Preparing for the New Year

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December 26: Psalm 117; 119:81-176; 2John; 3John

Preparing for the New Year

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 119:92 If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.

Observation: Obviously the Psalmist had gone through some troubled times. Pain and suffering may so capture our thoughts that we lose interest in other things. Yet the Psalmist had something so great that it preserved him through the troubles. The Word of God was more than his interest or commitment; it was his delight!

Application: If delighting in the Word can preserve me, then surely the way to prepare for times of trouble is to delight myself in the Word. I do not know what the year ahead has for me, but I am convinced that the better I know God’s Word, the better I will be prepared.

Prayer: Lord, as your Word enters my life through my eyes and ears, may your Holy Spirit mix it in my heart with my thoughts and knowledge so that I may be prepared to express it in my words and deeds. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

Amazing Love

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I am sending a special Christmas greeting to SOAP readers today. May the Lord enjoy spending this day with you! May this be the best birthday He has ever had!

December 25: 1John 1-5

Amazing Love

Scripture: 1John (NIV) 3:1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! …

Observation: Who could ever describe the indescribably great love the Father has for us? Certainly no one in this life. We cannot even begin to understand the heights from which Jesus descended to become man. We cannot even begin to understand the horribleness of sin and its consequences.
And God did not love us in a stingy manner, but lavished His love on us—exorbitant, outlandish, excessive, extreme, unbelievable love.
This result of this love was that we should be called God’s children.
We are identified with Him by name. The world may call us many things, but He calls us His children!
We are not only called children of God–that is what we actually are!
This is reality!

Application: A child of God—that’s what I am! Christmas is a time for exchanging gifts with those we love. He loves me and sent His Son Jesus to die for me. I love Him and give my life to bring Him honor and glory.

Prayer: Lord, As I celebrate your birth today, I do it with appreciation for the love lavished on me. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

The Christmas Story Continues…

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December 24: John 19-21

The Christmas Story Continues…

Scripture: John (NIV) 19:17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).
18 Here they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.

Observation: As we are now in the season in which we celebrate the birth of Jesus, it is good to remember the reason He came to earth was to die for our sins. The story of His birth continued to His death, then continued to His resurrection, and continues even to today!

Application: In a small, yet wonderful way, I have become a part of the continuing Christmas story. When Jesus forgave my sins and adopted me into His family, I became a part of the continuing story of Christmas. The Christ who came to the earth to die for me, today by His Spirit lives in me.

Prayer: Lord, as I celebrate your coming to earth, I especially celebrate your coming into my life. The Christmas story continues in me. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

Love and Joy

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December 23: John 15-18

Love and Joy

Scripture: John (NIV) 15:11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

Observation: We always desire to bring joy to the one we love. It becomes our goal. In this verse we see the joy Jesus has and the joy we have. We are the source of Jesus’ joy. And because we love Him, doing His will becomes the source of our joy!

Application: My goal: to make Jesus smile! May He even get a good laugh from me from time to time!

Prayer: Lord, I know you see all the trouble in the world and it breaks your heart. I want to be one of many who bring you joy. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

Cannot be ignored!

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December 22: John 12-14

Cannot be ignored!

Scripture: John (NIV) 12:3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment.

Observation: Mary’s act of worship could not be ignored by anyone in the house, because the fragrance of the perfume filled the house.

Application: As I walk through the stores in this Christmas season, my heart rejoices to hear the truth of Jesus filling the stores in the words of the Christmas Carols. The following are words I like to sing to the tune of “I’ll be home for Christmas:”
I’ll be here for Christmas, in worship at Your throne,
With a heart of praise, my voice I’ll raise to Him who was and is.
Others at some manger, may pause then hurry on,
But I’ll be here for Christmas, in worship at Your throne.

Prayer: Lord, Of course it is always a proper time for worship, but this season when we celebrate your coming to earth to live among us and to die for us, worship seems the only appropriate response of a grateful heart. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

Listening

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December 21: John 9-11

Listening

Scripture: John (NIV) 10:27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

Observation: As the relationships with an earthly parent progresses through many levels, so the relationship with our Heavenly Father progresses/grows through many levels. I see the first level described in the Bible as a Shepherd and sheep. Before one can be sent as a servant, one has to first learn to recognize the voice of the Master. The emphasis on being a sheep is to recognize His voice and follow.

Application: Before I can listen to understand what God is saying to me, I must first learn to recognize His voice. Using SOAP as an outline helps me focus on the Bible as God’s primary avenue of speaking to me and to listen to what He is saying personally to me. The more I understand the Bible, the more I am able to recognize His voice when He speaks through other means. If what I am hearing goes contrary to what God has said in His word, I can rest assured that it is not His voice.

Prayer: Lord, I am so glad that you speak to me! What a special privilege it is to hear your voice. Keep speaking till I learn to listen carefully to every word. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

Walking in the light

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December 20: John 7-8

Walking in the light

Scripture: John (NIV) 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Observation: Jesus is the creator of all things and one cannot walk very long with Him without growing in appreciation for creation and the many expressions of life He has placed on this earth. He is the “light of life.”

Application: I had flown on many planes in my life but now having lived twenty years in an area known for building planes, I have a greater appreciation for the details in planning and manufacturing planes. And having walked with the Lord even longer, I can say that I continue to be amazed by God’s details in the planning and creating of life, both physical and spiritual. He brings me out of darkness into the light.

Prayer: Lord, you amaze me. Your creation amazes me. In walking with you I am walking in the light. The more your light reveals, the more amazed I am! Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

Top Priority

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December 19: John 5-6

Top Priority

Scripture: John (NIV) 5: 19 Jesus gave them this answer: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.

Observation: In this verse, and in this passage, Jesus reveals the special relationship he has with His Father. There is no question; the Father had top priority in Jesus life.

Application: Jesus suffered and died on the cross that I might be able to be a part of this special relationship. There should be no question of priorities in my life either. Anyone who knows Leon, should know that Jesus is his Lord and Leon lives for the glory of his Heavenly Father.

Prayer: Lord, I join you in living for the Glory of Our Father which art in heaven…” Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

Why involve the Lord? …because…

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December 18: John 2-4

Why involve the Lord? …because…

Scripture: John 2:3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”
4 “Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”
5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

Observation: While Jesus and His mother were at a wedding, Mary brings a problem to Him. Jesus responds with a question, “Why do you involve me?” It is not a question without an answer. Jesus became involved because He was present. He became involved because His mother had faith in Him. Faith in Jesus proved to be well placed!

Application: Why will I involve the Lord in my life today? …because he will be with me every moment of this day. …because there is nothing I will face that He does not understand completely. …because I know He loves me. …because…

Prayer: Lord, I involve you in my life today because you are present and able! You are amazing! Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

John’s Christmas Story

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December 17: 2Peter 1-3; John 1

John’s Christmas Story

Scripture: John (NIV) 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Observation: The “Christmas Story” in John does not give the account of the angels, the shepherds or the magi from the east. It tells us nothing of Joseph, or Jesus’ earthly mother, Mary. We read nothing of the Bethlehem nor of the reason Jesus was born there. But what we read is so important! The Word who is as much God as God became flesh, as much man as man!

Application: Jesus walked and lived in time and space, in history and geography. We know the years in which he lived and the cities in which he walked. He is very much aware of the struggles I face. He knows what it is like to live among people like the ones around me. He is well able to help me because He has personal knowledge and understands.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for coming to earth and living among people like me. Thank you for your personal involvement in my salvation. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!