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

November 20: Matt 5-7

Scripture: Matthew (NIV) 6:19 ¶ "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Observation: In speaking of our earthly treasures, Jesus notes the futility of placing it in earthly places that are unsafe. We need to insure our investment is safe. When one compares the safety of earth’s most secure investments compared to heaven, well, there can be no comparison. Heavenly stored treasures will not rust or decay. They will not mildew or mold. Insects cannot spoil our heavenly treasures. We do not need to invest in a security system, for there are no thieves in heaven!!

Application: And one of the best reasons for investing in heaven is that my heart follows my treasure. If I put my treasure in the stock market, I will be continually checking to see how it is doing. I remember the Lord instructing me to begin supporting a certain radio ministry. Once I started monthly support, I hardly ever missed listening to that broadcast, although I did not listen very faithfully before. Truly, my heart followed my treasure.

Prayer: Lord, help me clearly see where my treasure is leading. I want my heart to follow my treasure all the way to heaven! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

November 19: Matt 1-4

Scripture: Matthew (NIV) 4:6 “If you are the Son of God,” he (Satan) said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”

Observation: The devil, always wanting us to doubt who we really are, approaches Jesus in somewhat the same way. Prove who you are! Force God to send His angles to uphold His word.

We should know who we are, and not need to prove it to anyone. We do not need to put God in a box, or back Him in a corner to get Him to fulfill His word. He will gladly fulfill His word when we move in obedience to Him!

Application: When the devil tempts me in this manner it is often along the line of, “Who do they think you are to treat you like this?” And I pick up the thought, “Yes! Who do they think I am? I deserve better than this.”

Prayer: Lord, I am so glad that you have already overcome this temptation. You live in me as the victorious one who helps me to be an overcomer also. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

November 18: Ps 124, 2Cor 11-13

Scripture: 2Corinthians (NIV) 12:14 Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you….

Observation: Paul had given a lot of time and effort in ministry to those in Corinth. He had visited them twice and was about to make a third visit. This is at least his second letter to them. The King James Version says “I seek not yours but you…” Paul was not going to Corinth because of the big offerings he would receive or that people would give things to him. His motive was to see them grow in their faith and glorify God.

Application: In other places Paul clearly writes that it is proper for those who work in ministry to make their living by the ministry. He even received support from others. However at Corinth Paul had joy in making his ministry free. During the years I have lived by the ministry, I have always involved myself in ministries from which I would receive no salary and ministries for which I was not the main leader. I appreciated the volunteer ministry of so many in the churches I pastored, it seemed only proper that I should serve others as a volunteer. The joy of the Lord and the joy of the ministry was the reward.

Prayer: Lord, what a privilege and joy to serve you. Your smile and approval is the greatest of all rewards. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

An Elevator

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

November 17: 2Cor 7-10

Scripture: 2Corinthians (NIV) 10:8 So even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the LORD gave us for building you up rather than tearing you down, I will not be ashamed of it.

Observation: Authority is the responsibility to make decisions and to hold others accountable. Authority is a tool we are given to make us better servants. It is not given so that we can force people to do what we want; it is given to enable us to better serve others.

Application: The Lord wants me to use my authority to be an elevator. I am to raise people with strength and confidence. I am to lift them to a higher floor. Should I have to take people down, may I do it like an elevator in gentleness and carefulness, bringing them down easily and not crashing to the bottom.

Prayer: Lord, the reason you gave me authority is to “build up” rather than “tear down.” May you be pleased with the way I use this special tool. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

The Same Message

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

November 16: 2Cor 3-6

Scripture: 2Corinthians (NIV) 4:2 Rather, we have renounced the secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.

Observation: By setting forth the truth plainly … How important it is that those who minister the Word, present it in ways that are easily understood. It should be clearly set forth in our lives as well as in our preaching. The truth should not be hard to identify. It should be plain; it should be easily identifiable.

Application: … we commend ourselves to everyman’s conscience … It should be easy for people to believe me. I should live my life in a way that does not contradict what I say. One message in my words and another message in my life will cause confusion in those to whom I am ministering. People should be getting the same message from my life as from my preaching.

Prayer: Lord, may my life and my words present the same message. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

November 15: Job 41, 42; 2Corinthians 1, 2

Scripture: Job (NIV) 42:10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before…
12 The LORD blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part…
16 After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation.
17 And so Job died, an old man and full of years.

Observation: God confronts Job’s friends because they had not represented Him properly to Job. God is angry with them. He tells them to go back to Job and ask Job to pray for them. God will hear Job’s prayers. And above we read that AFTER Job prayed for his friends, the LORD restored what had been taken from Job. Years later Jesus would tell those listening, “Pray for those who persecute you.” (Mat 5:44)

Application: I want to tell them what I think; Jesus says pray for them. I want to make sure everyone knows how they have mistreated me; Jesus says pray for them. I want to get even; Jesus says pray for them. I want to talk to them; Jesus says “Talk to me!” I want them to hear me; Jesus says “I’ll listen to you!” And when I obey, like Job, I find that obedience always works for my good.

Prayer: Lord, I want to be quick to obey—quick to pray for others. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

November 14: Psalm 149; 1Corinthians 15, 16

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 149:1 Praise the LORD. Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of his faithful people.

Observation: Later in verse five we are told to “sing for joy” at night in our beds. But here we are to sing our praise when with others.

Application: I do not go to church to listen to others giving praise to God. I go to join them in praising God. I do not go to church to be entertained. I go to bring joy to my Heavenly Father.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I want to bless you with my worship when I am by myself. And I want to bless you by my participation in worship when I am with others who love you. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

November 13: Job 39, 40; 1Corinthians 13, 14

Scripture: 1Corinthians (NIV) 14:33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace – as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people…
40 But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.

Observation: I have heard it said that the first law of heaven is “order.” Heaven is definitely orderly. Everything is in place. Everything has purpose. I cannot imagine a control tower of a major airport being disorderly. The order of the landings and the planes waiting their turn to land are maintained in an orderly fashion. The universe speaks of order. The galaxies and solar systems all have order. They are an expression of an orderly creator. So it should not surprise us that God wants order in His church. The highest order in a church gathering is when the Holy Spirit directs the body of Christ in ways that bring glory and honor to God the Father.

Application: There have been times when my path took me places that appeared very dis-orderly. However in looking back, I can see that God had ordered my steps with purpose. My life is fitting and orderly when it is directed by the Holy Spirit.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, bring your order to every area of my life. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

November 12: Job 37, 38; 1Corinthians 12

Scripture: Job (NIV) 38:39 Do you hunt the prey for the lioness and satisfy the hunger of the lions
40 when they crouch in their dens or lie in wait in a thicket?
41 Who provides food for the raven when it’s young cry to God and wander about for lack of food?

Observation: Job has asked God so many questions but here God is asking Job questions. Here we see that God even considers the hungry cry of the young raven as a prayer to Him! The young raven is hungrily waiting for its mother to bring food. It is unable to get any food for itself. But God hears it’s helpless prayer.

Application: If God hears the helpless cry of the young raven, how much more does He consider my cry for help!!! Later Jesus said my Heavenly Father cared for the sparrows and that I am of more value than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:29-31)

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You hear the cry of the young ravens, and I am glad to know you hear my cry too! You know how much I need You! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

November 11: Psalm 122; 1Corinthians 9-11

Scripture: 1Corinthians (NIV) 10: (Noted from verses 1-4 …they were under the cloud that led them in the wilderness,…they all passed through the sea in escaping Egypt…all ate the manna provided in the wilderness…all drank water miraculously flowing from the rock…)
5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. …
13 No temptation has overtaken you expect what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

Observation: They were chosen by God, miraculously delivered from Egypt, sustained in the wilderness by a miraculous supply of food and water. Yet, God was not pleased with some of them! Why? The following verses give four reasons: because some worshipped other gods, because some became sexually immoral, because some doubted that God was really with them, and because some of them grumbled at God’s miraculous provisions.

Application: It is good to know I have God’s blessings. It is good to know God has set me free from the old life. But there are still temptations to resist. I must remember that God is faithful not allowing me to be tempted above what I can bear. He even provides a way of escape that I can take. He has programed me to withstand and overcome temptations.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your warning about temptations. Thank you for your promise that I will not be tempted beyond what I can bear. Thank you for programming me for victory! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!