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

September 30: Zechariah 7-9; Luke 13

Scripture: Zechariah (NIV) 9;12 Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.

Observation: God brings two thoughts together that are somewhat foreign to each other, and yet are powerful in combination: that of being a prisoner and that of hope. Many prisoners do not have hope. In fact many a prison is made out of hopelessness.

Application: Can it be that hope is a prison keeper? Can it be that hope is what keeps me faithful in places less than desirable? Can it be that I am held by hope? Yes, yes, yes, especially when that hope comes from the Lord. I am a prisoner of hope. I cannot give up, I have hope!

I am not only a prisoner "of" hope; I am a prisoner "with" hope. It is amazing what a little ray of hope can do. It is like a little beam of light into a dark place. If light can get in, then there is a way for me to get out! The One Who shines hope into the darkness is able to get me out of the darkness.

Prayer: Lord, You are the “Hope-Giver!” With you I always have hope! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

September 29: Zechariah 4-6; Luke 12

Scripture: Luke (NIV) 12:22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear…
30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them.
31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.”

Observation: In my mind I can picture a young man needing a car for transportation to and from work. His dad just turns a deaf ear to his request yet allows him to borrow one of the family cars. Then on his 18th birthday, the father gives him a portion of his inheritance. The inheritance contains more than enough money for a car, even a car of greater value than he originally wanted.

Application: As I seek my Heavenly Father’s kingdom I discover he is not unaware of my needs. He does not ignore my needs. He does not say they are unimportant. He meets my needs! He meets my spiritual needs, and as the above verses show, he meets the needs of my physical life also!

Prayer: Lord, it is so good to be able to trust you. I trust your wisdom and your provision. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

September 28: Zechariah 1-3; Luke 11

Scripture: Luke (NIV) 11:2 He (Jesus) said to them (His disciples), “When you pray, say: ‘(Our) Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.
3 Give us each day our daily bread.
4 Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’”

Observation: Jesus did not teach his disciples to pray: Give me my bread; forgive me my sins; lead me not into temptation. He was not teaching them to pray alone, but to pray as a group. And when they pray as an individual, they should be consciously aware that they are not alone in following Jesus.

Application: In praying for my needs, I need to be more aware that those around me have needs too. Even when praying for forgiveness, I need to remember others need forgiveness too. When I come to the Lord with my sins, I can remember that others sin too. I need the merciful God to forgive me in the same way my brother or sister needs the merciful God to forgive them. I need God’s help in overcoming temptations, and those around me need God’s help also.

Prayer: Lord, we are a needy people. We need your provision, your forgiveness, and your protection. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

September 27: Haggai 1-2; Psalm 129; Luke 10

Scripture: Luke (NIV) 10:8 When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you.
9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, “The Kingdom of God has come near to you.”

Observation: Jesus was sending his disciples out to expand his ministry. Here are the instructions he gave as he sent them out. Like his own ministry, Jesus wanted their ministry to consist of healing and teaching. They were to teach about the Kingdom of God. The Israelites were looking for an earthly kingdom that would free them from the rule of Rome; they were not too interested in a heavenly kingdom. So the disciples were to demonstrate the power of God’s kingdom by healing the sick. The presence of God’s kingdom makes a difference on earth.

Application: When I refer to Jesus as Lord, I am claiming to be a part of His kingdom and placing myself under His authority. People will not want what I have unless they see that God’s kingdom makes a difference in my life here on earth. My life is to be a demonstration of the Kingdom of God here on earth.

Prayer: Lord, may your authority be established in me and expressed through me. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

September 26: Ezra 4; Psalm 113, 127; Luke 9

Scripture: Luke 9:43 And they were all amazed at the greatness of God. While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples,
44 “Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.”
45 But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.

Observation: The New International Version translates it as: …Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you.” The King James Version translates it, “Let these sayings sink down into your ears.” A time was soon to come when it would be good for them to remember what he was saying. It would have been good for them to ask questions. It just did not need to sink into their ears but into their hearts.

Application: When I am passing through troubled times, it is good if I can remember what God has said to me. There have been several times when God spoke things to me that I did not understand, but I felt certain that He was speaking to me. I put them on a shelf in my mind where they could be safe. Sometimes I would think about them, but put them back on the shelf because I could not see any application. But times came when I needed to know God’s will. And then the Holy Spirit reminded me of what was on the shelf. Then I knew what to do.

Prayer: Lord, Thank you for your faithfulness to speak to me ahead of time, even though I had no understanding at the time. Later your Word guided me and gave me comfort that you knew what was happening in my life. I can trust you! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

September 25: Ezra 2-3; Luke 8 (J I see I wrote on the wrong scripture.)

Scripture: Luke (KJV) 4:38 And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon’s house. And Simon’s wife’s mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her.
39 And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them.

Observation: I noticed in this verse that Simon’s mother-in-law was healed by Jesus and she immediately began ministering to those around her. Her healing enabled her to serve. God loves to bless people; but He also wants them to have the joy of passing those blessing to others.

Application: God’s blessings to me, be they healings, strength, finances, etc. are not just meant for my benefit. I am blest to be a blessing. I wonder how God feels when I ask for more finances when the last time I spent what He gave me only on myself? It is good to be free from pain, but healing should enable me to do something for someone else even if it is just telling them what God has done for me.

Prayer: Lord, my life is full of your blessings. May I be as generous to others and you have been to me. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

September 24: Ezra 1; Psalm 84-85; Luke 7

Scripture: Ezra (NIV) 1: 5 Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites—everyone whose heart God had moved—prepared to go up and build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem.
6 All their neighbors assisted them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with valuable gifts, in addition to all the freewill offerings.
7 Moreover King Cyrus brought out the articles belonging to the temple of the LORD which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and had placed in the temple of his god.

Observation: In the opening verses of this book we find that God had moved the heart of King Cyrus to recognize Jehovah as the LORD God above all gods and that His temple in Jerusalem should be rebuilt. In verse five (above) God moved on the hearts of some of the Jews to move back to Jerusalem to do the work. They did not organize a fund raiser or beg for money. The same God who moved the heart of King Cyrus was the same God who moved their hearts to go. And the same God worked in the hearts of their neighbors to assist by giving. Even King Cyrus provided for their mission! God covers all aspects of HIS projects.

Application: From personal experience, I know God pays for what He authorizes. If the vision is MINE and WHAT I WANT TO DO for the Lord, then I may have to struggle to find the money. But when the vision is HIS and is WHAT HE WANTS ME TO DO for Him, then I can rest in faith that He will provide. When it is His vision, the pressure of finances is not on me, and I do not have to put pressure on others. I can obey expecting His supply.

Prayer: Lord, It is good to rest in your plan knowing you are the Great Provider. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

September 23: Daniel 11-12; Luke 6

Scripture: Luke (NIV) 6:45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart if full of.

Observation: The mouth often becomes a window allowing others to see what is in the heart. A person may try to carefully choose their words, but in an unguarded moment the contents of the heart spills out through the mouth. We need to seriously consider what we read in God’s word. In meditating on it, we are tucking away God’s word into the corners and empty places of our heart. The Holy Spirit can bring it to my memory when we need it.

Application: When I squeeze the ketchup container, I expect Ketchup. When I squeeze the mustard container, I expect mustard. And when my heart is suddenly squeezed may my words be His words!

Prayer: Lord, I want my heart to be filled with your Word and with your praise. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

September 22: Daniel 9-10; Psalm 123; Luke 5

Scripture: Luke (NIV) (Jesus speaking) 5:37 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. 38 No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking the old wine wants the new, for they say, “The old is better.”

Observation: Of course people say the old is better. It is better for it has aged and the taste has been refined. But it would be foolish to forget that what is now old was once new. And when it was new, people said the same thing about it that they are now saying about the new wine of today. Jesus was speaking about the changes that were coming to God lovers. The church would not fit into the Jewish religion. The church would be open to people who are not Jews. The church would have a freedom that the Jews did not have under the law.

Application: It is not uncommon today for my generation (the older generation) to complain about the differences we find in the church. It is not like it used to be. We need to be careful not to criticize God’s Spirit being poured into new wineskins. I want to leave a good example for the new generation as to how to continue strong faith and commitment. Should the Lord tarry His coming, they too will go through times of change. I want them to remember me as gracious and encouraging. I pray they will serve the Lord with total commitment and abandonment.

Prayer: Lord, work your graciousness into my life. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

September 21: Daniel 7-8; Psalm 137; Luke 4

Scripture: Luke (KJV) 4: 3 And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.
4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

Observation: Here and in other places in the scriptures the Word of God is compared to physical bread. God so designed our bodies to need bread/nourishment on a regular, daily basis. He also designed our spiritual lives to need regular/daily nourishment.

Application: I am thinking that the spiritually weak status of so many Christians today can be attributed to the lack of daily spiritual nourishment. If they ate as little physical food as spiritual food they would be extremely sickly and scrawny. Spiritually they are starving themselves.

Prayer: Lord, Thank you for the availability of your Word. Help me not to be negligent in reading and applying it to my life. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!