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

October 23: Job 13-14; Acts 17-18

Note: Job’s friends were convinced that Job must have done something very bad to deserve his terrible suffering. They wanted Job to acknowledge his great sin. The trouble with that reasoning was: Job had not sinned. And as badly as Job was hurting, he was not going to confess to sins that he had not committed. Below is his response:

Scripture: Job (NIV) 13:3 But I desire to speak to the Almighty and to argue my case with God. 4 You, however, smear me with lies; you are worthless physicians, all of you! 5 if only you would be altogether silent! For you, that would be wisdom.

Observation: Surely there are many of us who would like to tell someone to shut up, like Job did in verse 5! Reading it makes me laugh, but Job was not laughing when he said it. There are times when people just do not understand what we are going through. But as we read the whole book of Job, we come to know that God does understand! He understood even better than Job! And we come to know that He will set things straight!

Application: When it seems no one understands, I can trust God. Even when I do not understand, I can trust that He does. And I can trust His love for me to work things out for my good and for His glory.

Prayer: Lord, no one else may understand, but You do! I trust you to bring me through these troubles. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

October 22: Job 11-12; Acts 15-16

Scripture: Acts (NIV) 15: 27 Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing.
28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements:
29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.

Observation: When God put His Holy Spirit on non-Jewish people, it caused quite a stir among the Jewish believers. The big question: were new believers in Jesus from outside the Jewish religion going to be required to live according to the Jewish law?

It had become clear to the church leaders that God was accepting people they previously thought were un-acceptable. God was giving the Holy Spirit to non-Jewish people in the same manner as He gave to Jewish people. God was looking at the heart!

Application: I can only see the expressions that come out from the heart, but God sees the heart. I must be careful to make sure that what seems good to me also seems good to the Holy Spirit!

Prayer: Holy Spirit, I want to walk in close communication with you. I want to hear you even when you speak softly. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

October 21: Job 9-10; Acts 13-14

Scripture: Job (NIV) 9:33 If only there were someone to mediate between us, someone to bring us together, 34 someone to remove God’s rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more.

Observation: Job was the battleground between God and Satan. And in talking about his suffering, Job expresses this desire. If only there was someone to go between God and men. If only there was someone who would satisfy God’s wrath against sin. If only… I like to put myself into the conversation Job is having with his friends. So I write in my comments. The following is my comment as I interrupted Job…

Application: Job, there is Someone who did exactly like you said. Jesus arbitrated between us! He laid his hands on both parties and drew us together. Through His death, Jesus removed the rod of God’s wrath from us. We now have boldness to enter the very Presence of God, just like you said.

Prayer: Lord, How clearly Job understood what we needed, and how perfectly you fulfilled that need! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

October 20: Job 6-8; Acts 12

Scripture: Acts (NIV) 12:5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

Observation: Verse 6 tells us that Peter was sleeping, but verse 5 says the church was praying! The church was not picketing the jail nor contacting their representatives. The church saw itself as the representatives presenting their petitions before the throne of heaven!

Application: There are so many ways today a church can spend its time; sometimes it leaves little time for prayer. We can have counseling, group meetings, various activities, etc. If the church does not make prayer a priority there will be no time for it in our schedules. If the church does not make prayer a priority, people will choose other more enjoyable and entertaining activities.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, keep emphasizing the importance of prayer. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

October 19: Job 5; Psalm 108; Acts 10-11

Scripture: Acts (NIV) 10:22 The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.”

Observation: This verse shows the same characteristic of God’s working as I wrote in yesterday’s SOAP. God used a divine/angelic messenger; AND He also used a human messenger. We are to point people to Jesus; but it is interesting to note that sometime he points people to us! He knows we will point them back to Him. It is teamwork! We cannot do it without Him and He will not do it without us! Even Jesus became a man to do the work required on the earth!

Application: If I lock myself off from the church and God’s people, I lock myself off from hearing much of what God would speak to me. If I am not open to God speaking to me through someone else, I am also not open to God.

Prayer: Lord, help me be open to hearing what you are saying to me through those around me. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

October 18: Job 3-4; Acts 8-9

Scripture: Acts (NIV) 9:17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Observation: Jesus had miraculously appeared to Saul as he was traveling to persecute the Christians in the city of Damascus. In this verse the divine interruption of Saul’s life was confirmed by a human messenger, Ananias. God often uses humans in His work with humans. Even Jesus had to take on humanity to complete the Father’s will in the salvation of people.

Application: This verse speaks to me in two ways. First, I must be open to God speaking to me through other people. Second, I must me willing to let God speak through me to others.

Prayer: Lord, Thank you for the church! You have so designed the church so that I can both minister to others and receive ministry myself. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

October 17: Job 1-2; Acts 6-7

Scripture: Acts (NIV) 7:33 Then the Lord said to him (Moses), “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”

Observation: Moses had come to see a bush that was on fire but was not burning up. Now God was speaking to him from that bush! God identified Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God had something specific to say to Moses, but first Moses would have to remove his sandals. It is my understanding that free persons wore shoes while slaves went barefoot. Sandals were a symbol that a man could set his own course and was responsible for his own decisions. Being barefoot was a sign that someone else was in charge. It needed to be established in Moses that Moses was not in charge. Moses was only the servant of the Jehovah God! Only as a servant would Moses successfully lead Israel!

Application: For Leon to be useful to God, Leon must walk barefoot before the Lord. Leon is not to do Leon’s business, but God’s business. Leon is not Lord. He is only the Lord’s servant. Leon will be a blessing to others only as Leon hears and does the will of God. Only as a servant can I be successful in God’s Kingdom!

Prayer: Lord, I walk as your servant. Use me for your glory. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

October 16: Malachi 3-4; Psalm 148; Acts 5

Scripture: Acts (NIV) 5:19 But during the night an angel of the LORD opened the doors of the jail and brought them out.
20 “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.”

Observation: The high priest and his associates were jealous because all the people were gathering to hear the apostles preach and watch them heal the sick. They had the apostles arrested and thrown in jail. I noticed that when the angel set them free he gave them an assignment. They were set free so they could go and tell.

Application: When God has done something for me, it is my duty to tell others. My life is to be a visible demonstration of God’s power and glory. It is my responsibility to let others know Who is to get the glory from Leon’s life!

Prayer: Lord, may you find me faithful to let others know what you have done for me. I get to enjoy the freedom from bondage, sickness, debt; it is your right to enjoy the glory! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

October 15: Nehemiah 13; Malachi 1-2; Acts 4

Scripture: Acts (NIV) 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.

Observation: What a dirty trick it would have been for God the Father to send his son to die for the sins of man if there had been another way for man to be saved. Jesus was convinced that there was no other way. He had to die or man could not be free from sin. In this verse Peter is speaking before the religious leaders of Israel. Peter and John had been arrested because of a healing done in the name of Jesus who these leaders had recently crucified.

Application: God the Father was so convinced that there was no other way for man to be saved that He sent His only son to die for my sins. Jesus was so convinced that there was no other way that He was willing to suffer the great agony of the cross. The apostles were so convinced that they were willing to go to jail and give their lives for telling others that Jesus is the ONLY way. Now it is my turn.

Prayer: Lord, You are the only way. There is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved! Lord, I believe that now help me act like it is true. Help me tell others. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Duty or Delight

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

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

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 1:1 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.

Observation: Most Christians know that they should read God’s Word. They know that it is good for them to do so. They may even be able to give four or five very good reasons to have a daily time of Bible reading. This blessing is not for them. This blessing is not for those who "have" to read, but for those who "delight" to do so. 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.

Application: Like those eating a favorite meal, I need to do more than just read. I should savor it! As the day progresses, I can think back and "savor" it again in my thoughts.
More times than I want to admit, I have started reading out of “duty,” but ended up in “delight!” In those times I am so glad I did not let my feelings or busy-ness keep me from the Word.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the many blessings that come to me through your word! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!