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

December 16: 1Peter 1-5

Scripture: 1Peter 3: 15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,
16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

Observation: The Lordship of Jesus will not stay in the heart, but it must start in the heart. When Jesus becomes Lord of the inner life, He will then become Lord of the outer life.

Application: The One who is truly Lord of my heart will become Lord of my words and actions. He will direct and help me to give gentle answers that are respectful. He will help me to act in such a way makes my accusers look foolish.

Prayer: Lord, I surrender my thoughts to you. You are Lord of my mind. And you are Lord of my words and actions. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

December 15: James 1-5

Scripture: James 4:13 Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money."
14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
15 Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that."

Observation: The nature of living is that we must make important decisions without knowing for sure what the future holds. We often speak with foolish confidence. This is why marriage vows traditionally contain: “for better, for worse; for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health.” We just do not know what lies ahead.

Application: James tells me that when I make commitments I should acknowledge my limited knowledge of the future and trust the Lord’s unlimited knowledge of the future!

Prayer: Lord, many things about tomorrow I don’t seem to understand, but I know YOU hold tomorrow, and I know YOU hold my hand (from Ira Stanphill with changes.) Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

December 14: Hebrews 12-13; Jude

Scripture: Hebrews 12:7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?

Observation: Not all hardship is discipline. Sometimes we go through hard times because we are reaping what we sowed. At other times it might be because we are reaping what someone else sowed. But all hardship can be endured as though there is something to learn from the experience and as though our Heavenly Father is working through it for our good.

Application: Hard times are not something I enjoy, but I can rejoice because God will use them for my good.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, keep reminding me that all things really do work together for good. (Romans 8:28). Help me walk in faith that you are really bigger than these problems. Help me keep a good attitude. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Dear friends,

Merry Christmas! May you enjoy the Presence of our Living Lord in all of your special celebrations.

Your name is in my email list so I am taking the opportunity to send this your way. If you consider it an intrusion please forgive me.

I am coming to the end of three complete calendar years of sending out the daily SOAP (Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer). God has been faithful every day for three years to give me a thought for my life and to send out to others. As I meditate on the scriptures it takes me 30-90 minutes to write them, but they can be read in about a minute.

As the New Year begins, I believe I am to offer those in my email file several options:

First: If you are not receiving them and would like to, hit reply to this email and let me know.

Second: If you are receiving them and want to continue into 2013, do nothing. I will leave your name on my mailing list.

Third: If you are receiving but deleting them because you receive so much email, let me know. It will be easier for me one time to remove your name from the mailing list than for you to delete them every day. The SOAP is what God is saying to Leon; he may not be speaking to you in the same way.

Forth: If you know of someone who might like to be added to the SOAP list, send me their email.

Fifth: Sharon’s mom is 95 and does not use email. This coming year we will print up last year’s SOAP and send them to her a month at a time. There may be others that would benefit from such a ministry. You are free to print out your email and pass them along.

As I was considering possibilities of how to improve the SOAP, I heard the Lord say, “It is hard to improve on obedience!” One cannot argue with that! Special fonts, background color and design, special effects are all nothing compared to basic obedience. When God gives me something to do, I need to just do it! Improve I should, but lack of opportunity or ability to improve should never be a hindrance or an excuse for not just doing it!

Leon J

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

December 13: Hebrews 9-11

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Observation: God could have set any criteria as a basis for His favor. He could have chosen to favor those with great abilities. He could have chosen to favor those with physical beauty …or with great knowledge …or those who make great accomplishments. In these areas, we may excel in comparison to others, but in comparison to God, we all fall way short. But God chooses a criteria for His blessings in which we all start at the same level. God chose FAITH! Our faith pleases God!

Application: Faith in God is very reasonable. It is just as reasonable as believing something weighing thousands of pounds can move through the air without touching the ground. To me it is so reasonable to believe that airplanes fly that I pay money to ride. And it is even more reasonable to believe that the God of the universe created me for His glory. He is pleased when I become convinced that He is and that He loves me. I am learning to love Him and trust His word!

Prayer: Lord, you are believable! Believing in you gives meaning to my life. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Benefits of serving

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

December 12: Hebrews 5-8

Scripture: Hebrews 6:10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.

Observation: First: God is just, faithful to repay each person for what they do. Second: God remembers; His memory is perfect. Third: God takes personally what you do to His people. God provides great benefits for those serving Him and His people!

Application: When I serve others, I should do it as though I am serving God because God takes it personally and He will reward me. Those I serve may forget or be unable to repay; God takes it as though I did it for him; He will never forget and will always be able to repay.

Prayer: Lord, how blest I am to serve You and Your people! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

December 11: Philemon; Hebrews 1-4

Scripture: Hebrews 3:5 Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, testifying to what would be said in the future.
6 But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.

Observation: What a truth is put forth so simply yet forcefully! " … we are His house … " That is not what we will be, but what we are! It is not a future possibility but a present reality! If we are in the faith, we are His house!

Application: In John 14:23 Jesus tells me that if I love him and obey him, He and His Father will come and live in me. In 1Corinthians 6:19 Paul tells me that my body IS the temple of the Holy Spirit. I do not have to wait until I get to heaven to enjoy His continual presence. Even if I do not feel His presence, I know He is with me!

Prayer: Lord, we are your “house.” I am your “temple.” Thank you for your continued presence. May you be seen in my speech and actions. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

December 10: 2Timothy 1-4

Scripture: 2Timothy 1:6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

Observation: Gifts from God should be valued. They are given to make us more useful in God’s Kingdom. We “fan into flame the gift of God” by using it. We “fan into flame the gift of God” by stepping out in faith to meet the need before us.

Application: As I walk in an awareness of God’s Presence, the Holy Spirit draws my attention to situations that need the gift He has given me. I may be aware of my limitations, but I need to remember that He is all-sufficient. Then I need to step out in faith that God is leading me to speak or to do what is needed.

Prayer: Lord, I want to use the gifts you have given me. Holy Spirit, embolden me to step out in faith, trusting you to do what only you can do. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

December 9: 1Timothy 5-6; Titus 1-3

Scripture: 1Timothy 5:4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God.

Observation: In a 2010 SOAP I emphasized that this verse gives us a way to please God. What caught my attention today is that believers caring for aging parents and grandparents “…put their religion into practice.” Religion that does not affect our actions is worthless. The first ones to benefit from our religion should be those in our family.

Application: As we care for our parents we show that our religion is genuine and we know we are pleasing God.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the privilege of having Sharon’s mother still alive at 95. Give us wisdom as we care for her. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

December 8: 1Timothy 1-4

Scripture: 1Timothy 4:13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.

Observation: Paul had left Timothy in Ephesus to guide the new church. In this verse Paul is giving young Timothy some directions for his ministry. The church goers in Ephesus very likely did not have personal copies of the scriptures. Public reading, preaching and teaching were necessary for individual believers to understand the scriptures. In the USA where most believers have their own personal copy of the Bible, they should have a daily time of reading it. They should also be faithful to gather with other believers to receive God anointed preaching and teaching. In areas where personal copies of the Bible are not so readily available, the leaders need to make sure the Scriptures are read, and preached, and taught!

Application: I rejoice in what the Lord shares with me every day through these SOAP devotionals. I further rejoice when I hear someone being encouraged in the Lord from what I believe the Holy Spirit has given me to write. But I rejoice even more when I hear these SOAP devotionals have encouraged someone to start or increase their personal time in Bible reading. That is great!

Prayer: Lord, use me and these SOAP devotionals to build others in their faith and to encourage them to read the Bible for themselves. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!