Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 24, 2023: SOAP #4890: 1Samuel 28,29; Psalm 109; Matthew 11

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew (NIV) 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

OBSERVATION:  Come to Jesus for rest:  I find rest from having to be good enough to be accepted.  I find He has already accepted me! But there is more. 

Take his yoke for training:   Being yoked to the Lord, I am bound to His schedule and life.  I cannot go my own way; the yoke holds me at His side. 

It is like being yoked in the boot camp of the United States Navy.  I had to fit into their schedule.  I went to class on their schedule.  I had to do the physical training on their schedule.  It was my choice (God’s choice) to leave Bible College and join the US Navy, but once in the Navy, my choices were limited.  I ate and slept on their schedule.

APPLICATION:  I am yoked to the Lord!  I go on His schedule and go where He goes.  Is it limiting?  Yes.  Is it worth it?  Yes, yes, and YES!  It is a privileged to be accepted into His yoke.  Being in the yoke with Him, I find His strength sufficient! 

He could wrestle me into His yoke but He wants me to take it willingly.  The US Navy’s goal for me was not to spend my whole enlistment in boot camp. 

(As I see it, God’s purpose for the yoke is to train me for future ministry, not to keep me in the yoke forever.  However, there may come a future time when I am yoked to another for their growth.  Only to the level I am willing to be yoked to the Lord, will others be yoked to me.  Learning to be a leader begins with learning to be a follower.) 

PRAYER:   Lord, it is my great privilege to be yoked to you.  Wherever you go, I must go with you.  Wherever I find myself, you are there with me!  Holy Spirit, make my time in the yoke profitable for the Kingdom.   Amen.

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 23, 2023: SOAP #4889: 1Samuel 27; 1Chronicles 9; Psalm 141; Matthew 10

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew (NIV) 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

OBSERVATION:  Here we have two very important words in the life of a true disciple of Jesus.  The first word is “sent.”  Jesus was sending out His disciples.  He gave them instructions about what to do and what to expect. 

The first word is for Jesus to do; the second word is my responsibility!  It is the word “go.”  It is my response to being sent.  If Jesus is Lord, I must go where I am sent.  He is Lord; He does the sending; I do the going! 

APPLICATION:  I have learned two other truths about God’s sending and my going.  First:  He does not send me alone!  He is going with me!   We will make this journey together!   Second:  When I arrive at my destination, He is already there!  He has been there all the time! 

And, yes, He was sending me.  If He needed someone with other talents, or a different testimony, He would have sent them.  If I do not have what is needed, He will provide it!  

PRAYER:   Lord help me to hear your directions and then quickly respond.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 22, 2023: SOAP #4888: 1Samuel 25,26; Psalm 63; Matthew 9

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew (NIV) 9:2 Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” … 7 And the man got up and went home. 8 When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men.

OBSERVATION:  This passage has always had my attention.  It was not the faith of the paralytic, but the faith of those who carried him to Jesus.  It was their faith that was put into action.  It was their faith that Jesus saw.  

According to their faith, their actions were very logical.  Jesus could heal; their friend needed healing but could not walk; they would carry him to Jesus. 

Perhaps there were others that day who wondered what these men were doing.  It might have seemed like a waste of time and effort.  But to those carrying the paralytic, it was very logical!  

And it was also very logical to someone else—to Jesus!  He understood what they were doing.  He responded to “their faith!” 

APPLICATION: Faith is the natural response to hearing God speak to my heart.  When God personalizes His word to my heart, it is more than words on a page, or more than someone speaking to me.  Those written or spoken words carry a message for Leon.  They are burned into my thoughts, and I cannot push them aside. 

When God speaks to me, it is logical to direct my actions accordingly.  When I act like His word to me is true, then my faith becomes visible to others and to God. 

PRAYER:   Lord, Others may see my faith; some may be critical, but I want my faith to be visible to you.  May I bring joy to your heart by acting like your word to me is true.   Amen.

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 21, 2023: SOAP #4887: 1Samuel 24; 1Chronicles 8; Psalm 57, 58; Matthew 8

SCRIPTURE:  Psalm (NIV) 57:9 I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. 10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. 11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.

OBSERVATION:  How great is God’s love!!!  In this verse, God’s great love reaches to the heavens.  There is no place in the universe where God’s love does not reach.  There is no sin that is greater than God’s love.  God’s love is so great that He gave the greatest treasure in heaven (the life of His Son, Jesus) to redeem fallen man. 

APPLICATION: His love is so great that if you have not yet confessed your sins and given your life to Him, you can do that in this moment.  Praying is just talking to God.  Talk to Him right now as though He is right there with you—He is!  Tell Him you are a sinner.  Ask Him to forgive your sins.  Invite Him to live in your life.  Ask Him to help you make your life a home in which He will enjoy living. 

Now as you continue in your day, just remember that He is with you.  You will see a change in your perspective.  He will cause you to see things as He sees them. 

He is so close, so you can talk to Him anytime.  He is so important you will enjoy spending time just with Him.  When you gather with other believers, God will draw your attention to things the pastor/preacher/teacher says.  Remember them and start applying those truths in your life.  The Holy Spirit will give you thoughts in your mind to help you. 

PRAYER:   Holy Spirit, use these simple thoughts to draw SOAP readers into an enjoyable and continual relationship with you.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 20, 2023: SOAP #4886: 1Samuel 23; Psalm 31,54; Matthew 7

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew (NIV) 7:7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

OBSERVATION:  How amazing to serve a God who wants to be asked!   Earthly fathers love to fill the requests of their children.  And the same is true of our Heavenly Father.  He loves to express His love in tangible means.  He wants others to see that His children are blest!   They will want to be His children too! 

Each verse in the passage above has an emphasis on “asking.”  To whom does God give the good gifts in verse 11?  …”to those who ask him!”  

APPLICATION: With a passage of scripture like the above, why would I ask someone else?  Am I really His child?  Do I really believe that His word is true?  Do I believe that He can provide my needs?  Do I believe that He loves me enough to take care of me?  Do I think God needs my help to answer my prayers? 

If I promised my son that I would give him money needed for a special project, and then the next day I overheard him asking his uncle for money for the same project…I would wonder if my son really trusted me.  Did he doubt my word?  Yet, I have done that to God, many times.

PRAYER:   Heavenly Father, I am sure I have often offended you by ignoring your promise and then trying to get people to do what You have promised. Holy Spirit, help my faith to be grounded in the Scriptures.  Help my faith to keep growing. You have many ways to answer my requests.  I trust you to use the one which will bring you the most glory.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 19, 2023: SOAP #4885: 1Samuel 22; Psalm 17,35; Matthew 6

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew (NIV) 6:1 “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

OBSERVATION:  The above passage begins with “Be careful…”  Jesus is telling us to give special attention to this matter.  It is not to be overlooked. 

Our generosity is for our Heavenly Father’s eyes, not for the world’s eyes.  When He sees, He will reward.  But when our charity is for the eyes of the world, that is all the reward we will receive. 

Maybe we thought that when the world saw our good deeds, they would support us.  We hoped they would join us.   But according to the words of Jesus, when we try to gain man’s attention in this matter of giving to the needy, we are just trading God’s reward (verse 4) for man’s reward (verse 2).  That is a very poor trade!! 

APPLICATION:  I believe this passage directly addresses the practice of some churches to take pictures of giving to the poor and then posting those pictures on Facebook.  If that has been your practice, please pray about it.  Let God prove Himself and bless you with His reward!  

Not just for churches, this passage is for individuals.  When God gives opportunity, prove His word.  Give secretly and prayerfully take note of God’s reward. 

PRAYER:   Heavenly Father, you are a giver, and you want a family of givers.  You want your children to experience the joy of giving.  Giving is one way we participate in your ministry.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 18, 2023: SOAP #4884: 1Samuel 20-21; Psalm 34; Matthew 5

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew (NIV) 5:43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

OBSERVATION:  The love God wants for His people is not a reaction love, but an acting love. It is not love in return for a favor; it is love that is given when it was not expected.  And it is given without a promise of returned love.

APPLICATION: Simply put, it is the love that God has extended to me! 

One might say, “It is impossible to love like that.  It is not natural.”  And they would be right.  It is impossible for fallen, sinful man to live up to God’s holy standards.  If man was to love like that, God would need to live in him and love through him!  And that is the beauty of the Christian life!   God lives His life through me!!! 

PRAYER:   Lord, because of your death on the cross in payment for sin, forgive me and cleanse me from all sin.  Come and live in me.  Come live and love through me.  Teach me your ways. May my life bring you joy today.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 17, 2023: SOAP #4883: 1Samuel 19; 1Chronicles 7; Psalm 59; Matthew 4

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew (NIV) 4:18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.

OBSERVATION:  In looking for people that could be trained and in whom He would leave the care of His church, Jesus went where people were busy doing their normal jobs.  He went for a walk on the sea shore. 

I remember the first job I had in the church was as the volunteer janitor, sweeping the floor, emptying the trash, cleaning the bathrooms.  Later when I went to High School I was assigned to teach the junior boys Sunday School class. 

APPLICATION: If you want to do something for the Lord, start by doing what you see needs to be done.  Become a faithful member of a local church.  Be a servant.  As you serve, God will be teaching you about the church. 

Have you ever wondered why someone was not doing anything about an obvious need?  Perhaps God is bringing it to your attention because He wants to work through you to fulfill that need?  Add it to your daily prayer list.  Get started doing something.  A wonderful challenge is in store for you as He moves through you!  He may use that ministry to bring into view and prepare you for another ministry just for you.

In looking back over my life, every ministry has come to me while I was involved in a previous ministry. 

PRAYER:   Holy Spirit, we all want to be used in God’s Kingdom.  Show us what we can do today.  We do not need a title or pay to be a servant.  We only need to be available.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 16, 2023: SOAP #4882: 1Samuel 18; 1Chronicles 6; Psalm 11; Matthew 3

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew (NIV) 3:16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him.

OBSERVATION:  The One who had willingly emptied Himself of His God-ness to live on earth as the Son of Man, was now empowered by the same Holy Spirit who was present at creation (Genesis 1:2). This was the same Holy Spirit the angel spoke of when explaining to Joseph, that Mary’s pregnancy was the work of the Spirit of God. (Matthew 1:18 & 20). The Holy Spirit was a major part of Jesus’ everyday life and ministry.

APPLICATION: On January 1, 2010, I wondered if I should post on Facebook the SOAP I had just written.  It was strong in my mind that if I did it on January 1, I would need to post it every day that year!  I wondered if God would give me something every day for a whole year.  I knew God would give me something special each week for Sunday’s sermon, but something for every day???   I had faithfully read the Scriptures every day and knew that God would use them, but I did not expect something specific for me each day. 

Today, 4,882 days later, I know the answer is YES, He does speak every day!   The Same Holy Spirit that was present at creation, who was present every day with Jesus in ministry, who was inspiring each writer of the scriptures, YES, that same Holy Spirit has made Leon His dwelling place.  He understands 2023 as He understood the first day of creation!   He knows what I need each day.  He knows how to make me a blessing.  

PRAYER:   Holy Spirit, you understand every day of my life as you understood every day of Jesus’ life on earth.  As I move through this day, reveal to me how I can best honor Jesus.  And, through these SOAPs, make me a blessing to others.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 15, 2023: SOAP #4881: 1Samuel 17; Psalm 9; Matthew 2

SCRIPTURE:  1Samuel (NIV) 17:46 [David speaking to Goliath] This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”
48 As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly towards the battle line to meet him. 49 Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground. 50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.

OBSERVATION:  David approached Goliath with confidence in the Lord.  It was not David’s battle.  Goliath had defied the Lord!  It was not Goliath against David; it was Goliath against God!   God was not going with David; David was going with God.    

APPLICATION:  We need to look at the challenges we face as David looked at Goliath.  The challenge is the Lord’s!   David faced Goliath with what he knew, a sling and some rocks. 

When I see the battle as mine, then I must convince people to help me.  The pressure is on me to perform as the leader.  But when I see the battle as the Lord’s, then the pressure is on HIM!   I take the needs to HIM and depend on HIM to provide.  I come to realize that I already have in my hands what I need to start. 

PRAYER:   Lord, I look to you to handle the challenges I face with children on the bus.  I know that you have given me this assignment. It is your bus and your ministry.  I am your servant.   Amen.

Pastor Leon
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