August 18, 2021: SOAP #4276:  Jeremiah 26, 35-36; John 20

SCRIPTURE:  John (NIV) 20:30 Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
John 21:24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. 25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

OBSERVATION:  Matthew presents Jesus as King to the Jews.  Mark presents Jesus as the Perfect Servant to the Romans.  Luke presents Jesus as the Perfect Man to the Greeks.  And John wrote to present Jesus as God to the church.

During His time on earth, Jesus usually referred to Himself as the Son of Man, however he never denied or tried to correct being called the Son of God.  Everyone could see that Jesus was a man-child of a woman.  John, and others, came to see Jesus as much more.  Jesus is the Promised Messiah, the Christ.  Jesus is God in the flesh.  John wrote to present Jesus as the life-giver for those who believe in Him. 

APPLICATION:  Through my life, I am to present Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of God” so that others can believe and find “life in His name.”  My life is to be a letter for people to read. 

PRAYER:  Lord, may YOU be the first thing people think about when they think of Leon.  I want my life to be a letter that YOU write to the people who know me.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

August 17, 2021: SOAP #4275:  Jeremiah 23, 25; John 19

SCRIPTURE:  John (NIV) 19:10 “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” 11 Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore, the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.” 12 From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jews kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.”

OBSERVATION: Pilate claimed to have the power to free or crucify Jesus.  But when it came to his opportunity, Pilate was unable to set Jesus free. 

He could not free Jesus because there would be a riot by the Jews who were demanding crucifixion.  The Jews claimed that Pilate would not be a friend of Caesar if he let Jesus go.  There was a lot of pressure on Pilate. 

But greater than the pressure from man, was the divine will of God.  It was God’s will for Jesus to be crucified.  There was no other one who could die as payment for man’s sin! 

APPLICATION:  In Pilate, I see a parallel to our president.  I wonder why he does not take any action to stem the tide of undocumented people coming across our southern border.  It seems his hands are tied.  I believe his hands are tied by the same power that stopped Pilate from setting Jesus free. 

God is judging America for the sin of abortion.  As God called the animals to come to Noah’s ark, as God has called Jews to return to Israel, so God has called for an army of people to walk into the United States. 

There is only one thing man can do to stop God’s judgment: repent.  Judgement is a holy God’s response to sin; forgiveness is a loving God’s offer to those who repent. 

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, the violence of the abortion clinic has spilled out into the streets of America.  We repent and turn from our wicked ways.  (2Chronicles 7:14) Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

August 16, 2021: SOAP #4274:  2Kings 24; Jeremiah 22; Psalm 112; John 18

SCRIPTURE:  2Kings (NIV) 24:2 The LORD sent Babylonian, Aramean, Moabite and Ammonite raiders against him. He sent them to destroy Judah, in accordance with the word of the LORD proclaimed by his servants the prophets. 3 Surely these things happened to Judah according to the LORD’s command, in order to remove them from his presence because of the sins of Manasseh and all he had done, 4 including the shedding of innocent blood. For he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the LORD was not willing to forgive.

OBSERVATION: The God of the Old Testament remains the same in the New Testament.  He is just as holy.  Although we do not live under the law given to Moses, we can see the character of God expressed in those laws.  The shedding of innocent blood is the killing of those that carry the image of God.  The judgment brought to Israel was in the form of Babyloian, Aramean, Moabite and Ammonite raiders invading Israel. 

APPLICATION:  There can be no more innocent blood then the blood of 70 million babies who were being formed in the image of our Creator.   

When I asked God what he was going to do, He told me he would bring into our country one illegal alien for each aborted child.  If we were being invaded by an army, we would set up our tanks and troops with their weapons at our border.  But the army of God bringing His judgment into the United States is not armed with weapons of war.  This army consists of children and adults of the same age as our aborted children would be.  According to news reports, the Lord has armed them with COVID which they carry to their destinations.  Also, hidden within this army and its activities are those carrying drugs into our land. 

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we must not forget that you are just as holy as you are loving.  Now in judgment, remember mercy.  (Isaiah 30:18)   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

August 15, 2021: SOAP #4273:  Jeremiah 18-20; Psalm 93; John 17

SCRIPTURE:  John (NIV) 17: 25 [Jesus praying] “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me.
26 I have made you known to them and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

OBSERVATION: The priority of Jesus time on earth was to the Father.  He was here to do the Father’s will.  He was here to make the Father known.  He gave parables about the Father.  He taught about the Father.  In the hearing of His disciples, He prayed to the Father.  In prayer He talked to the Father about the disciples, and about their disciples, and about their disciples, all the way to me!  

Jesus not only revealed the Father to His disciples, He promised to continue to reveal the Father. 

APPLICATION:  My knowledge of the Father, and my relationship with the Father, is a life-long learning process.  As long as I live, I expect to be growing in my knowledge of God.  And when I cross death’s valley into the life of eternal day, my learning of the Father will greatly increase!  Death will be a great mind-expanding experience!  

Jesus, living in me, makes the Father my priority also.  In living a life like Jesus, knowing the Father and talking to the Father becomes a priority. 

PRAYER: Lord, you have revealed our Father and taught us to pray to Him.  In coordination with the Holy Spirit, you continue to reveal Him to us.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

August 14, 2021: SOAP #4272:  Jeremiah 16-17; Psalm 96; John 16

SCRIPTURE:  John (NIV) 16:24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete….
26 In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”

OBSERVATION: This was a key time in the life and ministry of Jesus.  In His teaching, he had been leading up to this time.  He had taught them about His Father, which is Our Father.  In this chapter, I see Jesus transferring the relationship He had built with the disciples to a relationship they would have with the Father. 

The One who loved the world and gave His only Son to be the sacrifice for sin—now He loves them personally because of their love and commitment to His Son, Jesus.  He would respond to their requests as Jesus had. They had been bringing their needs to Jesus; now they were to bring them to the Father.  Jesus tells them to ask “in my name!”  The Father would be favorably inclined to hear and answer such prayers! 

APPLICATION:  When I come to the Father “in Jesus name,” I am there to do His business.  I am there as He would be there.  I am requesting what He would be requesting.  I am praying according to His will.  I am not requesting something to use for my own desires.  (James 4:3)

PRAYER: Jesus, thank you for giving me your name to use in my prayers.  Heavenly Father, how special to know that you love me.  How special to know that you aware of my love for your Son, Jesus.  Thank you for the Holy Spirit and how He ties this all together.  I am blessed!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

August 13, 2021: SOAP #4271:  Jeremiah 13-15; John 15

SCRIPTURE:  John (NIV) 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
John (NIV) 15:8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
John (NIV) 15:16  You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

OBSERVATION: Gifts can be hung on a tree by anyone.  The gifts tell us nothing about the tree.  Fruit is so different!  The fruit is an expression of the life in the tree.  A dead tree bears no fruit.  The nature of the tree is expressed in the fruit.  The branch that bears fruit does so only as it is attached to the tree. 

APPLICATION:  My life bears fruit and glorifies God only as I am attached and have His life flowing through me. 

Fruit helps those around me to see that Jesus is living in me.  Kindness and love are at a deeper level than people expect.  When they see the fruit from the presence of Jesus, they are more open to my witness of Jesus. 

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, our fruit pleases you.  Through the fruit in our lives, you can see that the sacrifice of Jesus is still having a great affect in the world.  You can see that we are His disciples!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

August 12, 2021: SOAP #4270:  Jeremiah 10-12; John 14

SCRIPTURE:  John (NIV) 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever — 17 the Spirit of truth.  … But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

OBSERVATION: What a wonderful plan our Heavenly Father had.  He understood our need and made proper provision!  He did not just ignore our sin as though it was unimportant.  He sent his Son to die to provide the payment that sin requires.  Then He sent His Holy Spirit to enable us to live in a way that pleases Him—even though we remain in an environment where we are tempted to sin. 

The Father knew what we needed!  Through the Son, Father God provided a living presentation of Himself, teaching to help us understand, and a sacrifice to cover our sins.  Through the Holy Spirit, Father God provides His constant presence to enlighten our understanding and empower us for a life of serving Him.

For those walking in sin, the Holy Spirit’s counsel convicts them and makes them uncomfortable.  For those desiring to please God, the Holy Spirit’s counsel comforts them and guides them to do right.

APPLICATION:  What a wonderful benefit it is to have the Holy Spirit with me “forever” -not just when I am in church or just on Sundays.  As I go through each day, I need Him to teach me and to remind me of what God has spoken to me.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, in your great wisdom you have shown your love for your children by sending both your Son and your Holy Spirit.  I honor you, Father, as I receive both with a thankful and humble hert.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

August 11, 2021: SOAP #4269:  Rework of #3173:  Jeremiah 7-9; John 13

Scripture:  John (NIV) 13:4 … [Jesus] got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel round his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped round him. …                                     
15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. …

Observation:   All Jesus needed to serve His disciples that night was a basin with water and a towel—simple items that were readily available.  Jesus did not send one of his disciples out to the market to get a plush towel, a fancy basis, and some bottled water; He used what was available. 

As I think on this, it seems Jesus usually followed that same pattern of using what was readily available.  He did send his disciples to get a donkey and to look for food to feed the five thousand, but He only used what was available.  There was no pleading for money or worrying about supplies.

Application:  Does this mean that Jesus will never have me go out looking for what I need to serve Him?  No.  But I believe it honors Him when I start with what I have available.  If I am faithful in using what is available, I have found Him faithful to supply what is needed.  I believe I should put my focus on using what I already have and let Him focus on providing what I lack.  God can miraculously multiply what I have or add to it from another source. 

I must remember that the many promises in the Bible were not placed there because someone twisted God’s arm until He gave in.  They are there because He wants us to depend on Him and trust Him for what we need. 

Prayer:    Heavenly Father, I want you to be able to count on me to go where you want me to go and do what you want me to do.  I want you to know that I count on you to provide what is needed for me to fulfill your will.  I will obey your command and trust what you provide. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

August 10, 2021: SOAP #4268: Jeremiah 5-6; John 12  

SCRIPTURE:  Jeremiah (NIV) 5:18 “Yet even in those days,” declares the LORD, “I will not destroy you completely. 
19 And when the people ask, ‘Why has the LORD our God done all this to us?’ you will tell them, ‘As you have forsaken me and served foreign gods in your own land, so now you will serve foreigners in a land not your own.’:  

OBSERVATION:  God’s judgment was in keeping with their sin.  They had forsaken God to serve foreign gods within their boundaries, now they would serve people in foreign lands. 

I am a citizen of the United States.  I know God has a message for this nation.  We are a nation that was founded by people who honored God and His word.  Throughout the Declaration of Independence, the constitution, and early documents one finds many references to God and His Word. 

The terrible sin of slavery was judged by God with a terrible civil war.  Black people were considered less than human. They were used for gain at great cost to themselves!  The Civil war cost our nation many lives!  The judgment was in keeping with our sin. 

Today, God is judging our nation for the terrible sin of abortion.  We have destroyed millions of our children who carried the image of God; now God is bringing hundreds of thousands of children who carry the image of the same God, into our southern border.  They come with and without their families.  God is replacing the millions of people we did not want.  The numbers overwhelm our border patrol; many are coming in with Covid and being released throughout the USA. 

APPLICATION:  God’s law is that we reap what we sow.  It is true for nations as well as individuals.  It is true for families and churches.  Thank God that repentance can move our sins to the “paid in full” column under the blood of Jesus! 

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, before we can receive the forgiveness provided by your Son, Jesus, we need the convicting presence of your Holy Spirit.  May there be a revival of conviction across our nation. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

August 9, 2021: SOAP #4267:  Jeremiah 3-4; John 11

SCRIPTURE:  John (NIV) 11: 32 [Mary] …fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died…. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” 40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. …43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

OBSERVATION:  The stone laid across the tomb of Lazarus needed to be removed before Jesus called Lazarus to come out.  The stone was removed to let Lazarus out.  But the stone enclosing the tomb of Jesus had to be removed to let us in!  (Matthew 28:6)

APPLICATION:  Stones can set a deadline.  They make me think if only Jesus would have answered my prayer earlier.  The stone stops my faith.  My faith must go behind and beyond the stones I encounter in life.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, stones cannot stop you.  You are already working behind the stone!  Along with my faith, my praise will be on both sides of the stone.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!