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

July 11: Isaiah 8-10; Hebrews 8

Scripture: Isaiah (NIV) 8:9 Raise the war cry, you nations, and be shattered! Listen all you distant lands. Prepare for battle, and be shattered! Prepare for battle, and be shattered!
10 Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted; propose your plan, but it will not stand, for God is with us.

Observation: The prophet, Isaiah, was speaking to the enemies of God’s people. They could wage war, but they would be “shattered.” They could make their plans but they would be “thwarted.” They could talk big, but their words would “not stand.” Why? Because God was with His people! If anyone should be afraid, it is the enemies of God.

Application: When I am walking with my God, I need not fear what man can do to me. I do not have to worry about what people are planning or saying. If there is anyone I should fear it is God! When I am with Him, I have nothing to fear.

Prayer: Lord, when I fear man, I am giving to man what I should only be giving to you. You are greater than all who oppose me AND you are with me! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

July 10: Micah 5-7; Hebrews 7

Scripture: Hebrews (NIV) 7:27 Unlike the other high priests, he (Jesus) does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself!

Observation: UNLIKE the High Priests making the sacrifice for the sins of the people in the Old Testament, Jesus did not need to bring a sacrifice for his own sins. AND UNLIKE the Old Testament priests, Jesus did not bring an animal, He gave his own life as the sacrifice. AND UNLIKE the Old Testament priests Jesus did not make a sacrifice in faith that the proper sacrifice would someday be made to reward the faith of the worshippers. Jesus sacrifice was the fulfillment of the faith of all the previous sacrifices. AND UNLIKE the Old Testament priests, Jesus did not make a sacrifice that would need to be repeated. His sacrifice put an end to all future sacrifices for sin!

Application: His “once for all” sacrifice is sufficient to cover all my sins! When He forgave me, He did not just sweep my sins under the rug, He did not say, “Leon, your sins are not very bad; we will just forget about them.” NO, He said, “Leon, your sins are terrible, but my sacrifice is sufficient!” His sacrifice was more than sufficient to cover my sins—and the sins of the whole world!

Prayer: Lord, I am amazed at your holiness and love! I am amazed at your sacrifice for me. You are amazing! Thank you for forgiving me and cleansing me from ALL unrighteousness! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

July 9: Micah 1-4; Hebrews 6

Scripture: Hebrews (NIV) 6:1 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, …

Observation: It is God’s plan that everyone should be saved, that not a single one should perish. But God’s also has a plan for those who are saved. He wants them to grow and mature. Growth seems slow and is hard to measure from day to day. However looking back 6 months or a year and seeing how differently we handle difficult situations should show measurable growth.

Application: My maturity is important to the Lord. As God’s Word takes priority in my life, more and more I consider things from God’s perspective. It should take more to anger me than it did a year ago. It should not take me as long to say, “I’m sorry.” Spiritual growth changes my thoughts and vocabulary. My life is becoming more and more like Jesus and more under the control of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer: Lord, help me to grow to be more like you. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

July 8: Hosea 13-14; Psalm 100, 102; Hebrews 5

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 100:1 Shout for joy to the LORD all the earth.
2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
3. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Observation: Joy and gladness, shouts and songs are proper expressions in God’s presence. In the above verse, I am told that gladness is to be a part of my worship.

Application: My circumstances may not be the source of my shouts and songs, of my joy and gladness. But I know who created me. I am His. I am a sheep in His pasture. I have much reason for joy. True joy in my heart will find some outward expression.

Prayer: Lord, when circumstances would make me hopeless, unhappy, and gloomy Your presence, Oh God, causes me to shout and sing and worship with joy and gladness! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Mixed Together

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

July 7: Hosea 10-12; Psalm 73; Hebrews 4

Scripture: Hebrews (KJV) 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

Observation: Yesterday, Sharon made some chocolate chip cookies. Into the mixing bowl she placed things that if eaten by themselves might have made me sick—things like flower, raw eggs and shortening. In good faith, I helped her mix the dough until the individual characteristics of the ingredients were lost in the dough. (I also ate a spoonful of the dough to make sure it was worth baking. It was!) After they had been in the heat of the oven we had some delicious hot cookies! MmmmMmmm good!

Application: My life is a big mixing bowl in which God is making some special pastries for a great banquet he will be giving. Into this mixing bowl, God places a portion of scripture. Various circumstances are added from my environment…victories and defeats, happy times and sad. It is for me to mix it all together with faith. I have noticed that God seldom uses “no-bake” recipes. He fancies the taste of our lives after we have been through the oven of testing and trials. He even lets others enjoy the aroma of the fresh pastries baking in our lives.

Prayer: Lord, may the aroma of my life be pleasant; may it cause people to be hungry for you. May my life be tasty to you and to those around me. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

July 6: Hosea 6-9; Hebrews 3

Scripture: Hebrews (NIV) 3:7 So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice,
8 do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness,
9 where your ancestors tested and tried me, though for forty years they saw what I did.
10 That is why I was angry with that generation; I said, “Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.
11 So I declared on oath in my anger, “They shall never enter my rest.”
12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.”

Observation: Wise people would consider it a major crisis when the all-powerful, all-knowing God gets angry! Anger can be as intense as love.

Application: It is nice to read my favorite verses, but what a mistake it would be to ignore all the warnings. God would not love me very much if He knew of trouble lying in my path and did not warn me. I would not trust Him very much if I did not pay attention to His warnings! I need to be careful how I talk and act.

Prayer: Lord, I know that you are always righteous in your anger and that you mercies are new every morning. Thank you for the Holy Spirit that warns me. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

July 5: Hosea 2-5; Hebrews 2

Scripture: Hosea (NIV) 2:23 I will plant her for myself in the land; I will show my love to the one I called, “Not my loved one.” I will say to those called, “Not my people, You are my people;” and they will say, “You are my God.”

Observation: The nation of Israel today serves as a monument for the entire world to see the truth that God keeps His promises! In this verse He promised to bring them back to the land He gave Abraham. People in the world may say that they are not the people of God, BUT GOD SAYS, “You are my people!” And soon they will say, “You are my God.”

Application: This is the relationship God wants with me. God wants everyone to know that Leon belongs to Him! I am HIS child! I am HIS servant!” But not only does Leon belong to God, God belongs to Leon! He is MY God! I am HIS; He is MINE!

Prayer: Lord, I hear you tell me that I am your child; today I want to tell you and show the world that You are my God! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

July 4: 2Kings 15-16; Hosea 1; Hebrews 1

Scripture: Hosea (NIV) 1:7 Yet I will show love to Judah; and I will save them—not by bow, sword or battle, or by horses and horsemen, but I, the LORD their God will save them.

Observation: God did not need the customary means to save His people. He did not need a great army to fight a great war. In Himself, He was able to save His people!

Application: God is the same today! When I am in trouble, I have my own ideas of how God might help me. They are logical and would work quite well. But when I trust Him, I often find that He does not use any of my ideas. And I find that His ways work out so much better than mine would have done. How logical to trust one who knows so much more than I do and who loves me so much that He sent His Son to die for me—as payment for my sins!

Prayer: Lord, Your wisdom and Your love make it logical to trust You at all times, especially in times of trouble! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

July 3: Isaiah 6-7; 2Chronicles 26-27; Philemon

Scripture: 2Chronicles (NIV) 26:5 …As long as he (King Uzziah) sought the Lord, God gave him success.
2Chronicles (NIV) 27:6 Jothan (Uzziah’s son) grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before the LORD his God.

Observation: The success of this father/son duo is credited not to their great leadership, but rather to their relationship with God. Their success as kings was given to them from God because they honored God as God.

Application: Seeking God to know His will AND walking steadfastly before God is my formula for success in any endeavor of life. To know God, to hear God, and to obey God brings me purpose, confidence and success.

NOTE: Feelings of success are often wrapped up in others. I feel successful when the significant people around me think I am successful. As a Christian, my most significant other is God. When God thinks I am successful, it does not matter what anyone else says! I take my greatest joy from His joy in me. I am like the little boy playing soccer who is always looking to see if his father is watching.

Prayer: Lord, life is really all about you! I am successful when I make you smile! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

July 2: Isaiah 4-5; Psalm 115-116; Jude

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 116:1 I love the LORD for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.
2 Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.

Observation: The writer of this psalm was happy for two things. First he served a God with ears! God can hear! What a difference between Israel’s God and the gods of the nations around them; their gods were but idols and could not hear. If the first was important, the second is even more important. God specifically heard his prayers. God focused in on what the psalmist was saying! God listened to the psalmist as though what the psalmist said was important!

Application: I know important people who have ears; I can see them. But they do not listen to me. They are too busy. They have more important people to whom they must listen. However, there is no one more important than God! There is no one busier than God. There is no one who has important people clamoring for His attention. But God listens to LEON! Wow! God listens to me!

Prayer: Lord, like the psalmist, if you are listening, then I am going to call on you as long as I live! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!