Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
July 09, 2024: SOAP #5332:  Micah 1-4; Hebrews 6

SCRIPTURE:  Hebrews (NIV) 6:17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf.

OBSERVATION:    God’s character is that He will never lie.  Yet about His promises for the future, He takes an oath that it will be as He said.  He wants us to be doubly sure!  He is not playing games with us; we can trust Him.  He wants us to trust Him.

His truthfulness is an anchor of our soul.  When the winds of the world in which we live try to push us off track, we have an anchor that holds us steady.  It is His truthfulness and the hope we have for the future.  Our hope and faith are held secure by the anchor of His word. 

“Inner sanctuary” and “behind the curtain” are references to the Tabernacle of Moses when the blood of a sacrificed lamb had to be taken behind the veil into the Holiest of Holies to be placed on the mercy seat.  It was proof to God of a sacrifice.  The blood of Jesus was taken into the real Holiest of Holies in heaven where His sinless blood was placed before Father as the payment for my sins!  

APPLICATION:  Oh, yes.  I can rest assured that an acceptable sacrifice has been made for me!  My future hope is secured. Jesus has already died.  Jesus has already entered heaven with blood, the proof of a sinless sacrifice.  He went before me and entered on my behalf!   I can now face death rejoicing!    

PRAYER:  Father, you see the sinless blood of your Son, Jesus, placed there on my behalf…there is no way that I could ever be worthy of such a sacrifice.  Use me for your glory.  May my life honor you.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
July 10, 2024: SOAP #5333:  Micah 5-7; Hebrews 7

SCRIPTURE:  Hebrews (NIV) 7:24 …because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. 26 Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.

OBSERVATION:    Here is the heart of Christianity.  The One who created it all, demonstrated His great capacity to love by inserting Himself into the flow of humanity to become the sinless sacrifice for our sins!!!  “He offered Himself!!!”  He offered His “holy, blameless, pure,” sinless blood to be the payment for our sins!!!

APPLICATION:  The life God put in Adam, the life which Adam and Eve passed on to every person who has ever lived is never-ending life.  Of course, the physical life dies, but the soul/spirit of man lives on—either in heaven or hell. 

On earth, Jesus lived with the purpose of dying for our sins.  Now in heaven He lives to “intercede”/pray for those who have been completely saved by coming to God through His sacrificial death!  He is what I needed!  

He is what you need!  Pray with me…

PRAYER:  Jesus, I accept the sacrifice you offered for me.  Forgive my sins.  Cleanse my heart from all wickedness and evil.  Live in my heart, by your Holy Spirit, as the LORD of my life.  Thank you for taking my place and dying for me.  Now help me to take your place in living this life you have given me.  In your Holy Name, Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
July 09, 2024: SOAP #5332:  Micah 1-4; Hebrews 6

SCRIPTURE:  Hebrews (NIV) 6:17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf.

OBSERVATION:    God’s character is that He will never lie.  Yet about His promises for the future, He takes an oath that it will be as He said.  He wants us to be doubly sure!  He is not playing games with us; we can trust Him.  He wants us to trust Him.

His truthfulness is an anchor of our soul.  When the winds of the world in which we live try to push us off track, we have an anchor that holds us steady.  It is His truthfulness and the hope we have for the future.  Our hope and faith are held secure by the anchor of His word. 

“Inner sanctuary” and “behind the curtain” are references to the Tabernacle of Moses when the blood of a sacrificed lamb had to be taken behind the veil into the Holiest of Holies to be placed on the mercy seat.  It was proof to God of a sacrifice.  The blood of Jesus was taken into the real Holiest of Holies in heaven where His sinless blood was placed before Father as the payment for my sins!  

APPLICATION:  Oh, yes.  I can rest assured that an acceptable sacrifice has been made for me!  My future hope is secured. Jesus has already died.  Jesus has already entered heaven with blood, the proof of a sinless sacrifice.  He went before me and entered on my behalf!   I can now face death rejoicing!    

PRAYER:  Father, you see the sinless blood of your Son, Jesus, placed there on my behalf…there is no way that I could ever be worthy of such a sacrifice.  Use me for your glory.  May my life honor you.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
July 08, 2024: SOAP #5331:  Hosea 13-14; Psalm 100, 102; Hebrews 5

SCRIPTURE:  Psalm (NIV) 100:4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the LORD is good and his love endures for ever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

OBSERVATION:   God’s faithfulness is as eternal as God.  It will continue “through all generations.”  When He blesses, He is being faithful.  And when He punishes,

People in heaven will sing of God’s faithfulness.  They will rejoice in His faithfulness to apply the death of His Son, Jesus to cover all the sins for which they have repented!   They will rejoice in His faithfulness!  

People in hell will also have a fresh appreciation for God’s faithfulness.  God was truthful when He said the wages of sin is death.  God was faithful when He warned them of the torment of hell.  They will have a new appreciation for God’s faithfulness when they look around and cannot find some of their partners in sin.  Their partners had repented, asked and received God’s forgiveness.  God was faithful to “forgive their sins and cleanse them from all unrighteousness!” (1John 1:9) They will appreciate God’s faithfulness when they see people who claimed to have repented but did not make Jesus LORD of their lives and continued to live as though sin did not matter.    

APPLICATION:  God is faithful to Himself.  He is a truth=speaker!   He is faithful to His Word.  My faith comes as I hear what God is saying to me.  (Romans 10:17)

It is so important that I learn to hear HIS voice.  He does not promise to do everything I think He should do.  He loves me and wants our relationship to grow, so I must listen to what He says to Leon.  I can count on His faithfulness to His word!   Ministry activity should not be determined by a brain-storming time to consider what we can do for the Lord, but a time of hearing God tell us what He wants to do and how we can be a part of what He is doing! 

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, I counted on your faithfulness when I made Jesus the Lord of my life, and I count on your faithfulness every day. 

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
July 07, 2024: SOAP #5330:  Hosea 10-12; Psalm 73; Hebrews 4

SCRIPTURE:  Hebrews (NIV) 4:2 For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.

OBSERVATION:    Two people groups – the same.   Both heard something – the same. 
Both heard the gospel – the same.  One group received no value/benefit – the difference.   Why the difference – faith!  One group did not mix what they heard with faith. 

God is sovereign so He can act independently of man.  However, when God is working with man, He requires our participation. 

Faith is the active ingredient that must be added by man to God’s Word to bring it to life.  Faith is what we add to the mixture of His word that activates it to become what it was designed to be.  Faith is the confidence that what He says is believable and trustworthy.  Faith says, “It is true; it is God’s Word!”  My faith is visible when I live like God’s Word is true! 

APPLICATION:  It is important for me to know what God has said about situations like the one I am facing.  I find that information in the Bible.  Then I need to seek God about doing the same thing today.  Sometimes the scriptures does not tell me what He is going to do today; but it builds my faith to know that He is concerned about what I am facing.   Then armed with the scriptures of what He has done in the past, I go to Him in prayer to plead my cause based on His past actions. 

I go to Him in faith, knowing that He is involved in what I am doing and that I can expect Him to act in accordance with His Word! 

I go to Him ready to obey, to act on His word! 

PRAYER:  Lord, the better I know your word, the better I will be ready to mix my faith with the word you give to me.  The better I know the history of how you responded  to others, the better I will know how to respond to what you say to me.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
July 06, 2024: SOAP #5329:  Hosea 6-9; Hebrews 3

SCRIPTURE:  Hebrews (NIV) 3:3 Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. 4 For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.
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:  Those in the first century were just as much a part of God’s house as those of us living in the 21^st century.  Believers in America are just as much a part of God’s house as those living in Africa or Asia. 

We are all depending on the Faithful One, Christ, to take care of God’s house.  He may use another believer to help meet our needs, but our confidence is that HE is the Faithful One!  He may provide us something to do to meet our needs, but we give Him the glory and receive it as from Him!  

If HE uses someone else to help me in a time of need, I do not transfer my faith to that one, but keep my faith in HIM!  He may have a different way of providing for me next time.  I do not put any pressure on any person to provide for me.  The Holy Spirit is much better at convincing someone to help!  I put pressure on God by obediently waiting on Him! 

I am confident that the One Who Is Faithful over God’s house will not assign me something to do that I cannot do or that He will not provide what I need to do His will.  If He does not provide what I think I need, I need to use what He has provided to do what I can. 

PRAYER:  Oh, Faithful One, my confidence is in you!  You are faithful to God’s house/church/servant!  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
July 05, 2024: SOAP #5328:  Hosea 2-5; Hebrews 2

SCRIPTURE:  Hebrews (NIV) 2:16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. 17 For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

OBSERVATION:    Jesus, although God, was fully human (as Philippians 2:6-8 also tells us) for two reasons presented above. 

First; to be a merciful and faithful priest he had to experience life as we do.  Experiencing temptation would cause Him to be able to help us when we are tempted.

Second; when He, who was fully God, died for our sins, he had to die as surely as a human would die.  For His death to be acceptable as a replacement for my death, He must experience life as we live it.  And in living a sinless life and needed no death penalty to cover His sins, His death was acceptable as payment for all who believe in Him and receive His forgiveness. 

APPLICATION:  2Peter 1:11 …and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Having accepted Jesus as my Savior, I have peace in life as I approach death.  My sins are covered by His blood.  I have confidence that He has prepared an eternal home for me.

Having accepted Jesus as my Lord, He has power to help me through the temptations that come my way in this life.    

PRAYER:  Jesus, you are my Lord and Savior.  As my Lord, I thank you for leading me through this life, giving me direction.  As my Savior, I thank you for saving me from the eternal results of my sins.  I want you to be glorified in my life.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
July 03, 2024: SOAP #5326:  Isaiah 6-7; 2Chronicles 26-27; Philemon

(reworked from 2013)

SCRIPTURE:  2Chronicles (NIV) 26:5   …As long as he (King Uzziah) sought the Lord, God gave him success. 
2Chronicles (NIV) 27:6   Jothan (Uzziah’s son) grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before the LORD his God. 

OBSERVATION:    The success of this father/son duo is credited not to their great leadership, nor the size of their army, but rather to their relationship with God.  Their success as kings was not from their leadership skills, but was given to them from God because they honored God as God. 

APPLICATION:  Seeking God to know His will AND walking steadfastly before God is my formula for success in any endeavor of life.  To know God, to hear God, and to obey God brings me purpose, confidence and success. 

NOTE:  Feelings of success are often wrapped up in others.  I feel successful when the significant people around me think I am successful.  As a Christian, my most significant other is God.  When God thinks I am successful, it does not matter what anyone else says!   I take my greatest joy from His joy in me.  I am like the little boy playing soccer who is always looking to see if his father is watching. 

PRAYER:  Lord, life is really all about you! I am successful when I make you smile!  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
July 02, 2024: SOAP #5325:  Isaiah 4-5; Psalm 115-116; Jude

SCRIPTURE:  Jude (NIV) 24 To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and for evermore! Amen.

OBSERVATION:    Jude ends his short letter with this benediction, a blessing for his readers.  …and what a special blessing it is. 

After warning us of people and leaders in the church that would be teaching false doctrine and leading people astray, and after encouraging us to build up ourselves in our faith, and to keep ourselves in the love of God…he closes by assuring us that God is able to keep us from falling and present us before the glorious throne in glory!  

APPLICATION:   The Lord brought to my mind the illustration of a father with a small son preparing to cross a busy street.  He tells his son, “Take my hand, and do not let go!”  They cross the street hand in hand.  But we all know that the father was not depending on the strength of the small child’s hand to get them across safely.  It was the strength of the father’s hand that assured their safe crossing!  

So, we hold on tight, building up our faith and not straying from the path of God’s love…but all the time we know that we are relying on His strength to keep us from falling!   “He is able to keep us from falling!”

PRAYER:  Lord, my life is yours.  You know my strengths and my weaknesses.  I know that my strengths are very weak compared to your surpassing great strength.  I am depending on your hand to hold me and lead me through this world.  And when I stand before the throne of heaven, all the glory will be yours.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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