March 05, 2019: SOAP #3379:  Deuteronomy 1-2; Mark 12

Scripture:  Deuteronomy (NIV) 2:26 From the desert of Kedemoth I sent messengers to Sihon king of Heshbon offering peace and saying, 27 “Let us pass through your country. We will stay on the main road; we will not turn aside to the right or to the left….  30 But Sihon king of Heshbon refused to let us pass through. For the LORD your God had made his spirit stubborn and his heart obstinate in order to give him into your hands, as he has now done. 31 The LORD said to me, “See, I have begun to deliver Sihon and his country over to you. Now begin to conquer and possess his land.”

Observation:  Here we see the LORD making this king’s spirit “stubborn and his heart obstinate.”  Although others (vs 29) had let Israel pass through their land, King Sihon refused.  God had a purpose.  God used Israel to bring judgment to King Sihon.  God gave that land to Israel as a possession.  And I believe God used it to give Israel war-experience (vs 33) before entering the promised land.

Application:  God still deals with nations, especially those who have a history of God’s involvement in the founding of their nation—the USA being a prime example.  Why members of our congress, who have wasted countless millions of dollars on numberless projects, refuses to give President Trump a much smaller amount to build a wall along our southern border seems to me to be the hand of God giving them “stubborn and obstinate” hearts.  But God has a purpose!

God is bringing judgment on the USA for the sin of abortion.  His judgment is to bring one illegal immigrant into our nation for each child we have aborted.  It is for our nation to confess our sin, accept God’s judgment, and work to win the people coming into our land into the Kingdom of God!

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, give wisdom to our leaders.  Anoint your church to reap the harvest of souls you are bringing into our nation. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

March 03, 2019: SOAP #3377:  Numbers 32-33; Mark 10

Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 11:25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

Observation:  How important is forgiveness?  It is so important that I forgive others that my Heavenly Father will not forgive me if I do not forgive others!   It is very important to my Heavenly Father so, it is very important to me!

It is very reasonable for God to hold me to this standard.  When I received Christ as my Savior, the Great Forgiver took up residence in my life.  He is always with me to help me forgive.  He is always with me to remind me that I have been forgiven.  He is always with me to remind me that His death on the cross was sufficient to not only pay for my sins, but also the sins against me!

Application:  Knowing my life better than most people, I KNOW how much I need forgiveness.  It is important for me to forgive.

Knowing how fragile live can be and how quickly it can be over, I KNOW how quickly I need to forgive.  I cannot afford to hold a grudge!

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, I need your help to forgive.  Help me to remember that forgiveness is a choice and forgetting is a process.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

March 03, 2019: SOAP #3377:  Numbers 32-33; Mark 10

Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 10:6 “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female’. 7 ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, 8 and the two will become one flesh.’ So, they are no longer two, but one. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

Observation:   Making some humans male and others female is God’s idea.  It was He who designed the differences.  It was not for the purpose of separating them, but for the purpose of uniting them.  When their differences are united, “…the two will become one flesh.”   The differences give them opportunity to love and serve one another.  The uniting of differences gives strength and produces fruitfulness!

God is the one who created the differences, and God is the one who joins them in creating new life.  Divorce is man’s way of dealing with differences.

Application:  I have heard many blessings spoken over marriage commitments; I have heard many prayers requesting God’s blessings for a newly married couple.  That seems so right.  If God has joined them, we should expect God to bless them.  It is common for weddings to be performed in a church and/or by a member of the clergy.  We are acknowledging that marriage is God’s plan and expecting His blessing.

From my personal life experience, I have yet to hear a prayer requesting God’s blessing over a divorce.  I have never seen a divorce ceremony held in a church.  Divorce settlements are commonly conducted in a lawyer’s office.  That also seems right.  If man is separating what God has joined, how could we ask or expect God to bless a divorce!

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, use me to encourage and bless the marriages around me.  Use me to encourage and bring healing to troubled marriages. Restore them to full joy, I pray.  And Heavenly Father, I am blest to see how you can pull people out of great trouble to make their lives grow, blossom and bear fruit for your glory.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

March 02, 2019: SOAP #3376:  Numbers 30-31; Mark 9

Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 9:35 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.” 36 He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

Observation:  When Jesus taught the care of the Father, He pointed his hearer’s attention to the birds of the air and the flowers of the field.  “Consider the lilies of the field.” (Matthew 6:26-28)   But Jesus did not just tell us to consider the little children.  He brought a child into their presence.  He took the child in His arms.

By His actions, I think Jesus was saying that we learn best from children, not by observing them from a distance, but by being involved with them.  We learn by being involved up close.

Application:  One thing I like about driving the school bus is that there is only one entrance/exit (not considering the emergency exit in the back).  I almost rub shoulders with each student as they enter and exit the bus.  I can see the color of their eyes and the expressions on their face.  According to the verses above, I welcome Jesus every time I welcome a child onto the bus.  And I welcome the One Who sent Jesus.  Often there is opportunity to be involved “up close” at least for a few minutes twice each school day.

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, thank you for the special blessing you have given me—the blessing of serving children.  Help me to see you in each child I serve.  Remind me of the value of welcoming each child.  As I welcome them onto my bus, may they experience the joy and peace of Your presence. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

March 01, 2019: SOAP #3375:  Numbers 28-29; Mark 8

Scripture:  Numbers (NIV) 28:3 Say to them: ‘This is the offering made by fire that you are to present to the LORD: two lambs a year old without defect, as a regular burnt offering each day.  4 Prepare one lamb in the morning and the other at twilight, 5 together with a grain offering of a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with a quarter of a hin of oil from pressed olives.
6 This is the regular burnt offering instituted at Mount Sinai as a pleasing aroma, an offering made to the LORD by fire.
7 The accompanying drink offering is to be a quarter of a hin of fermented drink with each lamb. Pour out the drink offering to the LORD at the sanctuary. 8 Prepare the second lamb at twilight, along with the same kind of grain offering and drink offering that you prepare in the morning. This is an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD.

Observation:  When God established the system by which His people would serve and relate to Him, He gave them a series of offerings.  Each offering taught them something about their relationship and looked forward to Jesus being the perfect offering.  Above is the first offering God set.  It was the regular daily offering.  It was to be made every morning and every evening.  There were also other offerings, but they were in addition to the daily offering.  Thirteen times in chapters 28 and 29 we fine “in addition.”

Application:  Christianity is a daily religion!   My relationship with God is a daily part of my life.  I enjoy Sunday gatherings with other believers, but that is IN ADDITION to my daily relationship with my Lord.  I enjoy Christmas and Easter celebration, but they are IN ADDITION to my daily relationship.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, you are a living God, and you are alive every day in my life.  I get to spend every day with you!  And I am humbled to know that you want to spend every day with me!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

February 28, 2019: SOAP #3374:  Numbers 24-27; 1Corinthians 13

Scripture:  Numbers (NIV) 27:16 “May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all mankind, appoint a man over this community 17 to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the LORD’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.” 18  So the LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand on him.

Observation:  The days of Moses leadership over Israel was coming to an end.  Here he is talking to God about his replacement.  The congregation would need a shepherd, one to go before them.  In those days, shepherds led their sheep, they did not just pen them up or let them wonder.  The shepherds did not drive their sheep from behind but led them from in front.   The sheep knew their shepherd’s voice and followed him.  (John 10)

Application: As one of the Lord’s sheep, I must learn the voice of my shepherd and follow him.  As one of the Lord’s shepherds (including parents or anyone with a position of leadership), I must lead from the front.  My example is the key to my leadership.  My greatest ministry is being a good example.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, make me a good example of what it means to follow Jesus, for as a leader, I too am a follower.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

February 27, 2019: SOAP #3373:  Numbers 21-23; Mark 6-7

Scripture:  Mark (NIV) 7:6 He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

Observation:  Jesus was talking to the Pharisees.  They talked a good religion and appeared quite “holy” to people.  But God saw something different.  God saw that their fine religious words did not match the thoughts of their heart.  Listening to their words gave people one idea; looking into their hearts gave God a totally different idea.

Application: Jesus is talking to Leon.  Leon can talk a good religion and appear quite “holy” to some people.  But God sees when my fine religious words to not match the thoughts of my heart.  Listening to my words may give people one idea; looking into my heart may give God a totally different idea.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, you know me far better than I know myself.  Forgive me for entertaining thoughts in my heart that do not line up with my confession.  Holy Spirit, help me to be quick to repent, and quick to change my thinking!   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

February 26, 2019: SOAP #3372:  Numbers 19-20; Psalm 28; Mark 5

Scripture:  Psalm (NIV) 28:4 Repay them for their deeds and for their evil work; repay them for what their hands have done and bring back upon them what they deserve. 5 Since they show no regard for the works of the LORD and what his hands have done, he will tear them down and never build them up again.

Observation:  Of all creation, only man was specifically “formed” from the dust of the earth.  (Gen 2:7)   The other creation was spoken into existence. (Gen 1)   With that in mind, this scripture could clearly apply to the abortionist and his helpers.  With the work of their hands, they clearly show no regard for the work of the LORD’s hands in creating man in His image.

Application: Not only is God’s judgment on the abortionist, God’s judgment is also on our nation.  God’s plan of judgment is underway at our southern border.  He is bringing one illegal immigrant into our nation for every child we have aborted.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, give wisdom to those working along our southern border.  Use your church to minister to those trying to get into our nation; win them into the Kingdom of God. Send a spiritual awakening—a mighty revival of Your presence!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

February 25, 2019: SOAP #3371:  Numbers 17-18; Psalm 29; Mark 4

Scripture:  Psalm (NIV) 29:1 A psalm of David. Ascribe to the LORD, O mighty ones, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. 2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due to his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

Observation:  My attention has been focused on the word “ascribe.”  We are to ascribe glory and strength to the LORD.  Some translations use the word “give.”  However, we cannot give God what he already has.  He has glory and strength whether I give it to Him or not.  His glory and strength does not depend on me.  It does not depend on me giving it to Him.

As I meditate on these verses and the word “ascribe,” I see it more as acknowledging that the Lord already has glory and strength.

Application: With my mouth, I am to acknowledge that God has all glory and strength.  My words give him credit; my words recognize the truth that He has glory and strength.  People who know me and hear me talk will come to see that my life is based on the truth that God has all glory and strength.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, may the words of my mouth give proclamation to your glory and strength.  Instead of complaining about the hard times I face, may my words be a declaration of faith that you will see me through.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

February 24, 2019: SOAP #3370:  Numbers 14-16; Mark 3

Scripture: Mark (NIV) 7:7 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. 8 When they heard all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. 9 Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. 10 For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him.

Observation:  There were no reporters to announce what Jesus was doing.  No one could purchase a full page add in the local newspaper.  No one could purchase any air time on radio or television.  Yet so many people were gathered that Jesus had to get into a small boat and push off from the shore to keep from getting trampled.  How did everyone hear about Jesus?  News must have been spread by word of mouth!

Application:  Today, churches spend lots of money in advertising, radio and tv advertisement, banners, etc.  The way some talk, they can do nothing to evangelize the lost unless they can get money for advertising.  How different that is from the ministry of Jesus and the early church.  A revival is needed of healing and miracles.  A revival is needed with signs and wonders.  Instead of us paying the newspapers, radio and tv stations for advertisement, they should be sending reporters to find out what is happening.

Prayer:   Lord, do today what you did while walking on the earth.  Holy Spirit, do today what you did in the book of Acts.  May the church in these last days have the same works like the first days. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!