June 07, 2021: SOAP #4204:  Ecclesiastes 4-6; Psalm 18; Ephesians 3

SCRIPTURE:  Ephesians (NIV) 3:12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

OBSERVATION: Paul often strings thoughts through several verses.  Here we see that with faith in God we have the privilege of approaching God.  Because (Therefore) we can approach God we should not be discouraged.  Paul was concerned that the difficult times he was going through might be a reason for them to be discouraged.  Not wanting them to be discouraged, what does Paul do?  He prays that they will experience the strengthening ministry of the Holy Spirit. 

APPLICATION:  What am I to do when I see someone discouraged?  I can speak encouraging words to them.  I can give them a testimony of what God has done for me.  But best of all, I can pray for them. 

PRAYER: Holy Spirit, as I encounter people who need your help, anoint me to pray for them.  When I do not know how to pray, pray through me.  Then give me your words to pray.  Encourage them through your mighty presence.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

June 06, 2021: SOAP #4203:  Ecclesiastes 1-3; Psalm 45: Ephesians 2

SCRIPTURE:  Ephesians (NIV) 2:4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved….
9 not by works, so that no-one can boast….

OBSERVATION: A dead person cannot do anything.  If they are going to sit up, someone has to sit them up.  If they are going to stand, someone else has to stand them up…and hold them up.  If they are going to come alive, someone else must resurrect them.  And that is just what happened!!! 

We are made spiritually “alive with Christ.”  It is His life that makes us alive.  The life is the Life of Christ.  Without Him We do not have the spiritual life that is eternal.  With Him we have the eternal life we share together here on earth and will continue to share in heaven.   

APPLICATION:  It is my responsibility to maintain my part of this life I share with Christ.  It is a living relationship.  It is giving time each day for the Spirit to speak to me through the Bible.  It is talking to Him, spending time with Him.  It is acknowledging His presence throughout each day and in every conversation.  It is introducing Him to others.  It is learning to hear the voice of the Spirit and doing what He says. 

PRAYER: Holy Spirit, as you lived in Jesus while He was on earth, so live in me.  Help me hear your voice and understand what you are saying to me.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

June 05, 2021: SOAP #4202:  Proverbs 30,31; Psalm 33; Ephesians 1

SCRIPTURE:  Ephesians (NIV) 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For HE CHOSE US in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

OBSERVATION: You might not have chosen me; I might not have chosen you, BUT God chose us. God took a risk in choosing man (you and I). There is a risk that it will not work out, that sin will abound. At times in this world, we who see with the natural eye may wonder if it was worth the risk. But God who sees all things and knows all things and understands all things says to us, “Fear not, my child, when you see sin abound, be not dismayed when chaos reigns, when evil and greedy men seem bent on destroying you, your home, your nation and even the world. Do not be disheartened when even nature seems to be out of control. Not all things are now as they will be. The One who paid the price for sin will return to destroy sin and its consequences in this world. And as truly as I live, though this world is full of sin, it shall be filled with My Glory as the waters cover the sea. Though your life seems filled with darkness and chaos, though you walk in difficult places, keep your eyes on Me for I have chosen you and will bring you through to see My Glory revealed among men.”

APPLICATION:  God chose me to receive the good news about Jesus.  God accepted me when I asked for forgiveness.  God ordered my life when I made Jesus my Lord.  If God is for me, who can be against me!   (Romans 8:31)

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, you did the choosing.  So, I am on your team.  Forgive me for treating you as though you are on my team.  It is not my team; it is your team. I trust you to work through all things for my good and your glory but my priority is to work for your good and your glory!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

June 04, 2021: SOAP #4201:  Proverbs 28-29; Psalm 60; Romans 16

SCRIPTURE:  Psalm (NIV) 60:9 Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom? 10 Is it not you, O God, you who have rejected us and no longer go out with our armies? 11 Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless. 12 With God we shall gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies.

OBSERVATION: The Psalmist is looking for help.  He knows that he needs God’s help, but he also knows that their sins have caused God to turn away from helping them.  Yet he turns to God.  Where else can he go?  Man’s help is “worthless.”  With God’s help victory is sure!  

APPLICATION:  Instead of waiting on God, we sometimes turn to man for help.  We use our best logic to convince men that they should be helping us.  We need their finance and support.  We spend more time to get man’s help than we do in asking God for help.  We even promise that God will bless them if they bless us!  (Why is He not blessing us?)  We have more faith that man will help us than we do that God will help us! 

PRAYER: Lord, you are the God of miracles!  The task you have before me is more than I can do without help.  I need your help.  You are the only one who can truly meet my need for help.  In faith I wait for you. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

June 03, 2021: SOAP #4200:  Proverbs 25-27; Romans 15

SCRIPTURE:  Romans (NIV) 15:1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2 Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.

OBSERVATION: This verse gives some guidelines to be considered when we have opportunity to help our neighbor. Our help should be done for their good and to build them up.

God uses us to help our neighbor. As our hearts are open to Him, He speaks to us, makes us aware of a need, and tells us what we can do to help.  If He tells us to give, we should give joyfully and generously.  If He tells us to pray, we should pray faithfully.  If He tells to give encouragement, we should give encouragement from the scriptures and from the Holy Spirit. 

But when people spend more time to get help from man than they do to get help from the Lord…  when that happens, they are putting man in the place of God.  If they know that God has given them a ministry, they can have faith that God will provide.  With no grocery stores within miles, God provided bread for the Israelites for 40 years.  God is a better provider than any man could ever be. 

APPLICATION:  I do not want people to become dependent on me and my help, but on God and His help. Along with any help I give, I need to explain how to trust God, I need to give an example of trusting God, and I need to encourage them to trust God.  If I can help people to trust God, then I am helping them “for their good and to build them up.”

PRAYER: Lord, use me for your glory and for the good of others. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

June 02, 2021: SOAP #4199:  Proverbs 22-24; Romans 14

SCRIPTURE:  Romans (NIV) 14:15 If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. 16 Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.
19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.

OBSERVATION: In the first part of this chapter, Paul deals with what day is appropriate for public worship.  In the passage above He deals with whether or not it is ok to eat food that has been offered to an idol. 

APPLICATION:  Being free in this matter means that I am free to eat AND free not to eat.  I am to love my brothers and sisters in Christ more than my freedom in what to eat.  I should “make every effort to do what leads to peace and mutual edification.”  When I am with those who are offended, I am free to eat what has their approval.  When I am not with those who are offended, I am free to eat what I like. 

I can look at this passage and say to myself, “This does not apply to me.  I am not with people having a problem with which day we worship, or with we are eating food that has been offered to an idol.”  Then I read verse 21:  “…or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall!”   My love for my brother is to be greater than my love for my freedom! 

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I can only imagine the freedoms you willingly surrendered for Jesus to come to earth to die for my sins.  Jesus, I can only imagine the freedom of heaven you surrendered to take on the limitations of the earth and humanity. If my freedoms need to be surrendered for my ministry to be accepted, I surrender them willingly. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

June 01, 2021: SOAP #4198:  Proverbs 19-21; Romans 13

SCRIPTURE:  Romans (NIV) 13:11 And do this [from previous verse, love our neighbor], understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

OBSERVATION:  The “works of darkness” are to be put off.  The “armor of light” is to be put on.  It is not enough to just “put off” the one, we must “put on” the other!

Nine of the ten commandments tell us what NOT to do, things to be “put off.”  Both of the new commandments given by Jesus tell us what to do, things to be “put on:” 1.  love God and 2.  love our neighbor.  Here Paul not only tells people what to put off, but what to put on. 

APPLICATION:  The key for Leon is found in verse 14.  I must put off thinking about what my flesh wants to do.  I must fill my mind with God’s Word.  With my thoughts filled with the Word and influenced by the Holy Spirit, my actions will follow.  My inward thinking has great influence on my outward actions.

PRAYER: Holy Spirit, continue to remind me of what I am reading in the Word.  Show me how to apply it in my daily life.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

May 31, 2021: SOAP #4197:  Proverbs 16-18: Romans 12

SCRIPTURE:  Romans (NIV) 12:4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

OBSERVATION: The value of each member of the body is found in its differences.  If all the members were the same, any other member could replace any member and the value would diminish.  When there is only one member able to do something specific, the value of that member increases. 

The beauty of a choir is in the blending of different voices.  The beauty of a garden is in the different colors.  The beauty of a sunset is in the different colors.  A good leader recognizes the differences in people and assigns tasks that will help them to succeed. 

APPLICATION:  I rob God of His enjoyment of my differences when I try to be just like everybody else.  Instead of blaming God for not making me like someone else, I need to discover the unique opportunities I have because of my differences. 

PRAYER: Holy Spirit, help me to recognize and utilize my differences.  May God have joy is seeing me live and serve with the differences He put in me. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

May 29, 2021: SOAP #4195:  Proverbs 13-15; Romans 11

SCRIPTURE:  Romans (NIV) 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! 34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counsellor?” 35 “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?”
36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

OBSERVATION: The word “For” ties the eternal truth in verse 36 to the previous verse.  Who has ever given something to God that would cause God to repay him?  The reason no one can make God indebted by giving God something so valuable—it is because everything came from Him and exists at His pleasure and purpose!   

APPLICATION:  Of course, the “all things” in verse 36 includes me.  So, I must consider myself as originating in God, living through Him and for His glory. 

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, there is only one thing I can give you that would make you inclined to give to me—MYSELF!  I submit to your ownership of my life.  I am your child.  I count on the promises you made to your children. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

May 29, 2021: SOAP #4195:  Proverbs 10-12; Romans 10

SCRIPTURE:  Romans (NIV) 10:11 As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

OBSERVATION:  It is not just faith.  It is faith in Jesus!   It is not just a confession.  It is the confession that “Jesus is Lord!”  Faith can be good, but misplaced.  Many people with good faith have placed their money in a financial institution only to see it go bankrupt later.  There was not anything wrong with their faith; their faith was just placed in an unworthy foundation.  Jesus is the only worthy basis for faith.  Our faith is not in our confession but in Jesus.

We all stand before the Lord with equal value.  We all have the same potential of pleasing Him, of bringing a smile to His face. As members of the body of Christ have the same value, but different assignments, so it is with the nations of the world.  Whether we live in the mountains, or on the planes, we all come to Christ by faith.  Farmers, sailors, engineers—rich, poor—everyone, all come by faith.  Africans, Asians, Americans—everyone, all come by the same faith.  And here Paul emphasizes that though the Jews have had a major role in bringing Christ into the world, yet they too come to Him by the same faith.

OUR Heavenly Father richly blesses all who call on him.  He blesses us with His Son.  It is impossible to be more blest than that!

APPLICATION:  What a foundation is mine!  To put my faith anywhere else would be so foolish.

PRAYER: Lord, my faith is in you, in your death on the cross for my sins, in your willingness to forgive, and in your Holy Spirit who now lives within me. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!