Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 25, 2022: SOAP #4587: Joel 1-3; 2Timothy 1

SCRIPTURE: 2Timothy (NIV) 1:9 (God) who has saved us and called us to a holy life-not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.

OBSERVATION:  When God “saved” me he forgave my sins and accepted what Jesus did on the cross as the necessary punishment.  I cannot do anything to earn this forgiveness; I can only receive it.  He then calls Me to live a holy life.  All of this happens in my life because of God’s purpose and grace.  Everything that happens to me either came to me as God’s purpose or something that can be used for His purpose.  My life is all about “his purpose.”   “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

APPLICATION: God has a purpose for my life, but I need His grace to fulfill that purpose.  The longer I live, the more I read His word, the more I fulfill what I presently understand of God’s purpose for me, the better I get to know and understand His full purpose for me.  I can now see how the various strands of my life were being woven together to develop His purpose.  I can look back and see how some strands were broken off because of doubt and disobedience.  I can see some strands that have been damaged and scarred.  But as I review my life, I can see a consistent single strand that has held everything together.  It is Jesus!  (Ecclesiastes 4:12)

At age 30, I did not understand how God was working toward His purpose for me when I would be age 70.  But being faithful at 30 prepared me to be faithful at 70. 

God is in the process of developing some great prayer warriors, great witnesses, great givers.  He is working in their lives now in preparation for much future fruitful ministry

PRAYER:  Lord, what a blessing to know that you have a purpose for my life and that you are working now in preparation for that ministry!  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 24, 2022: SOAP #4586: 2Kings 11,12; 2Chronicles 24; 1Timothy 6

SCRIPTURE: 1Timothy (NIV) 6:17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.  18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

OBSERVATION:  Wealth is such an unstable foundation.  It is not dependable.  The only worthy foundation is faith in God.  We must see Him as the source of our lives and the provider of all needed to sustain our lives.

As God gives talents to be used for His glory, God also provides finances to be used for His Glory.  While our faith is resting on Jesus and what He has done for us, we must be generous with what we have.  We must give willingly.  We must give joyfully.  We must be givers, even if our gift is small.  We must remember that God is looking at our heart, not the size of our gift.  He knows what we could have given.  He knows how much is left in our hands after we have given.  He remembers what He told us to give!  

APPLICATION: “Investing” in the kingdom of God is the only way to send finances ahead into the life after death, into the “coming age.”  It is good to plan for our latter years by investments that will provide finances.  So, from earth’s perspective we try to make good investments for the future.  But, when we arrive in heaven, we will have heaven’s perspective.  We will then enjoy the benefits of what we invested in the Kingdom. 

PRAYER:  Lord, when I made you Lord, you became Lord of all I am and all I have.  You are the Lord of my finances.  NO, that is not correct.  I am the caretaker of YOUR finances.  Show me how to best use for your glory, the finances you have placed in my hands.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 23, 2022: SOAP #4585: 2Kings 10; 2Chronicles 22,23; 1Timothy 5

SCRIPTURE: 1Timothy (NIV) 5:1 Do not rebuke an older man harshly but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.

OBSERVATION:  When we are born again, we enter a “family” relationship.  Being sons and daughters of God makes us brothers and sisters.  We are spiritually related.  We have the same Holy Spirit living inside.  We have many common interests.  Our relationship to Jesus and our spiritual brothers and sisters becomes the major driving force in our lives.  We are all headed toward our eternal dwelling in heaven.  What a day that will be when we all gather around His throne!

APPLICATION: When our granddaughter was just three or four years, she accompanied us to a family reunion about a hundred miles from our home.  On the way home, she said, “I didn’t know I had such a big family.” 

Bill Gaither wrote a song: “I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God…”  Being a part of this family is certainly something to rejoice.  Whenever we are privileged to join with other members of this family, we are celebrating His presence and we are celebrating each other. 

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, how special that you have made me a part of your wonderful family.  It is the life of your Son Jesus that makes us one.  It is the presence of the Holy Spirit that coordinates our lives.  Make me acutely aware of your presence whenever I meet another brother or sister.  Amen 
And, thank you for the SOAP readers who share with me Your Word. 

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 22, 2022: SOAP #4584: 2Kings 8,9; 2Chronicles 21; 1Timothy 4

SCRIPTURE: 1Timothy (NIV) 4:13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.

OBSERVATION:  In this verse Paul is giving young Timothy some directions for ministry.    The church goers in Ephesus very likely did not have personal copies of the scriptures.   Public reading, preaching, and teaching of God’s Word are necessary for individual believers to grow in understanding of God and His plan for our lives.   

Where believers have their own personal copy of the Bible, they should have a daily time of reading it.  They should also be faithful to gather with other believers to receive God anointed preaching and teaching.  In areas where personal copies of the Bible are not so readily available, it is the leader’s responsibility to make sure the Scriptures are read, and preached, and taught!

APPLICATION: I rejoice in what the Lord shares with me every day through Bible reading.  I further rejoice when I hear that God has used a SOAP to speak to someone else.  But I rejoice even more when I hear these SOAP devotionals have encouraged someone to start or increase their personal time in Bible reading, even better, to begin writing down what they hear God speaking to them.  That is great!

PRAYER: Lord, use me and these SOAP devotionals to build others in their faith and to encourage them to read the Bible for themselves.  Holy Spirit, apply the word to our hearts so that our lives might please our Heavenly Father.     Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 21, 2022: SOAP #4583: 2Kings 6,7; 2Chronicles 20; 1Timothy 3

SCRIPTURE: 1Timothy (NIV) 3:1 Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, … …and on through verse 7   (And then the qualifications for deacons in verses 8-13)

OBSERVATION:  In Paul’s letter to Timothy, he gives instructions for setting order in the church.  Paul trusted Timothy and sent him to help the churches, but Timothy was young and would need some guidance.  So, the Holy Spirit anoints Paul as he writes it in a letter.  The letters would encourage Timothy and give him some support for decisions he would have to make, especially about setting leaders in a congregation of mostly new believers. 

In times of disagreement, Timothy could take out this letter and say, “Let’s see what Paul says about this matter.”   Some people might think that Timothy was too young to be making such decisions, but they would not argue with the Apostle Paul. 

APPLICATION: Knowing that issues of leadership would continue to arise within churches, the Holy Spirit wisely made sure that this letter was included in the Bible.  We can all read and see the qualifications God expects in church leaders.  Those are the same qualifications we should expect.  They are no secret!  They are clearly stated in the scriptures.  We should not be following leaders who do not have these qualities. 

As a leader, I need to check myself by the qualifications in these scriptures.  And in setting leaders in the church, I need to be sure that they meet these qualifications. 

These would make good qualification for parents. 

PRAYER:  Holy Spirit, I know that you anointed the Apostle Paul to write these scriptures.  Now, I need your help in becoming, and being, what I should be.  Reveal truth to me and help me express that truth through my life.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 20, 2022: SOAP #4582: 2Kings 4,5; Psalm 83; 1Timothy 2

SCRIPTURE:  1Timothy (NIV) 2:1 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—

OBSERVATION:  Communication (talking to each other) is the heart of every relationship.  Talking to God we call prayer.  For communication to be complete, we must listen to what He is saying.  We are not just giving a speech! 

Prayer is an important part of each believer’s life.  God created man for fellowship.  When sin destroyed that fellowship, God began working out a way for it to be restored.  Jesus died on the cross as the payment for our sins.  We are justified (made just as if we’d never sinned) by His blood.  Our relationship has been restored and now communication between God and man is possible, and expected, and enjoyed!

Paul knew the importance of prayer, so he urged Timothy to be a man of prayer.

APPLICATION:  Prayer is so important that I should set times specifically to pray.  Prayer should be so common that I am continually talking to God and listening to what He is saying to me. 

God is so important that I should have set times to pray—to talk with Him and listen to what He is saying to me.  God is so close that I can talk with Him all day long.  Handel Price once told me that he seldom prayed for more than twenty minutes, but he seldom went twenty minutes without praying.  I do not have to pray; I get to pray!  With what I know about God, I should not need any urging to pray. 

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, what a privilege is mine, to pray and bring my praise and worship, along with my needs and burdens to you.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 19, 2022: SOAP #4581: 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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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 18, 2022: SOAP #4580: 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 is focusing 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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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 17, 2022: SOAP #4579: 1Kings 20,21; 2Chronicles 17; Colossians 3

SCRIPTURE: 2Chronicles (NIV) 17:7 Also in the third year of his reign he [Jehoshaphat] sent to his princes, … to teach in the cities of Judah. 8 And with them he sent Levites, … and with them priests. 9 And they taught in Judah and had the book of the law of the LORD with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people.
10 And the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat.

OBSERVATION:  Here we see the ministry of the Levites, some of which were driven out of Israel by King Jeroboam.  [He had made a separate place and worship in Samaria to keep those in Israel from going to Judah to worship in the temple.]   Now the Levites were building up the ministry in Judah.  In verse 9 we are told that they traveled throughout Judah and taught the people the Word of God.  Then in verse 10 we are told that the fear of the LORD fell on all the kingdoms of the lands surrounding Judah. As the people grew in their knowledge of God’s word, they grew in stature and esteem in the eyes of those around them.  How important is the knowledge of the Word!

The Word of God was spread by traveling ministries who carried the available scriptures with them.  There were no books/Bibles to be kept in homes.  But what the people gained from the Word of God being read and explained had a great effect on the people, and on the nation! 

APPLICATION: I honor the Word by reading or hearing it.  But the greatest honor I can give to the Word is to apply it.  The Word must make a difference in me.  The Holy Spirit quickens my mind as I read/hear the Word.  The Holy Spirit brings it to my memory as I go throughout each day.   

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, it is obvious that you honor those who honor your Word.  May these SOAPs honor you.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 16, 2022: SOAP #4578: 1Kings 17-19; Colossians 2

SCRIPTURE: Colossians (NIV) 2:13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.  15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

OBSERVATION:  Here it is!  The triumph was on the cross.  That is where the battle was fought!  And that is where the victory was won!   In the eyes of man, when Jesus was taken off the cross, he was defeated.  But in the light of eternity, He was the VICTOR! 

Of course, we did not realize how great the victory was until the resurrection, even yet we do not grasp the fullness of that victory.  But we enjoy it, and we celebrate it.  When we partake of communion, we are “showing the Lord’s death until He comes.” (1Corinthians 11:26)   In the Bible we have the command to celebrate His death by taking communion.  But is there a command to celebrate His resurrection?

Yes, YEs, and YES!!  We are to live every day celebrating His resurrection!  The resurrected Jesus now lives inside every believer!  He is the honored Guest of our lives.

APPLICATION:  I celebrate His resurrection EVERY DAY!  The resurrected Jesus lives inside me.  His life is seen in me every day!  I live every day in living communion with the resurrected Jesus!  The way I talk, the way I act, walking in love and holiness, etc. are the ways I celebrate His resurrected life now living in me. 

PRAYER:  Holy Spirit, continually remind me that the One who died on the cross for me, is now ALIVE in me.  Help me honor Him in all I say and do.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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