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

June 10: Song of Solomon 1-4; Ephesians 6

Scripture: Ephesians (NIV) 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

Observation: People have a combination of strong and weak character traits. Some are strong in patience. Others seem to have great knowledge. Some love sports. But each one has areas of weakness. Our strengths enable us to serve others. Our weaknesses cause us to need others. However there is one area in which we should all be strong. We should all be “strong in the Lord.”

Application: In areas where I am weak, it is obvious that I need to depend on the Lord and his strength. But I am finding that God’s strengths make my strengths look like weaknesses. It is much better to rely on God even in areas where I think I am strong.

Prayer: Lord, I want to be strong in my knowledge of you, strong in my relationship with you, and strong in depending on you. In dealing with temptation and the devil, I want to be strong in you! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

June 9: Ecclesiastes 10-12; Psalm 94; Ephesians 5

Scripture: Ephesians (NIV) 5:1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children
2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
3. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people….

Observation: We best imitate God by loving. We are to be more than just people who love, but lovers. More than just people who love in response to love received, more than just people who love when it is easy, more than just people who love the lovely. We are to be lovers, lovers of God, lovers of our brothers and sisters, lovers of those who mistreat us, lovers of the world (in the John 3:16 sense), and lovers of the unlovely.
The best example for us to imitate is that of Jesus Christ who loved us while we were yet sinners. His love cost, not others, but Himself. He loved to the point of great personal sacrifice. That is what we are to imitate–His holy love!

Application: I am to love “just as Christ loved” me. Jesus tells me to love, but he also shows me how to love. He wants to express His holy love through me.

Prayer: Lord, to love like you, I need your help. Thank you for living in me and never leaving me. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

June 8: Ecclesiastes 7-9; Ephesians 4

Scripture: Ephesians (NIV) 4:11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,
12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built us
13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Observation: Church leadership is not to do the work of the church. Church leadership is to equip God’s people for “works of service.” As God’s people mature they become productive and do the work of the church. They help others grow and become productive. As they do the work of the church, it is built up; it grows.

Application: God has so much more planned for me than just my salvation. He has created and formed me for service. He wants me to share in His joy of seeing others brought into the Kingdom and become fruitful.

Prayer: Lord, use me to equip and enable and encourage those around me to actively serve you. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

June 7: Ecclesiastes 4-6; Psalm 18; Ephesians 3

Scripture: Ecclesiastes (NIV) 5:1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.
2 Be not quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.

Observation: When I go to church, I should go ready to listen. I should expect God to speak to me. I should not go to be seen by people. I should not go to make some sacrifice expecting God to forgive me on the basis of that sacrifice. That would be the sacrifice of a fool. God forgives me on the basis of the sacrifice of the sinless Christ Jesus on the cross. No amount of money, prayers, or good works can ever erase my sins.

Application: While in the Navy, God directed us to attend the military base chapel. Once I complained to God about some of the chaplains. I was not getting “fed.” God told me if He could speak to his prophet through a donkey (Numbers 22), He could surely speak to me through a chaplain! The problem was not with the chaplain, it was with my attitude! After that I could always tell you what God said to me after leaving the chapel. Listening is such a key part of my life. It is a key part of my relationship to people and to God. As I learned, and continue to learn, to listen to God in church I am recognizing his voice throughout the coming week.

Prayer: Lord, I draw near to you with open ears. What do you want to say to me today? Tell me what can I do today that would please you? Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

June 6: Ecclesiastes 1-3; Psalm 45: Ephesians 2

Scripture: Ephesians (NIV) 2:21 In him (Christ) the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.
22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Observation: The emphasis in this scripture is not that God lives in me, but that God lives in us.

Application: My life is being formed and fitted to properly fit into God’s temple of people. While I greatly enjoy this personal relationship I have with the Lord, I must not forget that it is not just “my” relationship; it is “our” relationship. Jesus taught us to pray “Our Father.” John says that if I cannot love my brother whom I can see, how can I love God whom I cannot see! Hmmm.

Prayer: Lord, I know you will keep chipping away and sanding my rough edges until I fit perfectly into your temple. Don’t quit until I please you in all ways. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

June 5: Proverbs 30, 31; Psalm 33; Ephesians 1

Scripture: Ephesians (NIV) 1:7 In him (Jesus) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.

Observation: In Him, not separate from him, we have the redemption based on the blood sacrifice He made on the cross. It is a payment that cannot be refused because it made to the Holy God that set it. That payment was made in the exact prescribed manner the Holy God required. That payment was made by the Very One the Holy God sent to make it. In Him (Christ) we have redemption because that payment cannot be refused!
The payment was not made grudgingly or with an arm twisted! (Who can twist God’s arm?) It is done in harmony with the abundant mercy given by the Most Gracious God our Father! What grace!

Application: The more I understand what God has done for me, the more I want to live a life that will please him!

Prayer: Lord, your forgiveness to me is in accordance with the riches of your amazing grace! Thank you! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

June 4: Proverbs 28-29; Psalm 60; Romans 16

Scripture: Proverbs (NIV) 29:25 Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.
Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Observation: Whom one fears is very important! When I considered why, the Lord showed me that fear is a form of worship. When I fear man I am giving to man what belongs to God!

Application: John Newton wrote in the song, Amazing Grace: “It was grace that taught my heart to fear; and grace my fears relieved. “ Fearing God keeps me holy. Loving God keeps me close. The one I fear has power over me to influence my thoughts and my actions. “Fear of man will prove to be a snare.” The Fear of God will lead me to live a holy life. It will keep me safe and not hurt by sin. The Love of God will lead me to live a life pleasing to God. It does not take too long to discover that pleasing God is the best way to enjoy life myself.

Prayer: Lord, May my fear of you keep me from the fear of men and what men can do to me. And may my love for you keep me living a life that pleases you. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

June 3: Proverbs 25-27; Romans 15

Scripture: Romans (NIV) 15:33 The God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Observation: Six or seven times in Paul’s writings God is called the “God of Peace,” or “Lord of Peace.” Obviously peace is so important to God that He wants to be known as “The God of peace…”

Application: I need to take more time to consider how important peace is to God. If peace is important to God, then it must be important to me. I must be willing to involve myself in efforts to bring and maintain peace. In witnessing, I am telling people what God did in order for Him to have peace with us. I am telling them what they must do in order for them to have peace with Him.

Prayer: Lord, what joy is mine with your peace and love fill my heart. I am glad to be at peace with you. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

June 2: Proverbs 22-24; Romans 14

Scripture: Romans (NIV) 14:1 Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. 2 One person’s faith allows them to eat anything but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3 The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. 4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.

Observation: There is to be unity in the church based on our relationship to the Father through Jesus Christ His Son and our faith that His death on the cross is the payment for our sins. Yet in the early church, as in the church today, there are “disputable matters” about which we disagree. Neither side is to judge the other nor treat them with contempt.

Application: Quarreling is not acceptable between me and another believer who sees “disputable matters” differently than I do. We are servants of the Lord. The Lord is able to make us stand! Their acceptance by the Lord does not depend on their agreement with me. My acceptance by the Lord does not depend on my agreement with them.

Prayer: Lord, May I never show contempt to those who disagree with me rather may I listen to them in such a way that they will be open to listen to me. May we learn from each other and grow. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

June 1: Proverbs 19-21; Romans 13

Scripture: Proverbs (NIV) 19:17 Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done.

Observation: Henry Vanderbush used to say: “Tithes are a debt we owe; offerings are gifts we bestow; and alms are seeds we sow.” Most people have lent money to at least one person who promised to repay but after waiting for so long, they have given up hope of ever getting their money back. If one is inclined to lend money, we can find no one better at repaying than the Lord. One never loses in giving to the poor.

Application: In the past few years I have learned and am still learning the truth of this verse. Because I cannot give to every need does not mean that I cannot give to some. As I give offerings and alms in addition to my tithe, God has been faithful in providing extra finances enabling me to give even more.

Prayer: Lord, You care for the poor and want me to care also. Lead me by your Holy Spirit as to what You would have me do today. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!