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

September 10: Lamentations 3-5; Revelation 15

Scripture: Lamentations (NIV) 3:19 I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. 20 I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. 21 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: 22 Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”

Observation: It seems like trouble comes easily to our memory. We do not have to try to think about trouble. It seems our minds are programmed to ponder trouble. As we think about the bad things that come our way, we become depressed. But those who know the Lord, have something to “call to mind.” I may not be able to stop thinking about trouble by trying to stop thinking about trouble. But I can actively place my thoughts on something else.

Application: Today I will find hope as I actively think about the LORD’s great love, His compassion which never fails, and His great faithfulness. How can I be depressed when I consider the greatness of the LORD!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, when I think about trouble, I often make it bigger than it really is, but when I think about you, I can never make you bigger in my thoughts than you really are! Indeed, you are amazingly great! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

September 9: Lamentations 1-2; Obadiah; Revelation 14

Scripture: Obadiah (NIV) 3 “The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks and make your home on the heights, you who say to yourself, ‘Who can bring me down to the ground?’
4 Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down,” declares the LORD.

Observation: God was speaking through Obadiah to the nation of Edom. Eastons Revised Bible Dictionary says, “After an existence as a people for above seventeen hundred years, they (Edom) have utterly disappeared, and their language even is forgotten forever.”

Application: I rejoice when I hear about God’s promises to heal, help, restore, and bless being fulfilled. I am reminded that God is FAITHFUL to keep his promises. However I must not forget that God is also faithful to fulfill his promise to judge sin.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, you are the FAITHFUL God! You are faithful to bless those who repent AND you are faithful to punish those who do not repent. May those who know and love you rejoice when you bless our nation and not be surprised when you send judgment on the sins of our nation. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

September 8: Jeremiah 42-44; Psalm 48; Revelation 13

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 48:10 Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with righteousness.

Observation: Praise for God can be found wherever His name is known. People who know the Name of the Lord always have reason to give Him praise. Sometimes it is in little things and sometimes in the big things one can see God’s righteous deeds.

Application: Wherever I go in the world I find many things for which to praise God. And I always find that people who know the Name of the Lord are praising God. I need only to join with them.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, you are worthy of praise at every place on earth. With confidence I can say that there is no place I will be today where you are not worthy of praise! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

September 7: 2Kings 25; 2Chronicles 36; Jeremiah 40-41; Revelation 12

Scripture: Revelation (NIV) 12:7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

Observation: My first thoughts were, how strange that there is war in heaven. How could there be war in God’s throne room? Then I thought that the word “heaven” sometimes refers to all that is not earth. Although Satan has some freedom to roam in the heavens, I am thinking that his emphasis is earth. Earth is where God’s special creation is being prepared to rule and reign. Earth is the place God sent His Son, Jesus, to live a sinless life and die for the sins of man. However a time is coming when Satan will be limited to the earth.

Application: Satan’s battle is not with me, it is with God. My life is the territory that both kingdoms want to claim for their own. Satan uses me to get at God. Jesus died for me because He loves me. My life is often the battlefield. Accepting Christ as my Savior gains me entrance into God’s Kingdom. Making Jesus my Lord and submitting to His authority helps me live in victory in His kingdom.

Prayer: Jesus, you are my Savior and my Lord. By your death as my Savior you purchased my freedom. By your love and wisdom as my Lord you rule my life for my good and your glory. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Prophecy

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

September 6: Ezekiel 29-32; Revelation 11

Scripture: Ezekiel (NIV) 30:1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says:…

Observation: Here is the definition of prophecy; it is giving forth the word of the LORD. I used to think of prophecy as pertaining to the future; and many times it does. But more simply and more complete; prophecy is just saying what God is saying.

Application: Sometimes that word has to do with the future, and sometimes with the present. But I am finding it always has application to the lives of the hearers—it always has application to me. God still loves people and hates sin as much as He ever did. So the words He spoke in the past have meaning to me today. Many times as I read and understand what He spoke to others, I find I better understand what he is speaking to me.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for having people write down your words so that I might learn from them today. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

September 5: Ezekiel 25-28; Revelation 10

Scripture: Ezekiel (NIV) 28:15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you…
16 Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones.
17 Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.

Observation: Here I believe the Holy Spirit’s anointing has carried the prophet from writing about the king of Tyre, who had set himself up as a god (see the previous verses), to writing about the evil power behind the king, even Satan himself. As all God’s creation, Satan was created beautiful and blameless. But he took his eyes off the Creator and put them on creation—he became enamored by his own beauty.

Application: It is so easy to take credit for our appearance and talents. But I had no choice in the body that was given me; however I can choose to use it to glorify God. I also had no choice in the talents that were given me, but I can develop them and use them to glorify God. I may not have much choice in the people who will cross my path today, but I can see each one as an opportunity to make God look good.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for what you have given me. May I use my body and my talents for your glory! Tonight may I go to sleep tired, but happy in knowing that all the glory that came my way was passed along to you. Today may I speak your name with appreciation many times. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

September 4: Ezekiel 22-24; Revelation 9

Scripture: Ezekiel (NIV) 22:12 In you are people who accept bribes to shed blood; you take interest and make a profit from the poor. You extort unjust gain from your neighbors. And youve forgotten me…”

Observation: They remembered how to do the evil things, but had forgotten the most important thing! They no longer had a proper measure for good and evil.

Application: When we forget God, we lose all perspective on reality. We lose our “Measuring Stick” for judging good and evil. Not having a true measure for good and evil, before long, we judge evil on how it compares to what others are doing. As long as we can see someone who is worse than ourselves, we feel justified in continuing as usual.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, what a terrible awakening will come when the world realizes that your perfect holiness in the measure by which all men will be judged. What a tremendous thanksgiving will arise in the hearts of those whose personal righteousness has been replaced by the righteousness of your Son, Jesus! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

September 3: Ezekiel 20-21; Psalm 111; Revelation 8

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 111:1 Praise the LORD. I will extol the LORD with all my heart in the council of the upright and in the assembly.
2 Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who delight in them.
3 Glorious and majestic are his deeds…
7 The works of his hands are faithful and just…
8 …done in faithfulness and uprightness…
10 …To Him belongs eternal praise.

Observation: The psalmist was not going to sit idly by while others sang their praises to God. He was going to join in with all his heart! He knows that God deserves eternal praise! In this chapter he focuses on the works of God. They are glorious, majestic, faithful, just and done in faithfulness and uprightness! No wonder God’s people think about them and delight in them. God expresses Himself in His works! With all our heart—that is the only way to praise God!

Application: God’s works are such a source of joy to me. They are expressions of His great love and holiness. And in the same way, I know that my works are expressions of what is in my heart.

Prayer: Lord, may people see you in the things I do. I want my works, my words and deeds, to be an expression of you living in me. I hope you enjoy seeing my works as I enjoy seeing your works! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

September 2: Ezekiel 17-19; Revelation 7

Scripture: Revelation (NIV) 7:9 After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.

Observation: The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…) will be fulfilled. People from every nation, every tribe, every people group, and language will be present on that day when we stand in worship before the throne of God Almighty! What a day that will be!!!

Application: Songs that comes to my heart and mind as I write this: “What a day that will be!” “When we all get to heaven!” “When the roll is called up yonder I’ll be there.” “It will be worth it all, when we see Jesus.” These are songs we sing at our family reunions. I can hear my Grandpa Boese singing: “Face to Face.” I can hear my mother and Aunt Clara singing about “Looking for a city that is built four-square.” Standing before the throne is going to be one great family reunion!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for the great privilege of being in a family that is looking forward to meeting at your throne. What a day that will be! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

September 1: Ezekiel 15, 16; Psalm 70; Revelation 6

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 70:4 But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, “Let God be exalted!”

Observation: Those who make it their practice to seek the Lord have cause to rejoice and will be joyful. They may not find reason to rejoice and be joyful in their circumstances, but they will always have cause to rejoice in their God. It is possible to exalt problems to where they are bigger than they actually are. It is impossible to exalt God to where He is greater than He really is!

Application: When my eyes are on my problems I can see that the problems are greater than me; it is natural to worry. But when my eyes are on God, I can easily see that He is much greater than the problems!!! His love directs his power to work for my benefit. His love directs his knowledge and wisdom to be available to me as needed. Let God be exalted in my life!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I exalt you today. You are much bigger than any problem coming my way. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!