May 5: 2Samuel 10; 1Chronicles 20; Psalm 20; Matthew 22

A Blessing

Scripture: Psalm 20:1 May the LORD answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob (your father) protect you.
2 May he send you help from the sanctuary (heaven) and grant you support from Zion. (His people)
3 May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings. (the dedication of yourself to His purposes) Selah
4 May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.
5 We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the LORD grant all your requests. –NOTE: Leon’s words in parenthesis.

Observation: The commentaries I read are not certain about the setting of this Psalm. They thought it may have been given in sending the army off to war. To me it seems something David would have said to his dear friend Jonathan after Jonathan had warned David of King Saul’s (Jonathan’s father) intent to kill David. (1Samuel 20)

Application: These verses are a good blessing for me to give my son or dear friends when we are going to be apart for an extended time. Should I be afforded the luxury of knowing that my death is soon approaching, putting these verses in my own words would be a good blessing to give those remaining behind.

Prayer: Lord, asking you to bless people is not contrary to what you want to do. You love to bless your people! It is your joy! Thank you for letting me have a part in this joy. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

May 4: 2Samuel 8,9; 1Chronicles 18,19; Matthew 21

The Importance of God’s Word!

Scripture: Matthew 21:13 "It is written," he said to them, "‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers’."
Matthew 21:16 "Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him. "Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read, "‘From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise’?"
Matthew 21:42 Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: "‘The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

Observation: In verse 13 Jesus said, "It is written …" to people criticizing his actions in cleansing the temple. In verse 16 he asks, “have you never read,” as an explanation of the children singing his praise. In verse 42 he again refers to the scriptures to show how he will be rejected.

Many times our questions could be easily answered if we but read God’s Word!

Application: The better I know the Bible, the better I will be able to understand what is happening in the world around me. Reading the Bible must be a priority in my life.

Prayer: Lord, use your word to open my eyes so that I may see things as you see them. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

S.O.A.P. (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer)

May 3: 2Samuel 7; 1Chronicles 17; Psalm 2; Matthew 20

God’s anger!

Scripture: Psalm 2:2 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One.
3 "Let us break their chains," they say, "and throw off their fetters."
4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath…

Observation: In my mind, I can see Goliath (1Samuel 17), the giant laughing at David but totally unaware that Someone much bigger was laughing at him. God is not threatened by people who want to believe that He does not exist. He laughs at their arguments. A day is coming when He will terrify them with His wrath.

Application: How loving would God really be if He did not become angry when something threatened those He loved? The greater His love, the greater would be His anger. God went to great measures to free Leon from sin. He sent His greatly loved Son, Jesus, to die for my sins. I should not be surprised if God gets angry with me if I treat sin as no big thing.

Prayer: Lord, may I come to hate sin as much as you do. I need your Holy Spirit to help me walk in victory over the temptations I meet each day. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

May 2: 1Chronicles 16; Psalm 106; Matthew 19

Don’t forget!

Scripture: Psalm 106:4 Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people, come to my aid when you save them, …
Psalm 106:6 We have sinned, even as our fathers did; we have done wrong and acted wickedly.
7 When our fathers were in Egypt, they gave no thought to your miracles; they did not remember your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea.

Observation: The Psalmist wanted God to remember him, but just a few verses later he admits that Israel had sinned and not remembered the many things God had done for them.

Application: I want God to remember me and help me, but how quickly I forget His kindness in helping me. How disappointing that must be to God. I should make it a practice every day to remember several of His kindnesses and to thank Him specifically.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, remind me of the many things done for me. Help me live today with a grateful heart. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

May 1: 1Chronicles 14,15; Psalm 132; Matthew 18

Important to Him!

Scripture: Matthew 18:10 "See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.

Observation: Jesus speaks of angels in heaven as being assigned to children. The angels are mentioned as being before the face of the Father. In other words, there is an intelligent being in heaven with direct access to God on behalf of the children they represent. God has made sure that there is a highly positioned being watching every child, and making note of how they are treated.

Application: If children are so important to God that he assigns them a personal angel, I must be careful to diligently train and lovingly discipline those in my care. I can count on being held accountable.

Prayer: Lord, I need your help with the responsibilities dealing with children. They are of great importance to you and I can bring you much joy in serving them. Amen.

NOTE: If people really believed Matthew 18:1-10 everyone in the church would be begging to help with the children’s ministries!!!

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

April 30: 2Samuel 6; 1Chronicles 13; Psalm 68; Matthew 17

Looking through…

Scripture: Matthew 17: 22 ¶ When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men.
23 They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life." And the disciples were filled with grief.

Observation: The disciples could not see the resurrection because they were looking through his betrayal and death. It was difficult to look through the suffering and see the resurrection. They saw what was the closest to them. They loved Jesus and were filled with grief that he would have to suffer.

Application: Just as the disciples were looking ahead through the suffering to see the resurrection, I am looking back through the great victory of the resurrection to see the suffering of the cross. Sometimes I forget what a terrible payment Jesus made to pay for my sins. Sometimes I get to thinking that sin is no big deal.

Prayer: Lord, forgive me for forgetting what a great price you paid for my salvation. Forgive me for thinking that sin is no big thing. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

S.O.A.P.

April 29: 2Samuel 4,5; Psalm 139; Matthew 16

God made it happen!

Scripture: 2Samuel 5: 1 ¶ All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, "We are your own flesh and blood.
2 In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the LORD said to you, ‘You shall shepherd my people Israel, and you shall become their ruler.’"
3 When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a compact with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel.

Observation: God had told David that he would be king and God made it happen. David did not have to push himself into being the King. God made it happen. David passes up opportunities to make himself king; God made it happen.

Application: When God shows me what He wants to do in my life, I can rest assured that He is not depending on my wisdom or my strength to make it happen. I do not have to take short-cuts to get to where God wants me. I do not have to use trickery or self-promotion. God can make it happen!

Prayer: Lord, I can trust you to work things out in your time. I must remain faithful doing what is before me. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

April 28: 2Samuel 3; 1Chronicles 12; Matthew 15

What I have

Scripture: Mathew 15:32 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way."
33 His disciples answered, "Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?"
34 "How many loaves do you have?" Jesus asked. "Seven" they replied, "and a few small fish."

Observation: Here is one of Jesus best known miracles. Verse 38 tells us he fed 4000 men plus women and children! Yet it all started with compassion in the heart of Jesus. He was aware of the problem and wanted to do something. He asked a very important question: “How many loaves do you have?” Their answer was an admission of lack. They were far short of what was needed! Yet Jesus used what they had. He took what they had into His hands and multiplied it to meet the need.

Application: Jesus is interested in what I have! It may be far short of meeting the need, but Jesus will use what I have. I must first put it in His hands.

Prayer: Lord, I place this SOAP devotion in your hands. Use it as only you can. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

April 27: 2Samuel 2; 1Chronicles 11; Psalm 142; Matthew 14

Passing along God’s Word

Scripture: Matthew 14: 19 And he directed the people (5,000+) to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.
20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

Observation: The disciples need to be careful that they handle the bread and fish appropriately and not carelessly. It had come from the Master’s hands. It carried the Master’s blessings. It must be carried and served with respect. It is the life of the people. It will satisfy the hunger of the little child. It will fill the poor who has not eaten for days.

Application: I carry the Word of God in my life. People can “read” God’s Word in me as I live my life. I need to carry the Word of God with respect. It is not my word; it is God’s Word! It can help every need of every person around me.

Prayer: Lord, help me to do nothing that would distract from Your Word. May it be easy for people to see Your Word lived out in my life. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

S.O.A.P. (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer)

April 26: 2Samuel 1; Psalm 140; Matthew 13

It mixes well!

Scripture: Matthew 13:10 The disciples came to him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?"

Observation: Using parables to teach was a common practice of Jesus. In the following verses Jesus shows that the full meaning of the parables would be given to those who had a relationship with him.
In meditating on this two thoughts came to mind. First, since his parables were from everyday life they communicated that Jesus understood everyday life. Second, parables show us that the teachings of Jesus are applicable to everyday life.

Application: The teaching of Jesus is not some high minded truth that is beyond me. It is truth that mixes well with my everyday life. It applies to what I will face today.

Prayer: Lord, may I hear, may I understand, and may I put your truth into my living. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!