Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 14, 2023: SOAP #4880: 1Samuel 15-16; 1Chronicles 5; Matthew 1

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew (NIV) 1:18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

OBSERVATION:  Joseph was a righteous man.  Mary was pregnant. She had already broken the marriage engagement.  Joseph would do what a righteous man would do.  He also would set aside the engagement.  But he was also a good man who loved Mary.  He did not want her to be humiliated.  He would not make a big scene, so everyone would know how much he had been hurt. He would do it quietly.

BUT GOD STOPPED HIM!   There was a higher purpose in what was happening.  Joseph was to be a part of something much greater than he ever dreamed.

APPLICATION: I am glad to know that God can stop me.  Sometimes when God stops me, it is because I am about to make a fool of myself.  God kindly steps in and corrects my direction. 

At other times when God stops me, it is because He has a higher purpose.  He is allowing me to be a part of something much greater.  He says “No,” because he is saying “Yes,” to something far better.  If He allowed me to move ahead with the “first,” there would be no possibility of the “best.”

PRAYER:  Lord, I trust you to see what I cannot see.  I trust you when you say “No” as I trust you when you say “Yes.”  You stopped my old way of Bible reading to open time for me to write daily SOAPs.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 13, 2023: SOAP #4879: 1Samuel 14; 1Chronicles 4; 2Corinthians 13

SCRIPTURE:  1Samuel (NIV) 14:23 So the LORD rescued Israel that day…

OBSERVATION:  In reading the beginning of this chapter, we see the victory started when Jonathan, the king’s son, challenged his armor-bearer to step out in faith that God would use them to bring victory.  “Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few.” (Verse 6) Although they were only two, they took the risk of showing themselves to the enemy and engaging in the fight.  They did not run from the fight but climbed to the higher ground held by the enemy.

God likes to show Himself strong on behalf of those who step out in faith, depending on His help.  They were risking great failure if God did not help.  In the natural, their actions were illogical, they did not make sense.  But their faith in God made taking the risk logical. 

APPLICATION: I need not fear what appears as obvious failure when I am doing what God wants me to do.  From the days of Jonathan to now, God has not changed.  God showed up for Jonathan and He will show up for Leon.  He has in the past and He will in the future!  Leon needs to be careful to do what the Holy Spirit shows him to do. 

PRAYER:   Heavenly Father, your heart must have rejoiced to see Jonathan express his faith in you.  I want your heart to rejoice in my actions also. This is a SOAP from the past, but it is fresh because today it is stirring my heart to action.   Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 12, 2023: SOAP #4878: 1Samuel 13; 1Chronicles 2-3; 2Corinthians 12

SCRIPTURE:  2Corinthians (NIV) 12:7 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

OBSERVATION:  Much has been spoken and written about Paul’s “thorn in his flesh.”  Various ones have their personal suggestion as to what it is.  Some use other scriptures to suggest something that could be a weakness in Paul.  Since it is not specifically defined in this passage, I suggest that it is not important for me to know what it was. 

However, the specific actions of Paul give me some guidelines for dealing with ongoing problems in my life.  Paul prayed and God answered his prayers.  It was not the answer Paul wanted.  Paul wanted it removed, but God said His grace was sufficient to help Paul bear.  Paul accepted God’s answer and God’s promise!  It was a great promise!  Paul’s weakness would provide opportunity for God’s power to be manifested.  Paul moved on in his life and ministry.  He did not continue to beg God for that about which God had already spoken. 

APPLICATION: I need to learn to rest in God’s will.  His specific answers to my prayers should settle the matter for me.  My weaknesses provide Him opportunity to demonstrate His power through me. 

PRAYER:   Lord, may others see you living in me and working through me.  May my obvious weaknesses insure that you get all the glory.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 11, 2023: SOAP #4877: 1Samuel 11-12; 1Chronicales 1; 2Corinthians 11

SCRIPTURE:  2 Corinthians (NIV) 11:3 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
(KJV) 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

OBSERVATION:  Paul was concerned about the believers in the city of Corinth. From the books of Moses, Paul knew how Satan had tempted Eve. Paul was concerned that Satan was trying to do the same to the new Christians in Corinth.

He wanted their sincerity and devotion to remain in Jesus.  It is easier to have pure devotion and sincerity when things are simple.  But when things get complex, and we do not have all the answers to the questions Satan brings to our thoughts … we lose the simple joy, simple love, simple devotion.

APPLICATION: The more I know God and understand His overall plan, the more logical it appears.  It just makes sense!  My faith is quite simple. I was a sinner. I believed Christ died as the payment for my sins. I asked Him to forgive my sins. He forgave me and now lives in my heart.  He is my Lord!  Now my goal is to make Him smile by bringing joy to His heart by what I do and say.

PRAYER:   Lord, help me to keep it simple!  At the heart of all I know is You are holy, You love me, and you want me to believe you. Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 10, 2023: SOAP #4876: 1Samuel 8-10; 2Corinthians 10

SCRIPTURE:  2Corinthians (NIV) 10:12 We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.  …  17 But, “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” 18 For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.

OBSERVATION:  It is difficult to live without comparing ourselves to those around us.  We can always find someone nearby who is worse than us and gain a false sense that we are OK.  We can always find someone nearby who is better than us and we gain a false sense of inferiority.  We need to keep our eyes on Jesus.  He is perfect and comparing ourselves to Him will always keep us with a true sense of humility.  Yet His love for us and the sacrifice He made for us helps us properly value ourselves.  He calls us His children!  To God we are valuable.  Satan uses us to get to God, but God just loves us.  God uses us for our good and His glory.   It’s amazing!  The best way to please our Heavenly Father is to become like His Son Jesus!   Of course, only Jesus can really be like Jesus.  If I am to be like Jesus, then Jesus would need to come and live in me.  AND THAT IS WHAT HE DOES!!!  

APPLICATION: I must keep my eyes on Jesus.  Seeing how perfect He is makes me realize how short I fall of being like Him.  Seeing the sacrifice He made makes me certain that I have value to Him.   He thinks I am worth picking up, cleaning up, standing up and speaking up as His messenger!   It’s amazing!  He is not sending me out on my own; He is with me, living inside!  

PRAYER:   Lord, I am humbled in your Presence.  You love me and have forgiven me.  You have given me a standing as one of your children.  You have joined me in this life.   Amen.

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 9, 2023: SOAP #4875: 1Samuel 6-7; Psalm 72; 2Corinthians 9

SCRIPTURE:  2Corinthians (NIV) 9:7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

OBSERVATION:  In reading through this chapter in which Paul is encouraging the people of Corinth to give my thoughts turned to the First Giver.  Where did these principles of giving originate?  Who first taught about giving? 

Since God created this world and man, He is the one who set the principles of sowing and reaping.  In many ways He sowed into the man He had created.  This past week we celebrated the greatest gift ever given…the life of God’s Son given in death as payment for our sins!   He gave willingly and at great personal cost. 

Each day God reaps the harvest of that Gift sowed into the world.  The Bible tells us that there is great rejoicing in heaven whenever one sinner repents and makes Jesus the Lord of his life! (Luke 15:7) And what a great celebration there will be in heaven when all those redeemed by the blood of Jesus are gathered around the Throne!   God will reap a GREAT harvest!!!

APPLICATION: Giving is the nature of God.  He rejoices when it is developed in my nature.  God wants me not to be just a person who gives when someone touches my emotions or when I have extra money…NO, God wants me to be a giver.  He wants me to give more than what He has placed in my pocket, but what He has placed in my heart! 

PRAYER:   Lord, you have filled my heart with your word. Help me to give it joyfully, generously, and clearly.  May my life be a worthy vessel for such valuable contents.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 8, 2023: SOAP #4874: 1Samuel 3-5; Psalm 77; 2Corinthians 8

(…some re-worked thoughts)

SCRIPTURE:  1Samuel (NIV) 3:10 The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

OBSERVATION:  God was speaking!  The God of creation was speaking to a young boy.  Samuel did not yet recognize God’s voice and thought the old priest, Eli, was calling him.  After his third trip to check on Eli, Eli realized that God was calling Samuel.  So, he told Samuel how to respond.  And God cared enough that He called out a fourth time!

What Samuel heard was important, but what God heard was even more important! 
First, God heard one of his created beings say, “LORD, I hear you.”  God had been hearing people cry out to Him, but here was a man that could hear God call out to him! 
Second, God heard a man, created in His image say, “What you say is important.  I am listening.”  God had been listening to desperate people call to him with what was important to them.  Here was a young man willing to let God tell him what was important to God.  Samuel was saying, I can sleep later; hearing what you have to say is more important than sleep. 
Third, God heard a young man say, “I am your servant.  I will follow through with your instructions.”  I will honor your word.

APPLICATION: I know God hears me.  It is important that God knows that I hear Him!  It is important for SOAP readers to know that Leon is listening to the Lord.  Only the “Scripture” portion above is the Word of God, but my prayer is that the following three portions of these SOAPs come with an anointing that reveals how the scriptures can be applied to our hearts.

PRAYER:   Holy Spirit, it is so important that SOAP readers see your word and not Leon’s words.  So, like Samuel, I pray, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 7, 2023: SOAP #4873: 1Samuel 1-2; Psalm 66; 2Corinthians 7

SCRIPTURE:  Psalm (NIV) 66:1 Shout with joy to God, all the earth!
2 Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious!
3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you.
4 All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you; they sing praise to your name.” Selah
5 Come and see what God has done, how awesome his works on man’s behalf!

Revelation (NIV) 5:9 And they sang a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.

OBSERVATION:  We are instructed to “make His praise glorious!”  To me that means I should be praising God truthfully, faithfully, often, loud enough for others to hear, creatively, etc. 

Note: every people group and every language will be present when we make His praise glorious in heaven!!! 

APPLICATION: My praise should be heard by those around me.  My praise should make them take note of this wonderful God I serve.  My praise should tell of the wonderful things He has done for me.  I should talk of God in such a way that those around me will want to know more about Him…and want to know Him too! 

My praise should highlight his “awesome works on man’s behalf!”  It is true that I love Him and I serve Him, but what makes Him glorious is how He loves me and how He serves me!   His love for me is greater than my love for him.  How He served me is greater than how I can serve Him! 

PRAYER:   Heavenly Father, may my praise make you attractive to those nearby who hear my words of appreciation.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 6, 2023: SOAP #4872: Ruth 3-4; Psalm 64, 65; 2Corinthians 6

SCRIPTURE:  2Corinthians (NIV) 6:16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” 17 “Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” 18 “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

OBSERVATION:  Paul does not say “we were…” or “we will be…”;  he said, “we ARE the temple of the living God!”  There is so much that can be said about being the temple of the living God, but God says there is something more!   He has chosen us to be more than a building in which we enjoy His presence and honor Him.  He is our Father; we are His sons and daughters!   He shares His life with us.  As a child shares the life of their parents, we share God’s life!  

APPLICATION: As children mature they often show characteristics of their parents.  And as I mature in Christ, His characteristics should begin to show in me. 

The Life of God within me grows and expands to influence and control every aspect of my life.  I must learn not to trust my feelings.  I must learn to submit all my thoughts to the Holy Spirit’s supervision.  Thoughts can arise from recalling past experiences; even Satan can introduce thoughts that entice me to meditate on unholy subjects.  Every thought should be analyzed by the Holy Spirit.  (1Corinthians 10:5)

PRAYER:   Heavenly Father, I am your temple, you have made me your dwelling place.  And, I am also your child, growing to be your son.  May others quickly recognize Your presence living within me.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 05, 2023: SOAP #4871: Ruth 1-2; Psalm 53, 61; 2Corinthians 5

SCRIPTURE:  Ruth (NIV) 1: 15  “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.” 16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.”

OBSERVATION:  The more I read the book of Ruth, the more I am impressed with Naomi.  What a mother-in-law that would bring such a response from a daughter-in-law!  Surely Naomi had endeared herself to Ruth during the time Ruth was married to Naomi’s son.  Surely during the death of Naomi’s husband, and then the death of Ruth’s husband — surely during those days Ruth saw something special in Naomi! -something she wanted in her life.-something that was worth leaving her home to be with this woman who was discouraging her from accompanying her back to Bethlehem.  –surely Naomi had often talked about her homeland in a way that made Ruth also want to be able to call it home. 

APPLICATION: I want to live my life in such a manner that those around me want to have my God as their God.  May those who listen in to my conversations want to know more.  May they want to join me as I continue my journey to my Promised Land (Heaven.)

PRAYER:   Heavenly Father, may my conversation and manner of living demonstrate to the world around me just how pleased I am to have you constantly with me. The more I know you, the more thankful I am to be your child.  Thank you for your forgiveness.  Like Jesus, I too want to be a useful son in your kingdom. It is my privilege to do your will.  It is my joy to represent you to those around me.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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