Monthly Archives: May 2025

More on prayer…

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 1, 2025: SOAP #5659: Proverbs 19-21; Romans 13

SCRIPTURE:  Luke (NIV)  11:1 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” 2 He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.

OBSERVATION:   In teaching his disciples to pray, Jesus gives them a pattern for prayer.  He never told them how many times to pray or gave them any specific time of day.  He just said, “when you pray.”  But from looking at the life of Jesus in the gospels, He prayed often, and so should we. 

We should pray in a way that is based on a Father/child relationship.  A father may be amused by a memorized recitation, but after three or four times, I think most fathers would say, “Don’t you have something to tell me yourself? I want to hear your thoughts, from your heart and in your words!”

God is holy and His name is holy.  In the ten commandments, the third one is not to take the Lord’s name in vain. 

And it is good in prayer to acknowledge that God’s kingdom is a rule of holiness and love.  It was brought to earth by His Son, Jesus, and was established in our hearts when we made Jesus our LORD!  

APPLICATION:   The Holy Spirit will guide us in expressing appreciation for God’s being and character.  As we begin our prayer time, it is good to remind ourselves of how great and awesome our God is.  He is more than capable of answering our prayers.  He is loving and benevolent to us!  We are a key part of His kingdom! 

It is good to remind ourselves that as a part of God’s kingdom, He is KING!   He has all authority.  Not only is His Kingdom established in our lives, we want to see His Kingdom grow to include others. 

PRAYER:   Holy Spirit, help us to pray prayers that bless our Heavenly Father and to pray prayers that He will enjoy answering.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Prayer

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
May 31, 2025: SOAP #5658: Proverbs 16-18: Romans 12

SCRIPTURE:  Luke (NIV) 11:1 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
2 He said to them, “When you pray, say:” ‘Father…

OBSERVATION:   Prayer was such an important part of Jesus’ life, and He wants it to be an important part of our lives.  The disciples saw how important it was to Jesus, so they asked him to teach them to pray. 

Today let us consider to whom we are praying.   We are praying to the God of the universe, but Jesus tells us to address Him as “Father!”  Only once did Jesus not use the word “Father” when praying; that was when He was dying in payment for our sins which had separated us from our Loving Heavenly Father.  On the cross, Jesus cried, “My God, why have you forsaken me.”  Jesus was experiencing the results of our sin, he was separated from His Heavenly Father.   All other times, He prayed to His “Father,” and that is how He taught us to pray. 

APPLICATION:   When we ask for our sins to be forgiven and invite Jesus to live in our hearts, we become children of God.  We are a part of God’s family.  God is our Father!  It is natural for children to talk to their fathers.  In prayer, we are children talking to their Father!  

We are not just praying to our Father, He is our Heavenly Father.  He is above everything in the universe!   We are a part of a His family!  

We are not just praying to our Heavenly Father, we are praying to our Loving Heavenly Father!  He loves us so much He sent His One and Only Begotten Son to die in payment for our sins.  He has sent The Holy Spirit to teach us how to follow the example of Jesus in our daily lives.  He is the perfect one to do this because He came upon Jesus when He was baptized and walked with Him every day.  Now he is with each of us every day.  He helps us pray.    

PRAYER:   Heavenly Father, thank you for the Holy Spirit who helps me in so many ways!  Holy Spirit, guide my thoughts as I write these SOAPs.  May they be a blessing to all who read them.   Amen

Pastor Leon
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Simply Stated

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
May 30, 2025: SOAP #5657: Proverbs 13-15; Romans 11

(more from Romans)

SCRIPTURE:  and OBSERVATION:   

Romans (NIV) 6:22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.

But, praise be to God, things are different now!  No longer a slave to sin, we have become slaves to God!  Serving sin reaped results and so does serving God; but what a difference.  Serving sin results in death.  Serving God leads us in a life of holiness leading to eternal life!

Note the comparisons:  slaves to sin vs. slaves to God; no benefit vs. great benefit; death vs. life!

23  For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

And here it is stated simply and clearly.  Here is the summation of the matter.  “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord!”

And what a gift it is!   It is eternal life that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  If I want to receive it, I have to do nothing but accept it!  It is a gift!

I receive a physical gift by reaching out my hand.  I receive a non-physical gift, like a compliment, simply by saying, “Thank you.” Thank you, Lord, for saving my life from eternal death.  Thank you, Lord, for purchasing the gift of eternal life with your death on the cross.  Thank you, Lord, for giving that gift to me.  It is mine, and I am thankful!

APPLICATION:   Once sin entered the picture, God knew that there is nothing man could do to merit or earn eternal life.  Man could not do enough good deeds or say enough prayers to equal the value of forgiveness and eternal life.  If God wanted man to share eternity with Him, He would have to make a payment worthy to cover sin.  And that is what He did in sending Jesus to live without sin and die on the cross for our sins.    

PRAYER:   Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned, but I believe your promise to forgive me if I confess my sins.  I receive your gift and make you my Lord.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!   
On Facebook:  Today’s SOAP from Pastor Leon

NOTE to SOAP Readers:  God’s blessing is on this SOAP ministry.  Recently many have accepted Jesus as their Lord and joined us in living for God.  Many new believers have very limited access to Bibles, so recently I have tried to cover some basics of our faith.  I pray they will be a blessing to everyone and an aid in helping each of us be stronger witnesses.   Pray for me to write SOAPs that God can use. 

What do I do now?  

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
May 29, 2025: SOAP #5656: Proverbs 10-12; Romans 10

(more from Romans)

SCRIPTURE:  Romans (NIV) 4:24 …to whom God will credit righteousness— for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

OBSERVATION:   At the end of chapter four, the author applies the faith concept to us. Chapter five begins, “Therefore, since WE … “

In the first five verses:  WE have been justified, WE have peace, WE have access, WE rejoice, WE know, WE have God’s love, and WE have the Holy Spirit!

We have all this, not because of our works, but because of our faith.  We have been justified through faith!

Here in verse one, we read that our justification came by faith. Along with being cleansed and made as though 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.  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.

APPLICATION:   So, what do I do now with my life?  I surrender it to Jesus!  He is my LORD!   He has made me to be His dwelling place.  I listen to hear what He says to me.  I live in ways that please Him.  I talk in ways that please Him.  I make some time to spend just with Him AND I treat Him as my faithful companion throughout each day. 

PRAYER:   Lord, you have done so much for me.  You have forgiven my sins.  You have put peace and joy in my heart.  You are with me now AND you have given me promises of spending eternity with you!  You gave your life for my sake; I now want to live for your sake.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Faith

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
May 27, 2025: SOAP #5654: Proverbs 4-6; Romans 8

(Continuing thoughts from Romans 4)

SCRIPTURE:  Romans (NIV) 4:16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace…

OBSERVATION:   What is given to us by grace is received through faith.  That truth shows that faith is of great importance to our spiritual life, and even to life in general.  Faith is believing that something is true even if it cannot be proved to everyone’s satisfaction.  What matters is that I believe it is true, so I base my actions on that belief.  I act like it is true because I believe it is true. 

When someone makes me a promise, I have faith based on who they are, and the experience I have had with that person in the past.  My faith is based on their words and their character. 

Faith is a connection with our mind and our heart.  With our heart we become convicted that something is true and with our minds we choose to believe and with our body we begin to ack out that faith. 

Faith is how we deal with things we cannot fully prove.  In faith we buy food at the market, now knowing how it was raised, harvested, cleaned and marketed.  By faith we drink water coming from a source we cannot see.  By faith we trust the doctor.  AND by faith we believe that a God we cannot see will accept as payment for our sins a sacrifice that we did not make!  By faith we come to know that HE really loves us and wants to share our lives by making us to be His dwelling place!!!  (Hebrews 11:1)

APPLICATION:   Many times, from the outside, God uses another person to speak truth about Jesus to our minds, and at the same time the Holy Spirit starts working on the inside, in our heart.  And often, when the other person is gone, the Holy Spirit continues to push thoughts across our mind with feelings moving in our heart.  When, with our faith, we finally agree with what God is speaking and surrender to Him as Lord and Savior, our heart and mind become unified in Christ, peace floods our soul and our joy overflows.

We all need to pay attention to thoughts that continually cross our minds.  It can be that the Holy Spirit is trying to get our attention. 

PRAYER:   Heavenly Father, use this SOAP to help us better understand the place of faith in our daily relationship with you.  May you enjoy living in us. (Hebrews 11:6)  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Given and Received    (More from Romans 4)

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
May 27, 2025: SOAP #5654: Proverbs 4-6; Romans 8

SCRIPTURE: and OBSERVATION:   
Romans (NIV) 4:16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.

Here is the summation.  Here is the heart of the matter.  Here is where we have security.  The promise given to us by grace is received by faith.  It comes from the gracious hand of a loving Heavenly Father.  It is received as a gift by the children of Abraham.  They receive this gift through the hands of faith.  They are assured of their possession because they have confidence in the One who made the promise!  They are justified freely by His grace!  It is guaranteed to them.

For a gift to fulfill its purpose it must be both given and received.  God, the Giver, in grace gives His Word.  Man, the receiver, in faith receives the gift.

Heaven’s righteousness is only available from heaven.  It is only given through God’s grace.  It is only received through faith.  That is the way Abraham received justification.  That is the way his children receive justification.  Both those born under the law, and those born outside the law (of Moses), must come the same way.  They must come in faith.  Although Abraham is the physical father of the Jewish nation, he is the father of those who believe.

APPLICATION:   When a person received Jesus as Lord, it is very common for them to experience great joy and peace.  But it is not the joy and peace that saves us.  They are common and logical responses to the presence of Jesus living within.  What saves us is our faith in accepting the grace offered to us through the death and resurrection of God’s Son Jesus.  We have faith that God accepts the death of Jesus as the payment for our sins.  It is not that He will, but that He has!   We are free from the burden of sin!  

PRAYER:   Lord, just the thought of what you have done for me makes my heart rejoice!   The more I understand what you have done for me, the more I rejoice.  May my life today be an expression of my gratefulness.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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A Blessing Only God Can Give!

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
May 26, 2025: SOAP #5653: Proverbs 1-3; Romans 7

Continuing in Romans 4…

SCRIPTURE: and OBSERVATION:   Romans (NIV) 4:

7 “Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

In this verse from Psalm 32, David writes about the terrible time he was having when he tried to cover up his sin. The relief of being forgiven came after he confessed his sin.  The blessedness of being forgiven is contrasted to the miserable-ness of trying to hide sin, knowing all the time that it is there.

There is only one covering for sin:  the blood of Jesus shed on the cross.  Adam and Eve discovered that leaves could not cover sin. God provided a blood sacrifice when He skinned an animal and gave them the skin for a covering, but that would only be temporary.  It is the blood of Jesus that covers sin!  That is the only acceptable covering!  It was provided by Someone who perfectly knew the nature and results of sin, and Someone who had never sinned Himself!   His death could be the payment for my sin since He did not have to pay for His own!

Although this verse does not mention how many, or what types of sin are covered, clearly we can see that we are only blessed if ALL our sins are covered.  One sin will send us to hell as well as one hundred.  A person on their way to hell could not be considered blessed.  To be truly blessed, they must ALL be forgiven!

8 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.”

What a wonderful blessing!  God’s forgiveness finalizes the matter.  We do not have to worry about the future.  He Who has dealt with our sin will not be holding it up to us in the future.  Indeed, we are justified.  In His eyes, we are made as though we had never sinned.  I who am unworthy, have been blessed in a way that only God can bless!

APPLICATION:   As a child of God, the issue of my past sins is over.  It is over for all eternity!   I may have some issues with the law where I live, or with friends and family, but with God the issue of past sins is settled.  And He now lives in me to help me deal with any issues from the past. 

I now live as a free person!  I am free from the bondage of sin, but a love slave to Jesus my Lord!   How could I be any less!   

PRAYER:   Lord, I am yours.  You forgave me and set me free from the bondage and the penalty of sin.  Thank you! I am forever grateful!  I love you   Amen

Pastor Leon
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By faith receiving a gift that I could never earn!

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
May 25, 2025: SOAP #5652: 1Kings 10, 11; 2Chronicles 9; Romans 6

Continuing in Romans 4…

SCRIPTURE: and OBSERVATION:   Romans (NIV) 4:6  David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

The author has been teaching us from the example of Abraham, and will return in verse 9, but for these next three verses we will consider David.  David was being led by the same Holy Spirit when he wrote about God’s grace in Psalms 32.

How blessed it is to have righteousness credited to our account, especially when it comes from God.

If I am going to depend on the righteousness I can earn, it will be quite lacking to meet my need.  Most of my righteousness would consist of good intentions, but there would be selfish streaks running throughout.  The performance would be recognizable most of the time, however it would be flawed by times of my mind being full of myself. 

On the other hand, if God credits the righteousness of Jesus to me, then it will be righteousness with perfect intention at its heart, and perfect performance.  There will be no question on judgment day.  Clearly HIS righteousness is sufficient for me!   

With my righteousness, I will always be wondering if it is good enough.  I will not have much peace of mind for worrying if it will suffice for entrance into heaven.  With God’s righteousness, I have peace of mind.  There is no need to worry about whether it will meet His requirements!   It is better to receive as a gift what I could never earn!

APPLICATION:   Eternity is so important.  There are only two places to spend eternity:  heaven in God’s presence or hell with its torment away from God’s presence.  I must be sure of my eternal destination!  It can be a worrisome process: have I done enough to make sure I am going to the right place? 

What peace calms my troubled thoughts when by faith I receive Christ as my Lord and Savior for then my entrance into heaven will be based on what He has done instead of what I have done!!!  

PRAYER:   Heavenly Father, on the basis of what Jesus has done for me, my sins are forgiven and you have taken me into your family as your child!  Thank you!  Amen

Pastor Leon
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A SOAP from Romans – Possessing what I could never earn! 

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
May 23, 2025: SOAP #5650: 2Chronicles 6, 7; Psalm 135; Romans 4

Note: A continuation from Romans 4. 

SCRIPTURE: and OBSERVATION:   
Romans (NIV) 4  Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation.

Abraham did not work to earn his standing before God; he simply received it, and held on to it with the “hands” of faith.  This was not something earned, but given.  It is not a reward for services rendered, but a gift to one loved.  God was not obligated to Abraham.  God was gracious to Abraham!

5  However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.

Here is a good place to insert a thought about works.  Works are not unimportant.  God is very interested in our works.  He rewards our works.  However, works can never be the basis of our expectation as though God must pay us what we have earned.  Works do not precede faith; they come as a response to faith.  Works are what we do out of appreciation for the grace we have already received by faith.

Faith must have a sure foundation.  When our faith is in God and His work for our salvation, we receive the blessings of God’s righteousness credited to our account.  In God’s eyes, we become righteous.  Our sins are forgiven; our lives are cleansed.  We are justified!  We are made “just as if I’d” never sinned!  Amazing!  It is only through faith that I possess what I could never earn.

APPLICATION:   Sometimes it seems that it is too good to be true.  Salvation is a gift!  We could never earn it, but we can receive it by faith.  And the more we understand how hopelessly we were lost; the more we understand that Jesus is the sinless Son of God; the more we understand how much He left to die on a cross as payment for our sins; the more we understand what He is preparing for us—then the more we appreciate our salvation. 

If you love Him today, just wait until you know Him better; you will love Him more!  Indeed, He is worthy of all my love and service!  

PRAYER:  Lord, my heart overflows with appreciation as I reconsider the truth above.  My eyes overflow with tears.  I love you, Jesus!  Amen

Pastor Leon
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A SOAP from Romans – Simply by Faith!

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
May 23, 2025: SOAP #5650: 2Chronicles 6, 7; Psalm 135; Romans 4

NOTE:  For the next few SOAPs, I believe the Lord would have me change the format.  I am concerned about the many new believers who have committed their lives to Jesus but have no copy of the Bible and may not have a knowledgeable leader from which to learn.  So, I will be using a longer passage of scripture, with each verse followed by an observation from a commentary I wrote years ago.  I will continue with more verses from the same passage for several consecutive days.  Below is Romans 4:2&3.

SCRIPTURE: and OBSERVATION:   Romans (NIV) 4:2  If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God.

If it had been possible that Abraham could have worked hard enough to stand before God completely righteous, then he would indeed have had something about which to boast.  He would have been able to do what no man had ever done before or has ever since been able to do.  Ever since sin entered the picture it has been impossible for man to stand by himself before God.  The best we can offer is like dirty rags in comparison to God’s perfect holiness.

Abraham would not have been able to boast before God, because God judges perfectly and knows how far short our works come in purchasing the righteousness needed to stand before a holy God.  He would have never been able to boast before God!

3  What does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

How was Abraham able to be the “friend of God?”  How did Abraham become the father of the nation, he who had no children of his own? It was simply by faith.  Abraham believed.  He believed what God said.

APPLICATION:   Forgiveness and salvation have been provided by the death of Jesus on the cross. In grace, they are offered to us.  We reach out with arms of faith to acknowledge that we receive them. (Ephesians 2:8-9)   Believing in our heart and confessing with our mouth!  Becoming God’s child is as simple as that!  (Romans 10: 9-10)  Now I begin to live like it is true, because it is!  

PRAYER:   Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your Son, Jesus, to die for my sins.  I receive Jesus to be my LORD.  I receive His forgiveness.  I now set my life to live in honor of what you have done for me.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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