My Great Advantage!

June 20, 2018: SOAP #3121: 2Kings 4,5; Psalm 83; 1Timothy 2

Scripture:  Psalm (NIV) 83:1 O God, do not keep silent; be not quiet, O God, be not still. 2 See how your enemies are astir, how your foes rear their heads. 3 With cunning they conspire against your people; they plot against those you cherish. 4 “Come,” they say, “let us destroy them as a nation, that the name of Israel be remembered no more.” 5 With one mind they plot together; they form an alliance against you—

Observation:   The Psalmist does not plead for God’s help based on Israel’s goodness, nor on the wickedness of their enemy.  In persuading God to get involved in Israel’s trouble, his central argument is their relationship to God.  They are “YOUR people.”  They are the ones that “YOU cherish.”

Application:  The greatest advantage I have in life is my relationship to God.  It is the greatest confidence building truth I know. I am His child.  He is my Heavenly Father.  The Son of God died for my sins.  The Spirit of God dwells in me.  There cannot be a greater advantage to be had anywhere!

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, do not stand back and withhold your assistance.  You loved me enough to send your Son, Jesus, to die for my sins.  I am your child; my troubles are your troubles.  Those who come against me come against you. My confidence is in You.  I depend on you. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

“Now” is a part of eternity!

June 19, 2018: SOAP #3120: 2Kings 1-3; Psalm 82; 1Timothy 1

Scripture:  1Timothy (NIV) 1:17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Observation:   The King who is eternal, immortal and invisible, and Who is the only God deserves honor and glory.  He deserves it “for ever and ever.”  Throughout all eternity, He will deserve to be appreciated and honored.  But the above verse starts with “Now.” He deserves the admiration today.

Application:  When I think of eternity, I am usually thinking of life in heaven when I die.  I think of how long eternity will last.  There will be no end to the honor and glory that will be given to the King!

Then I realized that “for ever and ever” is not for ever and ever unless it includes now!   Now is a part of “for ever and ever.”  The King deserves the honor and glory now!   I should not wait until I arrive in heaven to give him my glory and honor.  It must start today!   “NOW unto the King eternal…”

Prayer:    Heavenly and Eternal King, you deserve honor and glory today.  I want to take the opportunity I have today to praise and worship You.    Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

Reporting Back

June 18, 2018: SOAP #3119: 1Kings 22; 2Chronicles 18,19; Colossians 4

Scripture:  Colossians (NIV) 4:7 Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow-servant in the Lord. 8 I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts. 9 He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.

Observation:   Paul wanted the church in Colossi to know what was happening to him and his ministry.  He wrote to them AND he was sending Tychicus and Onesimus with the specific instruction to answer any questions they may have.

Application:  People who are depending on financial and prayer support from others need to be careful to keep them informed of what God is doing.  Those requesting prayer have a responsibility to report back on how God is answering those prayers.

Those who labor in prayer should reap the joy of knowing how God has answered.  Withholding the testimony of God’s answer from those who labored in prayer is robbing them of a part if their reward.   Letting them know how God answered encourages them to continue praying.  Letting them know how God answered is a good way to express appreciation that someone was praying

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, remind me to express appreciation for those who have taken seriously my prayer requests. Help me be faithful to give God glory by sending a testimony of how their prayers were answered.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

Next Election or Next Generation

June 16, 2018: SOAP #3117: 1Kings 20-21; 2Chronicles 17; Colossians 3

Scripture:  2Kings (NIV) 20:16 And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD. 17 Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD. 18 And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon. 19 Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?

Observation:   King Hezekiah had shown visitors from Babylon everything in his possession—all his wealth and armament.  Isaiah pointed out that was a terrible mistake because a day will come with the Babylonians will come back and carry off your sons and your possessions.   Hezekiah said the word of judgment was good, because it would not happen in Hezekiah’s day!

Application:  I remember Mr. Johnson, my high school history teacher, saying that a politician considers only the next election while a statesman considers the next generation.  Today, the world is a more dangerous place because former leaders did not properly deal with nations wanting to gain nuclear weapons.  Their agreements were for their day and did not properly consider future generations.

It is not only for leaders of nations to consider future generations, but for leaders of families and churches.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, I need the wisdom of your guidance as I make decisions that will affect future generations.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

Living the truth!

June 16, 2018: SOAP #3117: 1Kings 17-19; Colossians 2

Scripture:  Colossians (NIV) 2:8 See to it that no-one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. 9 For in Christ all the fulness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and you have been given fulness in Christ, who is the Head over every power and authority.

Observation:  The fullness of God is in Jesus.  And the fullness of Jesus is in believers.

How foolish to place my trust in anything except Jesus.  All that God is, is in Christ.  And all that Christ is lives in me.  The fullness of all God’s being is in Christ.  There is nothing lacking!  And when Christ makes my heart His home, all that Christ is, dwells inside me.

Application:  If I had a million dollars in my bank account, I should not be living like a pauper.  And since I have Christ living in my life, I should not be living like a helpless, hopeless, worried, discouraged, complaining, Christian.  With Christ, all things are possible.  Nothing is impossible!  That truth should be evident to all who see me and hear me.

Prayer:    Holy Spirit, keep reminding me to Whom I belong and Who lives in me. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

It may be hard to believe, but it is true!

June 15, 2018: SOAP #3116: 1Kings 16; 2Chronicles 15,16; Colossians 1

Scripture:  Colossians (NIV) 1:19 For God was pleased to have all his fulness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Observation:  All the fullness of God dwelt in Jesus!  Everything that made God the Father to be God would also make Jesus to be God.

It was none other than God who died for me on the cross.  God took my sin.  God took my punishment.  God took my death to pay for my sins!  God took my place on the cross!   He made peace for me by more than fulfilling the punishment required for my sins.

Application:   What could be too much for me to do for Jesus?

Prayer:     Use me Lord for your pleasure and glory, I pray, Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

Ministry Support

June 14, 2018: SOAP #3115: 1Kings 15; 2Chronicles 13,14; Philippians 4

Scripture:  Philippians (NIV) 4:10 I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

Observation:   Paul was looking to the Lord for His support.  He was content with whatever the Lord would supply, or wherever the Lord would have him.

Paul wants the greatest reward for those who have supported him, so he does not want his need to be the motivation for their support.  There is no pressure from Paul to entice gifts for himself. If they give, it should be in response to the leading of the Lord, in response to a desire put there by the Holy Spirit.

Application:   Carrying the financial responsibility for a ministry can be a heavy burden.  If it is my vision, the financial support is my responsibility.  But if it is the Lord’s vision, the financial support is His responsibility!  What a pleasure—to receive an assignment from the Lord, knowing that the need for any financial support is His responsibility.

God has an endless supply of whatever is needed.  If He does not have it, He can make it!   Often, I find that my obedience in the past opened the door of opportunity in the present.  After all, sowing seeds in one season prepares for a harvest in a later season.

I should never stop sowing seeds as I do not know what provision will be needed in the coming seasons.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, you are the Master of Finances.  I trust You to reveal your plan for my life and ministry.  And I trust your plan for provision.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

Becoming like Jesus

June 13, 2018: SOAP #3114: 1Kings 13,14; 2Chronicles 12; Philippians 3

Scripture:  Philippians (NIV) 3:20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

Observation:   At this time in my life, I, and the Holy Spirit, are working on transforming my inner life to be like Jesus.  At this time my physical body is very lacking in many ways.  It is weak.  It easily gets tired.  It needs constant attention.  But the above verse speaks of my physical body being transformed to be like Jesus’ resurrected body.

Application:  When the time comes for my physical body to be transformed to be like Jesus resurrected body, I want my inner man to be ready for such a transformation.  The Holy Spirit is now working in me to develop attitudes like Jesus.  With a heart holy and full of love like Jesus, may I be ready for a body like Jesus!

Prayer:    Holy Spirit, with a day coming when my body will be transformed to be like Jesus’ body, please work now to make my heart like Jesus.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

To be like Jesus!

June 12, 2018: SOAP #3113: 1Kings 12; 2Chronicles 10,11; Philippians 2

Scripture:  Philippians (NIV) 2:6 Who [Jesus], being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!

Observation:  For Jesus, being born as a man was not enough.  Even then He humbled Himself, becoming willing to submit to that which was required of Him, even death. And if that was not enough, and in the justice of God it was not, the death was on a cross, showing it was under the curse of sin.

We see five steps of emptying/humbling that the Son completed:
#1.  …from being God to making Himself nothing; #2. …to taking on the nature of a servant; #3. …to becoming a man; #4. …to death; #5. …to death under the curse as a criminal.

What a contrast to the five “I wills” of satan in Isaiah 14:13 and 14:
#1.  “I will ascend to heaven; 2.  I will raise my throne above the stars of God; #3.  I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. #4.  I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; #5.  I will make myself like the Most High.”

It was satan’s goal was to raise himself to the place from which Jesus was willing to descend.  How we should appreciate the great sacrifice of our Precious Savior.  It is no wonder that the Father has highly exalted Jesus! Note:  Philippians 2:9,10.

Application:  Satan’s goal was to gain for himself; Jesus goal was to gain for others—for me!  Being like Jesus means that I must be willing to humble myself.  What is my goal?

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, today, help me walk humbly before God and people.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

Living as though it is true

June 10, 2018: SOAP #3111: Song of Solomon 5-8; Philippians 1

Scripture:  Philippians (NIV) 1:27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel

Observation:   From the context, I believe Paul is referring to whatever might happen to himself.  Paul is writing from prison and is not sure if he will be released or executed.  They should not let whatever happens to Paul, or to themselves stop them from heeding his council.

If they will conduct themselves in a manner that speaks well of the gospel, then the reports that Paul will receive in person or through a messenger, will always reassure him that they are standing steadfast and in unity against all enemies of the gospel.

Application:   In every circumstance, in all troubles, in great joy or sorrow, gain or loss, I should always conduct myself in a manner that speaks well of the good news that Christ Jesus came to earth to die for my sins and that He rose from the dead, and ascended to heaven where He is preparing a place for me and He will return for me soon!  That is truth, and I should live as though it is true!

Prayer:    Holy Spirit, help me live a life worthy of the fact that my sins are forgiven and that you are always with me.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!