Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 22, 2024: SOAP #5407: Daniel 9-10; Psalm 123; Luke 5     

SCRIPTURE:  Luke (NIV) 5:1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding round him and listening to the word of God, 2 he saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

OBSERVATION:   Nets, which are used for ministry, need ministry too.  Here we find the fishermen washing their nets.  In another place, we see fishermen mending their nets. 

The church, as a net, at times needs cleaned and mended.  This is not unreasonable.  The only nets not needing mending and washing are those which have not been used, nor those to be discarded and not used any more.

APPLICATION:  What joy should flood our hearts when the Great Fisherman scrubs us and repairs us.  It means that we still have value to Him.  It means that He is not through using us!  We are a part of His network!

As a part of His net, we can expect to be thrown into the sea where we can find someone needing God’s care.  As a net, we work together.  We are connected.  We can wrap ourselves around them and gently draw them into God’s Kingdom.  Or we can expect to be cast back into the sea to wrap our love around some prodigal soul needing to be drawn back into the boat. 

Some may like to be independent, serving God in their own way, but to be effective, we must stay clean and remain connected to the rest of the net!  

PRAYER: Lord, as a part of your net, keep me clean and keep me connected to the rest of the net.  May I work with the rest of the net to be effective in reaching people for you.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 21, 2024: SOAP #5406: Daniel 7-8; Psalm 137; Luke 4

SCRIPTURE:  Luke (NIV) 4:1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him…

OBSERVATION:   The important role of the Holy Spirit continues in chapter four. Jesus had been filled with the Holy Spirit at His baptism in Jordan by John.  Now he returned “full” of the Holy Spirit.  There a fresh, new, empowering relationship with the Holy Spirit as Jesus steps out into the ministry for which He was sent.

Now that the Sinless Man is walking in the anointing of the Third Person of the Godhead, one might expect the beginning of a fantastic ministry, one for which the world had long waited.

But preparation was still lacking.  There needed to be an encounter with the one who tempted Eve in the garden.  This Sinless Man would have to resist the temptations of the evil one. NOTE:  it was not the devil who trapped Jesus in the wilderness, but the Spirit who led Jesus into the wilderness.

The timing was right.  The anointing was present.  The battle was engaged.  JESUS WON!!!

APPLICATION:  After Jesus was victorious over Satan’s temptation, Luke says: 4:14 “Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.”

Before Jesus took spiritual authority over those to whom He would minister, He took spiritual authority over the personal temptations of the devil. 

PRAYER: Lord, you desire to use me to bring victory over Satan and temptation in the lives of those around me, but first you want to establish victory in my life. I declare that You are Lord!  With the help of the Holy Spirit, I will live my life so that others will know that you are my Lord!  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 20, 2024: SOAP #5405: Daniel 5-6; Psalm 130; Luke 3

SCRIPTURE:  Psalm (NIV) 130:5  I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.

OBSERVATION:  In this short psalm, only 8 verses long, we find wonderful truth about waiting on God. 

How do you wait?  What do you do when you wait? The psalmist has a good thing to do while waiting.  He keeps his thoughts busy in the Word!

APPLICATION:  If the devil is in any way involved in the delay, and he finds you in the word, he will quickly get things rolling.  Far be it from him to think he is providing you time to draw closer to God!

If God has some special purpose in your waiting, get into the Word! You will realize God’s purpose more quickly, and you will be greatly benefited by the waiting time.  The waiting will not be just “dead” time in your life, it will have gained eternal value!

PRAYER: Lord, you are worth waiting for!!!  It is never a waste of time to wait on you.  Just spending time with You, in your word increases the value of my time.  Many times, in waiting on you, I gain fresh understanding of your Word.  Teach me, Lord, to wait until your timing is perfect.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 19, 2024: SOAP #5404: Ezekiel 47-48; Luke 2

SCRIPTURE:  Luke (NIV) 2:25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,

OBSERVATION:  Luke tells us that the same Holy Spirit that was present on day one of creation (Genesis 1:2) is present at the birth of Jesus.  It is interesting to note the times that Luke notes the working of the Holy Spirit in the life of Jesus. 

And, in finishing his biography of Jesus, Luke continues the emphasis on the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts.  Not in the work of Jesus, but in the work of the church! 

It is notable that Luke did not close the Book of Acts with a formal ending, or a prayer, or an encouragement to stay true to Jesus.  To me, it is like he expected someone to write chapter 29, and 30, and 31…

APPLICATION:  …and until 2024!  The Holy Spirit is still moving.  He is active in the church today.  He speaks to us today.  He lifts up Jesus.  He draws people to the death of Jesus where we receive forgiveness.  He brings the life of Jesus into our very lives!   He teaches us God’s Word.  With His anointing, He leads us, and empowers us to accomplish more than we naturally could in our own strength! 

PRAYER: Holy Spirit, you used others to show me the SOAP method of writing down my Bible Study notes and how to apply the truth to my life.  And now you are using me to show others how we can apply the scriptures in our daily lives.  Today I pray that you would anoint many others to write SOAPs.  May they learn to let you flow through their thoughts and words.  In Jesus Name, I pray.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 18, 2024: SOAP #5403: Ezekiel 45-46; Luke 1

SCRIPTURE:  Luke (NIV) 1:13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.  14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. 16 Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God.

OBSERVATION: The angel interrupted the priestly duties of Zechariah to tell him that he and Elizabeth would have a son in spite of their old age.  The son was to be given the name “John.”  He became known as John the Baptist.  What stood out to me as I read this passage is that the angel told them something that should make any parent’s heart rejoice.  Yes, this child would bring them joy, yes, many will rejoice because of his birth, and yes, many would return to the Lord because of his life.  But more important, this child would be great in the sight of the Lord!   He would make God smile!                

APPLICATION:  Many people want their children to be great in the sight of the world.  They want them to be great football or soccer players, or artist, or musicians, or great leaders…  But on judgment day, the opinion of millions of people will not outweigh what God says!   What is His opinion?  They may be a success or failure in the eyes of the world, but what are they “in the sight of the Lord?”

PRAYER: Lord, this thought must start with me.  What am I in Your sight, oh Lord?  Have you found me to be your faithful servant?  Forgive me for the times I put my will above your will.  Success is not in big numbers but in your smile.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 17, 2024: SOAP #5402: Ezekiel 42-44; Revelation 22

SCRIPTURE:  Revelation 22: 17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.

OBSERVATION:        Here in the final verses of the book of Revelation, the final verses of the New Testament, the final verses of the Bible, we find the Holy Spirit.  The same One present in Genesis 1:2 is here in Revelation 22:17.

One of the first things we learned about God from Genesis was that He speaks!  One of the last things we see about God in the book of Revelation is that He speaks! 

There we saw The Speaker, speaking the world into existence.  Here we see The Speaker continuing to speak.  Through the Spirit and the bride (the church) an invitation from God is extended to join in the fulfillment of the purposes of creation.  God’s plan in creation is fulfilled in the acceptance of this invitation.      

APPLICATION:  What good would it be for God to speak if there was no one to hear?  I want to be one who hears His invitations, His directions, His commands, His words of love, etc.    

PRAYER: Lord, I hear, and I accept your gracious invitation.  Amen. 

Pastor Leon
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NOTE:  The above SOAP devotion was written in 2010.  Only God knows how many read this SOAP and acknowledged in prayer that they had accepted God’s gracious invitation.  Maybe several thousand?   Maybe only hundreds? 
Through the years, I have written many SOAPs from this passage, but this one is from 2010.  God has caused the SOAPs to now reach hundreds of thousands in many nations.  Even this past year, there are many new readers. 
To the new readers, all the older readers lift our voices in prayer for God to speak to you, and for you to hear His voice.  Accept His gracious invitation.  Confess that you are a sinner and need His forgiveness.  Invite Him to be your Lord and make your life His home.  You will find His presence to be “the free gift of the water of life.” 

Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 16, 2024: SOAP #5401: Ezekiel 40-41; Psalm 128; Revelation 21

SCRIPTURE:  Revelation (NIV) 21:22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

OBSERVATION:  Here is the next to last chapter in the Bible, we have a description of the New Jerusalem.  Here is the completion of God’s plan in Genesis when He created man.  Here is the goal for which God created man, and for which He sent His Son, Jesus to make the perfect sacrifice to redeemed man from the curse of sin.  It will be the center piece of all God’s creation.  It will be the show-case of God’s holiness and specially God’s love. 

However, verse 27 lays out the single requirement; entrance into this city requires that one’s name be written in the Lamb’s book of life!  

APPLICATION:  Jesus is the Lamb of God who died in payment for sin.  My name is written in that book when I acknowledge that I am a sinner and receive His forgiveness.  I invite Him to live His life in me and I make Him my Lord.  My motive changes from pleasing myself to pleasing Him!   Pray from your heart something like…

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I acknowledge that I am a sinner, and I need your forgiveness.  I accept the forgiveness you provided by your death on the cross.  Here is my life.  Write my name in the Lamb’s book of life.  Bring honor to the Heavenly Father by living your life in me.  In Your name I pray.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 15, 2024: SOAP #5400: Ezekiel 38-39; Psalm 145; Revelation 20

SCRIPTURE:  Psalm (NIV) 145:13b The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving towards all he has made. 145:17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving towards all he has made.

OBSERVATION:      Psalm 145 is a great study on the character of God expressed in His actions. In the two verses above God’s faithfulness and righteousness are coupled with His love. Faithfulness and righteousness are both expressions of God’s holiness.

God’s character is based on holiness and love.  In Him they perfectly exist.  God never stops being holy to be loving.  God never lays aside his love to be holy.

In His perfect wisdom, God used the cross to weave together His love and His holiness without slighting either!  Without the cross, if a Holy God would ban a sinful man from approaching Him His love would be unfulfilled.  And if a Loving God would allow a sinful man to approach Him without the cross His holiness would be slighted. 

Truly God’s wisdom is demonstrated to all creation as God deals with sinful man in the cross!  The cross is the perfect solution for the hurt in Through His Holy Spirit in application of the Word, God is working both His holiness and love in my life. He is developing it on the inside so that it might be seen in my words and deeds. the heart of God.  The fellowship for which God longed with His creation was now restored through the cross! 

APPLICATION:  Through His Holy Spirit in application of the Word, God is working both His holiness and love in my life. He is developing it on the inside so that it might be seen in my words and deeds. Heavenly Father, in your wisdom, you are working out your love and holiness in me. I want you to be pleased with what you see. Make me like Jesus! Amen

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, in your wisdom, you are working out your love and holiness in me. I want you to be pleased with what you see. Make me like Jesus! Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 14, 2024: SOAP #5399: Ezekiel 36-37; Psalm 110; Revelation 19

SCRIPTURE:  Revelation (NIV) 19:11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no-one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

OBSERVATION:   This army is going into war.  This is not the army returning from war in a victorious parade.  Then we would expect the General to be out front leading the procession.  But what General leads his army into war.  The generals direct the war efforts from a position at the rear of the army. 

BUT NOT KING JESUS!  He lead us into battle—from the front!!!     

APPLICATION:  Of course, that means that I must always keep King Jesus between me and the enemy!  I must resist the temptation to run ahead and fight the battle on my terms.  I must follow HIM into the fray.   I never want to turn my back on the enemy to be able to see my Commander-in-chief!  

I wonder how many times, if I would have just been patient, I would have arrived at the battlefield to find the battle has already been won!!!  Your Word is my sword, and Your Presence is my shield! 

PRAYER: Lord, help me to express my faith by my patience.  Teach me to trust you AND to wait on you.  I want to be one who follows you into every battle.  The order is important!  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 13, 2024: SOAP #5398: Ezekiel 33-35; Revelation 18

SCRIPTURE:  Ezekiel (NIV) 33:7 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.
8 When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade him from his ways, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. 
9 But if you do warn the wicked man to turn from his ways and he does not do so, he will die for his sin, but you will be saved yourself.

OBSERVATION:   About 20 years ago, I was sitting in my office talking to the Lord.  I had been involved in pro-life activities in my previous pastorate and was also in the current one.  It seemed to me that we were just spinning our wheels.  Our efforts seemed to have no effect…and it concerned me.  We are taking something/someone being formed in the image of God and destroying it.  I asked God, “If we do not do anything to stop this, what are you going to do?”  Very clearly, He said to me, “I am going to bring one undocumented alien into your country for every child that has been destroyed in the womb!”  I remember wondering how that could ever happen…but I am not wondering now!  

APPLICATION:  So what should we do now? 1. We should repent.  He is a just God whose judgment fits the sin.  He is bringing in generations to replace the generations we did not want!   2 We should welcome and value the people God has brought into our country.  They are just as important to God as anyone else.  3.  We should pray for a spiritual awakening for those who have come into our country.  4.  We should help them become good citizens, working with us to build good back into this nation.  5. We should pray for 1,000 people with the anointing of Dave Wilkerson who will find a way to win the hearts of the gangs that have moved into our cities.  6. We should pray for people with money to build plants to make things that will bless our nation and the world. 

PRAYER: Lord, send one more mighty revival to our nation.  Let it start where we least expect it.  I sense that we are quickly approaching the days of the book of Revelation.  But use us to make these days count for the Kingdom!  Amen. 

Pastor Leon
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