Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
February 7, 2025: SOAP #5545:  Leviticus 4-6; Acts 14

SCRIPTURE:  Acts (NIV) 14:26 From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. 27 On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.

OBSERVATION:   We should never consider our assignment complete until we have reported back to those who sent us. 

APPLICATION:  (Reporting back to those who prayed and gave.) Not too long ago, I sent a report to SOAP readers about Bishop Emmanuel’s (from Liberia) vision to visit all 17 West African Nations and 5 East African nations with SOAP conferences.  In the past the SOAPs were an added part to various Pastor and church worker conferences.  Bishop Emmanuel’s vision was to have conferences specifically for SOAPs to show how they can be used in discipleship and evangelism. 

The two conferences in Nigeria were attended by 8,700 people.  Over 170 Bishops and Pastors told him they would be getting computers and printers immediately to start receiving the SOAPs.  Then in Ghana for two days of conferences with 570 pastors and leaders in an Assembly of God church.  When they left Ghana, there was a team of 250 ready to work with SOAP.  The note I received 2/2/25 came from Togo. 

The response has far exceeded Bishop’s expectations and he asked if Pastor Andrew would be able to join him for the remaining tour.  A believer in Liberia has given $1,200 toward the $2,350 needed for transportation.  If I could help with $1,200.
When I first sent out the plan, people sent offerings, actually more than was needed!  I was not sure what I should do—that is until I received that note from Bishop Emmanuel.  There was enough to finish the amount for travel, plus some to help Pastor Andrew’s family while he is away. 

PRAYER:  Lord, I did not know what was needed, but you did.  You provided enough to cover the immediate need and what would be needed the next week!   It is just another proof that this is your ministry.  You have remained faithful through these 15 years.  You were faithful when the need was some money for paper and ink, and You are faithful today.  May the SOAP readers be encouraged to trust you.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
February 6, 2025: SOAP #5544:  Leviticus 1-3: Acts 13

SCRIPTURE:  Leviticus (NIV) 1:3 “‘If the offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to offer a male without defect. He must present it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting so that it will be acceptable to the LORD. 4 He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him.

Acts (NIV) 13:37 But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay. 38 “Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. 39 Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses.

OBSERVATION:   In the Old Testament a believer had to bring an offering for his own sins.  It had to be a perfect offering to be acceptable to the LORD.  But an animal sacrifice could never make complete atonement for man’s sins.  For complete forgiveness, the sacrifice needed to be made of human blood and by someone who was not born under sin and had never sinned!  Sinless blood would be required to make someone justified (just as if they had never sinned!) 

APPLICATION:  Jesus was introduced to the world as the “Lamb of God.”  He was virgin born, impregnated by the Holy Spirit.  He had sinless blood.  AND He lived life without sinning!   He was the only One not deserving of death, yet He died, and His blood is now applied to the account of every sinner who repents and receives Jesus as the Lord of their life!  

PRAYER:  Thank you, Jesus!  I am free from the penalty of my sins.  I am forgiven!  Now I am a child of God and enjoy the blessings now of a relationship with you as my Lord and Savior.  And I will enjoy the eternal blessings that await in heaven with you!  I want to love and serve you with all my life.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
February 5, 2025: SOAP #5543:  Exodus 39-40; Psalm 15; Acts 12

SCRIPTURE: Acts (NIV) 12:6 The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists. 8 Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him.

OBSERVATION:   How often we see in the Bible that as people obeyed, the deliverance was affected.  Jesus told the ten lepers to go show themselves to the priest and as they went, they were healed.  The man healed at the Gate Beautiful was helped to his feet by Peter, and he then went jumping and running through the temple.  I picture the same thing here.  Peter was asleep.  He was probably startled by the appearance of the angel and the bright light.  He probably jumped at the command to “get up.”  I picture that as he was quickly getting on his feet, maybe not even totally awake, the chains fell off.  He probably did not have time to realize where he was, or why he could not jump up without disturbing the two guards sleeping beside him.

“Quick, get up!” and as he did, he was free! 

APPLICATION:   May I be as quick to respond to my Lord’s commands.

PRAYER:  Lord, you are the creator of the heavens and earth.  Nothing is hidden from your oversight.  When you give me a command, there is nothing I can add to your thought process that will better inform you.  There is no need to discuss the possible reactions that others may have.  There is nothing to do but to trust and obey.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
February 4, 2025: SOAP #5542:  Exodus 37-38; Psalm 19; Acts 11

SCRIPTURE:  Psalm (NIV) 19:9 …The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous.
10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.
11 By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

OBSERVATION:   David, the author of this psalm, had a high opinion of God’s laws.  They are trustworthy, right, extremely valuable, pleasant, and very worth the effort to pay attention and keep.  God’s laws were important to David because God was important to David.               

APPLICATION:  How important is God to me?  My value of God can be easily seen in my value of His word.  If He is important to me, then His word is important to me.  If His word is not very important to me, then He is not very important to me.   What keeps me from looking into His word? 

Let me encourage you to start writing out SOAP devotionals.  The application forces us to consider the personal aspect of God’s Word!   We ask ourselves questions like…  Why is this important to me?  What does God want me to in this verse?  What should I do differently today because I read this verse?

Writing SOAPs puts you in the scriptures and the scriptures in you! 

PRAYER:   Lord, when I take time to think things through, when I take time and make the effort to write out my thoughts, some things become very simple and very clear.  How I value You can be seen in how I value the Bible, Your Word!   Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
February 3, 2025: SOAP #5541:  Exodus 35-36; Acts 10

SCRIPTURE:  Acts (NIV) 10:33 So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.” 34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism…
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.

OBSERVATION:   People were gathered in Cornelius’ house to hear what God “had commanded Peter to tell them.”  Only one problem, God had not given Peter a special message for this unique congregation of Gentiles/non-Jews.  Peter did not have time to go through his sermons to choose the one most appropriate.  Peter did not have sermon notes in his briefcase. 

Peter just “began to speak.”  And the One who had made it clear to Peter to go to Cornelius’ house, began to speak through Peter.   Peter was just being obedient.  Peter was not prepared; he did not even know how to prepare. 

The Holy Spirit interrupted Peter’s speaking and filled everyone who was listening so full that other languages began to flow out of their mouth.  It was the same thing that happened on the day of Pentecost to the Jewish believers!    (Acts 2)

APPLICATION:  It is so important that we understand how God works.  We do not need to be experts or be great orators.  We only need to be obedient!  God will do what God wants to do, we only need to be obedient.  Peter could not fill the Gentiles with the Holy Spirit, but Peter could open his mouth and speak!  

PRAYER:   Lord, I want to be obedient and do what you give me to do.  You will use my faithfulness to do my little part, and through it you will be faithful to do Your Big Part!   My little part opens the door for you to do far more than I could ever dream!  Through these little SOAPs, you have spoken into the lives of many people.  I am humbled.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
February 1, 2025: SOAP #5539:  Exodus 30-32; Acts 8

SCRIPTURE:  Acts (NIV) 8:29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”  30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.        

OBSERVATION:   Phillip had just been in a city in Samaria where the whole city accepted the message of Christ; now he is specifically sent to a desert road, to an individual.  It is interesting to note that in both places—in the city and on the desert road—Phillip was not the first to carry God’s message.  John, chapter 4, tells of Jesus spending two days in Samaria where many believed.  And the gentleman in the chariot had been reading in Isaiah before Phillip arrived. 

APPLICATION:  When I am led by the Holy Spirit, I always find that I am not the “first responder.”  God has timed my part in their life perfectly with what He is already doing!   Many times, someone else has already been used by the Lord to speak into their lives.  And I can be assured that the Holy Spirit is present long before I arrive on the scene. When my attention is strongly drawn to someone, I should move out boldly and see how I can be a part of what God is already doing in that life. 

I must remember that I am not the one winning them to Jesus.  That is the job of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit uses my part to mix in with what others have told them. 

PRAYER:  Lord, today, lead me to someone with whom I can share what You have done for me.  May my words encourage them to recognize and accept what You are already doing for them.  Amen. 

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!   
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
January 31, 2025: SOAP #5538:  Exodus 28-29; Acts 7

SCRIPTURE:  Acts (NIV) 7:2 And he [Stephen] said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, 3 And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.

OBSERVATION: In chapter seven, verses 2 through 53, we read Stephen’s personal defense before the Jewish council.  It is a recounting of Israel’s history from Abraham to Jesus.  A common thread woven through these verses is that Israel had a God who speaks!  God talks to His people.  And He acts in accordance with His spoken promises.  The same God who spoke in creation (Genesis 1), spoke to the Israelites throughout their history. 

They heard God speak.  They understood what God said.  When they followed what God said they had good success.  When they disobeyed, they experienced trouble. 

APPLICATION:  The eternal God is still a speaker.  The Bible is THE WORD of God.  In the WORD of God, I find words specifically directed to me.  As I read the WORD of God, the Holy Spirit, who lives inside me, draws my attention to specific passages I am to apply to my life. 

As I gather with other believers, God often speaks to me through a pastor, a teacher, a song, a gift of the Holy Spirit flowing through another believer, and other ways.  The Holy Spirit focuses my attention on what I need to hear. 

Throughout my day, and even as I sleep, my thoughts are captivated and locked into a subject, or a memory.  I use the WORD of God to judge these thoughts.  God will never speak contrary to His WORD. 

It is good to write down what I hear God is saying to me.  It is a way to let Him know that what He says is important and I do not want to forget it.  When He sees I value what He says, He will be more inclined to speak to me again.  It is good for me to review what God has said to me and see if I have done what He told me to do. 

PRAYER:   Heavenly Father, I am so glad you are a speaker.  I am so glad I can trust you to reassure me with love and guide me with wisdom.  I am privileged to hear you speak to me.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!   
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
January 30, 2025: SOAP #5537:  Exodus 25-27; Acts 6

SCRIPTURE:  Exodus (NIV) 25:8 “Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.  9 Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.
Exodus (NIV) 26:30 Set up the tabernacle according to the plan shown you on the mountain.   (also 27:8; 25:40; Acts 7:44; and Hebrews 8:5)
Exodus (NIV) 27:8 Make the altar hollow, out of boards. It is to be made just as you were shown on the mountain.

OBSERVATION:   Moses went up the mountain to spend time with God.  Not only did he bring down the Ten Commandments, but he also brought back plans to build a portable tabernacle.  God not only told Moses; He showed Moses.   Surely there must have been times when the builders went to Moses with questions about the plans and Moses said, “Here is how I saw it on the mountain.”          

APPLICATION:  When I have questions about living out my Christian life, I can go back to the gospels and see how Jesus did it.  I can also think back to how my dad did it.  Visual examples help me better understand God’s written words. 

God wants my life to be a visual example for others to follow.  He wants my life to be a living example of how to live in victory through the hard times. 

PRAYER:   Lord, thank you for coming to earth to show me how to live.  And thank you for the people you placed in my life to show me how live in my world.  May my life be useful as a living example for others of how to live in this world.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!   
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
January 29, 2025: SOAP #5536:  Exodus 23-24; Psalm 14; Acts 5

SCRIPTURE:  Acts (NIV) 5:2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.
3  Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?

OBSERVATION:   There was no requirement for them to give it all but, desiring the esteem of giving the full amount of the sale, they pretended to give it all.  In reality, they kept part for themselves.  I doubt that Ananias and his wife sat down to figure out how they could lie to the Holy Spirit.  Maybe they did not even think of it as a lie.  Surely if they had considered that the Holy Spirit would be listening to their words and evaluating their actions, they would have done it differently.  The following verses give the results.

APPLICATION:   I need to keep at the front of my thoughts that the Holy Spirit is listening to my words and reading my mind.  He takes what I say to others as if I am saying it to Him!!! 

I have asked Him to be my Lord and live in my heart.  There is nothing I do that He is not a part.  He hears every word and even knows my every thought. 

His presence gives peace when I am doing what pleases Him; His presence brings conviction when I start to go contrary to what is in line with His will for me.  His presence is a most valuable asset for those desiring to please God.  Colossians 3:15 tells us to let the peace of God rule in our hearts.  Reading His Word every day, praying (talking with Him throughout the day), and in carefully monitoring the peace in my heart I can stay in the center of God’s will. 

PRAYER:   Holy Spirit, keep me aware of Your Presence today.  Nudge me when I am about to go beyond the truth or say something out of place or hurtful.  Amen.

Pastor Leon  
Making friends for time and eternity!   
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