Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 10, 2023: SOAP #5029: Daniel 1-2; Revelation 16

SCRIPTURE:  Daniel (NIV) 1:12 “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink…. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead. 17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds….
20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.

OBSERVATION:  Daniel and his friends were placed in a special program to prepare them for governmental positions.  In honor of God, they asked to be given a simple diet to which the guard agreed to a test.  They honored God and God honored them.  God filled in their education with knowledge AND understanding.  God gave them wisdom. 

APPLICATION:  God works in similar ways in the lives of believers today.  The Holy Spirit reveals truth as we walk with Him.  He opens the truth of the Word as we read the Bible.  (John 16:13)

These SOAPs are prepared in obedience to the Lord.  As I read the Bible every day, the Holy Spirit sparks my attention to a word, a phrase, a verse or passage that contains something fresh for today.  It may be something I have never considered before or a fresh emphasis on something familiar.  Then I take it through the SOAP outline. 

As I post the SOAP, it is the same Holy Spirit who draws the attention of people.  His anointing on the Word makes them a blessing to many.    

PRAYER:  Holy Spirit, thank you for daily opening the scriptures to me.  Help me communicate truth.  Fill the hearts of readers with faith that you will speak to them also.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 10, 2023: SOAP #5029: Lamentations 3-5; Revelation 15

SCRIPTURE:  Revelation (NIV) 15:4 Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

OBSERVATION:  The motivation for worship will be the “righteous acts” of the Lord!  One does not have to think very long to come up with a long list of righteous acts from the Old Testament, the New Testament, from world history, and from the personal history of each believer.    

APPLICATION:  I specifically remember 5000 days ago (January 1, 2010).  I had written 8-10 SOAPs in October, November and December.  Somehow, I knew if I wrote and posted one on January 1, I would need to do it every day for the rest of the year.  Could I believe God for something every day for a whole year?   I knew I could believe God for a Sunday sermon and a midweek Bible study.  I read the Bible every day (the New Testament every month and the Old Testament twice each year) but did not always receive something specific from the Lord. 

By faith, I prepared one to be posted on January 1, 2010.  The first week went well, then the first month, then the first year, then two years, five years, ten years.  Now it is 13 years, 9 months, and 10 days!  -5000 days!  Yes, the God who lives in me speaks to me every day!   I prepare a place to write down what He will be giving me.  It is my way of expressing my faith.  He shows me things in His word; it is His way of honoring my faith.  He blesses me and makes me a blessing to others. 

If you have been blessed with any of the SOAPs, join me in prayer…

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, we worship you for your “righteous works.”  You are the one who directed the writing of the SOAPs.  You are the one who gives the daily messages.  You are the one who provides everything needed to fulfill this ministry.  You are the one who uses the SOAPs to strengthen my life.   In Jesus Name, I give you thanks and praise.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 09, 2023: SOAP #5028: Lamentations 1-2; Obadiah; Revelation 14

SCRIPTURE:  Revelation (NIV) 14:12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God’s commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”

OBSERVATION:  During times of trouble, saints of God often need to exercise “patient endurance.” The word “patient” indicates that the answer may not come as quickly or in the manner we would like. The word “endurance” indicates that the waiting might be hard.

Faith needs to be strong enough to endure and long enough to wait until the answer comes.  Sometimes faith is weak and sometimes too short.

Hebrews 11 tells of people who “patiently endured” their troubles and were “still living by faith when they died.” (verse 13).

As I see it, the strength of faith comes from its foundation.  The foundation of faith gives it validity.  The more one knows about the foundation, the better they can adjust their faith.  When a person’s faith is in Jesus, the more they learn about Jesus, the stronger their faith will become!  

APPLICATION:  Jesus, and His Word, is a sure foundation.  His character is constant, and I can trust His word.  The more I read His Word, the more my faith grows.  Jesus is dependable; His Word is dependable. 

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, you are trustworthy!  Jesus is the foundation for my faith.  I am trusting His payment for my sins.  I am trusting His presence and guidance.  It is in His Name I pray, Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 08, 2023: SOAP #5027: 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:  How appropriate that the praise of the creator of the earth should reach “to the ends of the earth.”  

In the days this psalm was written, there were many reasons for the people of Israel to praise God.  For creation, for God’s call to Abraham, for God using Moses to free them from Egypt, for the Law and sacrifices and feasts, for the Kingdom of Israel. 

But today there is another reason that the praise of God should reach every person on the whole earth.    It is that God sent His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life!  (John 3:16) Everybody ought to know!!!  

APPLICATION:  Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would give us power to be witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and “to the ends of the earth!”  (Acts 1:8)

From some point on the earth, my town would be considered “the end of the earth.”  From some point on the earth, your town would be considered “the end of the earth.”  So, if everyone will allow the Holy Spirit to fill and use them, we can reach “the ends of the earth!”  

PRAYER:  Holy Spirit, as you did in Acts 1 and 2, fill us, and overflow us.  Make our live so full of you that we cannot help but be witnesses for Jesus.   In His Name and For His Glory we pray.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 07, 2023: SOAP #5026: 2Kings 25; 2Chron. 36; Jer. 40-41; Rev. 12

SCRIPTURE:  Revelation (NIV) 12:6 The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.

OBSERVATION:  Bible scholars disagree on who this woman represents.  But one thing is sure, God knows who she is and God prepares a place for her.  If a place is prepared by God, then God knows what she will need.  God makes plans for her protection and provision.  

All through the scriptures, from the book of Genesis to here in Revelation we see God making preparation for His people!   Before Jesus left his disciples, He promised them he was going to prepare a place for them in His Father’s house.

APPLICATION:  This truth about God’s provision is not something new.  God knows me; God has known me for at least 75 years.  He knew last year what I would need this year!  He knew yesterday what I would need today.  I can walk in faith that He has made proper preparations for what I need now! 

Whatever I face today, I need to ask myself, “How has God prepared me for this?”  I should walk in faith that God did know what I would be facing, and He has prepared me. 

He is also making appropriate and sufficient preparations for what is ahead!  Some things that do not fit into my thinking about today are meant for my future.  (Example: I used to preach from a prepared outline, with just words and thoughts, sufficient for me.  Then the Lord showed me Bud King who could not hear; the Lord impressed me to write sentences and paragraphs so Bud could understand.  Bud is now in heaven and I am here writing SOAPs.)

PRAYER:  Lord, You are faithful and trustworthy!  I can trust your preparations to be sufficient for my present and future needs!   Amen.

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 06, 2023: SOAP #5025: Ezekiel 29-32; Revelation 11

SCRIPTURE:  Ezekiel (NIV) 29:1 In the tenth year, in the tenth month on the twelfth day, the word of the LORD came to me:

OBSERVATION:  In Ezekiel 29-32 one finds five more similar verses.  Each one has a specific year, month, and day.  Each one ends with, “ … the word of the LORD came to me.” 
     Obviously, God is a speaker!  One of the first things we see about God in the pages of the Bible is that He is a speaker!  He created by speaking!  His words have creative power.
     Several things came to my mind when reading chapters 29-32 of Ezekiel.  First, Ezekiel must have kept a diary.  Second, God spoke in specific times.  Third, Ezekiel recognized when God was speaking to him.  Fourth, God’s words were important enough to Ezekiel to write them down.  Fifth, God is interested in nations and their governments.  Ezekiel could have used the SOAP format.  

APPLICATION:  God speaks today; He speaks to you; He speaks to me!  Isn’t it just logical: if it is important enough for God to tell me, it is important enough for me to write it down!   Like Ezekiel, I should write it down and date it. 
   The SOAP format lends itself to this.  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer.  Prepare a sheet of paper with those four words spaced for writing your thoughts.  Preparing the sheet is done in faith that God will give you something to write.  Remember, God responds to faith.  As you read through the chapters in your daily reading schedule, make note of the verses that seem to stand out in your thoughts.  When you are through reading, choose one of those verses and write it under Scripture.   Then write an observation of something you noticed in that verse.   Third: write why you believe God brought that verse to your attention.  How are you going to respond to what you feel God is saying to you.  Lastly write a short prayer of thanksgiving or commitment to follow through with what God has given you. 

PRAYER:  Lord, use this SOAP to encourage others to listen and apply what you say to them.  Amen 

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 05, 2023: SOAP #5024: Ezekiel 25-28; Revelation 10

SCRIPTURE:  Revelation (NIV) 10:11 And I was told, “You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.”
Revelation (NIV) 14:6 Then I saw another angel flying in midheaven, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and tongue and people;

OBSERVATION:  The plan of God to provide a sinless sacrifice that could be acceptable as payment for the sins of all who believe required a recognizable sacrifice.  It must be a sacrifice that met all the moral qualifications and fulfilled all the prophetic scriptures. 

Only One sacrifice met all the requirements:  Jesus.  There was no other sacrifices for other nations.  Jesus was the one sacrifice for the world; for all who would believe.  But being ONE, he came through ONE nation so much of the scriptures target Israel. 

Throughout the Old Testament we find God reaching out to other nations, but when Jesus had completed the sacrifice and had risen from the dead, we see a fresh emphasis of the gospel to all the world!  Here in the last book of the Bible, we see God’s purposes and plans include “every nation and tribe and tongue and people.”    

APPLICATION:  This would include my family members, my neighbors, my fellow workers, everyone I meet every day, everyone who reads this SOAP, every family member of SOAP readers, every neighbor of every SOAP reader…to all who “dwell on the earth.”  

I have to tell somebody!   

PRAYER:  Lord, you said when the Holy Spirit comes on us, we would be witnesses “to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) Use me today.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 04, 2023: SOAP #5023: Ezekiel 22-24; Revelation 9

SCRIPTURE:  Revelation (NIV) 9:18 A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur that came out of their (horses) mouths……
[Perhaps John was describing what he saw with the limited understanding of his day.  Could these be flame throwers mounted on motorcycles?]
20 The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshipping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. 21 Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.

OBSERVATION:  From Genesis 1 to Revelation 9 man has been so bound by sin that when a third of man has been killed, he still does not repent!  He continues to worship demons and idols which cannot see, hear, or walk!   Yet there is a God who can do all three—and more!  

Idols are inanimate objects that have no mind to think or feel.  They cannot lift a burden or give wise counsel.  They cannot defend themselves.  They cannot do anything I would want my god to do! 

APPLICATION:  Sin has an attractive power.  It can be like a magnet.  Once it has me in its area of influence, it refuses to let go easily. 

It takes the blood of Jesus to break sin’s legal ties.  It takes dying to myself and giving way for the Lordship of Jesus to live in victory.  It takes the indwelling Spirit of Jesus to give me power to resists sin’s continuing temptation. 

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, you have made FULL PROVISION for me.  Your Son, Jesus, provided the blood sacrifice that covers my sin.  He is now living His life in me.  You sent the Holy Spirit to empower me to resist temptation and to work for you.  It is for me to walk in faith and obey.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 03, 2023: SOAP #5022: Ezekiel 20-21; Psalm 111; Revelation 8

SCRIPTURE:  Psalm (NIV) 111:
7 The works of his hands are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy.
8 They are steadfast for ever and ever,
done in faithfulness and uprightness.
9 He provided redemption for his people;
he ordained his covenant for ever—
holy and awesome is his name.
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
all who follow his precepts have good understanding.
To him belongs eternal praise.

OBSERVATION:  When one comes to understand the awesome power of God…
When one comes to understand that God is perfectly holy…
When one comes to understand how God hates sin…
When one comes to understand how a holy God deals with sin…
Then it is perfectly understandable that one will FEAR God. 

When one hears about the love God has for man…
When one hears that this loving God sent His Son to die for sin…
When one hears that it is possible to ask this loving God for forgiveness…
When one hears about this loving God’s plans for His children in eternity…
Then it is completely illogical to think that someone would refuse Him! 

APPLICATION:  It is logical to fear such a God.  But growing in our understanding of God, we find that His Great Love overcomes our fear.  Fear was just a starting place.  We should grow to loving God and appreciating God.  We should begin a life of praise that will last long into eternity. 

PRAYER:  Lord, we do not need to wait until we are at your throne in heaven to begin praising and worshipping you!   You will never be more worthy of worship than you are at this moment.  You are holy.  You are loving. You are worthy.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 02, 2023: SOAP #5021: Ezekiel 17-19; Revelation 7

SCRIPTURE:  Revelation (NIV) 7:17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

OBSERVATION:  The Lamb will be their shepherd!  Jesus is the only One who could be both the Lamb and the Shepherd. Jesus had been introduced by John the Baptist as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. (John 1) Jesus claimed to be the Good Shepherd who gives his life for his sheep.  (John 10)

The King James version verse 17 reads: “For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters…”  The Lamb will continue the shepherding responsibilities of feeding and leading His sheep. 

APPLICATION:   As the Lamb, Jesus made the sacrifice necessary to cover my sins.  Even into eternity I will remember and honor Him for what he did for me.  

Iin this life, He is my Shepherd.  In this verse, I see that in eternity He will continue to be my Good Shepherd.

PRAYER:  Lord, now and for all eternity I will praise you for being the Sacrificial Lamb who died to pay for my sins.  Now and for all eternity I will follow you as my Shepherd and trust you for my provision.  Amen. 

Pastor Leon
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