Author Archives: SOAPs by Leon

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About SOAPs by Leon

At the end of my first year in Bible College, the Lord sent me into the US Navy. It was at a serviceman's center in San Diego where I met and married Sharon. During the final years of the ten years I spent in the US Navy, most with the US Marine Corps as a hospital corpsman, I became the pastor of Bayview Chapel A/G in Kaneohe, Hawaii. After 17 years, the Lord sent us back to my birth state, Kansas, where we were pastors of Andover Assembly of God for 20 years. In retirement, the Lord has given me two assignments: first is to write these daily devotions. You are being allowed to eves drop in on what He is saying to me. You will notice the applications are usually in the first person. The second assignment is to drive a school bus. What a privilege to serve others in this practical way and to interact with people outside the church environment. My heart smiles as I continue to joyfully serve my God and others. :) A third assignment from the Kansas Assemblies of God is to be the ministry coordinator for the Kansas Senior Adult Ministries. My wife, Sharon and myself enjoy traveling around the state of Kansas, visiting the churches and encouraging ministry to senior adults and the ministries of senior adults.

Cause for rejoicing!

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

Scripture: Luke 15:6 … ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’

Luke 15:9 … ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’

Luke 15:24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate….28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him….32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

Observation: In each of the three stories in this chapter something was lost which was later found which resulted in celebration.

Application: I have so much for which to celebrate, for I was the lost son who was “found.” Not only does my Heavenly Father rejoice over me, He allows me to be a part of the party. And He goes the extra mile to make sure I, now as an older brother who should be helping plan the party, can be a part of the celebration when others come home. The music at the party may be designed around a younger generation’s taste, but the Father still wants me to be a part of the celebration. When I understand how much the Father loves this new generation, I can rejoice that they are worshipping Him too!!!

Prayer: Lord, I always have cause for rejoicing! J Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

Rewards

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

Scripture: Luke 14:13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,
14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Observation: At times we think things are not fair. We are not getting what we deserve. Things are not even. If we demand that everything be repaid in this life, we may be cheating ourselves of repayment in heaven.
Here we see the reward for including, honoring and feeding the poor and needy will be received in heaven.

Application: I should make it a practice to do acts of kindness for those who are unable to repay me. And when I need help that I will not be able to repay, I can pray that the reward will be great in heaven.

Prayer: Lord, I want to live my life in such a way that honors you and makes it easy for you to reward me. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

Along the way

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September 30: Zechariah 7-9; Luke 13

Scripture: Luke 13:22 Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem.

Observation: Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, but he did not wait until he arrived to begin ministering. The people in Jerusalem were important. The people he met along the way in the towns and villages were just as important.

Application: I can become so task orientated that I miss opportunities to minister to the people I meet on the way. I can get in such a hurry to get where I am going that I ignore the people I meet along the way.

Prayer: Lord, I need your Holy Spirit to keep me aware of those with needs around me. Help me not to miss anyone you have placed in my pathway today. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

How’s my giving?

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September 29: Zechariah 4-6; Luke 12

Scripture: Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Observation: Consider two award ceremonies for giving. The first takes place in a special banquet setting where awards are given based on the amount given. The one who gave the most received the first-place trophy.
The second takes place in heaven where the award for giving is not based on the amount given, but the amount remaining after the gift has been given.

Application: Which reward would I prefer? Whose blessing am I seeking—that of men who see how much I give, or that of the Lord who sees how much I have left over?

Prayer: Lord, it’s Your blessing I desire. Teach me Your way of giving. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

Willing to be sent!

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September 27: Haggai 1-2; Psalm 129; Luke 10

Scripture: Luke 10:2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.
3 Go! I am sending you out…

Observation: They were to be aware harvest, seeing the grain fields ready for harvest as a picture of the people needing God. Not only were they to be aware, they were to pray. They were to pray specifically for workers. And not only were they to be aware and to pray, they were to “Go!” They would become the answer to their own prayers.

Application: When I become aware and concerned about someone’s salvation, it is not uncommon for me to pray about them. Sometimes I even specifically pray for God to send someone to speak to them. Help me remember that you have already sent Someone—Jesus. So now I must be willing to be sent in answer to those prayers.

Prayer: Father, Lord of the Harvest, you have already sent your Son, Jesus to provide the needed salvation. May I be as willing as He to be sent to those for whom I am praying. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

Broken

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September 26: Ezra 4; Psalm 113, 127; Luke 9

Scripture: Luke 9:16 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to set before the people.
17 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

Observation: They were not multiplied until they were broken. What is true of the loaves Jesus used to feed the hungry can also be true of the servants Jesus uses to help the needy. When the loaves were broken they were still in His hands and remained there until He gave them out. It was the broken pieces that met the need of the hungry people.

Application: Being broken does not have to be a bad thing. It can be a good thing if I remain in the hands of Jesus! In fact, being broken can make me more useful as He places the pieces of my brokenness in places where people are hungry.

Prayer: Lord, I remember singing with all my heart: “Jesus, use me; Oh Lord, don’t refuse me. Surely there’s a work that I can do. And even though it’s humble, Lord help my will to crumble. Though the cost be great I work for you.” It is still true. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

A disappointment to God; A waste to me

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September 25: Ezra 2-3; Luke 8

Scripture: Ezra 3: 10 When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise the LORD, as prescribed by David king of Israel.

Observation: I have noticed that every time of restoration and revival in Judah, the Bible mentions that they returned to the ways of King David. It is never mentioned that they returned to the way he reigned, or administered, or built, or organized, or dressed, but to the way he worshipped!

Application: My worship is important to God because He is worthy and it means more to Him when it comes from those who do not worship with arms twisted (being forced to do so) but because they choose to (being convinced it is the right thing to do).

My worship is important to me because it gets my eyes off of me and places them on One who is so much greater than any problem I will ever face and the One who loves me far more than I will ever deserve! Wow!

Prayer: Lord, life without worship—what a disappointment to you and a waste to me. John 4:23 says you are seeking worshippers; may you find one in me. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

His Words

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September 24: Ezra 1; Psalm 84-85; Luke 7

Scripture: Luke 7: 6 So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof.
7 That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.
8 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go’, and he goes; and that one, ‘Come’, and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this’, and he does it.”

Observation: In Luke 5:5 Simon said, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so…”

In this verse the Centurion simple asked Jesus to “say the word.” There is power in the “word” of Jesus.

Application: Oh, how I need to be faithful in reading the Bible. Not only does it contain the “words” of Jesus as He walked on earth, it IS the “Word of God.” Oh, how I need to let the Holy Spirit speak to my heart bringing the written Word of God into personal daily application.

Prayer: Lord, I know you understand my circumstances perfectly and can speak to me, giving me direction in how I am to live. May you always find me listening and trusting in your word. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

It starts with me!

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September 23: Daniel 11-12; Luke 6

Scripture: Luke 6:31 Do to others as you would have them do to you. …
37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Observation: Verse 31 is an often quoted verse. The verses immediately following give the specifics of how we are to live verse 31. Today I noticed that the admonitions in verses 37 and 38 all begin with how I am supposed to treat others, rather than how others are to treat me.

Application: The Bible does not give me the option of blaming someone else for the trouble coming my way. It gives me the responsibility of taking the first steps in doing things right.

Prayer: Lord, I want my actions not be in response to what others have done to me, but in response to what you have done for me. You took the initiative in doing me good; help me to take the initiative to do good to others. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!