March 4, 2020: SOAP #3744 (reworked #2648):  Numbers 34-36; Mark 11

Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 11:1  As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no-one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’”
4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, 5 some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6 They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go.
7 When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields.

Observation:  Perhaps it was the owner who asked why they were untying the colt? That Jesus’ simple answer satisfied them might indicate that they were familiar with the Lord. Jesus had previously been in this area. Perhaps someone in their family had been healed.

Application:     I want to know the Lord well enough to quickly respond to any request He makes of me. If the Lord needs something in my possession, it is His, for me to do with as He desires.  I have to keep my heart tuned to the Holy Spirit.

Prayer:   Lord, how can I call you Lord if I do not take this attitude. My life is Yours. My possessions are Yours. My time is Yours. My talents are Yours. Use me as You desire. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

March 3, 2020: SOAP #3743:  Numbers 32-33; Mark 10

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:  This passage reminds me of an incident in our church nursery.  My wife, Sharon was reading the passage about God giving David a wise heart.  (1Kings 3:12) As she came to that verse, she would stop and pray for God to give the child sitting on her lap a wise heart.  She was called away to take care of another matter and had one of the youth workers take her place.  When she came back, she was met with a little girl crying, “She did not pray for me to have a wise heart,” she sobbed.  So, Sharon explained to the youth worker “here’s how” and had her go through the story again.  And then the little girl went away happy.

Jesus was showing his disciples “here’s how” important children were, and “here’s how” how to bless the children. It is OK to be interrupted by children.  It is OK to spend time with them.  Jesus was setting the example.

Application:  Generally, children have two parents and four grandparents.  Hmmm. Those of us who see children missing grandparents need to step in and fill up the ministry of appreciation and encouragement.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, use me to bless the children in my life, in my neighborhood and on my bus.  Holy Spirit, fill my mouth with words of appreciation and encouragement.  Use me to lift their burdens.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

March 2, 2020: SOAP #3742:  Numbers 30-31; Mark 9

Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 9:9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. …
31 because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.”

Observation:  Jesus had taken Peter, James, and John up to the mountain where Moses and Elijah met them.  On the way back down, He instructs the disciples not to tell anyone until he had been “risen from the dead.”  Later as he was teaching his disciples, he told them that He would be killed, then quickly added “after three days he will rise.”

Jesus did not ignore the hard times; He did not ignore the troubles; but He always pointed to the victory that would come after the struggle!

Application:   If God leads me into trouble, He will bring the victory.  I cannot let the trouble stop my praise.  He will take me through!   The trouble will strengthen me, the trouble provides opportunity for me to bring God glory.

When I am walking with Jesus, I do not have to wait to praise God until the victory comes.  The presence of trouble is just a sign that victory is coming!

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, your plan is for victory.  Your plan is to take me through the trouble to the victory!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

March 1, 2020: SOAP #3741:  Numbers 28-29; Mark 8

Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 8:4 His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?” 5 “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven,” they replied….
8 The people ate and were satisfied. Afterwards the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 9 About four thousand men were present. And having sent them away,

Observation:  Jesus took what they had (seven loaves) and multiplied it to feed 4000 men.

Application:   I may be looking for the closest grocery store… I may be looking for a buried treasure… I may be looking for a generous benefactor… but Jesus is looking for what I have.  Jesus starts with what I have.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, you have already demonstrated your willingness to give.  Now you are waiting for me to demonstrate my willingness to give.  I do not have enough to meet the need, but what I have can be the seed you multiply.  I only have what you have so generously given me.  Find me generous too. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

February 29, 2020: SOAP #3740:  (reworked from 2/29/2012)

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, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple. brown, and black.  They were beautiful and I enjoyed them.  Later I got a box of 16, then one of 32!  The basic colors had been shaded and mixed!

Primary colors occur naturally without being mixed first; they are red, yellow and blue. Secondary colors, formed by mixing two of the primary colors, are orange, green and purple. Black, when mixed with other colors, creates darker shades of colors. White has the opposite effect, creating lighter tints of colors. Brown is formed by mixing all three primary colors together, or by mixing primary colors with secondary colors. (This paragraph from information on the internet.)

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:   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, 2020: SOAP #3739:  Numbers 24-27; 1Corinthians 13

Scripture:  1Corinthians (NIV) 13:2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Observation:  Prophecy, wisdom and faith in verse 2 and generosity and sacrifice in verse 3 – all on one side of the scale/balance with love being the lone quality of the other side.  What is it about love that God so values?  I asked the  Lord and He dropped these words in my heart:

Having prophecy, wisdom, faith, generosity, and sacrifice makes people love you.  Having God’s love makes you love others.

Application:   The important thing is not how much others love me, but how much I love others!

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, surely, no one has ever loved you the way you have loved us. I am certain that I have never loved you the way you have loved me.  Holy Spirit, help me grow in loving God.  Help me faithfully express my love to God and to those around me, not just in the big ways, but especially in the little ways, and when no one is watching but You.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

February 27, 2020: SOAP #3738:  Numbers 21-23; Mark 6-7

Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 3:2 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.
Mark (NIV) 7:37 People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

Observation:  In Mark 3:2 we see that the religious leaders were watching Jesus carefully to see if he would heal on the Sabbath.  Amazingly, they were watching to see if He would do good.  Could they catch Him doing they could criticize?  They expected to, so they watched him.

Then at the end of chapter 7 we find that not only the religious leaders were watching, everyone was watching Him.

Application:   Jesus is still doing good!  Everything He has done is good, what He is doing is good, and what He will do is good.  People who “watch” Him today find He is still doing good!

What Jesus is going to do today through my life is good.  I am the channel He wants to flow through.  I am the instrument in His hands.  People are watching me.  I want them to see Jesus at work in and through me.

Prayer:   Lord, I yield myself to you, may I be your channel and your instrument for good!  When people see me, may they see you!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

February 26, 2020: SOAP #3737:  Numbers 17-18; Psalm 29; Mark 4

Scripture:  Numbers (NIV) 17:5 The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid myself of this constant grumbling against you by the Israelites.”…
8 The next day Moses entered the Tent of the Testimony and saw that Aaron’s staff, which represented the house of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.

Observation:  To end the grumbling and arguing about who really had God’s blessings to speak on His behalf, God had leaders from each of the tribes bring their staffs to the Tabernacle.  The next morning Aaron’s staff that had been cut off from a tree/bush in the wilderness expressed new life!  Amazingly, it had “sprouted, budded, blossomed and produced almonds!!!”  …and all in one night!  When God wants to show His choice, He does not leave any question!

Application:   God’s greatest mark of approval is the expression of His Life!  If I am looking for leaders, it is not their education, nor their talents, nor their resources for which I should look.  The key question:  Is the Life of God being expressed through them?    If I want to be a leader, I need to value the life of God within me and allow the Holy Spirit to demonstrate that Life through me to those around me.

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, fill me with your presence.  May it not be hard for you to express your life through me.  May expressions of your life be seen in my life every day.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

February 25, 2020: SOAP #3736:  Numbers 19-20; Psalm 28; Mark 5

Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 5:35 While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?” 36 Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

Observation: “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”  Such simple words to such a great need.  Jairus had come looking for Jesus because his daughter was sick.  In addition, he had just received news that his daughter had died.  Now he is told, not to be afraid and to just believe.  What he had feared had already happened.  His daughter was dead.

Application:   What makes the simplistic words so powerful is Who was speaking them.  It was none other than Jesus, God’s Son, the Living Word of God, the Creator of the universe!  When He speaks, “Don’t be afraid; just believe,” I can rest assured that He has a plan!

Prayer:  Lord, let me hear Your words.  Help me understand Your words.  When I recognize your voice and understand Your words, my life changes.  The things around me change.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

February 24, 2020: SOAP #3735:  Numbers 14-16; Mark 3

Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 3:13 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve—designating them apostles— that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons.

Observation:  Earlier in this chapter (verse 7) we read of the crowds that followed Jesus from Galilee.  They wanted to be close enough to touch Him, so He asked for a small boat He could use to keep from being pushed into the lake.

The people wanted to be near Him.  They wanted what He was able to do for them.  But when going up on a mountainside, Jesus called the ones HE WANTED.  These were HIS choice.

Application:  Jesus offers things that everyone wants and needs.  Everyone should want to be close to Jesus.  Everyone should want to be close enough to Jesus to touch Him.  I know I do.

But what an honor to know that HE WANTS me to be close to Him.   He invites me to come up to a higher place with Him.  I know that His invitation is open to everyone, but not everyone is willing to invest the effort to climb with Jesus.  How sad for them; how sad for Him.

Prayer:  Jesus, what an honor it is to enjoy the intimacy of a climb with you through the scriptures.  The joy of fresh revelation sweeps over my soul.  May I always be one you want to be with you.    Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!