Pleasing God

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
May 15, 2025: SOAP #5642: 1Chronicles 25-27; 1Thessalonians 4

SCRIPTURE:  1Thessalonians (NIV) 4:1 Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.

OBSERVATION:   Here we see that our goal is to please God.  Our whole lives should be lived for the approval and pleasure of God.  When we accepted Jesus as our Savior (saving us from the wrath of God that will be poured out on sin), when we acknowledged Him as our LORD, He cames to live in us by His Holy Spirit. 

If I am going to please God, first, I need to know what pleases Him and what displeases Him.  Of course, there are many scriptures in the Bibe that can help us understand what God likes and dislikes.  But not everyone has a Bible—but every believer has something even better!!!   The scriptures were written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and He cames to live in us when we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior!!!!   Amazing, the author of the scriptures actually lives within us!!!

APPLICATION:   Of course, if I have a copy of the Bible, I need to be reading it.  But if I do not have a copy of the Bible, I need to learn to hear the Holy Spirit speaking in my heart.  When things please God, the Spirit is peaceful.  When things do not please God, the Spirit stirs uncomfortable feelings or thoughts.  It is then I need to be quiet and open my heart to what He is saying.  Many times, the Holy Spirit will bring a strong thought to my mind to show me what to do.  Of course, God also uses people to bring us His messages.  When He does, you will sense the Spirit within giving approval.

Be sure to spend time every day, just talking to God—praying.  Be sure to make some of the time just being quiet and listening.  Whatever portion of scripture you have, value it.  Let God know that His word is important to you.   

PRAYER:   Lord, However you speak to me is important!  Speak into my heart and mind.  Speak to me through people you have sent to help me.  Help me understand how much you love me and how I can best please you.   Amen. 

Pastor Leon
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In Jesus’ Name, Amen

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
May 14, 2025: SOAP #5641: 1Chronicles 22-24; 1Thessalonians 3

SCRIPTURE:  1Thessalonians (NIV) 3:11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you.  12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.  13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

OBSERVATION:   When I listen to people praying today, this is not what I usually hear.  Mostly, I hear prayers for healing or for God to give the doctor wisdom as they take care of our friend or family member.  I also hear prayer for people to have good success in their work or in their finances. 

I cannot remember hearing any prayer like the above except from the Apostle Paul in his writings.  But how someone will stand before God on judgment day is VERY IMPORTANT, and surely a matter for prayer! 

APPLICATION:   Lord, for all the SOAP readers, I pray that their love for you and others would increase and become the dominant characteristic of their lives. 

I pray that they be strengthened in their faith, and they easily hear the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to their hearts.   May their lives be blameless.  May their lives be a home for You, where you can enjoy their love and devotion. 

And on that great judgment day, may they stand in Your presence as ones who have brought great honor to you. 

PRAYER:   And this I pray in Your Name, Jesus, the Name above all names,  Amen

Pastor Leon
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God’s Word at Work!

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
May 13, 2025: SOAP #5640: 2Samuel 24; 1Chronicles 21; Psalm 30; 1Thessalonians 2

SCRIPTURE:  1Thessalonians (NIV) 2:3 For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. 4 On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts….
13 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.

OBSERVATION:   No tricks, no deceitfulness were used by Paul to reach out to the Thessalonians.  Paul was not interested in building his kingdom, but God’s.  It was God who was using Paul to build the eternal Kingdom!  Paul had been chosen by God and entrusted with a noble assignment.  The good news of God’s great love for man, and the extent He went to show it, had been entrusted to Paul.  

Paul’s motive was, to put it most simply, to make God smile.  The test that concerned Paul, was not the approval of man, but the approval of God.  God considers the heart, the motives.

Paul’s was thankful for their openness to God’s Word.  Though it came through men, they accepted it as from God.  It is a life-changing word that Paul could see was presently at work in those to whom Paul was writing.

APPLICATION:   It was a joy for Paul to see people accept the scriptures as the Word of God and to see the Word at work in their lives.  Paul’s thankfulness is very understandable.

Every SOAP begins with a Scripture about which I write an Observation.  I prayerfully ask God to give me an Application of that scripture to my life.  Then I close with a short Prayer. 

PRAYER:   Lord, I am greatly humbled to see how you are using these SOAPs every day.  In them You show us that you love us.  You are interested in our lives.  And you speak to us each day.  Touch each reader with you Holy Spirit today.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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No Longer Motivated by Fear!

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
May 12, 2025: SOAP #5639:  2Samuel 21-23; 1Thessalonians 1

SCRIPTURE:  1Thessalonians (NIV) 1:2 We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. 3 We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.

OBSERVATION:   What Paul says in this verse 4 is something of which he is confident. This is something that is obvious to him.

He addresses them as “brothers loved by God.”  What greater blessing can there be in the whole earth than to be loved by God.  It means that God is benevolently inclined to me.  It means that He intends me good.  It means that he will go to any length for my good, which is obviously proved by Calvery!  Knowing that God loves me is a thought to make any day a good day!

APPLICATION:   What is this of which Paul is so certain?  It is that they were chosen of God.  They had received Jesus, God Son, as their Lord and Savior.  God had looked them over and chose them.  God had seen that they were created in His image and now had His Son living within them.  God could not refuse His Son!  They had potential for special communion with Him.  How special it is to be chosen!

PRAYER:   Holy Spirit, may every thought I think, every word I speak, and every action I make be a proper response to this truth—that my Heavenly Father is for me and loves me.  As His child, I do not respond out of fear for what He might do to me, but out of love because of what He already did for me.  He sent His Son to die for my sins!!!  His Son now lives within me.  Now I serve Him because I love Him. I am responding to His great love for me.  Holy Spirit, help me live my life in a way that brings joy to my Heavenly Father’s heart!  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Jesus ALONE is Lord!!!

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
May 11, 2025: SOAP #5638:  2Samuel 19, 20; Psalm 55; Matthew 28

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew (NIV) 28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

OBSERVATION:   Jesus was preparing to leave his disciples.  He makes a simple statement: “All authority has been GIVEN to me.”   Jesus did not usurp authority.  Jesus did not gain authority by deceiving people.  Jesus did not fight to gain authority.  It HAS BEEN GIVEN to Him!  It is His!!!   

Jesus was judged WORTHY to receive all authority.  Father God, sitting on the throne of heaven judged that Jesus’ hearts and thoughts were pure. Nothing evil could be found in His being.  In His essence He was pure.  His actions were perfectly in line with His assignment.  His sacrifice proved His obedience even unto death.  His sinless blood which flowed from a sinless life was more than sufficient to cover the sins of all men.  His complete humility was worthy of ultimate exaltation. 

Jesus was judged worthy to receive ALL AUTHORITY.  He not only has authority on Friday, or Saturday, or Sunday, but every other day also.  He not only has authority on spiritual matters, or relationship matters, but on every aspect of life.  He has complete authority over all the disciplines of life.    

APPLICATION:   It is for me to judge Jesus to be worthy of ALL AUTHORITY in my life.  I GIVE Him ALL AUTHORITY because I judge that He is WORTHY!  His worth is obvious.  He needs not to fight me to prove that He is powerful enough to bring about my surrender.  Although, if necessary, He loves me enough to do that because as my Creator He knows what is best for me!  It is good for me to see Him as He really is—WORTHY!!!    

PRAYER:   Jesus, you are LORD of my life.  On my knee I bow and with my tongue confess that you alone are LORD!  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Service or Relationship?

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
May 10, 2025: SOAP #5637:  2Samuel 18; Psalm 56; Matthew 27

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew (NIV) 27:63 “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64 So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” 65 “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.

OBSERVATION:   They put a seal on the tomb of Jesus and posted a guard to make sure no one could get into the tomb and steal the body.  It was the best they knew how to do.  They could stop man from breaking in, but they could not stop Jesus from breaking out!!! 

APPLICATION:   I may find myself limited by what man does, but if I am working and walking with Jesus…He is never limited!  He cannot be limited!  It is important for me to work WITH Him, not just FOR Him. 

Sometimes I come up with a good idea of something I can do for God.  Just because it is something I think would please Him, I need to check with Him.  I have found He does not always help me to what I want to do FOR Him.  But He always helps me do what I do WITH Him.  He wants my relationship more than my service! 

Note:  If you know that God has given you a special ministry, then count on His presence to be with you.  Be faithful to use what you have for the Lord but realize that He is the One who does what you cannot do.  Count on Him for your provision.  Remember, He wants your relationship even more than your service.  Cast your cares upon Him, not on someone on the internet.  Ask Him for some promises in His word that will cause your faith to grow. 

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, you sent your Son, Jesus, to die in my place for my sins.  You love me and want us to have a loving relationship.  As I grow in my relationship to you, you give me assignments where you teach me to rely upon you, your presence and your promises.  I am blessed as I grow in you!  Amen

Pastor Leon
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It Was Not Possible!

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
May 09, 2025: SOAP #5636:  2Samuel 17; Psalm 71; Matthew 26

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew (NIV) 26:36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch 39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

OBSERVATION:   It all came down to this.  Would the Father require the Son He loved to die for the sins of people?  Was it possible for there to be another way?  Could the creation God loved be saved in any other way?  Did Jesus really need to suffer as payment for our sins? 

The Holiness of God demanded that the payment for sin was death.  Since everyone had sinned, everyone had to die.  Sin could not be allowed into the Presence of the Holy God!  God could never realize the joy of loving His prize creation because sin separated us!  The loving God could never have fellowship with His sinning creation.  But if there was one born without sin, who overcame every temptation and lived a sinless life—then His death could be the payment for people born and living in sin!  So, this Holy and Loving God sent His Son to live that life and be that sacrifice!!! 

APPLICATION:   So, it was not possible for “this cup” to be taken from Jesus!   He must suffer and die as the Holy payment of a Holy God on behalf of sinful people who would then know the Love of God!   And so, in all creation where we can see the majesty and awesomeness of such a great Creator God there is one planet where we can see displayed the Creator’s great ability to love—earth!  

Dear SOAP reader, through accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior, we can be the recipients of that love, and through us can be seen the awesome love of our Creator! 

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, your heart must have been twisted almost to the breaking point as the Son You love requested that the cup of suffering and death be taken from Him.  Yet even though He was your dearly loved Son, you required the same payment from Him as you would from me.   And so, with my sins forgiven I can enter your Holy presence. Just saying “Thanks” is too little, I give you my life as your home.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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That’s Who He Is!

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
May 08, 2025: SOAP #5635:  2Samuel 15, 16; Psalm 32; Matthew 25

SCRIPTURE:  Psalm (NIV) 32:2 Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.
3 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Selah
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD”—and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah

OBSERVATION:   The weight of unconfessed sin is heavy.  It hinders a person during the day like the heat of summer wears him down.  It is difficult to peacefully sleep with a guilty conscience. 

Oh, but the humble acknowledgement of sin—the acknowledgement that it is my sin, what a relief!  The joy of forgiveness was always available, but my foolish pride often will not allow my confession. 

APPLICATION:   When I take the responsibility for my sin, Jesus takes the responsibility of removing the guilt!  His sacrifice on the cross has more than enough value to cancel my guilt!  

King David (in the Psalm above) was forgiven on the basis of what Jesus would do.  I am forgiven on the basis of what Jesus has already done!  

Later, after Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, the apostle John wrote, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1John 1:9)

PRAYER:   Heavenly Father, you fully understand the evil nature of sin, even small sins.  Yet your love for man led you to make the perfect sacrifice.  Thank you for sending Jesus to die for my sins.  Thank you, Jesus, for coming.  Thank you, Holy Spirit, for opening my eyes to receive the forgiveness Jesus provided. Jesus, you are my Lord and Savior!  You are my “sin-Bearer” and my  “guilt-Remover!”  Thank you!  Amen

Pastor Leon
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In His Wisdom

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
May 07, 2025: SOAP #5634:  2Samuel 13, 14; Matthew 24

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew 24:4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no-one deceives you.
5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. … 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. … 24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible.

OBSERVATION:   To be deceived is to believe a lie.  Jesus said of Satan: “When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44)  It seems obvious that deception is Satan’s main game. 

In verse 4 above, Jesus warns us.  Yet in verse 5 and 11 we find that many people will be deceived.  And in verse 24 we see that Satan tries to deceive even the “elect.”     

APPLICATION:   Since Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6) I need to keep close to Him. 

God knows that we forget what we have heard or even read in the Bible.  God knew that there would be some people who would not even have a Bible to read.  (The first printing press to produce the Bible in book form was in the 15th century)  So, in His wisdom, God has sent the Holy Spirit to live in each of His children.   The Holy Spirit has been given to guide us into all truth (John 16:13).  As we are able to read the Bible, the Holy Spirit will help us understand and apply it to our lives.  But in times and places where no Bible is available, the Holy Spirit can still lead us in paths of truth and to reject the lies that Satan uses to trap us. 

Whenever my thoughts are scrambled, whenever my heart is troubled, or whenever I have an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach, I need to ask God for His wisdom to understand what he might be telling me.  Philippians 4:7 tells us that the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds.  As God’s children in whom the Holy Spirit dwells, we need to be careful when we do not have peace and when something disrupts our peace. 

PRAYER:   Holy Spirit, cause a question to arise in my heart every time I am about to be deceived into believing a lie.  Lead me into the path of truth.  Keep me free from deception.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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Forgiven!

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
May 06, 2025: SOAP #5633:  2Samuel 11, 12; Psalm 51; Matthew 23

SCRIPTURE:  Psalm (NIV) 51:10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

OBSERVATION:   What a joy and peace is theirs whose hearts are right with God.  Sometimes it is not appreciated until it is lost.  David had sinned and lost his joy.   He knew what it was like to have a heart at peace with God and full of His joy.  Perhaps he had not considered the high cost of spending a night with Bathsheba.  But the act was done, and Bathsheba’s husband had been murdered.  David had lost his peace and joy.  Only God could forgive and restore.      

APPLICATION:   Not only can God forgive and restore, He does it willingly to those who confess their sins and ask His forgiveness.  Through the death of His Son, Jesus, my debt has been covered.  I have been forgiven. Peace and joy are mine!     

PRAYER:   Heavenly Father, If I confess my sins; you are faithful and just to forgive my sins and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness.  (1John 1:9) With my mouth I confess that I have sinned; with my mouth I confess that Jesus is my Lord.  (Romans 10:9-10) Thank you for your forgiveness and the joy of your salvation.  I surrender my life to your control.  Help me to sense when you are pleased and/or displeased with how I think and what I do. Amen

Pastor Leon
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