July 10, 2018: SOAP #3141: Micah 5-7; Hebrews 7

Scripture:  Hebrews (NIV) 7:18 The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless 19 (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.

Observation:   When Jesus died on the cross, the law given through Moses was set aside.  The required animal sacrifices could never pay for the sins of a man.  So, they had to be repeated year after year.  The sacrifice was a way man could acknowledge that he had sinner, but the sacrifice did nothing to help him do better.  What a wonderful difference—the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.

Application:  That one sacrifice truly covered the debt of my sin.  With my sins properly forgiven, I stand before God and God, by His Holy Spirit, comes to live inside me!!!  The presence of the Holy Spirit convicts me when I do something wrong and helps me resist temptation.  This is so much better!

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, how blest I am to be living after the cross instead of before the cross.  How blest I am to have your Holy Spirit sharing my life, teaching me, warning me, pointing out when I sin, leading me to repent, and helping me to walk in victory. What a fellowship we enjoy.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

July 09, 2018: SOAP #3140: Micah 1-4; Hebrews 6

Scripture:  Micah (NIV) 4:11 But now many nations are gathered against you. They say, “Let her be defiled, let our eyes gloat over Zion!” 12 But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD; they do not understand his plan, he who gathers them like sheaves to the threshing-floor.

Observation:   Down through the years, many nations have wanted to wipe the nation of Israel off the map.  Even today, nations that surround Israel do not acknowledge that Israel should have a homeland.  They do not know God’s thoughts.  They do not know that God has claimed Israel for His purpose.  God’s love for Israel is greater than their hate.  God takes their hatred against Israel as personal, which puts them in a very bad place.  But the truth also is: God loves the individuals in those nations with the same love He has for all individuals.  He paid the same price for their salvation as He did for every individual in the world.  (John 3:16) Anyone from any nation can become God’s child through faith in Jesus’ death as payment for their sins.

Application:  I should not claim to know everything about anything until I know what God thinks about it.  My final answer about any matter must include God’s input.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, you have the mind of Christ.  So, put a hold on my tongue when I start to speak in error.  (1Corinthians 2:15)  I need you to guide my thoughts. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

July 08, 2018: SOAP #3139: Hosea 13-14; Psalm 100, 102; Hebrews 5

Scripture:  Psalm (NIV) 100:5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Observation:   God’s faithfulness is as eternal as God.  It is His nature to be faithful and continue to carry out His word.  When He blesses, He is being faithful.  And when He punishes, He is being just as faithful.

People in heaven will sing of God’s faithfulness.  They will rejoice in His faithfulness to apply the death of His Son, Jesus to cover all the sins for which they have repented!   They will rejoice in His faithfulness!

People in hell will also have a fresh appreciation for God’s faithfulness.  God was truthful when He said the wages of sin is death.  God was faithful when He warned them of the torment of hell.  They will have a new appreciation for God’s faithfulness when they look around and cannot find some of their partners in sin.  Their partners had repented, asked and received God’s forgiveness.  God was faithful to “forgive their sins and cleanse them from all unrighteousness!” (1John 1:9) They will appreciate God’s faithfulness when they see people who claimed to have repented but did not make Jesus LORD of their lives and continued to live as though sin did not matter.

Application:  God is faithful to Himself.  He is a truth=speaker!   He is faithful to His Word.  I can count on His faithfulness.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, I count on your faithfulness.  You are faithful to your Son, Jesus.  You will honor the sacrifice He made for my sins.  Because of Jesus, I am forgiven and cleansed from sin. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

July 07, 2018: SOAP #3138: Hosea 10-12; Psalm 73; Hebrews 4

Scripture:  Hebrews (NIV) 4:8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his.

Observation:  Joshua led the children of Israel into the promised land, giving them rest from war, and rest in having their own land.  But a greater rest awaited.  A rest from making the sacrifices required by the law.  By placing one’s faith in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, we have rest from the requirements of bringing sacrifices to the tabernacle.

Jesus told the woman at the well (John 4:21) that people would be free to worship God in any place, and at any time.  They would have rest from relying on their own works as they would come to rely on the work of Jesus!

Application:  There is no way I can save myself.  There is nothing I can do that would make amends for my sins.  I can never do enough good deeds to outweigh my sins.  Praise the Lord, there is one deed that has enough value to outweigh my sins—and all the sins in the world.  It is the death of Jesus on the cross.

Prayer:    Lord Jesus, thank you for making the sinless sacrifice that has the value needed to cover sin!  With humility and thanksgiving, I accept from you what I could never provide for myself.  Thank you for forgiving my sins.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

July 06, 2018: SOAP #3137: Hosea 6-9; Hebrews 3

Scripture:  Hebrews (NIV) 3:14 We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.

Observation:   The goal mentioned in this verse is that our faith is just as strong at the end of our life as it was at the beginning of our spiritual life.  Hebrews 11:13 speaks of people “still living by faith when they died.”

Application:  After years of prayer, Bible reading, and joining with other believers to worship and study God’s Word, my faith should be stronger today than when, as a young child, I first received Christ as my Savior.  And, my faith should continue to grow as I continue to grow older.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, every day, speak to me and through me.  Every day may it be easier for others to see You living in me.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

July 05, 2018: SOAP #3136: Hosea 2-5; Hebrews 2

Scripture:  Hebrews (NIV) 2:10 In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So, Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.

Observation:   The main story of the Bible is not what man can do for God, but what God has done for man!   History is truly “His story!”  The above verse deals with the part of the story where God so loves the mankind He created that He sends His sinless Son, to become a man and die for man’s sins.  In this way people can become part of the sinless family of God!  Now when man’s sins have been properly covered with a sinless blood sacrifice—now when man is forgiven, the living Jesus is not ashamed to identify with man as brothers.

Application:  After all that Jesus suffered for me, I should live my life as being honored to be a part of God’s family.  The cost payed to release me from sin proves that I am loved and that I have value to God.  The main story line is not what I can do for God, but what God has done for me! –and what He has prepared for my future!

Prayer:   Jesus, forgive me for taking my place in your family so lightly.  Such a high honor deserves my deepest appreciation.  Thank you for forgiving me and accepting me. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

July 03, 2018: SOAP #3134: 2Kings 15-16; Hosea 1; Hebrews 1

Scripture:  Hebrews (NIV) 1:10 He [God the Father] also says [to Jesus, God the Son], “In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.  11 They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. 12 You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will never end.”

Observation:   In this first chapter of Hebrews, we find several quotes from the Old Testament of God speaking about Jesus, God the Son, and to Jesus.  Jesus is the creator and He is greater than what He created.  In these verses we see the eternality of Jesus compared to the temporary status of creation.

Application:  How foolish I am when I put my trust in earthly things and not in the Great Creator Who became my Savior!   It is not how much of His creation I can call my own, but do I possess HIM as my Lord and Savior?

Prayer:   Lord Jesus, to call you mine is the greatest honor and privilege I can know in this world.  You are my Lord.  You are my Savior.  You are my Friend.  You are my way to heaven.  Thank you for accepting me as your friend and providing the forgiveness and cleansing I needed for entrance into heaven.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

July 03, 2018: SOAP #3134: Isaiah 6-7; 2Chronicles 26-27; Philemon

Scripture:  Isaiah (NIV) 6:11 Then I said, “For how long, O Lord?” And he answered: “Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left deserted and the fields ruined and ravaged, 12 until the LORD has sent everyone far away and the land is utterly forsaken. 13 And though a tenth remains in the land, it will again be laid waste. But as the terebinth and oak leave stumps when they are cut down, so the holy seed will be the stump in the land.”

Observation:   Judgment was coming to Israel and the prophet wanted to know for how long.  It would last until everyone was sent away and the land was forsaken.  The trees would be cut down, but the stumps would remain—a stump that contains the life of the tree.  God will leave some stumps in the land.

Application:  We may have loved ones who have walked away from God.  Their spiritual tree has been cut down.  It seems that their lives are hopelessly lost—but take courage!  A stump remains!  A memory remains of something God did for them in the past.  A believing friend remains in their circle.  A Bible verse is stuck in their memory.  A stump with life remains.  A new shoot of life is about to burst forth!

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, I am thankful that when satan tries to destroy the tree of life from a believer’s heart—I am thankful that a stump remains.  Your plans remain.  I call forth the life out of that stump!  May you receive the honor you are due, and may the name of Jesus be glorified!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

July 02, 2018: SOAP #3133: Isaiah 4-5; Psalm 115-116; Jude

Scripture:  Jude (NIV) 20 But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.

Observation:  In his short letter of warning about various false teachers, Jude ends with some specific things that believers should do.  I doubt if any homes during Jude’s day had a written portion of any scriptures, Old or New Testament.  They would only have what they remembered from their gatherings.  Their relationship with the indwelling Holy Spirit was a priority.  They could keep an up-to-date relationship with the Holy Spirit by praying in the Spirit.  The Holy Spirit would guide their prayers and by maintaining peace, or withdrawing, peace would help them know if they were taking any action contrary to the Spirit’s leading.

Application:  If I want to please my Lord, I must learn how the Holy Spirit speaks to my heart.  I must recognize His approval or disapproval.  Praying in the Spirit helps me develop a keen sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, You are so important in my daily relationship with Jesus.  Help me build myself in my “most holy faith” by allowing you to pray through me. You know how I should pray Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

July 01, 2018: SOAP #3132: Isaiah 1-3; Titus 3

Scripture:  Isaiah (NIV) 1:11 “The multitude of your sacrifices—what are they to me?” says the LORD. “I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats….  16 wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, 17 learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.

Observation:   The neighboring nations around Israel served idols.  They worshipped their idols by bringing sacrifices.  They brought food and drink that their god might need. But their idols were dead, needing nothing.

Israel worshipped the one, true, living God.  He also needed nothing!  Not because He is dead, but because He is the Creator of all things! The purpose of Israel’s sacrifices to the living God was to teach them about the One promised to come.   God would send His Son, Jesus, to be the sacrifice for their sins.  God did not need their sacrifices for Him, but. how THEY needed His SACRIFICE for them!!!!

Application:  God was not so interested in the sacrifice they made; He was interested in THEM!   And God is not so interested in what I can give Him; He is interested in me!   I cannot give God something He needs, but I can give him someone He loves—me!

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, I am the sacrifice you desire.  May my life be pleasing to you.  When I please you, I have the greatest joy and You have the greatest glory.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!