Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
July 04, 2025: SOAP #5692: 2Kings 15-16; Hosea 1; Hebrews 1

SCRIPTURE:  Hebrews 1:1 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways,
2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.

OBSERVATION:   Of the many special characteristics of God is that He wants to be known.  He is a “self-revealer.”  One of the ways He shows Himself is through His words; He is a “speaker.”  The writer of Hebrews mentions that God has spoken in the past but recently (in the writer’s day) God had spoken through Jesus. 

God did not stop speaking when Jesus finished His ministry here on earth, but continued to speak through the writers of the New Testament and today through the Holy Spirit.  
 
Because God is eternal and immutable, we know that what Jesus said lined up perfectly with the Old Testament.  We know that what the writers of the New Testament wrote lined up perfectly with the Old Testament and with Jesus.  And we can have confidence that what the Holy Spirit speaks to us will also line up perfectly with the Old Testament, Jesus, and the New Testament. 

APPLICATION:  Obviously, the better I know the written Word (the Old and New Testaments), and the better I know the living Word (Jesus), the better I will recognize and understand what the Holy Spirit, who lives in me, is speaking to me today. 

PRAYER:   Lord, Eli in 1Samuel chapter 3 directed Samuel to pray, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”  And, as Israel needed Samuel, so the United States of America, on this Independence Day, needs people who hear your word today!  May SOAP readers be people who hear your voice.  Amen. 

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
July 02, 2025: SOAP #5690: Isaiah 4-5; Psalm 115-116; Jude

SCRIPTURE:  Jude (NIV) 24  To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—25  to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and for evermore! Amen.

OBSERVATION:   In this benediction at the end of the short book of Jude there is much to consider!!!   Just think of this: we are to be presented “…in his glorious presence without fault and with great joy! “  

What a glorious day that will be—to stand faultless before God.  It will be a humbling experience to know that I am there only because of the sacrifice of Jesus, God the Son! 

APPLICATION:  My question: is this speaking of my joy that I will have in being presented without fault?  Will I say, “Father, my joy is overflowing as I stand faultless here in your presence.”

Or is this speaking of the joy Jesus will have?  Will Jesus say, “Father it gives me exceeding great joy to present Leon.  He stands faultless because every sin has been accounted for in the sacrifice I made on the cross.” 

Surely, we both will have great joy, but Jesus has invested much more than I, so rightfully the greatest joy should be His! 

PRAYER:   Lord, even now may I bring you joy.  May I bring you joy in trusting you.  May I bring you joy in doing as you direct.  May I bring you joy in how I represent you, and how I talk about you.  May you enjoy living in me.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 29, 2028: SOAP #5687: Amos 4-6; Psalm 86,87; Titus 1

SCRIPTURE:  Titus (NIV) 1:1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness—2 a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time,

OBSERVATION:  Here Paul says that our faith and knowledge is “resting” on our hope of eternal life.  On what is our hope of eternal life resting?  It is resting on the promises of God, WHO DOES NOT LIE! 

In this I understand that everything rests on the nature and character of God!  God is the originator and sustainer of all things.  The better we know and understand God, the better we will know and understand life. 

Proverbs (NIV) 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

APPLICATION:  I must be continually looking through the scriptures, and in the world in which I live, to learn more of Creator God.  There is no possibility of me gaining perfect understanding of the Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent, Eternal Spirit God who is perfectly holy and perfectly loving!   The characteristics of His being are ruled only by his moral characteristics.  He is eternally holy and eternally loving and is always truthful and working according to His eternal plan.  He is far beyond amazing!!!  There is always more to learn!  

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, may the Holy Spirit guide me through this life, revealing through the scriptures, and through the world, Your amazing character.  You lovingly sent Your Son, Jesus. to make the holy sacrifice necessary to pay for my sins!   I live in honor of what you have done for me.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 28, 2028: SOAP #5686: Amos 1-3, Psalm 80; 2Timothy 4

SCRIPTURE:  2Timothy (NIV) 4:6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure.  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
—–
4:18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom.  To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 

OBSERVATION:   In verse 6 above, Paul is ready to die.  He is in prison and expecting to be put to death.  He is satisfied with the way he has lived his life.  Later in the same chapter, in verse 18, Paul is expecting to be rescued.  He is not expecting to be delivered in this life, but from this life.  His deliverance would not return him to the dusty roads of the Roman Empire, but the celestial streets of a heavenly kingdom! 

To Paul, life is one continuum.  What started in the womb was continued on earth.  What was lived on earth is now continued in heaven. 

APPLICATION:  Birth was the doorway through which I entered into this earthly life.  My life started in the womb and has continued these past 77+ years.  Death will not end my life, only this portion of my life.  It will be the doorway through which I enter into the heavenly kingdom of which I was made a citizen when I was born again by the Spirit of God.  

PRAYER:   Jesus, You returned to heaven to prepare a place for me.  Someday You are coming to take me where you are!  What a day that will be!  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 27, 2028: SOAP #5685: 2Kings 13,14; 2Chronicles 25; 2Timothy 3

SCRIPTURE:  2Timothy (NIV) 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

OBSERVATION:   Recently many people have come to faith in Jesus through various outreaches of people working with SOAP ministry.  Many live in places where Bibles are not readily available.  It is somewhat like the book of Acts days when the church began.  Many people came to have faith in Jesus, but they had no Bibles readily available.  Old Testament on scrolls were in synagogues, but no one could afford them in their home.  The New Testament had not yet been written.

Of course, they listened to their leaders who had more understanding and had been set as leaders for their church.  BUT MOST IMPORTANT, the Holy Spirit, who was the author of the scriptures had come to live in each believer!  They each had a personal relationship with the author of the scriptures!

APPLICATION:  It cannot be stressed how important it is for each of us to listen to the Holy Spirit speaking.  It was the Holy Spirit that convinced us that what we had heard about Jesus was true.  It was the Holy Spirit that put the compelling thoughts in our mind and heart to pray, asking Jesus to forgive us and make Him Lord!

And as we read the scriptures available to us (like those above) it is the Holy Spirit that convinces our hearts of their truth and puts thoughts in our mind as to how we can apply those truths to our lives.  (Even if one has only a small portion of scripture, prayerfully read it, asking the Holy Spirit to use it in your life.  Even people who have the whole Bible, do not read all of it every day.  Just read the portion available to you in faith that the Holy Spirit will speak to your heart and mind through that part of His Word.) 

PRAYER:   Holy Spirit, you who inspired men to write the scriptures, reveal truth to me.  Show me how to live a life honoring Jesus and my Heavenly Father.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 26, 2028: SOAP #5684: Jonah 1-4; 2Timothy 2

SCRIPTURE:  2Timothy 2:2  And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

OBSERVATION:   In his ministry to men, Ed Cole, like the apostle Paul does here to Timothy, stressed the importance of faithfulness over ability.  Being reliable, being trustworthy is priority.  There are people with great ability, but since they are not dependable, their ability is useless.  There are men who have the ability to be great dads, but since they are so seldom at home, it does not help their children.  I’ve heard it said that the greatest ability is availability.  Faithfulness is the foundation for the demonstration of one’s abilities. Ability shines best on the pedestal of faithfulness.  An employer looking for a new employee, a ministry looking for a new volunteer should always rank faithfulness above ability.  

How one treats their commitments says nothing about the value of what they have committed to, but everything about them; they made the commitment.  It is their character that is on display. 

APPLICATION:  I need to be faithful in the small matters in preparation for being faithful in the greater matters.  And as I work to improve my abilities, I need to be careful to maintain faithfulness.  I need to be sure to keep my word.  I need to be faithful to my commitments to God as well as to people. 

PRAYER:   Lord, if people cannot count on my word, if my wife cannot count on my word, then you cannot either.  I want you to be able to trust me so help me to live trustworthy.  Amen. 

Pastor Leon
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