Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer

April 19: 1Samuel 22; Psalm 17,35; Matthew 6

Scripture: Matthew 6:31 So do not worry, saying “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?”
32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Observation: Our Heavenly Father who created us knows we need “these things.” People in the world go to great effort to obtain “these things.” Here we are instructed to put our efforts on the priorities of God’s structure of authority and doing things right. When we do that, God will provide the “these things” we need.

Application: God has been faithful in providing what I need. I have no reason to believe He is going to stop. I want Him to have no reason to believe that I will stop seeking first His kingdom.

Prayer: Lord, you know what I need and I thank you for your faithful provision! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer

April 18: 1Samuel 20-21; Psalm 34; Matthew 5

Scripture: Psalm 34:1 I will extol the LORD at all times, his praise will always be on my lips.
2 I will glory in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
3 Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the LORD and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.

Observation: David did not praise God depending on the circumstances, but because he was convinced that God was worthy of praise. God is not worthy only when things are going good, but God is ALWAYS worthy of praise. It is good to note that David was not a priest, but a shepherd boy who became a king. He had a lot of things about which he could talk. He chose that praise would always be a part of his conversation.

Application: Praising God should not depend on how I feel but on God’s worthiness. People should know by the words I speak that I am convinced God is worthy of praise. If I am a pastor or a bus driver, it makes no difference; God is ALWAYS worthy of my praise. God’s name is safe in my mouth.

Prayer: Lord, I do not need good circumstances to convince me that You are worthy of my praise. You are ALWAYS worthy! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer

April 17: 1Samuel 19; 1Chronicles 7; Psalm 59; Matthew 4

Scripture: Psalm 59:16 But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.
17. You are my strength, I sing praise to you; you, God are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely. (NIV)

Observation: David would personally sing of God’s strength and love. Why? Because God was personally to David a fortress, a refuge and strength! It was not for someone else to sing about God being David’s fortress, refuge and strength. David took that responsibility personally.

Application: God is Leon’s fortress. God is Leon’s refuge. God is Leon’s strength. It is for Leon to sing of Leon’s God. The words of my song may not rhyme. The melody of my song may not pleasant to others. But the praise in Leon’s heart will bring joy to Leon’s God!

Prayer: Lord, I praise you, MY Fortress, MY Refuge, and MY Strength! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer

April 16: 1Samuel 18; 1Chronicles 6; Psalm 11; Matthew 3

Scripture: Psalm 11:1 In the LORD I take refuge. How then can you say to me: “Flee like a bird to your mountain?
2 For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart. (NIV)

Observation: David found the same thing most of us have discovered. There are always people who will tell us what to do, or what we should have done. But they do not always see the trouble that lies in wait; they do not see the arrows that we will face. David had already discovered his refuge.

Application: The LORD is my refuge! He is everything a refuge should be and more. He is my hiding place. He is my safety. He is my peace. He is my rest.

Prayer: Lord, you are my safe place where I find rest and peace. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer

April 15: 1Samuel 17; Psalm 9; Matthew 2

Scripture: Matthew 2:2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
Matthew 2:5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
Matthew 2:12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Observation: God spoke to the Magi/Wisemen in three different ways: first, through a sign in the stars; second, through Herod and the priest who looked in the scriptures; and third, through a dream. The Magi understood each message and acted appropriately.

Application: God speaks to me in various ways also. Although the Bible is the primary way God speaks to me, it is important that I recognize God’s voice however He speaks. I have found that the better I know the Bible, the more quickly I recognize His voice in other avenues. If I do not read God’s Word regularly, I probably should not claim that I really want Him to speak to me.

Prayer: Lord, Every day You prove faithful to speak to my listening heart. You have spoken to me through Your word and I expect that you will speak to me today through other venues also. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer

April 14: 1Samuel 15-16; 1Chronicles 5; Matthew 1

Scripture: Matthew 15
Elihud the father of Eleazar,
Eleazar the father of Matthan,
Matthan the father of Jacob,
16 and Jacob the father of Joseph,
(Jospeh) the husband of Mary, and
Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah. (NIV)

Observation: Joseph was not called the “father of Jesus” as is the pattern in the previous fourteen verses. He is called the “husband” of Mary. Mary was a virgin when the Holy Spirit impregnated her. When Joseph discovered she was pregnant, he was going to break off their marriage engagement, but an angel from the Lord appeared to him and told him Mary had not been unfaithful to him, but God had chosen her to bring the Messiah into the world. Very little is known about this man who accepted Mary and supported her unique part in God’s plan.

Application: As a husband I need to allow God to work in Sharon in a way that is unique to her. God is free to use her outside our immediate family. I need to support and encourage her. I need to realize that her ministry is very significant. It is valuable to God, to me, and to those who benefit from her special talents.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for my beautiful wife. She is so special to me, and to so many others. Help me to be more supportive of her special ministries. May our marriage be good ground for good growth. May she become all you meant her to be. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer

April 13: 1Samuel 14; 1Chronicles 4; 2Corinthians 13

Scripture: 2Corinthians 13:14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (NIV)

Observation: Paul ends his second letter to the church in Corinth with this blessing from the Triune God. The things we receive from God are expressions of the grace that comes through the death of God the Son on the cross. The love comes from the heart of God the Father. The fellowship is with the abiding presence of God the Spirit.

Application: I am blest! I am blest to experience the grace of God every day. I am blest to know that I am loved by God and that His love flows through me to others. I am blest to have the continual presence of God with me at all times! The blessing Paul gave to those in Corinth has reached me too!

Prayer: Lord, you are a “Bless-er!” It is your nature to bless others. May your blessings flow through me as they flowed through the apostle Paul! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer

April 12: 1Samuel 13; 1Chronicles 2-3; 2Corinthians 12

Scripture: 2Corinthians 12:9 But He (God) said to me (Paul), “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (NIV)

Observation: Paul had learned that when he relied on his own strength, he could only accomplish what his own strength could endure. But when he relied on God’s strength, he could accomplish what God’s strengths could endure!

Application: In areas I am weak I obviously need to rely on God. But I am finding that even my areas of strength are extremely weak compared to God’s strength! Whether I have to rely on His strength or choose to rely on His strength, I am always further ahead for having done so.

Prayer: Lord, how desperately I need you! Every hour I need you. In every situation I need you. I just need you! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer

April 11: 1Samuel 11-12; 1Chronicales 1; 2Corinthians 11

Scripture: 2Corinthians 11:30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.

Observation: To get his readers to believe him, Paul had just reluctantly given a list of his qualifications. Then he follows with this statement. Here he is saying that his greatest assets are his weaknesses for in them he must depend on Christ. In areas where he is obviously weak, others will have to admit that it was Christ working through him. And Paul wants all the glory from his life to go to his Lord Jesus Christ.

Application: When I do well in an area where I have a natural strength, there can be a tendency for me to take the credit—“look at what I have done!” There can be a tendency for people to give me the credit. But in the areas I am weak—in those areas I have to depend on the Lord. Those who know me have to give the glory to Jesus too. And those who see God working through my weaknesses will be encouraged to believe God to work through their weaknesses.

Prayer: Lord, shine through me. I want others to see what you can do, not what I can do. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer

April 10: 1Samuel 8-10; 2Corinthians 10

Scripture: 1Samuel 10:7 Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you.
8 Go down ahead of me to Gilgal. I will surely come down to you to sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, but you must wait seven days until I come to you and tell you what you are to do. (NIV)

Observation: Samuel had told Saul that the Spirit of the Lord would come powerfully upon him and he would be changed. Then there was freedom for Saul to do whatever his “hand finds to do.” Yet that freedom came with limitations. He was to wait for Samuel seven days when Samuel would bring some specific instructions.

Application: I rejoice in the freedom I have in the Lord! I am free to evaluate situations and do what I believe would best honor Him. But my freedom is within the specific boundaries of His written Word. I am not free to sin and break His commandments. However in areas not covered by the Word, He is with me and I have freedom knowing he will check me if I start to go wrong.
Sometimes my freedom is limited by my circumstances; I seem to be a prisoner of my environment. But my environment can never hold my inner man as a prisoner. I am always free to have a heart of gratitude and an attitude of praise!

Prayer: Lord, I want my freedom to please and honor you. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!