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

May 26: Proverbs 1-3; Romans 7

Scripture: Proverbs (NIV) 3:3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.

Observation: The King James Version says, “Let not mercy and truth forsake thee.” Some who are very loving sometimes forget about truth and holiness. On the other hand, people who faithfully hold to the truth sometimes lack in mercy. They expect everyone to do exactly what is right.

Application: I need a good combination of both mercy and truth. I need to have a high regard for truth and hold to holy standards. I also need to be loving and show mercy when the standards are broken. Both characteristics need to be in my life. They can only co-exist when I understand what Jesus did on the cross. He who was faithful in living the holy standard mercifully paid for my sins and raised me to live a life pleasing to God.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to be like Jesus, expressing both mercy and truth! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

May 25: 1Kings 10, 11; 2Chronicles 9; Romans 6

Scripture: Romans (NIV) 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Observation: Living in the world’s system earns what the pays—death. But coming into God’s kingdom, one receives what cannot be earned—eternal life! The value of a man’s work could never be sufficient to purchase eternal life. It is only offered by grace. It is only received by faith.

Application: God’s life within frees me from the penalty of sin which is hell. Even more, it frees me from the bondage of sin. I am no longer sin’s slave! The life of God within gives me the power and authority to make choices. Living this life with Him, I can choose not to sin. I can choose to offer my life to God as His servant. He loved me and died for me. I love him and live for Him!

Prayer: Lord, I choose to be your servant. I want to make you look good by the way I live my life as your servant. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

May 24: 1Kings 9; 2Chronicles 8; Psalm 136; Romans 5

Scripture: Romans (NIV) 5:6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possible dare to die.
8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Observation: What a demonstration of love! God did not wait until man proved himself to be worthy. He did not wait until man did something noble. After all, what could man ever have done that would be considered worthy of the death of his Creator? I cannot think of one thing! He loved us just because He loved us!!!

Application: Christ died for me, for no other reason than that He loved me! He had plans for me, but His motivation was love! There was something He designed for me to do, but His motivation was love.

Prayer: Lord, Your love and grace are amazing! Thank you for loving me. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

May 23: 2Chronicles 6, 7; Psalm 135; Romans 4

Scripture: Romans (NIV) 4:18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.
20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,
21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

Observation: “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed…!” In considering his age (100) and the age of his wife, Sarah (90) there was no hope of any children, yet Abraham believed! His hope was in God’s ability to keep his promises!

Application: When surrounding circumstances give me no hope, I still have hope. I am “fully persuaded” that my God has the power to do what he has promised! He is the ultimate Promise Keeper!

Prayer: Lord, I know I can trust you! You are able to keep your promises! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

May 22: 1Kings 8; 2Chronicles 5; Psalm 99; Romans 3

Scripture: Romans (NIV) 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

Observation: Christ is just. He is perfect in his intent and actions. He only does what is right! He is just AND He is so much more. His sacrifice is of such great value that it is more than sufficient to pay the penalty for all my sins! So when I receive by faith that sacrifice as the payment for my sins, I am justified!!! He is just and He justifies me! He makes me just-as-if-I’d never sinned!

Application: How the Creator of the Universe would love me to such a degree is beyond my comprehension. But He does!!! Although I do not understand it, I believe it is true! Believing that his death is sufficient as payment for my sins, confessing my sins to Him, thanking Him for His forgiveness results in becoming a new creation in Christ Jesus! It is amazing!

Prayer: Lord, How can I say thanks for all you have done for me! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Jubilant and Loud

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

May 21: 1Kings 7; 2Chronicles 4; Psalm 98; Romans 2

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 98:4 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music;
5 make music to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing,
6 with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—shout for joy before the LORD, the King.
7 Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.
8 Let the rivers clap their hands, let mountains sing together for joy;
9 let them sing before the LORD; for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in equity.

Observation: In this psalm we are encouraged to join with all nature in giving jubilant praise to the Lord. This is not quiet praise, but LOUD praise. It is like standing near a great water fall; it is like standing on the shore of the ocean as the breaking waves make it hard to hear the one standing at your side. This praise is from people not concerned about offending other people nearby. This praise is totally for Him!

Application: Many times I hear people nearby cursing without a concern about offending people nearby. How much more should I talk about Jesus and give Him praise. I should not lower my voice when talking about Jesus.

Prayer: Lord, may those nearby listening in on my conversation easily hear my love and appreciation for you! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

May 20: 1Kings 6; 2Chronicles 3; Psalm 97; Romans 1

Scripture: Romans (NIV) 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

Observation: We have politicians today who do not always want the voters to know their positions. It may cost them votes in the upcoming election. Not so with Paul. He clearly wanted all to know where he stood.

He then gives a good reason as to why he is not ashamed. The Gospel does not contain the power of God. It does, but more. The Gospel does not merely tell us about the power of God. It does, but more. The Gospel does not allude to the power of God. The Gospel IS the power of God as applied to a very specific interest that God has. God is very interested in the salvation of man. And the Gospel is the power that frees us from the chains of bondage to sin! There is no other power to break that bondage, than the power of the shed blood of Jesus, the heart of the Gospel!

Application: How foolish to be ashamed of that which has the power to change lives, bringing them out of the kingdom of darkness into the glorious knowledge of the Kingdom of God! The logical response should be one of boldness!

Prayer: Lord, as the early church prayed, grant me boldness to present the gospel to all who would listen. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

May 19: 1Kings 4, 5; 2Chronicles 2; Psalm 101; 2Thessalonians 3

Scripture: 2Thessalonians (NIV) 3:10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”
11 We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies.
12 Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat.
13 And as for you, brothers and sisters never tire of doing what is good.

Observation: A person who is able to work but not willing to work still expects to eat. Paul says not to feed him. He is not living according to God’s word. Just because someone does not work, does not mean he is inactive. He may become a “busybody” expending his energy on things that are disruptive. His activities do not add value to himself or to anyone else.

Application: I hear the Lord saying to me that I should not let myself get so weary that I stop doing what is helpful. I need to do things that add value to my life and the lives of others. I need to give my body physical rest and keep my thoughts focused on Jesus. I need to be a worshipping worker; after all God is looking for worshippers.

Prayer: Lord, nothing refreshes me more than sensing your Presence and knowing that what I am doing pleases you. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

May 18: 1Kings 3; 2Chronicles 1; Psalm 78; 2Thessalonians 2

Scripture: 1Kings (NIV) 3:5 At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”…
1Kings 3:9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong…

Observation: This passage brings to mind fables I have heard about Aladdin’s lamp, a magical lamp that when found and rubbed produced a Genie who would grant three wishes. The stories often have the twist in which the third and final wish wipes out the first two, and the wisher is left with nothing. Solomon did not have three wishes, but one. This was not some Genie from a magical lamp. This was the Almighty Creator of the universe. Solomon needed to ask well the first time. And he did. He requested a wise heart to enable him to govern Israel and to know the difference between good and evil.

Of all the things Solomon could have requested, he asked for that which would make him a better servant, both to God and to the people. Solomon was not selfish in his choice. He did not choose to better his own standing, but to enable him to better the standing of others. (To see how pleased God was with Solomon’s request, read 1Kings 3:10-14!)

Application: Every once in a while I too have an unexpected choice. I find or receive some extra money. How do I choose to spend it? Or I find an "extra" hour in my day. How do I choose to spend it?

Prayer: Lord, May you be as pleased with my choices as you were with Solomon’s. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

May 17: 1Kings 2: 1Chronicles 29; Psalm 95; 2Thessalonians 1

Scripture: 2Thessalonians (NIV) 1:6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.

Observation: God’s justice is an expression of his holiness. It is perfect and complete. When we think of justice in our nation, we think of courts and judges. That is a very important part of justice, but it is only one half the story. In God, justice does not only have to do with punishing the wicked, but also with rewarding the righteous.

Paul points to God’s justice to encourage those suffering persecution. And his inclusion "as to us as well," indicates that Paul takes courage and strength himself from the thought of God’s justice. This is not the end of the story. What is ahead makes it well worth putting up with this temporary trouble we experience.

Those in hospitals want to know when they will be going home. Anyone going through trouble wants to know when it will end. It will all end when Jesus returns. He will return with great glory, not coming again like a newborn baby in a manger. The angels will not be limited to announcing his arrival to shepherds. He will come with "blazing fire" and "powerful angels."

Application: “This world is not my home; I’m just passing through.” All accounts do not have to be balanced in this life. God has all eternity to make things right. And knowing God, His reward will be much greater than we deserve!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for being with me in trouble and for the promises
you have given me for the future. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!