Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 25, 2023: SOAP #4952: Joel 1-3; 2Timothy 1

SCRIPTURE:  2Timothy (NIV) 1:16 May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. 17 On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. 18 May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.

OBSERVATION:  He was not an apostle, a bishop, or a deacon.  But his ministry was so valuable that it was mentioned in the pages of the Bible!  He had heard that Paul was in Rome, so he searched hard till he found him. He visited Paul when Paul was in prison.  He refreshed Paul.  He gave Paul news from outside the prison.  He probably had uplifting conversations with Paul whenever he visited.  Timothy was aware of the “many ways” Onesiphorus helped Paul in Ephesus; very likely he helped Paul in those same ways in Rome.  In being helpful, he probably brought useful things to Paul, perhaps needed writing materials.  Maybe the letters Paul wrote from prison were partially enabled by Onesiphorus.  Maybe he carried those letters out of the prison!   Onesiphorus means “binging profit.”  In “many ways” he brought profit. 

APPLICATION:  Onesiphorus is not the only one without an official position who is included on the pages of the Bible.  There are “many ways” I can serve God; I can make myself useful in God’s kingdom.  Having a title, or position in the church is not nearly as important as having my sins forgiven and my name written in the Lamb’s book of life. 

PRAYER:  Holy Spirit, make me aware of the “many ways” I can be helpful to other believers.   Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 24, 2023: SOAP #4951: 2Kings 11,12; 2Chronicles 24; 1Timothy 6

SCRIPTURE:  1Timothy (NIV) 6:17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

OBSERVATION:  It is interesting to note that the Bible has many passages that speak of money.  From a widow giving her two mites (Luke 21:1-4) to the wealthy noted above, the Bible encourages giving.  The Bible has many passages telling us what TO DO with money, but not as many telling us HOW TO GET money. 

APPLICATION:  Five Biblical ways of obtaining money:
1.  Inherit money:  Proverbs 13:22: This may happen to me but I need to be careful with the money.  I can get wise counsel from the Bible! 
2.  Work for money:  Proverbs 13:11: This I am encouraged to do.
3.  Beg others for money:  Luke 18:35-43:  Not an example for me to follow.
4.  Giving:  Luke 6:38: Give; it will be given to you. God loves a cheerful giver.
5.  Ask God for money:  Philippians 4:6:  and 20+ other passages encouraging me to ask God.  God has many ways to answer my prayers.  He has provided a job for me to do.  He has given me a harvest from what I have previously given.  And He has had others give to my need. It all comes from Him! 

Paul never asked people to send money for his ministry.  But Paul did thank people for giving to support his ministry.  And Paul strongly encouraged others to give on behalf of the famine in Jerusalem.  (2Corinthians 8&9)

People have used the promise of rewards for giving to motivate me to give to their ministry.  What motivates me more is their testimony of how God rewarded their giving.  With the scriptures Paul wrote about giving, he was thanking them for giving, not trying to motivate them to give more to him.    

PRAYER:  Lord, How I deal with money is important to you.  May my use of money always please you!   Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 23, 2023: SOAP #4950: 2Kings 10; 2Chronicles 22,23; 1Timothy 5

SCRIPTURE:  1Timothy (NIV) 5:1 Do not rebuke an older man harshly but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.

OBSERVATION:  The above verses written to a young pastor are available for everyone to read.  God has not provided one Bible for the believer and another Bible for the leaders.   Everyone reads the same Bible; all Christians have the same Holy Spirit!  I believe we are all responsible for whom we follow, and we all have areas of influence as leaders.

Leaders should be mature, but they do not become leaders because they are perfect.  They will make mistakes and need forgiving.  It is also true that believers should come to know the Word enough to recognize which leaders should be followed and which leaders should not be followed.  True believers would stop following unscriptural leaders.

APPLICATION:  I am responsible as a follower and as a leader.  I need to be careful about who I follow and how I lead.

For thirty-three years Jesus walked on the same earth I walk.  When I read the Bible (especially the Gospels) I ask the Holy Spirit to help me get to know Jesus, to walk like Jesus.  I should look for leaders who best walk like Jesus. The letters in the New Testament contain many instructions to help me live like Jesus.

PRAYER:  Father, make me a follower in whom you can see your Son, Jesus.  Make me a leader (in my home, and in my church) who leads like your Son, Jesus.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 22, 2023: SOAP #4949: 2Kings 8,9; 2Chronicles 21; 1Timothy 4

SCRIPTURE:  1Timothy (NIV) 4:1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.

OBSERVATION:  These are the later times and there are many false teachers active today.  The media makes it easy for them to spread their doctrines around the world.  In the grace of God this is also a time of abundance when it comes to God’s word.  Consider all the translations and versions of the Bible that are available today.  Many individual Bibles have been printed and distributed throughout the world in the past.  And today, even more Bibles are being printed.  Many versions of the Bible are available on the web. 

In the scriptures we see that God, the Father, is a speaker.  We also read that God the Son, Jesus, is a speaker. And, not to our surprise, here we read that the Holy Spirit is a speaker!  So, I must pay attention to the un-easy, troubled feeling, telling me, “Something is not right!  Step back!  Take another look!”   For my good, the Spirit dwelling within is troubling my spirit. 

APPLICATION:  The better I know God’s Word, the better I can identify false doctrines.   The better I know God’s character, the better I can recognize what He would be saying and what He would not be saying.  The better I pay attention to the Holy Spirit, the better I will be prepared for the troubled times ahead. 

PRAYER:  Holy Spirit, as I read the Bible, reveal to me the character of my Heavenly Father.  Sharpen my spiritual perception.  Help me easily recognize false teachers and their doctrines.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 21, 2023: SOAP #4948: 2Kings 6,7; 2Chronicles 20; 1Timothy 3

SCRIPTURE:  2Chronicles (NIV) 20:12 … For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.”

OBSERVATION:  What an amazing victory is described in this chapter!   They followed a crazy battle plan—they had the choir lead the way into battle!  It was not the common way to go out to battle, but it was very logical considering what God had spoken to them. (1Chronicles 20:21) Through a Spirit-anointed word, they were told that they would not need to fight this battle.  The battle was the Lord’s.  They would only stand and see the deliverance that God would bring. 

After hearing what God said, King Jehoshaphat consulted with the people and they agreed to have the singers lead the army into battle, singing the praises of God!  It was a very logical move if they believed what God had said!  As they were approaching the battlefield, the armies that were invading Israel began fighting each other and destroyed each other.  No one escaped!   All that was left was to pick up the plunder.  It took them three days to collect everything!  On the fourth day they joined together for praising God!!!  Then they returned joyfully to Jerusalem to worship in the temple.  

APPLICATION:  God has unique ways to deal with every trouble I face.  If I will give God time to speak to me, He will either tell me specifically what to do or I will be able to respond logically to the truth I know about God and His ways!   If God does not show me specifically what to do, I believe that He is confident that I will do the right thing.  My life’s goal is to honor Him.  He knows if I have enough information to make the right decision and do the right thing. 

There are times when my hands seem to be tied.  I cannot do anything but prayerfully keep myself in the center of what He has previously showed me.  I must have faith that He is working for my good and for His glory. 

PRAYER:  Lord, I have often claimed that the glory, and the power is Yours.  Holy Spirit, keep reminding me that the battle is also the Lord’s!!  Whether you use me or just have me standing nearby observing, the battle is Yours! 

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 20, 2023: SOAP #4947: 2Kings 4,5; Psalm 83; 1Timothy 2

SCRIPTURE:  1Timothy (NIV) 2:1 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.

OBSERVATION:  It is good to pray for those in authority.  Our lives are greatly affected by what they do.  We want them to make decisions that will affect us in a good way.  So, it is good to pray for them…

…but even more, praying for those in authority PLEASES GOD!  

APPLICATION:  The more we learn about what God did for us in sending His Son to die for our sins—the more we understand what Jesus left behind to come to earth—the more we understand the grand scheme of God in loving us, the more we love God!  How can we not love God!!!  And loving God makes us want to please God.  We become GOD PLEASERS! 

We want to learn what pleases God.  Verses like those above catch our attention.  Here is something I can do to please God.  Praying for those in authority pleases God. 

PRAYER:  Lord, I want to please you.  I want to make you smile.  I want to bring joy to your heart.  Thank you for scriptures that make clear what pleases you.  Holy Spirit, make me effective in praying for those in authority.   Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 19, 2023: SOAP #4946: 2Kings 1-3; Psalm 82; 1Timothy 1

SCRIPTURE:  1Timothy (NIV) 1:12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners — of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.

OBSERVATION:  Who did God choose to be one of His chief servants?  He chose a blasphemer, a persecutor, a violent man, a sinner—a bad sinner—the worst of sinners!   Not a very promising candidate for God’s service to honor the Son God sent who was loving, kind, gentle, holy, gracious. 

It seems to me that, in Saul/Paul, God chose someone the most opposite of Jesus to be a chief spokesman for the kingdom of His Son! 

Why would God do that?  Verse 16 tells us that Paul’s life would be a display that no one coming to God through Jesus would be denied!!! 

APPLICATION:  All excuses that we are too bad for Jesus to accept are destroyed in Paul’s life.  All excuses that our sin is too great are destroyed.  We are all welcome. 

And, like Paul, God will use our lives to display to others like us that they can also receive eternal life through believing on Jesus! 

PRAYER:  Lord, we are so unworthy of your grace and mercy.  But, like Paul and like others you have received into your kingdom, we humbly ask your forgiveness for our many sins.  Please accept the death of Jesus as the payment for our sins.  Make us clean.  Give us a clear conscience.  Thank you for forgiving us.  Use our lives as a display of what you will do for others.  Thankfully, Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 18, 2023: SOAP #4945: 1Kings 22; 2Chronicales 18,19; Colossians 4

SCRIPTURE:  Colossians (NIV) 4:5 Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

OBSERVATION:  These two verses give direction for interacting with unbelievers. 

APPLICATION:  It would be good for me to read these verses every time I go to school, or to work, or to the market—every time I will be in a place where I will meet unbelievers. 

I should read them especially before attending a family reunion, or a wedding, or a funeral—wherever I will be meeting unsaved relatives. 

Making the most of every opportunity will require something of me. 

PRAYER:  Lord, this may speak to many SOAP readers, but I know for sure this is for me.  Holy Spirit, keep these verses fresh in my thoughts.  Whenever I meet a stranger, I want to be open to whatever thought you may bring to my heart.  Lord, use me for your glory!  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 17, 2023: SOAP #4944: 1Kings 20,21; 2Chronicles 17; Colossians 3

SCRIPTURE:  Colossians (NIV) 3:2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.  
5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language from your lips.

OBSERVATION:  When I confessed my sins to the Lord and received His forgiveness, He made me a new creation.  The old Leon died.  The inner man died and the Holy Spirit became the new operating system in me.  Remaining behind from the old man are thought patterns and habits that are incompatible with the new life that God has in me.  Paul tells me they must be “put to death.” 

It is like a war being won, and occupation forces are left to enforce the victory and establish a new government. 

God knows Leon very well!  He knows I will have trouble “putting to death” old habits, and new habits that have gotten stuck to me from the world in which I live.  He knows…and He made provisions for my weaknesses.  He has assigned His Holy Spirit to live in me!!!  His presence and His power are vital in establishing God’s kingdom, using me to spread His victory, and preparing me for heaven!  

APPLICATION:  It is so important that I listen to the Holy Spirit.  I must become familiar with His voice and how He speaks to me.  He speaks to me through friends, through circumstances, through His voice that I hear in my heart.  He speaks to me through the scriptures.  He uses the scriptures to confirm what I have heard through other sources. 

PRAYER:  Lord, it is exciting to consider what lies ahead and what you are doing to prepare me for the future. 

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 16, 2023: SOAP #4943: 1Kings 17-19; Colossians 2

The Amazing Christ!  (reworked)

SCRIPTURE:  Colossians (NIV) 2:2 My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

OBSERVATION:  To overlook Christ in one’s search for wisdom and knowledge would be a major mistake.  Every area of truth finds it apex in Christ.  Every area of truth is joined to every other area of truth through Christ.  To completely understand every area of geology, biology, science, math, medicine, etc., they need to be linked to His purpose in creation.  He is the Eternal God; all history can only be fully understood in the light of His purpose in creating and dealing with mankind.  Every area of truth flows out from His being.  He is not an add-on part of these studies; He is the heart! 

APPLICATION:  In my limited understanding of the many aspects of truth, I find that each one has the same origin: Christ!  

Jesus claimed to be “THE way, THE truth, and THE life.” (John 14:6) No search for wisdom and knowledge can be complete without Christ! 

PRAYER:  Lord Jesus, in you is the fullness of God. In you are all “the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”  You are beyond my limited ability to fully understand.  May I be ever growing in my appreciation of you.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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MY SOAP SAGA:  In the morning, Sharon and I will be starting our journey to the north-western state of Idaho.  We will visit dear friends who were a part of the church we pastored in Hawaii back in the 1970-80s.  We are delighted to have our son, Doron, going with us.  He will be a great help with the driving!  I believe I will be able to continue the SOAPs every day, but there may be problems with the internet or whatever?   Their arrival time may be different.  Writing and posting the SOAPs is top priority; reading and responding to messages is not so high. We should be back home the first few days of July.   Leon  😊