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.

Grace, mercy, and peace

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S.O.A.P.

Joel 1-3; 2Timothy 1

Scripture: 2Timothy 1:2 To Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Observation: Paul was passing along to Timothy what he had personally received: grace, mercy, and peace. He had been blest with these three special gifts from God and desired that Timothy be blest also. Grace: receiving what we do not deserve: Paul had received from God far beyond anything he could ever deserve. Mercy: not getting what we deserve: Paul was not held responsible for the way he had persecuted believers in Jesus. Peace: the absence of hostility: God had forgiven Paul and treated him with no animosity.

Application: I too have received grace, mercy, and peace! Today I am to extend grace by doing something for someone who has done nothing to deserve it. (I can let another driver cut in front of me.) Today I am to extend mercy by not paying back a wrong done to me. (I can let another driver cut in front of me even though he previously narrowly cut me off.) Today I can live in peace by forgiving and giving people room to make mistakes. (Like not driving on the bumper of the car in front of me and allowing room for other cars on the road.)

Prayer: Lord, I know that your grace, mercy and peace have not had their full effect in my life until they can flow through me to others. By your Holy Spirit, help me to be graceful, merciful and live in peace. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!