Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer

October 14: Nehemiah 11-12; Psalm 1; Acts 3

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 1:1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

Observation: This choice blessing of the Lord is for those who "delight" in His Word! They have disciplined themselves enough to moving past the "have to" of reading God’s Word. They are eager to get into the Word. They are disappointed when they are interrupted. Instead of being quick to close The Book, they want to read just a few more verses. Like special food, they do more than just eat it, they savor it! As the day progresses and becomes night, they think back and "savor" the Word again and again in their thoughts.

Application: As I allow good routines and habits to shape my life, more and more I find times of Bible reading and study that began because of duty, and because I know it is good for me —those times change to delight as God’s Spirit reveals Himself through His Word! Time in the Word is time well spent!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, what a great benefit I have every day, spending time in your Word. Every day you give me something special from your Word. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer

October 13: Nehemiah 9-10; Acts 2

Scripture: Nehemiah (NIV) 9:31 But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God. 32 Now therefore, O our God, the great, mighty and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love, do not let all this hardship seem trifling in your eyes… 33 In all that has happened to us, you have been just; you have acted faithfully, while we did wrong.

Observation: The Israelites had gathered to confess their sins. This chapter is a historical review of God’s interaction with them. In this prayer, we see much of the character of God. Their great and awesome God is gracious and merciful. These are expressions of his love. But he is also just and faithful, which are expressions of his holiness.

Application: It is good for me to know to Whom I am praying. It is good for me to know His character. When I know His character, I am better able to understand His answers to my prayers. I am better able to understand the world He created and how He interacts with His creation.

Prayer: Holy and Loving God, You are always faithful and true to Your character. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer

October 12: Nehemiah 7-8; Acts 1

Scripture: Nehemiah (NIV) 8:10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Observation: “…the joy of the LORD is your strength” is one of those phrases in the Bible that many can quote but only a few of us remember the context. In the context of this verse we find that the people were beginning to grieve because they heard God’s word read to them and they were beginning to understand how much they had sinned. The LORD gets joy when people listen to His word and gain understanding in what it means. The LORD gets joy when people respond properly to His word. And what gives joy to the Lord is the same thing that gives strength to His people. So the people were told to stop grieving and start celebrating. Like a small child likes to repeat things that brings a smile to its parents face, so we should enjoy doing things that causes our Heavenly Father to smile!

Application: One way to bring joy to my Heavenly Father is to become familiar with His word and to gain understanding in what it means and how it should be applied to my life. And I am finding that what brings joy to Him brings strength to me!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for providing your Word and making it available for me to read. Jesus, thank you for giving me an example of how I am to live out the Word in my daily life. Holy Spirit, thank you for providing understanding as I read. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer

October 11: Nehemiah 5-6; Psalm 146; Luke 24

Scripture: Nehemiah (NIV) 6:11 But I [Nehemiah when people were trying to distract him from God’s assignment] said, “Should a man like me run away?” … 12 I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13 He had been hired to intimidate me… 15 So the wall was completed…in fifty-two days. 16 When all our enemies heard about this…they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.

Observation: Nehemiah knew that God had given him the assignment to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Of course God’s enemies had people around to intimidate him and keep him from succeeding in his mission. Some people even claimed to bring a word from God, but Nehemiah was able to see through their words. By holding true to God’s word and following through with his assignment, the completed wall became a testimony to those around that God was working with them.

Application: The better I know God’s word, the better I will be able to judge words brought to me by others. Satan will introduce thoughts into my thinking from something someone says, or something I read, or something I hear on the radio or TV. I must determine what is of God and what comes from satan. When I obey God, His work through me can be a testimony to the Great God I serve!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I want my work to be a testimony to your great wisdom, your mighty power, and your continual presence in my life. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer

October 10: Nehemiah 3-4; Luke 23

Scripture: Nehemiah (NIV) 4:12 Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”

Observation: People have not changed much since Nehemiah’s day. There are still people today who feel like the more they repeat something the more it will be believed as true. It can be a trap that older people fall into. And when people do not have a very rational position they sometimes rely on repetition. There are politicians who run advertisements that say the same thing over and over. They are hoping that the more people hear it the more they will believe it. I have also noted that many statements that are continually repeated are statements of doubt and fear rather than faith. If I am going to repeat something, I want it to be a statement of faith!

Application: I need be careful not to say the same thing over and over. I need to expand my knowledge and explanation of things I feel are important. I need to grow in my understanding of what God’s word says about those matters.

Also I need to be careful that I place proper importance on things I hear repeated. I should not just ignore them because I have heard them all before. On the other hand I need to remember that just because one person repeats it does not mean that everyone is saying it.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, how I need your help in correctly understanding what happens around me. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer

October 10: Nehemiah 3-4; Luke 23

Scripture: Nehemiah (NIV) 4:12 Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”

Observation: People have not changed much since Nehemiah’s day. There are still people today who feel like the more they repeat something the more it will be believed as true. It can be a trap that older people fall into. And when people do not have a very rational position they sometimes rely on repetition. There are politicians who run advertisements that say the same thing over and over. They are hoping that the more people hear it the more they will believe it. I have also noted that many statements that are continually repeated are statements of doubt and fear rather than faith. If I am going to repeat something, I want it to be a statement of faith!

Application: I need be careful not to say the same thing over and over. I need to expand my knowledge and explanation of things I feel are important. I need to grow in my understanding of what God’s word says about those matters.

Also I need to be careful that I place proper importance on things I hear repeated. I should not just ignore them because I have heard them all before. On the other hand I need to remember that just because one person repeats it does not mean that everyone is saying it.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, how I need your help in correctly understanding what happens around me. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Repetition

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer

October 10: Nehemiah 3-4; Luke 23

Scripture: Nehemiah (NIV) 4:12 Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”

Observation: People have not changed much since Nehemiah’s day. There are still people today who feel like the more they repeat something the more it will be believed as true. It can be a trap that older people fall into. And when people do not have a very rational position they sometimes rely on repetition. There are politicians who run advertisements that say the same thing over and over. They are hoping that the more people hear it the more they will believe it. I have also noted that many statements that are continually repeated are statements of doubt and fear rather than faith. If I am going to repeat something, I want it to be a statement of faith!

Application: I need be careful not to say the same thing over and over. I need to expand my knowledge and explanation of things I feel are important. I need to grow in my understanding of what God’s word says about those matters.

Also I need to be careful that I place proper importance on things I hear repeated. I should not just ignore them because I have heard them all before. On the other hand I need to remember that just because one person repeats it does not mean that everyone is saying it.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, how I need your help in correctly understanding what happens around me. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Repetition

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer

October 10: Nehemiah 3-4; Luke 23

Scripture: Nehemiah (NIV) 4:12 Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”

Observation: People have not changed much since Nehemiah’s day. There are still people today who feel like the more they repeat something the more it will be believed as true. It can be a trap that older people fall into. And when people do not have a very rational position they sometimes rely on repetition. There are politicians who run advertisements that say the same thing over and over. They are hoping that the more people hear it the more they will believe it. I have also noted that many statements that are continually repeated are statements of doubt and fear rather than faith. If I am going to repeat something, I want it to be a statement of faith!

Application: I need be careful not to say the same thing over and over. I need to expand my knowledge and explanation of things I feel are important. I need to grow in my understanding of what God’s word says about those matters.

Also I need to be careful that I place proper importance on things I hear repeated. I should not just ignore them because I have heard them all before. On the other hand I need to remember that just because one person repeats it does not mean that everyone is saying it.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, how I need your help in correctly understanding what happens around me. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer

October 9: Nehemiah 1-2; Psalm 133-134; Luke 22

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 134:1 Praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD who minister by night in the house of the LORD.
2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the LORD.
3 May the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth, bless you from Zion.

Observation: In my understanding, there was 24 hour worship in the temple. Priests and musicians were assigned their times to minister to the Lord. Those who ministered at night were no less important than those who ministered in the day. God is worthy of praise through the night just as He is through the day.

Application: Whether it was working nights at a gas station after high school graduation in Belleville, Kansas; or night duty on a hospital ward at MCRD in San Diego, California; or a night radio watch on a mountain top in Viet Nam; I have found those to be special times of praise. They were special times of enjoying the presence of the Lord! There were fewer interruptions to break my focus on the Lord. I found Him just as awake and just as active in the night as in the day.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, you are the God who never slumbers or sleeps. You are the God of the dark side as well as the light side of the earth. I am so thankful that you are my God! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer

October 8: Ezra 9-10; Psalm 131; Luke 21

Scripture: Luke (NIV) 21:27 “At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
29 He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. 30 When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. 31 “Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of god is near.
32 “I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.”

Observation: I have been taught that the fig tree in verse 29 is a symbol of Israel and its budding is symbolic of Israel becoming a nation. I was born in 1948, the same year Israel again joined the family of nations. I have thought that the end times concerning Israel would be completed in my lifetime, or in the lifetime of my generation. Of course, prophecy will not be fulfilled according to my interpretation—only God’s.

Application: Before dawn this morning, the moon was so aligned with the earth that it will appear red like blood—another sign of the end times. Surely the return of Jesus is not too far off. I must be watching! I must be ready! I must tell others!

Prayer: Even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!