The Mystery!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 21, 2026: SOAP #6044: 2Kings 6,7; 2Chronicles 20; 1Timothy 3

SCRIPTURE:  1Timothy 3:16  Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.

OBSERVATION:  The mystery of godliness:  That God wanted people to be “godly” is without question.  The Ten Commandments provided guidelines as to how we were to live.   But along with the commandments God gave instructions for sacrifices to be made when the commandments were broken!   The law did not have the power inherent to enable the people to keep it.  So why would God give a law that surely would be broken?  That is the mystery!  And the answer to the mystery is Jesus!  God would demonstrate both His holiness and His love in sending His Son to die for our sins.  His payment for our sins restores us and His living within us empowers us to live a life of love! 

APPLICATION:  The life Jesus lives within me has already successfully dealt with every temptation I face!  As I learn to rely on His life within, I begin to understand this great mystery of how I can live a life pleasing to God.   

His death on the cross is payment for my sins and restores me; His Spirit-life within empowers me to live a godly life!   Wow!!!  

PRAYER:  Lord, thank you for your forgiveness!  And thank you for living in me!  Amen

Pastor Leon
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He starts with what I have!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 20, 2026: SOAP #6043: 2Kings 4,5; Psalm 83; 1Timothy 2

SCRIPTURE:  2Kings 4:1 The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the LORD. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.”
2  Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?” “Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a little oil.”

OBSERVATION:  Elisha then told her to borrow as many empty jars as were available.  The jars were then filled with the oil that miraculously continued flowing until they were all filled.  The oil was sold for enough to cover the debt with extra on which they could live. 

NOTE:  The miracle started with what she had!   As Jesus started with a young boy’s lunch in feeding the 5000, this miracle started with the oil she had.  When she was obedient, what she had in her house became enough, even more than enough! 

APPLICATION:  Trusting God to meet my needs starts with my being obedient with what I already have!   What I have + my obedience = sufficient supply. 

Often, I have wanted others to use what they have in order to meet my need, but God is waiting for me to use what I have.  I do not have enough to fully meet the need, but God is waiting for me to release it into His hands, then He will do one of two things:  He will multiply it to fully meet the need, or He will bring in more to add to what I have invested and it meets the need.  He has even shrunk the need so that what I have is sufficient!   God is God and is not limited in how He keeps His promises!   

PRAYER:  Lord, many of your promises to me are conditioned on my obedience.  In those cases, your faithfulness to me is conditional on my faithfulness to you.  Amen. 

Pastor Leon
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How does God consider me?

Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 19, 2026: SOAP #6042: 2Kings 1-3; Psalm 82; 1Timothy 1

SCRIPTURE:  1Timothy (NIV) 1:12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.  13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

OBSERVATION:  What does God consider important?  God considered Paul faithful.  Faithfulness is far more important than ability.  Ability has to do with skill; faithfulness has to do with character.   Ability is useless without faithfulness.  Someone may have great ability, but if they are not faithful, their ability cannot be depended on.  Faithfulness makes ability available.  God could count on Paul to be where needed and to represent Him truthfully.

APPLICATION:  How God sees me is more important than how people see me.  People may consider my abilities, but God considers my faithfulness.  He has proved many times that His abilities can easily fill in my weaknesses.  However, faithfulness is different.  Lack of faithfulness on my part removes the opportunity for me to use my abilities and for Him to use His abilities through me.

There may be times when I see a task as small and not very important.  I push it aside and leave it for someone else to do.  All the time I am professing that I will be faithful in the big things.  But the size of the task makes no difference in faithfulness.  Faithfulness in that which is little prepares me for faithfulness in that which is large.  And who am I to set importance?  The small thing may have much more importance in God’s kingdom than the thing I consider to be large. 

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, when I am faithful, I am like you.  I count on your faithfulness.  I want you to be able to count on my faithfulness.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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Gracious Words

Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 18, 2026: SOAP #6041: 1Kings 22; 2Chronicales 18,19; Colossians 4

SCRIPTURE:  Colossians (NIV) 4:5 Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

OBSERVATION:  Here we are given two characteristics that should be in every believer’s conversation:  full of grace and seasoned with salt.  [Note: Jesus was known for gracious words. (Luke 4:22)] 

Full of grace: this speaks to me of kindness and seeing the best in others.  It focuses on the positive rather than the negative things in the other person’s life.  It is a person we like to be around.  It is a person we like to have talking about us. 

Seasoned with salt: in this I see that their conversation makes others thirsty for what they have. 

APPLICATION: People often have a dominant theme in their thinking and if you listen to them for long, or if you speak with them for a while, that theme will start being expressed.  When you see them, you expect the conversation will be about their favorite sports team, or their favorite automobile, or their favorite politician, or their favorite…

I want my words, and the attitudes that are revealed in my speaking, to express love for my wonderful Savior.  When people leave my presence, I want them to be thinking, “I sure would like to know Leon’s God.” 

PRAYER:  Lord, like You, may my mouth be full of gracious words.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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…as the Lord…

Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 17, 2026: SOAP #6040: 1Kings 20,21; 2Chronicles 17; Colossians 3

SCRIPTURE:  Colossians (NIV) 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved …  13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

OBSERVATION:  A true Christian is a person who has the Life of Jesus alive on the inside.  Living the “Jesus life” is quite different from my “old life without Jesus” and the Bible gives instructions on how we are to express that new life.  A key issue is forgiveness.  Surely the reason it is mentioned so many times in the Bible is because we will need to apply it so often. Verse 13 tells us to put up with one another.  Why?  Because no one is yet perfect.  The way not to hold a grudge and become bitter is to be a good forgiver!

Would you rather be told what to do, or shown what to do?  Who is our example for forgiveness?  None other than Jesus Himself!  And, note how personal this example is!  Not “as the Lord forgave David,” Not “as the Lord forgave Paul,” But “as the Lord forgave you!”

APPLICATION:  Forgiving and forgetting are two different things.  Forgiving is a choice; forgetting is a process.  When I choose to forgive, I put up a “Forgiven” sign across the picture in my mind of that offence.  In that way, when I remember it, I remember it forgiven.  I make a commitment to remind myself that it is forgiven whenever it comes to mind.  I make a commitment to align my actions, not with the offence, but with the forgiveness.

PRAYER:  Holy Spirit, I cannot do this on my own, but with your presence I am sure we can do this together.  Make me like Jesus.  Help me forgive like Jesus has forgiven me. Amen

Pastor Leon
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The Amazing Jesus!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 16, 2026: SOAP #6039: 1Kings 17-19; Colossians 2

SCRIPTURE:  Colossians (NIV) 2:1 I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. 2  My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

OBSERVATION:  Paul was writing to people he had not met.  They may have had copies of Old Testament books, but the New Testament was not written. Paul, unknowingly, was writing the New Testament as he was sending letters to the early churches. 

        His desire was that his readers would come to appreciate Jesus Christ who had been sent to earth by our Father God.  He had died as the payment for our sins and then had risen back to life with power and authority to impart forgiveness to all who confess and receive Him! 

        In this Amazing Christ is hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge! 

APPLICATION:  There are many SOAP readers whom I have never met.  And there are many who have recently come to know this Amazing Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  Many have witnessed amazing miracles done in the name of Jesus.  And, like those in the early church, many do not have a personal copy of the scriptures.  They are depending on the Holy Spirit to teach them through people whom the Holy Spirit is using. 

PRAYER:  Holy Spirit, make each SOAP reader aware of your presence.  Watch over us as you live with us.  Use these SOAPs to increase their knowledge and understanding of our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus, our Savior.  May our lives bring you joy today.   Amen

Pastor Leon
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Consider this…

Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 14, 2026: SOAP #6038: 1Kings 16; 2Chronicles 15,16; Colossians 1

SCRIPTURE:  Colossians (NIV) 1:16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.19 For God was pleased to have all his fulness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

OBSERVATION:  What a chapter about who Jesus is and what He has done for us.  In verse 16 we see His work in creation; in verse 20 we see His work in redemption.  He created us and He redeemed us. 

He had the joy of creation and the pain and suffering of redeeming us. 

APPLICATION:  If you have a copy of the Bible, take time and read this whole chapter.  If you have friends who do not have a Bible, gather them around and together read this chapter. 

Consider who Jesus is; how great HE is; what he has done for us; and what we can do to bring Him the honor He deserves. 

PRAYER:  Lord, my heart overflows with love and appreciation when I think about how great you are and what you have done for me.  You died for my sins; you forgave me and cleansed me from all my sins.  You have made me a part of your family.  Your Father is now my Heavenly Father.  May my life bring you joy today.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Peace

Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 14, 2026: SOAP #6037: 1Kings 15; 2Chronicles 13,14; Philippians 4

SCRIPTURE:  :  Philippians (NIV) 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

OBSERVATION:  As we put Paul’s teaching into practice, we will find a most excellent blessing, namely that the God of Peace will be with us!

In verse 7, Paul speaks of the “peace of God.”  In verse 9 he speaks of the “God of peace.”  How much greater it is to have the God than just the peace.  If God gives me His peace, I might lose it.  But If I have Him, He will never loose His peace, and if He never loses peace, neither will I.

What greater blessing can there be than God’s Presence!   We desire peace.  We ask God for peace.  God does not give us peace. God is our peace!  There are many things that we desire God to give us, but if we would seek first His kingdom, we would find that our searching is over.  God does not give us comfort, He is our comfort!  God does not give us joy, He is our joy!  To provide these for us apart from Himself, might lead us to think that we can live without Him.  What a tragedy it is when a man becomes successful without Jesus.  One cannot enter heaven apart from the Blessed Son, and one could never be considered successful in hell!     

APPLICATION:  I must keep myself aware of His presence.  I must act like He is present.  I must talk like He is present.  HE REALLY IS!  

PRAYER:  Lord, I know I can count on your promise to never leave me.  Whether I feel like it or not, you are present with me!  I am glad I know that!     Amen. 

Pastor Leon
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Citizens of heaven!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 13, 2026: SOAP #6036: 1Kings 13,14; 2Chronicles 12; Philippians 3

SCRIPTURE:  Philippians 3:20  But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

OBSERVATION:  We are not to live as “enemies” of the cross (as is mentioned in the verses preceding), but as “citizens” of heaven.  Doing so is not always easy.  Those around us may not understand us.  Worldly circumstances my not align themselves in our favor. 

But there is one aspect of being “heavenly” minded that keeps us on track.  It is that we are “eagerly” awaiting the return of our Savior!   Our destination is heaven.  He is returning to take us to the place He has prepared for us!

APPLICATION:  My citizenship is in heaven.  Any citizenship I have in this world is temporary.  This world is not my home.  I should be actively and eagerly anticipating the return of my Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 

When people are “eager” about a matter it is always in their thoughts and in their conversation.  They mention it often.  Hmmm!  When was the last time I mentioned my eagerness about Jesus returning to take me home? 

PRAYER:  Lord, I need to start singing again:  “You’re coming soon; you’re coming soon!  With joy I’ll welcome your returning.  It may be morn; it may be night or noon, I know you’re coming soon!”  Lord, may I live like I am expecting you to come today.  Amen. 

Pastor Leon
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Appreciating Prayers

Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 11, 2026: SOAP #6034: Song of Solomon 5-8; Philippians 1

SCRIPTURE:  Philippians (NIV) 1:18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.

OBSERVATION:  Paul has confidence, knowing that what he is enduring will end up for good.  It is not an exercise in futility.  He realizes that the good will come as the result of two causes.  The first is in answer to their prayers.  The second is through the help of the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit’s work is in coordination with the prayers of the saints. Paul often speaks appreciatively of the prayers of his readers.  He understands that they work for his benefit.  In this verse, those prayers are coupled with the Spirit’s working.  Paul has confident that things will work out well.

The sovereign God could work totally on His own, yet he holds back and waits for our prayers.  It is his way of preparing us to rule and reign with him. 

APPLICATION:  John Wesley said, “God does nothing except in response to believing prayer.” My part is to pray in faith according to the Father’s will.  His part is to answer those prayers that are in keeping with his will and prayed in faith.   

NOTE:  The past week I have been to the emergency room several times and had several doctor’s appointments.  Earlier today it was considered that I may need to be admitted to the hospital.  But in answer to many prayers, the doctor thought to take another blood test which showed that the problem was not serious enough to be hospitalized!  Praise the Lord!  I still have a specialized test Friday and another appointment in a couple of weeks.  A special thanks to all who have been praying for me. 

PRAYER:  Holy Spirit, reveal to me the heart of Father God so that my prayers may serve to further his Kingdom.  Teach me to walk and pray in faith with full confidence that the answer is on the way.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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