Jesus said there is no commandment greater than these, it means that there really are no commandments greater than these!

Application:   It is proper, it is wise, it is right, it is good for me to obey God, but the motive God desires from my heart is love!   God’s love for me was proved by His choice to send His son to die for my sins.  I could not force Him to love me; He chose to love me.  My love for Him is proved by my choice to keep His commandments.  Although He could force me to keep His commands, He desires that I obey because I love Him.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, You are strong enough, you could force me.  You are wise enough, you could trick me.  But your love demands that I keep your commands because I love you.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

March 4, 2016:  SOAP #2283:   

Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 11:20 In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig-tree withered from the roots.  21 Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig-tree you cursed has withered!”  22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered.

Observation:   Faith is only as strong as the base on which it is placed.  Weak faith placed on a worthy foundation will be more successful than strong faith placed on a faulty foundation.  I know of people who have in good faith invested a great amount of money in faulty financial institutions which later failed.  Jesus gives us the only worthy foundation for faith—God!

Application:    Sometimes people and institutions become faulty foundations for my faith because of the wrong they do and sometimes because wrong is done to them.  Sometimes it is intentional and sometimes unintentional.  God’s moral character and natural traits make Him the only one in which I can fully place my faith.  Faith placed in other people must be undergirded by my faith in God!

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, how I appreciate your wisdom, your omnipotence, and your faithfulness.  Faith in you is never misplaced!    Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

March 3, 2016:  SOAP #2282:   

Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 10:13 People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16 And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.

Observation:   Jesus could have stopped after correcting his disciples, and moved on to the next person coming His way.  But He stopped and ministered personally to the children.  His ministry to the children consisted of three things:  First, he took them in his arms.  I see that he was holding them near his heart, an action communicating His love for them.  Second, he put his hands on them.   I see that as a tender, purposeful touch, an action communicating His approval.  They were acceptable to Him just as they were.   Third, he blessed them.  I see that as words communicating how valuable He considered them.  The children were worth his time and personal attention.

Application:   Children are worth my time and personal attention.  They may interrupt, but they are not an interruption.  When circumstances require that I make them wait for my attention, I must be careful to communicate that it is not because they are of little value.

Prayer:   Lord, help me communicate love and approval and blessing to the children you bring into my life.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

March 2, 2016:  SOAP #2281:   

Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 9:33 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. 35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

Observation:   If any one understands about being a servant, surely Jesus does!  He not only taught about being a servant, He demonstrated it.  He willingly submitted Himself to the Heavenly Father’s will to serve Him.  And in so doing, He became the servant of all.  Now His position of being the greatest in the Kingdom is not just because of His being God the Son, but because He became the servant of all and willingly died to redeem sinful man.  Now He has been restored with great honor to the position He surrendered when He came to earth.

Application:  Pride calls me to strive for first place.  Jesus calls me to be last.  I may want to “rub shoulders” with those at the front, but I find such great fellowship at the back of the line—Jesus is there!   Surely if people understood about being a servant, there would be a long line awaiting the opportunity to serve!

Prayer:   Lord, what a high calling, to be your servant!  When I serve others, I find I am serving You, and that I am with you in the serving!   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

March 1, 2016:  SOAP #2280:   

Scripture:  Numbers (NIV) 28:10 This is the burnt offering for every Sabbath, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.

Observation:  The Sabbath was a special day and a special offering was to be made each Sabbath.  But as special as the Sabbath offering was to the Israelites, it did not replace the regular burnt offering that was offered every day!   Continued reading shows us that the other offerings for special days were all in addition to the regular/daily offering.  Even the Passover offering did not replace the daily offerings.

Application:  Relating to God is more than a Sunday thing, more than a Christmas and Easter thing; it is a daily thing.  Church attendance on Sunday can never replace the everyday time we should be spending with the Lord.  Gathering with other believers on Sunday should be in addition to my time with the Lord every day.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, how I love to sing the C. Austin Miles song about you: “And He walks with me, and He talks with me; and He tells me I am His own…”  What a special revelation it was to me when you told me that you liked to sing that song about me!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

February 29, 2016 (reworked from February 29, 2012): SOAP #2280

Scripture:  John (The Message) 10:10 A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.

Observation:  Today is the extra day added in for leap year.  The normal 28 days of February have become 29.  It makes me think of all the extras that God has placed in this world for us to enjoy.  I remember a small box of coloring crayons I had as a young boy.  As I recall there were 8 basic colors: red, blue, yellow, green, black, etc.  They were beautiful and I enjoyed them.  Later I got a box of 16, then one of 32!  There was more than just one green; there was a dark green and a light green; there was a blue green and a turquoise.  The basic colors had been shaded and mixed!

God could have made the world in eight basic colors, but that would not have displayed the wonderful variety of a God who loves beauty.

Application:   As I drive the school bus on the country roads, I enjoy the beauty of God’s many colors.  I especially enjoy the changing colors of the seasons.  Today is an extra day to notice and thank God for the extra things He has brought into my life.  I could have made it through life without even missing them, but He put them there for me to enjoy.

Prayer:   Lord, I appreciate the variety of colors, the variety of food, the variety of sounds, etc. that You have placed in this world for me to enjoy.  Indeed, You are AMAZING!!!   Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

February 28, 2016:  SOAP #2278:   

Scripture:  1Corinthians (NIV) 13:13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Observation:  This chapter ends with Love being greater than faith and hope.  In the first verses, love is greater than the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  It is greater than personal sacrifice.  It is greater than knowledge.  Love encompasses the fruit of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus gave love as the heart of commandments:  1. love God and 2. love people as you love yourself.  Jesus then gave a new command that we love one another as God loves us!   Jesus said that it was love that motivated the Father to send the Son.  Jesus said he world would take note of how we love one another.

Application:   There are many motivations for good works.  Guilt, pity, desire to feel needed, desire to be considered a great person, but none is as great as love.  When I consider how greatly God loves me, it stirs love in my heart for Him.  I want my life to bring Him joy.

Prayer:   Lord, Your love, like your grace is amazing. The more I contemplate Your being and Your character the more I love you and live in awe of you.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

February 27, 2016:  SOAP #2277:   

Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 6:1 Jesus left there and went to his home town, accompanied by his disciples. 2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles! 3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offence at him. 4 Jesus said to them, “Only in his home town, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor.”

Observation:  The hometown people had watched Jesus grow.  They knew his family.  They knew his brothers by name.  They knew his sisters.  They remembered how he worked in the carpentry shop (probably Joseph’s.)  He was just as common as the rest of them and they were offended that he had such wisdom and even could do miracles.

Application:  God wraps such wonderful gifts in such common wrappings.  I must be careful not to miss God’s gift to me because it comes in such common wrapping.  A word of great wisdom can come from a child.  I can easily miss a special blessing God has for me.  I can easily miss the opportunity to encourage someone to step out in ministry.
Prayer:   Lord, open my eyes to what you have placed around me.  Give me eyes to see potential.  Give me words to encourage.    Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

February 26, 2016:  SOAP #2276:   

Scripture:  Psalm (NIV) 28:1 To you I call, O LORD my Rock; do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you remain silent, I shall be like those who have gone down to the pit. 2 Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands towards your Most Holy Place.

Observation:   The Psalmist was not content with having prayed about a matter and leaving it in God’s hands.  He wanted an answer.  He would know that God heard him because God answered him!  If God did not answer him, God would be treating him like he was dead.  He was desperate for God’s help.

Application:   I speak to God and should not be satisfied unless He speaks back.  Too many times I do not wait for Him to answer.  Too many times I do not expect Him to answer.  My “spiritual” life becomes a one-way conversation, me asking, me asking, me asking.  I need to be desperate to hear God speak to me.   I need to learn how He speaks.  I need to learn to recognize His voice.

Prayer:   Lord, forgive me for not exercising my faith that you hear me and that you will answer.  Please do not remain silent!  What you have to say is much more important than what I have to say!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!