Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 07, 2022: SOAP #4508:  1Samuel 1-2; Psalm 66; 2Corinthians 7

SCRIPTURE:  Psalm (NIV) 66:1 Shout with joy to God, all the earth!
2 Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious!
3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you.
4 All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you; they sing praise to your name.” Selah
5 Come and see what God has done, how awesome his works on man’s behalf!

OBSERVATION: The Psalmist encourages everyone on earth to make a loud noise of praise to God.  They are to “shout with joy!” They are to “sing praises.” 

They had many reasons to “make His praise glorious!”  God had done awesome deeds in creation!  God had worked many miracles in delivering Israel out of slavery from Egypt. 

APPLICATION: If the Old Testament saints had reason to praise God, how much more do I have reason!  Jesus entered death and rose victorious.  Jesus suffered and died to pay for my sins.  He rose from the grave and now lives in my life!  No Old Testament saint should ever out-shout me!  …especially on resurrection Sunday!!!

PRAYER:  Lord, I want to make your praise glorious!  You are the risen Lord over death, hell, and the grave!  And you have chosen to make my heart your home!  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 06, 2022: SOAP #4507:  Ruth 3-4; Psalm 64, 65; 2Corinthians 6

SCRIPTURE:  2Corinthians (NIV) 6:16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” 17 “Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” 18 “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

OBSERVATION: That is what we are!  We are the temple of the living God.  But these verses tell reveal that God wants more.  If we separate ourselves, we will be His sons and daughters.  He will be more than a builder; He will be a Father—our Father! 

To be God’s temple in which He dwells is indeed a high honor.  But to be His son or daughter!  That is amazing!!!  More than being His handiwork, as His children, we carry His DNA! 

APPLICATION: My relationship with a builder is technical.  We communicate about his work.  He shows me his handiwork. 

But my relationship with my father is personal.  We talk about what he likes and dislikes.  I ask about his time in France during World War II.  I ask why he married my mother.  I ask questions I would never ask a builder, but this is my dad, my father. 

Rather than asking so much what I want Him to do for me, I need to ask what I can do for Him.  What can I do that would pleasure Him?  What does He think about what I am doing?  What causes Him pain?  How can I make Him smile?  I need to honor Him as my Heavenly Father. 

PRAYER:  Sovereign LORD, you are God, my Creator.  You are awesome in power and wisdom.  Yet to me you are so much more.  You are my Heavenly FATHER!  You love me and treat me as your son!  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 05, 2022: SOAP #4506, from #2315:  Ruth 1-2; Psalm 53, 61; 2Corinthians 5

SCRIPTURE:  Psalm (NIV) 61:1 Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer.
2 From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
3 For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe.
4 I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings. Selah

OBSERVATION: The psalmist had learned there was no place on earth from which he could not call on God. In times of trouble when he needed a strong foundation, he trusted God to be a rock that was bigger than himself. He remembered when he had been overcome by the enemy; he had found God to be his refuge. God had been his strong tower from which he could overlook the battle below. From his vantage point in the tower the psalmist had viewed the enemies battle plans.

APPLICATION: I have never been in a place from which I could not call on the Lord. I have never been in a place where I could not sense His Presence. He has been my courage; he has been my strength. He has been my wisdom; He has been my source. He has been with me in the air (in small planes, Marine helicopters, and passenger jets), on land (in cars, busses, and trains) (on mountain tops and in caves) and sea (in small fishing boats and US Navy ships). In churches, in hospitals, and in prisons.  He has been with me on three continents and several islands of the sea. He has been with me in war and peace; in Viet Nam and at home. He has been with me when the air was filled with the sound of whizzing bullets and exploding shells; He has been with me when the air was filled with the sounds of people worshipping. His voice has assured me; His hand has sustained me; His presence has satisfied me.

PRAYER:  Lord, from everywhere on earth that I have been, I have called on you and found you to be a rock bigger than myself and my circumstances. You are my refuge and my strong tower. Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 04, 2022: SOAP #4505:  Judges 19-21; 2Corinthians 4

SCRIPTURE:  2Corinthians (NIV) 4:1 Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.

OBSERVATION: “By setting forth the truth plainly…”    How important it is that those who minister the Word, present it clearly.  Words must be used that are easy for the hearer to understand. 

 It should be clearly set forth in our lives as well as in our preaching.  The active truth should not be hard to identify.  It should be plain; it should be easily seen.  The leader’s life should be a good example of how to live.. 

A leader must maintain a clear testimony, especially for the lost who have a great tendency to point out the hypocrisy of Christian leaders who say one thing but do another. 

APPLICATION: “…we commend ourselves to everyman’s conscience…”    It should be easy for people to believe me.  I should live my life in a way that does not contradict what I say.  One message in my words and another message in my life causes confusion in those to whom I am ministering.  People should be getting the same message from my life as from my preaching.

NOTE:  This is especially true for parents!

The application is where the truth of the scripture interacts with my life.  In the application I discover why God put that truth in the Bible.  In the application I show God that His word is important to me.   It is not something to be ignored. 

PRAYER:  Holy Spirit, help me faithfully apply the scriptures to my life.  May other be able to see that I live out the truth you have revealed to me.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 03, 2022: SOAP #4504:  Judges 17-18; Psalm 89; 2Corinthians 3

SCRIPTURE:  2Corinthians (NIV) 3: 1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. 3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

OBSERVATION: Paul did not need someone to write a letter of introduction to the church in Corinth.  He did not need someone to present a list of his accomplishments.  He already had such a letter.  The lives of the ones to whom he was writing were his letters. 

People could look at them and see the results of Paul’s ministry.  They were not letters written by ink, but by the Holy Spirit!   They were not written “on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.”

When the letter written in my heart by the Holy Spirit, shines out in the way I live, and act, and talk…it is then others can read the letter,

APPLICATION: There is a house on my school bus route that is being remodeled.  I note the changes to the outside every day.  But there is something happening on the inside of the house that is much better.  No, I cannot see inside the house, but I can see what comes out of the house:  happy, respectful, neatly dressed children.  They are letters of good things happening in that home. 

I need to consider myself a letter from Christ, guided by the Word of God (still the result of Paul’s ministry).  This letter is written on my heart and written with the Spirit of the living God!

PRAYER:  Holy Spirit, help me live my life to glorify Jesus.  When people see me, may they know that God cares for them also.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 02, 2022: SOAP #4503:  Judges 13-16; 2Corinthians 2

SCRIPTURE:  2Corinthians (NIV) 2:10 If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, 11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.

OBSERVATION: When we do not forgive, we leave an open door for Satan to interfere in our lives.

Not forgiving is sin.  We have been commanded by God to forgive.

Not forgiving others is asking God not to forgive us!  (Matthew 6:15)

Not forgiving is not appreciating the forgiveness God has given us.

Not forgiving keeps the hurt we have experienced fresh in our lives.  The issue is unsettled.  It is an account that remains open.  It keeps the past interfering with our present.

APPLICATION: Not forgiving may or may not hurt the person who wronged me, but it always hurts me. It hurts me again and again, every time I remember the pain and wait for the offender to make it right. It is so much better to forgive! Forgiveness is outwitting Satan!  It destroys the weapons he loves to use against me!

Forgiveness should become as natural to me as the blinking of my eyelid when a parcel of dust invades my eye.  And it should be done just as quickly. (Wes Daughenbaugh)

PRAYER:  Jesus, your death on the cross was not only sufficient to pay for all my sins against you, it was also sufficient to pay for all the sins against me. And as the Heavenly Father forgives me because of your sacrifice, so I can forgive those who sin against me. And so, I pray, “forgive my sins as I forgive those who sin against me.” Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 01, 2022: SOAP #4502:  Judges 11-12; Psalm 50; 2Corinthians 1

SCRIPTURE:  2Corinthians (NIV) 1:7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.  8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. 9 Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

OBSERVATION: Paul and his companions had struggled in extremely hard times.  They thought they were going to die.  Now they can see that God allowed this struggle to teach them that they could not rely on their own strength, but they could rely on God!   God had proved Himself more than able to deliver!!!  And so, they had faith that God would continue to deliver them!

Paul also noted that God’s delivering help came in answer to the prayers of those reading his letter.  Paul did not complain about the financial support that the Corinthians did or did not send.  Paul recognized that their greatest contribution was their prayers. 

APPLICATION: If God used the hard times to focus Paul on God as his Deliverer, then I should not be surprised if God uses hard time to put my focus on him.  God is my Deliverer!  What He has taken me through in the past builds my faith for what lies ahead.  God’s supply in answer to the prayers made on my behalf are and will be a great testimony. 

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, you are always working for my good.  You are setting me up for growth.  Today You are preparing me for what lies ahead.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
March 31, 2022: SOAP #4501:  Judges 9-10; Psalm 49; 1Corinthians 16

SCRIPTURE:  Psalm (NIV) 49:15 But God will redeem my life from the grave; he will surely take me to himself. Selah

OBSERVATION: If Jesus did not rise from the dead, then our faith would be useless.  Death is the final result of sin.  Jesus overcame sin in his living and overcame death in his resurrection! 

It is good to note who is doing what in the verse above.  He (God) takes the responsibility of bring us to Himself!  And He will surely do it!  This is a verse full of comfort!  

APPLICATION: The resurrection is the proof that my faith is not in vain!   His resurrection is proof that death will not be the end for me.  The One living inside me has already been tried and tested, already been through death’s door into life after death, already risen bodily from the dead!!!

His powerful death conquering life now lives in me!  He empowers my living.  He will escort me through death’s door into eternity! 

Paul wrote that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord!  (2Corinthians 5:8)

The way I see it:  First: He is with me now! (Ephesians 2:22)   
Second:  When I approach death’s door, He will be with me. (Hebrews 13:5)   Third:  As I go through death’s door, I will find Him excitedly waiting for me. (Psalm 116:15)  
Fourth:  When death’s door closes behind me, I will be with Him for eternity!  (1Thessalonians 4:17)  

PRAYER:  Lord, I am amazed at what you have done for me. But I know what is ahead will even be better!  I will enter your gates with thanksgiving in my heart; I will enter your courts with praise; I will say, “This is the day that the Lord hath made!”  I will rejoice for you have made me glad!  (Psalm 100:4 and 118:24) Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
March 30, 2022: SOAP #4500:  Judges 8; Psalm 42; 1Corinthians 15

SCRIPTURE:  1Corinthians (NIV) 15:58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

OBSERVATION: What a fitting close to a chapter that begins with Christ’s resurrection and ends with our resurrection. Because of what Jesus has done for us (past). and because of what Jesus is going to do in us (future), verse 58 above tells me how I should live NOW (present).

APPLICATION: What is the key for living NOW (in the present).  Paul stated it so well in his letter to the churches in Galatia.  “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me.  The life I NOW live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

God has taken care of the past; God is preparing for the future; and right now, God is taking care of my present.  Jesus, by His Spirit, IS LIVING IN ME!   My “labor in the Lord” is really Christ living in me and working through me!  It is me submitting to Him and following His lead. 

PRAYER:  Jesus, you are more than an honored guest visiting in my life.  You are the permanent resident King.  I treat you as my Lord and you treat me as your family.  As I open myself to you, you open your heart to me.  May your presence be the dominating characteristic that is easily recognized by all who know and meet me. Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
March 29, 2022: SOAP #4499:  Judges 6-7; Psalm 52; 1Corinthians 14

SCRIPTURE:  1Corinthians (NIV) 14:26 What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church…. 40 But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.

OBSERVATION: In this chapter, Paul gives specific directions for the ministry of spiritual gifts when believers are gathered in one place.  Their custom was to gather on the first day of the week for worship and teaching and perhaps to share a meal.  Paul covers several issues about spiritual gifts that would be commonly expressed in such a gathering:  the gifts of tongues, interpretation of tongues, and prophecy.  He also covers a cultural practice of the men and women sitting separately in the church.  If one needed to ask their spouse a question, they should not interrupt the gathering, but wait until they return home.  

In the gathering of believers, everything “must be done for the strengthening of the church.”  Everything should be done in “a fitting and orderly way.” 

APPLICATION: Presently I am not serving as a senior pastor.  I am not up front directing the service, leading worship, bringing the message, etc.  But that does not mean that I am unconcerned about the service.  Like every believer, I must prepare myself for God to use me.  It may be a tongue and/or an interpretation.  It may be a prophecy.  It may be setting a good example for those around me as we worship.  It may be praying with someone.  It may be giving a word of comfort to someone whose family member has just died.  It may be giving a word of encouragement to a young person struggling in school or at work.  My part is to have an offering ready to give.  My part also may be to give some money to a brother or sister in need. 

PRAYER:  Holy Spirit, you flow through me as much now as you did when I was the senior pastor.  You direct my ministry in church to the one you brought to the church to meet me.  Every time I gather with other believers remind me to look for that one that needs what I have.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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