Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
March 22, 2024: SOAP #5223: Joshua 12-14; 1Corinthians 7

SCRIPTURE:  Joshua (NIV) 14:7. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land. And I brought him back a report according to my convictions, 8, but my brothers who went up with me made the hearts of the people sink. I, however, followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly. 9, So on that day Moses swore to me, ‘The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children for ever, because you have followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly.’…
14, So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the LORD, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly.

OBSERVATION: Caleb had previously been in the promised land as one of the 12 spies sent in by Moses.  Ten of the spies brought back a message that caused fear in the hearts of the Israelites.  Joshua and Caleb spoke of God’s promises.  Moses made a promise to Caleb that he would inherit the land where the spies had traveled.  Now, after 40 years of wondering in the wilderness until that generation died, God had brought them in and had given them victory.  The land was being divided; Caleb takes the promise and his testimony to Joshua.

APPLICATION:  Testimonies abound of people who were trapped in terrible sin and now set free by the power of God.  Their testimonies are thrilling, even exciting.  As a young person, I remember thinking; my testimony is not very interesting.  I am thankful I discovered Caleb and his testimony.  Faithfulness is one of God’s most dominant characteristics.  And He loves to see it in us.  He greatly rewards faithfulness. 

PRAYER:  Lord, is it worthwhile to serve you with a whole life?  Caleb and I can both say, “YES!”  The major decisions in my life have been determined by Your will.  You have been faithful to forgive me the many times I have sinned.  More than once You forgave me and restored me.  Lord, use this SOAP to encourage a young person.  Strengthen their resolve to follow you with their whole life.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
March 21, 2024: SOAP #5222: Joshua 9-11; 1Corinthians 6

SCRIPTURE:  Hebrews (NIV) 10:5 Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me;
1Corinthians (NIV) 6:19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;

OBSERVATION: When it was time for God’s sacrifice for sin, He sent His only begotten Son as a man.  He walked in flesh and blood.  He was just as much human as was, and is, everyone for whom He died. 

He who became human still walks and works among people as a human.  By His Spirit, He clothes Himself in people.  He takes up residence in people.  He flows through people.  

APPLICATION:  I am the temple in which He lives.   I am His permanent residence!   He is always present!  I do not need to pray for Him to enter a hospital room, or a troubled household.  If I am there, He is there!  

He is always available to tell me how to react, or what I should do.  He is always available to give me warning when there is trouble ahead.  He empowers me and brings the Word to my memory.

PRAYER:  Lord, with your death on the cross, you bought me to be yours.  Your Holy Spirit now dwells in me as your temple.  He leads me and guides me to be a continuation of your life and ministry.  May my life bring you glory as I follow the Holy Spirit’s lead.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
March 20, 2024: SOAP #5221: Joshua 7-8; Psalm 69; 1Corinthians 5

SCRIPTURE:  Psalm 69:13  But I pray to you, O LORD, in the time of your favor; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation.
…
16  Answer me, O LORD, out of the goodness of your love; in your great mercy turn to me.

OBSERVATION:  The Psalmist was in trouble and looking for an answer from God.  He was not approaching God based on how he deserved God’s love, but on the basis of God’s character.  He was counting on God’s goodness and love.  He was counting on God to show him favor and be merciful.  

APPLICATION:  It is humbling to realize how holy, just, and righteous God is and how unworthy I am.  I must depend on His mercy and His love for me.  He made a sacrifice so awesome that it more than covers my sins.  Not only do I need to depend on Him, He wants me to depend on Him.  I must depend on Him when I am in trouble, when I am tempted, when I am tired, when I am disappointed, when I am happy, when things are going my way and when they are not. 

God could say, “Leon, I have done enough for you already.  It is time for you to depend on yourself!”  But He says, “Depending on me for your salvation got you started and depending on me will keep you going!” 

My depending on Him gives Him opportunity to demonstrate His power, His provision, His wisdom, etc.  It also gives me an opportunity to make sure  people know who is responsible for how things worked together for my good and His glory. 

PRAYER:  Lord, I am so thankful I can count on you. You help me maintain a life of victory and restore victory to me when I fall.  To you belongs all the glory.  May others see what you have done in my life; may they give you glory; and may they have faith that you will do the same for them.  Amen. 

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
March 19, 2024: SOAP #5220: Joshua 3-6; 1Corinthians 4

SCRIPTURE:  1Corinthians (NIV) 4:7 For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

OBSERVATION: These are good questions for people who think they are better than others.  For people who think they have arrived at their status in life by their own skills.

Who made each of us different from everyone else?  No one other than God. What do we have that we did not receive?  Nothing.  Either we received it as a gift, or we received the skills to gain what we have. So, what reason do we have for boasting?  None.

APPLICATION:  They are good questions for me!  I have every reason to walk humbly.  Humility and thanksgiving should be hallmarks of my life.  Serving others with the gifts I have received from God gives purpose to my days.  And I should make myself available to the gifts God has given to others. 

Humility is important for passing along what God has given me AND for receiving from others what God has given them.  Humility is the grace that greases the exchange.  When I am humble, people more readily receive what I have.  When I am humble, I more readily receive what they have. 

Thanksgiving is a way of honoring God for His gifts.  It honors Him as the source of the gifts.  It moves any focus from me to the ONE who deserves all honor and praise. 

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, it is for me to walk humbly before you and humbly within the body of Christ.  Help me dispense your gifts in a way that is easy for people to receive.  Bless others with the gifts you have placed in me.  Bless me with the gifts you have placed in others. Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
March 18, 2024: SOAP #5219: Joshua 1-2; Psalm 37; 1Corinthians 3

SCRIPTURE:  Psalm (NIV) 37:4 Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.  …  23 If the LORD delights in a man’s way, he makes his steps firm; 24 though he stumbles, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

OBSERVATION: Verse 4 presents it as our responsibility to “delight” ourselves in the Lord.  Thinking of Him brings joy to our heart and a smile to our face. 

It may take effort at times to reign in our thoughts from wherever they may wander, but it is worth the effort.  When we begin to take pleasure in God, we find that He delights in us! (verse 23 & 24)   It is His joy to meet our needs.  He smiles on us as we delight ourselves in Him, just as an earthly parent rejoices when their children take pleasure in them.

APPLICATION:  When we delight ourselves in something, or someone, it becomes noticeable by those around us.  We can see a young man noticing a young girl.  His delight in her can take many expressions.  How special it is when the young girl begins to delight in that young man!  And yet that is not nearly as special as me delighting in God and discovering that He delights in me! 

As I read the scriptures, I take note of verses that tell me how I can delight in God and how God delights in me.

PRAYER:  Lord, You and I have a good thing going, at least it is from my point of view.  I am blessed by your presence and your promises.  You keep your word and I trust you.  But, Lord, I want you to be blessed by my presence and my word.  May my presence bring you joy.  May my word be trustworthy as your word is. In Your Name I pray, Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
March 17, 2024: SOAP #5218: Deuteronomy 32-34; 1Corinthians 2   (from 2022)

SCRIPTURE:  1Corinthians (NIV) 2:14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment: 16 “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

OBSERVATION: People who do not like to consider the possibility of God’s existence have had to come up with their own explanation for how life on this world started.  The evolution of life from the ocean climbing onto earth and evolving into a man is as good an explanation of any I have heard that did not include God.  They think the Bible’s explanation of creation in Genesis is foolishness.  As I see it, their explanation of life is like going to a movie from which someone removed every scene that contained the main character.  The movie does not make much sense. And life without God makes even less sense.

APPLICATION:  It is amazing how clearly things become, and how things fit together once I have God as The Main Character in the picture.   I am finding this true in every arena of life.  Having God as the main character in my home, in the church, on the school bus, in relationships, etc. sets everything in place.  The more I understand God and His character and His place, the more life on this earth makes sense!

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, thank you for revealing yourself to me in the Bible.  Help me to see you in every part of life.  In you, I find my purpose.  Amen

Holy Spirit directed application:  You are in an ongoing argument with a family member or dear friend.  God says to pray this prayer: “Lord, in my wisdom I am making no progress toward a resolution.  Reveal to me how You see this issue.  Show me by the Spirit what I cannot see in my flesh. I commit myself to your plan of action.  Amen”

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
March 16, 2024: SOAP #5217: Deuteronomy 30-31; Psalm 40; 1Corinthians 1

SCRIPTURE: 1Corinthians (NIV) 1:28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no-one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”

OBSERVATION: It is good for us to use the talents and resources that God has given each of us to do things for the Lord.  It is a way for us to show Him how much we love Him and are wanting to serve Him. 

But these verses show me something different, not what I can do for God but what God does for and through me.  God loves to give me an assignment that is too big for me or requires more than I can give or do.  When I have confidence that God is leading me, and when I step out to do what God has directed, everyone knows that it did not happen because of my wisdom or resources.  It happened because God was working through me. 

We have all read about the disciples feeding the 5,000.  But we also know it was not the disciples, but Jesus who fed the multitude.  The disciples were the ones who passed out the bread to the people and probably picked up the leftovers.  But we all know it was Jesus that multiplied the bread and fish.   

APPLICATION:  As to the SOAPs, I am like the disciples.  I am just passing out what He has broken and given to me. 

As to the things about which I can boast, I need to be careful to give the credit to God.  My life is all wrapped up in Jesus and it is from Him, and because of Him, that I am righteous, holy, and redeemed.  His presence is the source of my wisdom. 

PRAYER:  Lord, without question, all glory belongs to you.  You have become my life.  May my life bring you glory.  Amen  

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
March 15, 2024: SOAP #5216: Deuteronomy 28-29; Galatians 6

SCRIPTURE:  Galatians (NIV) 6:7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

OBSERVATION: During much of my life I understood this principle from the first half of verse eight.  Sin has a harvest.  But some years back I began to consider the second half of verse eight.  Doing good and giving has a harvest!   God is a righteous judge, not only does He punish the law-breaker, He also rewards the righteous!  

APPLICATION:  Verse 9 tells us not to become weary in doing good.  There is a promise of reaping a harvest.   So, what is it that keeps us continuing to do good?  I see it as the expectation of the reward!   Knowing what is ahead keeps me moving forward! 

Recently many people in West Africa gave finances to purchase 85 computers and printers.  They should be expecting to see God’s blessings—blessings in the lives of those receiving the SOAPs, blessings in the churches, and blessings in the lives of those who gave!  

In East Africa, several churches have started receiving offerings to purchase Bibles for those in their congregation who do not have a Bible.  I have received several pictures of people receiving those Bibles!  One church has purchased 4 and another 16.  Surely God is blest that people honor His word enough to sacrificially give so others can have a Bible!!!  Surely God will have some special way of rewarding these churches and individuals!  

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, my heart rejoices to know that people love and honor Your Word enough to sacrificially give, even small amounts that can be combined in order to purchase a Bible.  Multiply your word!  I expect your blessing on all who give time, talents and money to the SOAP ministry.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
March 14, 2024: SOAP #5215: Deuteronomy 25-27; Galatians 5

SCRIPTURE:  Galatians (NIV) 5:24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

OBSERVATION: Some believers take the point of view that Christ belongs to them.  He was the one crucified for their benefit so now everything is going well.  Although there is some truth in that concept, Paul clearly does not hold that point of view.  Rather than Christ belonging to Paul, Paul belonged to Christ!  Paul’s writings and ministry show that Paul suffered many things in fulfilling the Lord’s calling.  (Acts 9:15-16)

Jesus lived a life of self-sacrifice that led to the cross.  The cross was in keeping with His life.  The same can be said of the apostle Paul.  (Note 2Corinthians 11)

APPLICATION:  Christ does not belong to me; I belong to Him!   Christ does not exist to fulfill my desires and to make life easy for me.  My love for Jesus causes me to consider Him as the center of my life.  Every plan revolves around His will.  Pleasing God is more important than pleasing me.  I have found that the more I belong to Jesus, the more I appreciate that He belongs to me!

PRAYER:  Lord, I want to claim the first part of verse 24.  I want it to be true that I belong to you.  Holy Spirit, keep reminding me of the second half of that verse.  I am not crucifying the sinful nature; it IS crucified!  (Galatians 2:20) I died with Jesus and I now live by His presence in my life.  He is the center of my life.  It is my desire to “keep in step” with Him.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
March 13, 2024: SOAP #5214: Deuteronomy 22-24; Galatians 4

(reworked from 2010)

SCRIPTURE:  Galatians (NIV) 4:13 As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you. 14 Even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself.

OBSERVATION: Paul gives credit to an illness for the gospel being first preached to the Galatians.  Both Paul and the Galatians used this “illness” for the glory of God.  Paul did so by taking the opportunities afforded him to preach the gospel.  The Galatians did so by accepting the gospel!

Note that Paul even took advantage of prison time by writing letters.  And we take advantage of his prison time by reading and studying them.  The limitations that the “illness” and Rome put on Paul served only as opportunity to expand his ministry.

APPLICATION:  The Kingdom of God is not hindered by my weakness or limitations, even if they are imposed on me by others.  These can be used by the Holy Spirit for God’s glory.  May I take advantage of illness, or trouble, or difficulty, or lack of finances, or limited provisions, etc. that may come my way to let God flow through me!  I may be limited, but God is not!!! 

PRAYER:  Holy Spirit, instead of being discouraged by my weaknesses and limitations, today I will look for you to flow through them.  Help me see them as opportunities to bring the love of Jesus to someone I would have overlooked.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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