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

March 21: Joshua 9-11; 1Corinthians 6

Scripture: Joshua (NIV) 9:14 And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.

Observation: The people showed up in the camp of Israel with stale bread and empty bottles of wine. Their clothing and shoes were worn out. They lied to Joshua and Israel’s leaders that their food and clothes were as new when they left their home but became worn out as they had traveled so far. They came to make peace with Israel. It was a believable story and the evidence seemed so clear. Yet a few days later when Israel was preparing to attack the city of Gibeon, they were confronted with the agreement they had made. Now they had to keep their word which they had foolishly given.

Application: I can never trust the provision of the world! What a mistake to not enquire of the Lord! Things may seem so clear, the decision may seem so obvious that I do not feel I need to waste time talking to the Lord, but…

Prayer: Lord, too much is at stake for me not to seek your counsel. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

March 20: Joshua 7-8; Psalm 69; 1Corinthians 5

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 69:30 I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.
31 This will please the LORD more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hooves.
32 The poor will see and be glad—you who seek God, may your hearts live!

Observation: The law of Moses gave requirements for various sacrifices. But in these verses, David recognized that an offering of praise and thanksgiving would please the LORD more than an animal sacrifice.

Application: Sometimes in wanting to please the Lord, I think I must do something big. However I may not be able to do something big, or may not have the opportunity. But I can always praise Him and I can always think of something for which I can be thankful.

Prayer: Lord, today will be a day of praising you and giving you thanks. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

March 19: Joshua 3-6; 1Corinthians 4

Scripture: Joshua (NIV) 5:13 Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”
14 “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?”

Observation: He did not come to give advice, but to take charge. Joshua became #2. Joshua could only give orders if he could take orders. The battle plan was designed to give Joshua the opportunity to prove that he could follow orders. Many times the instructions we receive from the Lord are not designed to fix the problem, but to demonstrate our obedience! Once the Lordship issue is settled, God is free to bring the deliverance needed. Obedience proves submission and submission takes priority over everything else. Once the Lord wins the battle inside a person, He can then use that person to win battles on the outside!

Application: To me it appears black and white. I am right and the other side is wrong. Like Joshua, I ask, “Lord, are you for me or for my enemy?” But more important to the Lord: is my heart fully surrendered to him? Can He trust me to do what He says?

Prayer: Lord, no one is more capable to be in charge than you! You alone are able to understand every aspect of every situation. Trusting you makes perfect sense! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

March 18: Joshua 1-2; Psalm 37; 1Corinthians 3

Scripture: 1Corinthians (NIV) 3:21 So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future – all are yours, 23 and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.

Observation: The people in Corinth had a tendency to boast about who they were following. They considered themselves more spiritual than others who followed different leaders. They needed to realize that they were really following Christ. Their leaders belonged to Christ, and they did too! They should be boasting in the Lord!

Application: Sometimes people thank me for the SOAP. I want to respond, “I agree, that one is really good,” because it really is good! But I do not respond that way because I fear it may be interpreted that I am boasting on myself. I try to write what God gives me—something fresh each day—just from Him. They are good! If not for others, they are good for me because God gives them to me. So all the glory belongs to Him! If God uses the SOAP to speak to others, then all their glory belongs to Him also!

Those who translate these SOAPs into other languages do not take the credit for the SOAP—they are simply translating what I have written. And in the same way, I cannot take the credit for the SOAP—I am just trying to translate into English words that I hear God speaking into my spirit. All the glory belongs to God!

Prayer: Lord, help me to use my words and actions to translate your truth into everyday living so people can come to know and love you. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

March 17: Deuteronomy 32-34; 1Corinthians 2

Scripture: Deuteronomy (NIV) 32:3 I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God!
4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect and all his ways are just.
A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.

Observation: These words are from a song Moses wrote to celebrate the end of the forty-year wilderness journey. He wrote the song to teach the people and help them remember. At the beginning of the song Moses proclaims the greatness and holiness of God. If we do not get this right, we will not get anything right. Understanding the character of God helps us understand His creation.

Application: God is perfectly just and everything he does is right! Knowing the perfect holiness of His character helps me understand that I can never live up to His standards on my own. Of course this is also obvious to Him, so He sent His Holy Spirit to live inside me. (Thank you, Jesus!) Knowing His character helps me understand why He works on the attitudes in my heart and things that do not seem so important to me. There is no “small” sin to him!

Prayer: Lord, you are amazing! You are perfect in holiness. Make my life an expression of your love and holiness. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

March 16: Deuteronomy 30-31; Psalm 40; 1Corinthians 1

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit, and out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the LORD and put their trust in him.

Observation: It is good when people can see the grace of God at work in our lives. They can see how great He is and may put their trust in him too. But this passage begins with the psalmist “waiting patiently” for the LORD. He did not run ahead, he waited. He did not give up and quit on the LORD. He waited, but how he waited was important: He waited patiently. He was already in the crisis and needed help, but his patience demonstrated that his trust was in God.

Application: Sometimes it is difficult to wait on the LORD. I want answers now. I do not see how God is developing the big picture. I need to refocus my vision on Him! I need to remember what He has done for me in the past. Waiting patiently demonstrates to others that I think my God is worth waiting for. It demonstrates that I am confident that God will give me the answer and that God’s answer will be well worth the wait!

Prayer: Lord, it is always worthwhile to wait patiently for you. Sometimes You take care of my crisis while I am waiting; sometimes you show me what to do; but You always put a song of praise in my mouth. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

March 15: Deuteronomy 28-29; Galatians 6

Scripture: Galatians (NIV) 6:5 …each one should carry their own load.
6 Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.

Observation: Paul encourages everyone to take care of their own needs. Employers who pay Christian employees should know that they are receiving great value for the salary they are paying. People who hire the services of a self-employed Christian should be happy to settle their bill because they recognize the good work that was performed. But it is Paul’s readers who are responsible to pay their spiritual teachers. Paul is placing the emphasis on those being taught to take care of the needs of the teacher. It is not the teacher’s responsibility to make this his business. Teachers need to be careful not to make too much of the money they receive or they will teach greed. Teachers need to be careful not to make too little of the money they receive or they will teach that laboring in the Word is not worth much!

Application: To the teacher is given the responsibility to teach about money. To the people is given the responsibility to make sure the needs of their teachers are met.

Prayer: Lord, give our church leaders both boldness and wisdom to teach about money. And may they teach by example. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

March 14: Deuteronomy 25-27; Galatians 5

Scripture: Galatians (NIV) 5:11 Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished.

Observation: If Paul preached reliance on keeping the law, he would not be persecuted. But in preaching reliance on the cross of Christ, Paul is being persecuted. The cross is offensive, especially to the Jews. Offensive: because no one can take pride is how well they keep the law. Offensive: because they have to rely on someone who died like a criminal. Offensive: because it places no value on all their good works. Offensive: because it does away with 1500 years of tradition. Yes, it is offensive, but it is so glorious! It is God’s answer to a great dilemma! It answers how I, who have broken God’s holy law, could ever be accepted in His family. It answers how a holy God could ever be re-united with His sinful creation, who have all broken the laws, which are the expressions of His holy character, yet He loves them so dearly. What penalty would ever be sufficient to cover such an offence? Only what Jesus did on the cross!

Application: Like Paul says in Galatians 6:14, may my boasting, my glorying, never be in what I can do, but only in what Christ has done for me on the cross.

Prayer: Lord, may people easily recognize that I am not living in my own strength and depending on my own wisdom. I am depending on the work of Jesus on the cross and His Spirit that lives inside me. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

March 13: Deuteronomy 22-24; Galatians 4

Scripture: Galatians (NIV) 4:7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.

Observation: What a wonderful thing Jesus did for us. His death paid our debt and his indwelling resurrected life brings us into his family as his children. It is more than a legal relationship; it is a loving relationship!

Application: Today I serve God, not as his slave, but as his son! Like the prodigal son in Luke 15, I said, “Make me like one of your hired servants.” My Heavenly Father said, “Bring the robe, the ring and the shoes. Dress him like my son!”

Prayer: Lord, Today I want to serve you as your son. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

March 12: Deuteronomy 19-21; Galatians 3

Scripture: Galatians (NIV) 3:26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

Observation: Many scriptures speak of Christ coming to live inside me. However this verse emphasizes that I am to live inside Christ! I am to dress myself with Christ. Clothing is for the outside. It is what others can see. As I see Christ changing me on the inside, others can see Christ changing me on the outside.

Application: I often think of Pastor Sua singing: “Jesus on the inside, working on the outside; oh, what a change in my life!” Today people will be hearing and seeing my portrayal of Jesus. I want to be able to tell people, “This is what Jesus would say,” and show them, “This is how Jesus would do it.”

Prayer: Lord, help me become comfortable in your clothes. And may I wear them in a way that brings joy to your heart. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!