Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
December 01, 2022: SOAP #4746: Romans 5-8

SCRIPTURE:  Romans (NIV) 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

OBSERVATION:  Here we read that our justification came by faith. This is not the promise of justification that we will receive at a later time, but what we have presently.  We have already received it! 

Along with being cleansed and made as “just as if” we had never sinned, comes peace.  Our sins destroyed any hope we might have had regarding peace with God, but through the Lord Jesus Christ and His work on the cross, we have peace.  All animosity between God and us has been resolved by a payment (the blood of Jesus) that more than covered the offence of our sin!  Again, this is not something that we will be given in the future, but something we have now in the present!  We have peace when Jesus Christ becomes “our Lord.” 

When He has the power of decision, the power of directing, we have peace.  He alone, through His Holy Spirit, can establish peace and maintain peace with God.  By His death He establishes our peace; and by His indwelling Spirit He maintains it!

APPLICATION: In regard to my past, Jesus established peace through His death on the cross.  In regard to my present, Jesus maintains peace through His indwelling Spirit. 

How I need to cultivate an on-going relationship with the Holy Spirit!  By listening to Him and doing as He directs I continue to enjoy peace with God. 

PRAYER:   Jesus, thank you for your death with which you paid for my sins.  Holy Spirit, thank you for living inside me and directing me in the way of peace with God.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
November 30, 2022: SOAP #4745: Romans 1-4

SCRIPTURE:  Romans (NIV) 1:1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God, by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.

OBSERVATION:  Through the prophecies in the Old Testament, we are assured that Jesus, as a descendent of David, is the Son of man, fully human. He was carried in the womb of a human for nine months. He was born as an infant and grew to manhood.  He was hungry and became tired. 

It was the resurrection that “declared with power” that Jesus is the Son of God. His death proved His humanness. His resurrection proved His divinity. His death showed Him to be the Son of man. His resurrection showed Him to be the Son of God.

Actions speak louder than words.  There are no words of Jesus that are more powerful than His resurrection.  No one was at the garden grave calling Jesus to come out of the tomb.  No one was speaking to His dead body to come back to life.  The only ones at the tomb were ones making sure no one would steal His dead body.  By His power as God the Son, He rose from the grave!  He had laid down His life and He picked it up again.  What a powerful declaration!

APPLICATION: Jesus, the Son of God, has already been and returned from where I am headed, death and the grave!  He is with me now and from this moment on! The death-defeater in me is more than able to overcome any problem in this life! 

PRAYER:   Jesus, how powerfully you have spoken. The truth of who you are fills my heart and life. Your presence in my life assures me that I have nothing to fear! Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
November 29, 2022: SOAP #4744: 1Thes 4-5; 2Thes 1-3

SCRIPTURE:  1Thessalonians (NIV) 5:6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.

OBSERVATION:  Paul makes such a clear distinction between the believers to whom he is writing and the unbelievers still living in the world’s system.  There is a difference in who we are.  There is a difference in Whose we are!  There is a difference in our understanding.  We may be in the same circumstances, but we see them so differently. 

SO, there should be a difference in how we live.  OTHERS are asleep, but let US be awake.  Those living in the system of the world are clueless and unaware of what is about to happen.  We are alert, or mentally in tune with our circumstances.  We live with different priorities. 

APPLICATION: People listen to what I say and watch how I live.  They should be able to see a difference.  This world is not my home.  I believe Jesus is soon to return!  So, then I am living to please him, trusting him for direction and provision.

PRAYER:  Lord, thank you for bringing me out of the kingdom of darkness into your Kingdom of light.  May I live my life in the light as you are in the light!  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
November 28, 2022: SOAP #4743: Matthew 28; 1Thes 1-3

SCRIPTURE:  1Thessalonians (NIV) 3:11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. 12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

OBSERVATION:  It is good to note Paul’s prayers for the Thessalonians in this letter.  To this point his prayers have mostly been prayers of thanksgiving for their acceptance of God’s word and what God has done for them.  In the verses above, Paul prays for God to make a way for him to visit these dear friends.  He prays for their love for one another to increase.  

Then in verse 13, he prays with heaven in view.  What happens here on earth, in this life, is preparation for the time they will stand in the presence of God.  They cannot depend on their own works to make them “blameless and holy.”  Only the work of Jesus on the cross can cover their sins and make them holy and just as if they had never sinned!  May they stand in the presence of God with their sins forgiven to receive rewards for faithful service. 

APPLICATION:  When I pray for my family and friends, I too need to pray with heaven in view.  Paul did not pray for earthly blessings, like good jobs, abundance of finances, cars, houses, etc.  It is not wrong to pray for such things, but the focus of my prayers, like Paul, should be on eternal things. 

PRAYER:   Heavenly Father, may my son rejoice in your presence on that day.  And may his presence before you bring you great rejoicing too.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
November 27, 2022: SOAP #4742: Psalm 125; Matthew 26-27

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew (NIV) 26:30 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 31 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”

OBSERVATION:  Jesus had made it clear that hard days were ahead.  He would be tried and condemned to death.  He would be crucified.  His followers would be scattered.  The disciples would be in hiding.  BUT after it was over…  After Jesus had risen from the dead…  Jesus had plans for the future!  They were to meet Him in Galilee!

In Mark 16:7, the angel at the empty tomb told the ladies coming to anoint the body, “But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”

APPLICATION: When I see hard times ahead, I need to recall what God has spoken to me.  Did His words to me include any future plans?  Has he given me something to do that I will need to do at a later date?  He must be expecting me to make it through the trial. 

God would not have given me an assignment that He will not help me fulfill.  Remembering God’s promises and remembering His directions can be great faith builders for holding steady in present and future trials. 

The trio known as “Sisters” sing: 
   I’m gonna make it, He’s already said that I would
   I’ll keep on trusting that He’s working everything for my good
   He walks beside me and heaven is in my view,
   I’m gonna make it through.

PRAYER:  Lord, I know I can trust you for the future.  I know I can trust your plans.  I know that you will work through everything for my good and your glory!Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
November 26, 2022: SOAP #4741: Matthew 23-25

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew (NIV) 24:23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time. 26 “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the desert,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

OBSERVATION:  Jesus was explaining to his disciples about the end times. Satan and his kingdom would be on an all-out attack to destroy God’s Kingdom. Jesus was giving them warning “ahead of time.”

By having this knowledge ahead of time, they would know what to believe and how to respond to what they hear. 

APPLICATION: God is faithful to prepare His children for what they will be facing.  I need to be faithful reading God’s word and hiding it in my heart.  I need to have fresh input from God’s word every day.  By faithfully reading God’s word, I am being prepared for the future. 

And what is more…God has given me His Holy Spirit to be with me every day.  He brings His word to my attention to prepare me for what is ahead. 

PRAYER:   Lord, you are obviously interested in my success.  Your Holy Spirit uses your word to prepare me for what lies ahead.  May I be as interested in being prepared as you are in preparing me.   Use the words in this SOAP to prepare someone for what is coming their way today.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
November 25, 2022: SOAP #4740: Matthew 20-22

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew (NIV) 20:17 And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, 18 Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, 19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.

OBSERVATION:  Jesus knew what was coming. He knew the agony that was coming His way. Here he was preparing the disciples. His description did not stop in the time of suffering. He did not end with “mocked and flogged and crucified.” His description went all the way through the suffering to the time of victory! “On the third day he will be raised to life!”

APPLICATION: When I am preparing my family and loved ones for trouble, I too need to take them through the trouble to the time of victory. 

I should leave them with more than funeral plans and a list of songs I want sung at my funeral.  I must tell them about heaven.  I must tell them where they will find me when they arrive in heaven.  I will be awaiting their arrival and expecting to greet them.   

I must tell them that death does not end my life but opens the door for my life to continue into eternity.  I will see Jesus!   What a day that will be!!!

PRAYER:   Heavenly Father, Your plans for me (my family, the church) do not end with death.  Prepare me for my heavenly assignment.  May I continue in loving and serving you.  May I continue to bring joy to your heart. Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
November 24, 2022: SOAP #4739: Matthew 17-19

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew (NIV) 19:13 Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. 14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” 15 When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

OBSERVATION:  Jesus never considered children to be an interruption.  They were often the focus of His attention.  When adults tried to rearrange things to fit their priorities, Jesus corrected them and brought the children back into focus. 

Not only His words, but also His actions demonstrated the value He personally placed on children.  He touched them. 

APPLICATION: Jesus lives inside me.  He did not change His nature when He entered my life.  The way Jesus was in the days He walked the earth, is the way He is now living in me.   I want to be like Jesus.  Children must become as important to me as they were and are to Jesus. 

PRAYER:   Holy Spirit, as I drive the school bus, touch through me, speak through me, love through me. May their problems be as important to me as they are to them.  May my words bring faith into their troubles.  May my hand on their shoulder minister your approval and encouragement to their hearts.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
November 23, 2022: SOAP #4738: Matthew 14-16

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew (NIV) 14:15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so that they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” 16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” 17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. 18 “Bring them here to me,” he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

OBSERVATION:  Jesus told them to feed the hungry crowd.  They responded, “We have only… .”  — they did not reckon on the presence of Jesus!  They had enough to feed 5000 men plus the women and children.  Wow!  They even had more than enough!  They had enough for twelve basketsful of leftovers!  WOW!!  The miracle could have been done with much less!   Their attention had been on what they had in their hands (which was clearly insufficient), rather than on who was among them (Who was completely sufficient)!

APPLICATION: To limit my potential to what I have in my possession is foolish.  His resources are far greater than what I have and far greater than what I need.  Through Him I can do what God tells me to do.

The key for me is to be a good listener.  I must learn to limit myself to what He says.  I should not run ahead and make plans that I think will improve His plans.  I have so many “good” ideas.  But who can I get to pay for my ideas?  He provides for His plans; He has not promised to pay for my plans. 

PRAYER:  Lord, I believe you enable me to do what you tell me to do.  You do not ask me to do what I cannot do, but only to do what I can.  When I do what I can, I can count on you doing what you can do. It is my joy to work with you! Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
November 22, 2022: SOAP #4737: Matthew 11-13

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew (NIV) 11:25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.

OBSERVATION:  This verse interests me because it gives me a window through which I can see the heart of God.  It does not tell me how big God is, or how strong God is, or how wise God is.  It does not tell me that God is an omnipresent, eternal Spirit.  It tells me what pleasures God. 

This verse reveals the nature of His heart.  Here is something that motivates Him!   He loves to make the complicated things that confound the intelligent so simple that even children can grasp them.  Just like an earthly parent, or a teacher, God loves to see a child’s eyes light up with the joy of discovery.  It brings God pleasure to see His child come alive with new and personal revelation. 

The “wise and learned” approach the truth of the scriptures intellectually.  They use their reasoning powers to gain understanding.  But the “little children” have not yet developed their mental abilities; God just unwraps it and “reveals” it to them.  Why does God do this?  It is His “good pleasure!” 

APPLICATION: When I read the scriptures and come across a hidden gem of truth, the Holy Spirit sparks my attention and my curiosity.  As I meditate on the flower bud, the pedals begin to open and soon I am looking at a beautiful flower.  Many SOAPs come out of that spark. 

Consider what I would miss if I did not take time to read God’s Word!!!  …if I did not take time to meditate on the “sparks!!!”   …if I did not allow the Holy Spirit to apply the truth to my life!!!

PRAYER:   Heavenly Father, thank you for making my time in your Word profitable to me and through the SOAPs to others.  May you be blest!  Amen

Pastor Leon
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