SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer

Scripture: Revelation 15:2 And I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and over the number of his name. They held harps given them by God
3 and sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb: "Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages.
4 Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed."

Observation: In chapter 14 we saw a new song, and here we read about an old song, the song of Moses along with the song of the Lamb. Surely there will be a great variety of music in heaven. I do not believe we will choose our favorite based on style of music, but on how it honors God. His favorite will be our favorite.

Application: What music best brings joy to the heart of God? I need to align my taste in music to what I think best pleases Him. And since He looks at the heart, I doubt that what pleases Him has very little to do with style.

Prayer: Lord, may you enjoy spending this day with me and listening to the music I will be playing. Amen.

September 10: Lamentations 3-5; Revelation 15

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer

Scripture: Revelation 14: 1 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.
2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps.
3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No-one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.

Observation: Our God, who has created such variety in the world around us, must also enjoy variety in music. It seems to me that every generation has its own music. The phrases “roar of rushing waters” and “a loud peal of thunder” to describe “harpists playing their harps” tells me that the volume will be so loud we will feel it.

Application: I expect to be amazed at the variety of music in heaven. Some music will include me. Some I may listen in as others sing their special songs. But I will enjoy all of the music, because it will be honoring and worshipping the One who provided for my salvation! It will be all about HIM!!!

Prayer: Lord, may my days be filled with worshipping you. When I arrive in heaven, may I not be a stranger to worship! Amen.

September 9: Lamentations 1-2; Obadiah; Revelation 14

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer

Scripture: Revelation 13:16 He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead,
17 so that no-one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.
18 This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666.

Observation: I once thought that receiving such a mark would be so repulsive to people that it would be almost universally rejected. However technology has progressed at an amazing rate. Several years back I was able to draw a lost dog into my car which I took to the local veterinarian. They ran a scanner over its neck to see if there was an ID chip. From that chip they were able to read the dog’s name, address and date of last shots. Some credit cards now come with similar chips. I now believe that receiving a mark/chip to buy and sell will become so accepted that those who refuse will be considered the “crazy” ones.

Application: Although I enjoy technology, I must keep aware that it can be used for both good and evil. The cell phone gives me freedom to communicate, but it also leaves a record of my movements with each tower it pings. The GPS system in my car can help locate it if it is stolen, or provide directions for needed help; but it can also be used by someone trying to track my movements.

Prayer: Lord, you have had total personal knowledge of me since even from before I was born; but you are loving and holy and I can trust you to use that knowledge for me and not against me. Amen.

September 8: Jeremiah 42-44; Psalm 48; Revelation 13

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer

Scripture: Revelation 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

Observation: Bible scholars disagree on who this woman represents. But one thing is sure, God knows who she is and God prepares a place for her. If a place is prepared by God, then God knows what she will need. God makes plans for her protection and provision. All through the scriptures, from the book of Genesis to here in Revelation we see God making preparations for His people! Before Jesus left his disciples, He promised them he was going to prepare a place for them in His Father’s house.

Application: God knows me, and He knows what I need. He has made appropriate and sufficient preparations for what is ahead!

Prayer: Lord, You are faithful and trustworthy! I can trust your preparations to be sufficient for my future needs! Amen.

September 7: 2Kings 25; 2Chronicles 36; Jeremiah 40-41; Revelation 12

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer

Scripture: Revelation 11:18 The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great—and for destroying those who destroy the earth."

Observation: In this verse we see the completeness of God’s judgment. He who is absolutely holy is absolutely balanced. There is a punishment part and a reward part. He punishes those who do evil AND rewards those who do good.

We also see that the earth which was created in the first chapter of Genesis and where it was pronounced “good,” continues to be valued by God. He holds those responsible who destroy the earth.

Application: I need to be careful to respect this planet on which I live. I should respect it because it is the only one we have. I should respect it because the next generation will live here too. I should respect it because it is God’s creation.

Prayer: Lord, in your wisdom you created this special place for man to live. I want you to find me faithful in caring for the earth around me. Amen.

September 6: Ezekiel 29-32; Revelation 11

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer

Scripture: Revelation 10:5 Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven.
6 And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, "There will be no more delay!

Observation: I enjoyed spending this three-day weekend with Sharon, but this morning when I backed the bus out of its parking place, I knew the weekend was over. Some years past when my father died, there came the certain realization that the time with my parents was over. There are key moments in life when things change. There is no more waiting for that long anticipated moment to arrive. We wondered how it would be, but in that moment we are living it. It is here, and everything changes.

Application: Many people would rather not think about the judgments promised by God. I must not make that mistake. I cannot stop it; I cannot change it! But I can change how it will affect me. During the coming time of judgment, I can place myself in the merciful care of my Creator! I can accept the payment made to cover my sins. And soon it will happen; I will be standing before Him! The anticipation will be over; the moment will be the reality. There will be no more delay!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for graciously taking on yourself the burden of paying for my sins. The day of your appearing is fast approaching. I want to be ready! Amen.

September 5: Ezekiel 25-28; Revelation 10

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer

Scripture: Revelation 9: 13 ¶ The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the horns of the golden altar that is before God.
14 It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates."

Observation: In this and the next three verses I see God’s army headquarters from which His war against evil is directed. There is one major thing missing from this Command headquarters that I have seen in command headquarters I have visited and those I have seen in movies. There is usually a table the general and his advisors can sit or stand around talking through various strategies. God’s generals/angels are not there to advise the Commander-in-chief, but to carry out His orders.

Application: It is important to listen very carefully and quickly carry out God’s explicit orders. Sometimes I jump to conclusions and do more than I should. Sometimes I cut corners to get done quickly. As a general rule, I set myself to do exactly what He says. When I do not have a specific direction from the Lord, I do what I think would best please Him trusting that the Holy Spirit will check me if I start to do something that will get me in trouble. And I am always blest to know that He is bigger than any mistake I can make!

Prayer: Lord, You are my Wonderful Savior; You are my Good Shepherd; You are my Gracious Benefactor; and You are my Commander-in-Chief! Amen.

September 4: Ezekiel 22-24; Revelation 9

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer

Scripture: Revelation 8:1 ¶ When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

Observation: The previous chapters of Revelation show heaven to be a place of continuous praise and worship. Silence seems out of place. That silence is mentioned here indicates how unusual it is. From the following verses, I am wondering if God is not looking at the earth he created knowing that soon it would be destroyed with hail, and fire, and sun storm, and falling stars. This was the place he had created to be the home for his highest creation—man. Man’s sin had so corrupted the earth that it must be destroyed. Is God is thinking about what could have been?
In Genesis we read of God taking the form of a man to check out Sodom from an earthly level. He gave Abraham the opportunity to intercede for the city before destroying it because of its sin.

Application: God is thoughtful before active. He thinks before acting out of anger. His anger is under the control of his holiness. He will not be unjust. Instead of counting to 10, maybe I need to be silent for 30 minutes before letting anger motivate me to action.

Prayer: Loving God, you are perfectly holy. When your love is expressed in repeated mercy that is continually rejected your holiness steps in with judgment. Amen.

September 3: Ezekiel 20-21; Psalm 111; Revelation 8

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer

Scripture: Revelation 7:17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

Observation: The Lamb will be their shepherd! Jesus is the only One who could be both the Lamb and the Shepherd. Jesus had been introduced by John the Baptist as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. (John 1) Jesus claimed to be the Good Shepherd who gives his life for his sheep. (John 10)

Application: As the Lamb, he was sacrificed for my sins. Even into eternity I will remember and honor Him for what he did for me. Now in this life, He is my Shepherd. And into eternity He will continue to be my Good Shepherd.

Prayer: Lord, now and for all eternity I will praise you for being the Sacrificial Lamb who died to pay for my sins. Now and for all eternity I will follow you as my Shepherd. Amen.

September 2: Ezekiel 17-19; Revelation 7

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer

Scripture: Revelation 6: 9 ¶ When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained.
10 They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?"
11 Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow-servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.

Observation: Entrance into heaven is only by the grace of Jesus and our faith in His sacrifice. However thinking that it makes no difference to God as to how faithfully we live our Christian life is clearly wrong. God is faithful to reward people according to their faithfulness. In these verses we see that God has a special place for those who make the greatest sacrifice of giving their lives for the gospel.

Application: I do not know where my life may lead, but I must be faithful to honor Him in all circumstances. In life or death, honoring Him with my choices brings future rewards for me and present glory for Him! I am blest to see senior citizens who have great faith and have grown in their ability to express God’s faithfulness and love.

Prayer: Lord, when you look at me, I want you to see your love and faithfulness at work through me. Amen.

September 1: Ezekiel 15, 16; Psalm 70; Revelation 6

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!