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

July 31: Isaiah 63-64; John 2

Scripture: John (NIV) 2:5 His (Jesus) mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he (Jesus) tells you.”
John 2:7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.”
John 2:8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take to the master of the banquet.”
John 2:10 (the response of the master of the banquet) “…you have saved the best till now!”

Observation: Someone had miss-planned; the wine ran out before the wedding celebration was over. Mary, Jesus mother, must have been a relative because she felt responsible to do something. She did not ask about a place to buy wine and then send someone to buy more wine; she sent the servants to Jesus. Verse five gives her instructions. Not only were Mary’s instructions simple and easy to follow, Jesus instructions in verses 7 and 8 were also simple and easy to follow.

Application: Often the most profound things are the most simple. I have found Jesus instructions to be easy to understand. I may not always know how He will take care of His part, but I always understand my part. His instructions are always simple. His instructions are never beyond my ability to do.

Prayer: Lord, it is simple—I am to just do whatever you tell me. May you find me a faithful servant. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

July 30: Isaiah 60-62; John 1

Scripture: Isaiah (NIV) 61:1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,

Observation: In chapter 4 of his gospel, Luke tells us that Jesus publically read this very passage in Isaiah at the beginning of his earthly ministry. He then stated that this prophecy was being fulfilled at that moment. Jesus was declaring that His coming ministry would not be done in His power as God, the Son. His ministry would be accomplished in the power of the Holy Spirit empowering Jesus who was living as a flesh and blood man! In the book of Acts, Luke continued the same emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit. In the gospel of Luke the Spirit was working through Jesus and in the book of Acts the same Holy Spirit was working through the church.

Application: God’s plan for Jesus to depend on the Holy Spirit was God’s plan for the early church and is God’s plan for Leon. There is no way Leon can ever rely on his own power to accomplish his assigned ministry. Jesus was aware of Leon’s lack of power and wisdom. Jesus set aside His power to set an example for Leon. As Jesus depended on the Holy Spirit, so I have to depend on the Holy Spirit.

Prayer: Lord, no one knows me better than you. You know what I need. In your wisdom you set the example of depending on the Holy Spirit and in your grace you placed your Spirit in me! Thank you! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

July 29: Isaiah 57-59; Psalm 103; 2Peter 3

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 103:11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west, so far had he removed our transgressions from us.

Observation: Every time we walk out the door of our house, we are reminded of how greatly God loves us! We exit from the ceiling of our home to the ceiling of the sky! How we love each other may be seen in the height of the ceiling of our home. How God loves us can only be understood in the ceiling of the sky!

Application: Meditating on the great love my great God has for me fills me with hope and keeps me from discouragement and depression. Not only is God big enough to help me, he loves me enough to help me. I can trust Him to work all things together for my good!

Prayer: Lord, may the wonder of your love for me never cease to amaze me! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

July 28: Isaiah 53-56; 2Peter 2

Scripture: Isaiah (NIV) 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Observation: We may be astonished at what man has been able to accomplish. With the application of computer technology a man has actually stood on the surface of the moon! Several satellites have flown past Saturn. The amount of information we have gained is amazing, but still so little compared to the knowledge of the Creator of stars Himself! If we are measuring IQ or brain power, man and man’s inventions do not begin to approach the knowledge and understanding of the LORD! We are still discovering things about our body, about DNA, about organs and tissues. Yet God has known these things from creation.

Application: When I need help, I look for someone who knows more than I do. How blest I am to know the God whose ways and thoughts are higher than mine! How foolish for me to ignore the directions from God who has perfect knowledge of who I am, how I work, and why I am here.

Prayer: Lord, I am so glad your ways and thoughts are higher than mine. I always know where to go when I have a need. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

July 27: Isaiah 50-52; 2Peter 1

Scripture: 1Peter (NIV) 1:13 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body,
14 because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.
15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.

Observation: Peter knew by revelation from the Lord that he did not have much time left before his death. Now at the end of his life, his concern was not for himself, but for those who would remain behind. He refreshed their memory and he wrote things down. They would have this letter for years to come.

Application: As my faith is grounded in God’s Word and years of personal experience with the Lord, I have become more concerned about the next generation. Our nation once depended on God and made mention of Him often. We turned to ignoring him. And now we are becoming anti-God. Several years back I believe the Lord told me that he would bring across our borders one unwanted alien for every unwanted baby that we aborted. Judgment is coming to our nation. Revival may postpone it but will not stop it. As my generation is exiting, the brunt of the judgment will be borne by the next generation. Like Peter, I must make sure that after my departure they “will always be able to remember.”

Prayer: Lord, Thank you for your faithfulness to me. Help me be faithful to pass it along to the next generation. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Who carries the load?

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

July 26: Isaiah 46-49; 1Peter 5

Scripture: Isaiah (NIV) 46:4 Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.
5 With whom will you compare me or count me equal? To whom will you liken me that we may be compares?
6 Some pour out gold from their bags and weigh out silver on the scales; they hire a goldsmith to make it into a god, and they bow down and worship it.
7 They lift it to their shoulders and carry it; they set it up in its place, and there it stands. From that spot it cannot move. Even though someone cries out to it, it cannot answer; it cannot save them from their troubles.

Observation: Some of the gods people serve today depend upon the worshipper to take care of them, to carry them around, to speak for them.

Application: The God who created me does not depend on me to move Him around; He allows me to depend on Him!!! He likes it when I depend on Him! In serving me He proves Himself to others! His strength causes me to be strong in my areas of weakness. His faithfulness enables me to endure hard times with joy. When I see only one set of footprints in the sand, I know they are His; He is carrying me!

Prayer: Lord, Thank you for your kindness and faithfulness to me. I want people to look at me and be able to see you! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

July 25: Isaiah 43-45; 1Peter 4

Scripture: Isaiah (NIV) 43:1 But now, this is what the LORD says—he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”

Observation: I am better at remembering faces than names and I often have trouble remembering names. Many times I have silently and quickly prayed for the Lord to help me remember a name. And many times he has. In this verse God is speaking to Jacob and Israel, telling them not to fear. He has not just put out a general call to all the nations; he has specifically called them by name!

Application: God did not put out a general call for me to come to him. He called me personally. He even gave me His name to use in prayer. His call may come through a verse in the Bible, or a message preached to hundreds of people, or some other way, but however it comes, it comes personally. God addresses it to Leon and signs it personally!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, it is so good to know that I am on a first name basis with you, the creator of the universe and the savior of my soul! Thank you, Leon.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

July 24: Isaiah 40-42; 1Peter 3

Scripture: Isaiah (NIV) 41:13 For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, “Do not fear; I will help you.”

Observation: This verse was on a scripture promise card that Sharon pulled out of a pack and gave me the morning I left our apartment to go to Viet Nam. I stuck it in my billfold where it stayed for several months. Then one day our unit was attacked by the enemy, killing several and wounding others. Before leaving that location we paused at the perimeter. We would be moving down a grassy finger of the mountain with forest lining both sides of the tall grass. In my mind I could see the enemy in the trees just waiting for us to get started. I was scared. As we waited I pulled out my billfold, probably to look at a picture of Sharon, but I found that scripture promise card. As I read it, I had a sense of strength being poured into my body. Fear totally left! It was like someone had switched on the light in a dark room. God was with me! I had His promise of help! There was no need to fear! In His Presence there was no place for fear.

Application: God is still with me! There is still no reason to fear! God still walks with me! God still helps me! The enemy may be waiting just out of my sight, but God remains with me!

Prayer: Lord, You still take hold of my right hand and say to me, “Do not fear. I will help you!” Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

July 23: 2Kings 20; Isaiah 38-39; Psalm 75; 1Peter 2

Scripture: Isaiah (NIV) 39:8 “The word of the LORD you have spoken is good,” Hezekiah replied. For he thought, “There will be peace and security in my lifetime.”

Observation: God had just spoken to Hezekiah through the prophet Isaiah that Hezekiah’s possessions and children would be carried away into captivity in Babylon. “Nothing would be left.” Hezekiah who had been a God-fearing King responds in an extremely selfish way. “What you say is good, because it will not happen in my days!”
I was taught that a politician looks to the next election but a statesman looks to the next generation. Our nation has been ruined by voters and politicians who like Hezekiah have no regard for the next generation. Without Godly citizens and statesmen the USA will perish!

Application: How far does my vision extend? Can I see beyond my years, or does my vision stop at my death? How will my building affect the next generation? I may be living in the last generation, but if not, the next generation needs to be prepared to withstand greater trials and tribulation than we have at present. What am I doing to make them strong in the Lord?

Prayer: Lord, make me strong and use me to strengthen others for the days ahead. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

July 22: Isaiah 36-37; Psalm 76; 1Peter 1

Scripture: 1Peter (NIV) 1:15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;
16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

Observation: Some people feel that the end goal is so important that it is acceptable to use any means to accomplish it, but not God. He is not only interested in the end result of our actions, He is interested that they method we use to reach the goal is also holy.

Application: Of all God’s characteristics, I may want to be omnipotent, omniscient, or omnipresent. But God wants me to be holy! Being holy is so important to God that He sent His son to pay for all my sin and He sent His Holy Spirit to lead me into living a holy life in this present world.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I need the help of your Holy Spirit to be holy “in all I do.” Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!