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

October 7: Ezra 7-8; Luke 20

Scripture: Luke 20:1 One day as he was teaching the people in the temple courts and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him.
2 "Tell us by what authority you are doing these things," they said. "Who gave you this authority?"

Observation: The religious leaders were wondering where Jesus got his permission to teach and preach in the temple. They knew they had not given it to him. How ironic! Here is the One come to fulfill all the sacrifices ever made by a Jewish priest, and they question His authority!!!

Application: I can easily criticize the religious leaders for questioning Jesus authority to teach in the temple. But sometimes I do the same thing. I may not like what He does, or does not do. I question whether or not he has the right to do what he does. I have even called him “my Lord,” yet I sometimes question his right to carry out his plan for my life. Duh!

Prayer: Lord, I want to live my life so it is easily seen that you have the authority in my life and that any authority I have comes from you. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

October 6: Esther 9-10; Luke 19

Scripture: Luke 19:3 NIV He (Zacchaeus) wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd.
4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today."
6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

Observation: It seems that Jesus was looking for Zack even more than Zack was looking for Jesus. Jesus had better plans for the day than Zack could ever have imagined. Zack wanted just a glimpse of Jesus; Jesus wanted to come to Zack’s house! Jesus wanted to spend time with Zack!

Application: How many times have I been willing to settle for just a glimpse when Jesus wanted something more? I would be willing to quickly read a couple of scriptures, but Jesus had something special to show me. I would be willing to greet someone with a quick “Hello,” but Jesus wanted me to stop and share His love.

Prayer: Lord, I want to live above my expectations for this day. I want to live out your expectations. So, where do we go from here? Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

October 5: Esther 3-8; Luke 18

Scripture: Luke 18:35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.
36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening.
37 They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by."
38 He called out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" …
41 "What do you want me to do for you?" "Lord, I want to see," he replied.
42 Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you."
43 Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.

Observation: The blind man heard something unusual; it caused him to ask questions. The end result was that he was healed.

Application: I would rejoice to hear that someone overheard something I said and they became interested enough to ask questions about Jesus. A goal of my conversations should be that people hear me talking about Jesus.

Prayer: Lord, you are central to my life. People should hear me talking about you. Holy Spirit guide my words so that people who hear me talk will be drawn to Jesus! Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

October 4: Esther 1-2; Pslam 150; Luke 17

Scripture: Luke 17: 3 So watch yourselves. "If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.
4 If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him."

Observation: Jesus is not speaking here to the one sinning, but to the one being sinned against! He is not speaking about the importance of repentance, but the importance of forgiveness! Forgiveness allows the hurt to move into the past and heal. Not forgiving keeps the hurt current and unable to heal.

Application: If I am talking big numbers, it is not how many times I have to forgive my brother, but how many times my Lord has already forgiven me!

Prayer: Lord, you indeed are The Great Expert on forgiveness! I am so thankful! Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

October 3: Ezra 5-6; Psalm 138; Luke 16

Scripture: Luke 16: 10 "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.
11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?
12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?

Observation: Here we see a progression from being faithful with little to becoming faithful with much. We see the progression from being faithful with temporary worldly wealth to becoming faithful with eternal wealth. There is the progression of working for others to working for one’s self.

Application: I must be willing to start where I am and use what I have. I must keep aware that my future opportunities depend on my faithfulness today.

Prayer: Lord, help me not to become discouraged about my present circumstances but keep faithful knowing that today is preparation for my future. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

October 2: Zechariah 13-14; Psalm 147; Luke 15

Scripture: Luke 15: 1 ¶ Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering round to hear him.
2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them."

Observation: When something clean and pure comes in contact with something dirty and contaminated, it is expected that the dirty will contaminate the clean. But in this verse, we see the pure sinless Jesus purposefully intermingling with sinners. Jesus even reached out and touched the lepers. He did not get leprosy, but they were made clean! (Luke 5 & 17) Jesus did not become contaminated, but sinners left forgiven and lepers left clean!

Application: When I confessed my sins to Jesus and invited him into my life, He did not become contaminated, but I became forgiven by his love and justified by his sacrifice. He made me just as if I had never sinned! Amazing!!! Now his life in me helps me walk in the world without becoming contaminated also! And when I do, He forgives. (1John 1:9)

Prayer: Lord, I am so glad you are willing to intermingle with sinners. Although you hate sin, you are not afraid of it. Your righteousness is greater than sin! Your death pays for my sins; your love forgives me; and your life lifts me to live as your child! Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

October 1: Zechariah 10-12; Psalm 126; Luke 14

Scripture: Luke 14:1 One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched.

Observation: Jesus was being “carefully watched” by people wanting to criticize him. We know others watched Jesus to get something from him. Some watched Jesus to learn from him. Some watched Jesus because they were grateful for what he had done for them. Others watched Jesus because they loved Him.

Application: Today I am among many people carefully watching Jesus because we love him. We read the gospels because we want to live on this earth as He lived here. I also know that some people watch Jesus as He lives in me. Sometimes they watch me more carefully than I like but I want to live so that He can be easily seen.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, help me to live so that it is easy to see Jesus. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

September 30: Zechariah 7-9; Luke 13

Scripture: Luke 13:34 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!

Observation: Jesus was overlooking the city of Jerusalem. He knew their history of rejecting those sent from God. He even knew what was in store for him—that they would soon crucify him. YET HE LOVED THEM! The love of God in Jesus was greater than the dread of the suffering he would soon endure in paying the price for their sin. The love motivating the sacrifice was greater than the drive of self-preservation.

Application: That is how God loves me! O how He loves me! He is willing to forgive me and draw me to himself as a mother hen gathers her chicks under her wing.

Prayer: Lord, such great love motivates me to please you. May I do and say only those things that return and fulfill your love for me. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

September 29: Zechariah 4-6; Luke 12

Scripture: Luke 12:33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.
34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Observation: Why give to missions?
…the opportunity to participate in God’s work
…the opportunity to please God
…the opportunity to sow
…the opportunity to help others
…the opportunity to gain rewards in heaven

Application: A major way one prepares for retirement is to save. A major way one prepares for eternity is to give. God allows me to store up reward in heaven by giving. God allows me to participate in His work by giving.

Prayer: Lord, you have given so much for me and to me. May I follow your example and become generous in my giving. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

September 28: Zechariah 1-3; Luke 11

Scripture: Luke 11:2 He said to them, "When you pray, say: "‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.
3 Give us each day our daily bread.

Observation: Many of us can pray the “Lord’s Prayer” without even thinking. If we actually thought about what we were praying, we might want to change some of the words.

Application: I am told to ask for “daily bread;” I would rather have a weekly or, even better, a monthly supply. But God wants me to come to Him daily. If He gave me enough for a week, he might not see me again until next week. He loves me like a Father who desires to see his child every day. He knows I need time with him every day, and so He tells me to pray for daily bread. How phony of me to pray the Lord’s Prayer on Sunday then not talk with Him for a whole week! Duh!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your faithfulness in providing daily bread from your Word. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!