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

March 31: Judges 9-10; Psalm 49; 1Corinthians 16

Scripture: 1Corinthians (NIV) 16:14 Let all that you do be done in love.

Observation: As Paul closes his letter to the church in Corinth, he gives several short comments to encourage his readers to live lives that please the Lord. This verse is a general comment that covers the motive for all that we do.

Application: I might not consider love as a motive for some of the things I do, but I should. As God can be seen in his handiwork, out of love for him, I want him to be seen in my work. Salary, responsibility, recognition, compliments are all secondary motives. My life and work should be done in a way that demonstrates my love and honor for God.

Prayer: Lord, I want my love for you to be seen in all I do. I want other to see my love, but most of all I want you to see it. I want to bring joy to your heart. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

March 30: Judges 8; Psalm 42; 1Corinthians 15

Scripture: Judges (Message) 8:1 Then the Ephraimites said to Gideon, “Why did you leave us out of this, not calling us when you went to fight Midian?” They were indignant and let him know it.
2 But Gideon replied, “What have I done compared to you? Why, even the gleanings of Ephraim are superior to the vintage of Abiezer.
3 God gave you Midian’s commanders, Oreb and Zeeb. What have I done compared with you?” When they heard this, they calmed down and cooled off.

Observation: How wise was Gideon to deflect their anger by humbly playing down his accomplishments and playing up theirs.

Application: Humility and wisdom are so useful in dealing with high energy situations when emotions run high.

Prayer: Lord, I pray that the wisdom of your Holy Spirit will flow through me today. Help me to humbly walk in the way you lead. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

March 29: Judges 6-7; Psalm 52; 1Corinthians 14

Scripture: Judges (NIV) 7: 20 The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, “A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!”
21 While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled.
22 When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the LORD caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords.

Observation: At the direction of the LORD, Gideon’s army was reduced in size from 32,000 down to 300. God was making sure that only He would receive the glory for the coming victory. Instead of being armed with weapon, God commanded them to carry a pitcher with a burning torch inside and a trumpet. They would not need swords; out of fear the enemy would use their own swords to kill each other. After the battle was over, there would be more swords than Gideon’s 300 men could carry.

Application: I am best prepared for battle when I listen to God and obey. He knows the battle plan and what I will need to do my part. And when the battle is over, the victory will be mine and the glory will be His!

Prayer: Lord, to hear you, to trust you, and to obey. May my hearing improve every day. May my trust increase. I set myself to obey you. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

March 28: Judges 4-5; Psalm 39, 41; 1Corinthians 13

Scripture: 1Corinthians (NIV) 13:8 Love never fails.

Observation: What a simple statement, yet it contains within its thought all the verses preceding and following. In its simplicity, it can be seen in animals caring for their young. In its extravagance, it can be seen in the Creator dying for the sins of the man he created for fellowship.

Application: It amazes me to think that I am the focus of a love that never fails. It is unearned, undeserved, and too often unappreciated. Every day may I grow in valuing God’s love.

Prayer: Lord, oh, how you love me. I am amazed! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

March 27: Judges 1-3; 1Corinthians 12

Scripture: 1Corinthians (NIV) 12:11 All these [the gifts mentioned in verses 8-10] are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. …
18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.

Observation: Verse 12: " … just as He determines." That God is sovereign there can be no question. Not only did He create the world according to his divine plan, he has created the church according to His divine plan. And that plan included placing the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the individual members. He who makes no mistakes has equipped each of us for success as we rely upon His provision to accomplish His will.

Observation: Verse 18: “…just as he wanted them to be.” That these parts are present in the body is obvious, but how they got there must be deduced from an outside source. Here the Bible says that the parts of the body were designed and placed by God, just as He wanted them to be. They are present at His design and pleasure!

Application: God has placed me in His body and given me gifts for His glory and for the good of the church. To let petty preferences hinder me from being useful and using the gifts God has placed in me robs God of the glory He deserves and robs the church of God’s gifts.

Prayer: Lord, help me to be useful, using the gifts you have placed in me to benefit others and glorify you. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

March 26: Joshua 23-24; Psalm 44; 1Corinthians 11

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 44:6 I put no trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory;
7 but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame.
8 In God we make our boast all day long, and we praise your name forever.

Observation: God had promised the land to Israel and then gave them victories over the nations that once lived there. The Psalmist was celebrating those victories in this psalm. The Israelites could not boast in their great army, or in their great battle plans. Clearly their God had given them the victory!

Application: The longer I live, the more I realize that I can only boast in the Lord. Victory and success comes to me as I follow His lead. His ways are always better than my ways. His wisdom always proves wiser than mine. The smartest thing I can do is to do as He directs.

Prayer: Lord, I can trust you because you are trustworthy. You are faithful. I can trust you because you are wise. I can trust you because you love me. You have proved your love for me! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

March 25: Joshua 21-22; Psalm 47; 1Corinthians 10

Scripture: 1Corinthians (NIV) 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—
33 even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good, but the good of many, so that they may be saved.

Observation: What Paul wrote to the church under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit may not be acceptable to people of the “me” generation. In Paul’s priorities, pleasing himself came far behind winning souls. He was more interested in the eternal destination of the people around him than in his own comfort.

Application: It has been impossible for me to live for God without at times offending someone. But that should never be my goal. If I want to bring people to Jesus, I have to be willing to step out of my comfort zone and go the extra mile, even when tired. Sometimes it means I must be willing to give what I would rather keep. Sometimes it means not doing what I would enjoy.

Prayer: Lord, it is hard to choose not to offend—hard to choose to seek the good of others. What helps is when your love flows through me. Lord, help me love the world the way you love the world. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

March 24: Joshua 18-20; 1Corinthians 9

Scripture: 1Corinthians (NIV) 9:22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all thing to all people so that by all possible means I might save some
23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

Observation: Instead of making people cross cultural barriers to hear the gospel, Paul was willing to cross those barriers so that the people hearing the gospel would hear it from someone who understood them. God places each believer in a unique place so that people will be able to hear the gospel from someone who lives like they do.

Application: The Lord has me living in Andover, Kansas, USA so that the people in Andover can hear the good news from someone who knows what it is like to live in Andover. The Lord has me working as a bus driver so that another bus driver can hear the good news from someone who knows what it is like to be a bus driver.

Prayer: Lord, as members of your body, we “have become all things to all people that by all possible means” we might save some. May I be useful to you. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

March 23: Joshua 15-17; 1Corinthians 8

Scripture: 1Corinthians 8:3 But whoever loves God is known by God.

Observation: For those who do not love God, thinking that God might know everything about them can cause them to think that God is spying on them. They do not like the idea that God knows their every thought and every action. They like their privacy. But…

Application: …how wonderful it is to be known by God! I can rely on Him for strength because He knows my weaknesses. I can rely on Him for provision because He knows what I need. I can rely on Him for counsel because He knows how little I really know. When I confess my sins, I can rely on Him for forgiveness because He knows my heart.

Prayer: Lord, there is no reason to hide anything from you. I trust your wisdom and love for me and am glad that you know me! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

March 22: Joshua 12-14; 1Corinthians 7

Scripture: Joshua (NIV) 13:1 When Joshua had grown old, and the LORD said to him, “You are now very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over.
2 This is the land that remains: …
6 …Be sure to allocate this land to Israel for an inheritance, as I have instructed you…

Observation: Joshua was old, but there was still work to be done. The land had not been fully cleared and assigned to the tribes. Joshua was to divide the land among the tribes of Israel and they were to go and take possession of their inheritance. The end of Joshua’s life was not the end of God’s plan for Israel. His work was to help the nation continue in the land.

Application: I do not yet think of myself as “very old,” but I am a part of the senior generation. God has given me things to do. And I know that a day will come when I will have to leave what remain to others, unless Jesus returns before then. The end of my earthly life will not be the end of God’s working. God’s plans will outlast my life. My work is to help people continue in their faith.

Prayer: Lord, I want to be faithful in this season of my life. Help me to be fruitful as a senior citizen. Help me be an encourager for the following generations. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!