It Is Definitely Worthwhile!

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

April 9: 1Samuel 6-7; Psalm 72; 2Corinthians 9

Scripture: 2Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (NIV)

Observation: In this verse Paul is ending his teaching on giving. It was the indescribable gift that motivated Paul. Paul’s high values of what God had given him caused him to willingly and joyfully give his life for the gospel.

Application: My value of what God has given me helps set my level of giving. The more I value what God has given me, the more I am willing to give. The more I value what God has given me, the more I am willing to endure any hard times that come my way!

Prayer: Lord, it is worthwhile serving you! It is worth any struggle. It is worth giving my best and giving up what I may like best. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

April 8: 1Samuel 3-5; Psalm 77; 2Corinthians 8

Scripture: 2Corinthians 8:12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have. (NIV)

Observation: There had been a drought in Jerusalem. Before this letter was written; those in the Corinthian church had agreed to give some money to help the people in Jerusalem. Paul would soon pass through Corinth. He encouraged them to prepare their gift and invited some of their congregation to accompany him in taking their gift to Jerusalem.

Two criteria are given in this verse for givers. First they must be willing. They were not being manipulated to give. Second they must have money available to give. This is not “going into debt” giving. They were not being asked to put it on a credit card. This was to be giving from what they had.

Application: My giving is an expression of appreciation for what the Lord has already given me. (Tithing is based on 10% of what I have received, not what I do not have.) I may give sacrificially by choosing to live on less in order to give more. I may make a promise to give in the future from what the Lord provides in the future, but my giving is to come from what I have, not what I do not have. I see this principle applying to Christmas gifts as well as gifts to the church and various ministries.

Prayer: Lord, my giving is an expression of my love for you. May I give willingly and generously from what I have as you have given to me from what you have. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

April 7: 1Samuel 1-2; Psalm 66; 2Corinthians 7

Scripture: 2Corinthians 7:10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. (NIV)

Observation: Most of us do not consider sorrow something good, but it can be the road out of trouble. Godly sorrow takes responsibility for our actions and seeks forgiveness. Worldly sorrow blames others and refuses to take ownership. It is not our fault. Someone else made us do it. We are sorry we got caught or for the results that came our way, but not because we did it.

Application: It is wonderful that God is so willing to forgive and restore friendship with us. For me to receive His forgiveness, I have to take responsibility for what I have done. When I cannot admit that I have sinned, I cannot experience the joy of His forgiveness and restoration.

Prayer: Lord, I know that you are the only One who can truly forgive and remove the guilt of sin. I want to be quick to apologize, to be quick to admit that I have sinned. 1John 1:9 says that if I confess my sins, you are faithful and just to forgive my sins and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

April 6: Ruth 3-4; Psalm 64, 65; 2Corinthians 6

Scripture: Psalm 65:4 Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts! We are filled with the good things of your house, of your holy temple. (NIV)

Observation: As a little boy I remember hoping to be chosen to play on a team with my friends. Later I remember wanting to be chosen to play football. I remember the joy of being chosen to sing in the Revivaltime Choir when I was in college. How special that Sharon accepted my clumsy proposal and chose me to be her husband. But by far the greatest joy/privilege was to be chosen by God!

Application: He chose me because He loved me—and oh how He loves me! He loved me and chose me when I really did not know how to love Him back. God did not choose me because of my strengths, but because of my weaknesses. He chose me to be His servant when I really did not know how to serve. He chose me not for me to use my strength and wisdom to work for Him, but so that His strength and wisdom would be seen as He works through me.

Prayer: Lord, oh how you love me! Teach me how to love You and others in return. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

April 5: Ruth 1-2; Psalm 53, 61; 2Corinthians 5

Scripture: Ruth 1:6 When Naomi heard in Moab that the LORD had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there. (NIV)

Observation: Naomi’s husband had moved from Israel to Moab during a time of famine. Her sons had married. Her husband and her sons died and now she was left alone with her daughters-in-law. But without the help of radio or television news stations good news had come to Moab. The famine in Israel was over! Naomi decided to go home!

Application: When God does something good for me, it is good to let others know. When I hear of God doing something good for others I get to pass along the news. God does not depend on radio or television or even the internet. God depends on people to pass along His good news. He depends on me.

Prayer: Lord, send someone my way today who needs to hear some of Your good news. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

April 4: Judges 19-21; 2Corinthians 4

Scripture: 2Corinthians 4:10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. (NIV)

Observation: Here is the purpose of our physical bodies. They are to reveal the life of Jesus. As we die to our desires, we become alive to His desires and our body becomes an avenue to express His life rather than ours. Many times it is the difficult things we experience that get the attention of others. They too experience difficulties and they respond in anger, frustration, etc. When we face the same troubles and respond differently, they become aware that we have a something different in our life.

Application: The life of Jesus will be seen in me as I respond in the same way He would respond to the circumstances surrounding me. If I depend on myself, I will fail. But if I follow His lead, He will help me succeed. It is not what happens to be, but how I follow Him in responding to what happens to me.

Prayer: Lord, it is obvious to me that I need you! Speak to me, as only You know how, and direct my responses today. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

April 3: Judges 17-18; Psalm 89; 2Corinthians 3

Scripture: 2Corinthians 3:5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.
6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (NIV)

Observation: Paul had just claimed that the people of the church in Corinth were the proof of his ministry. Then he quickly acknowledges that success was not because of their skills, but totally because of their dependence on God.

Application: Today I will depend less on me and more on the Spirit of God living in me. Today I will be less stressed. Today I will be more confident that I will succeed because I have more faith in God’s ability than my ability. I will be more humble, knowing that success did not come because of my intelligence or my skills. Today my life will become a living expression of the Life of Christ.

Prayer: Lord, I want to live my life depending on you so that others can see you instead of me. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

April 2: Judges 13-16; 2Corinthians 2

Scripture: 2Corinthians 2:10 Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake.
11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.

Observation: Satan’s scheme is to drive a wedge between us to separate us. The way to overcome his plan is to forgive. Forgiveness is not saying that nothing bad happened. Forgiveness is not saying I was not hurt. Forgiveness is not saying I am going to give you the opportunity to do the same thing again. Forgiveness is saying even though what happened was wrong and I was hurt, our relationship is more important than getting even. From Jesus example, the offender does not even need to apologize in order to be forgiven! Forgiving is outsmarting Satan!

Application: Forgiving is definitely a God-thing. I cannot do it on my own. I need God sharing my life to help me. Satan would like to keep me reliving the hurts, but when I forgive, the healing starts.

Prayer: Lord, I do not want Satan to outsmart me; with Your help I can forgive. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

April 1: Judges 11-12; Psalm 50; 2Corinthians 1

Scripture: 2Corinthians 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

Observation: God is known as the “Father of compassion” and the “God of all comfort.” He has these titles because compassion and comfort are priorities to Him.

Application: Two applications I see: First, when I need comfort, I know where to go! My Heavenly Father is the expert on comfort! He invented it! He created me and knows how to comfort me. Second, when I see someone needing comfort I have the opportunity to pass along what God has given me! Comforting others is being a part of God’s ministry to those He loves.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the comfort you have given me; now use me to comfort others. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!