My Mission

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 15, 2025: SOAP #5611:  1Samuel 17; Psalm 9; Matthew 2

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew 2:1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”…
11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.

OBSERVATION:   The Magi traveled many miles and many days to fulfill their mission.  Surely, they were thinking that any king born in Israel would be born in Jerusalem.  But in Jerusalem they were only able to state their mission and get directions to where they would be able to fulfill their mission. 

What was their mission?  They had come to worship the new-born king!   They did not worship in Jerusalem, nor when the star appeared, however they did rejoice upon seeing the star.  It was when they saw the child; it was when they were in His presence that they fulfilled their mission—they worshipped!  

APPLICATION:   I can praise God talking to you; I can give Him glory talking to you; but for worship, I must be aware of His presence.  Simply stated, worship begins with an awareness of His presence.  It is the natural response to His presence.  What we do to Him (worship) leads to what we do for Him (service).  Worship leads to deeper commitment, to service, to evangelism.

PRAYER:  Lord, you alone are worthy of my worship.  You are searching for worshippers.  May you find me to be what you desire. (John 4:23)   My mission is to honor you in all I do. Worship is at the heart of my mission.   Amen

Pastor Leon
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Growing in Jesus

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 14, 2025: SOAP #5611:  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:   Here is an extremely important portion of scripture.  For Jesus to be the acceptable sacrifice to pay for sin, His blood line had to be sinless.  In these verses we see that Mary’s pregnancy was not by Joseph, but by the Holy Spirit.  Being born of Mary, Jesus is the Son of man.  Being impregnated by the Holy Spirit, Jesus is the Son of God. 

Being the son of Mary, Jesus was fully human and could physically suffer and die.  Being the Son of God, He was sinless.  When He died on the cross, his death was not needed to cover any personal sins.  So, His sinless death is accepted as payment for the sins of those who accept Him into their lives.     

APPLICATION:   Jesus most often referred to Himself as the “Son of Man.”  Jesus laid aside His deity to live on earth as a man full of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus is proof that the Holy Spirit can live in a human body.  As the Son of Man full of the Holy Spirit, Jesus is my example.   I too must live my life full of the Holy Spirit, being led to live my life like Jesus!  To be like Jesus, I must live my life full of the Holy Spirit!   I must learn to let Him take the lead.  The Holy Spirit helps me understand how to apply the scriptures to my life.   

PRAYER:   Holy Spirit, live in me the life you lived in Jesus as He walked this earth.  May the character and nature of Jesus be seen in me. May I grow in love and grace.  Help me see things as Jesus sees them.  In Jesus Name I pray, Amen

Pastor Leon
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My weakness; HIS STRENGTH!

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 13, 2025: SOAP #5610:  1Samuel 14; 1Chronicles 4; 2Corinthians 13

SCRIPTURE:  2Corinthians (NIV) 13:4 For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God’s power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him to serve you….

OBSERVATION:   Here we see even Jesus weakened Himself to the place people could crucify him!  Then He was resurrected by the power of God and He now lives by God’s power. 

Why did Jesus become so weak to be killed?  I was for our sake.  He died for our sins and He arose with the power to give salvation to all who will receive!!    

The pre-crucifixion Jesus is no longer alive!  When we invite Jesus to come into our lives and become our Lord, He is not moving in as the one we read about in the gospels, but as the one in Revelation 1.  The crucifixion is over!  He is not preparing to suffer!  He is coming again to rule and reign.  He comes into our hearts as the reigning king and Lord!     

APPLICATION:   The power Jesus has in His resurrected life was not for His benefit, but for my benefit!!!  (That is an amazing thought!)  And now as I live in weakness, God’s power shines through me.  It is not power to be used for my benefit, but for serving others!  

PRAYER:   Lord, teach me how to step back from using my limited power to allow Your unlimited power to flow through me.  Help me remember that when I am weak, then I am strong in you.  Amen. 

Pastor Leon
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He takes advantage of my weaknesses!

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 12, 2025: SOAP #5609:  1Samuel 13; 1Chronicles 2-3; 2Corinthians 12

SCRIPTURE:  2Corinthians (NIV) 12:9 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:   God’s power is best seen in a person’s life in areas where they have little or no power of their own.   Credit cannot go to them, for everyone knows they have no talent, or wisdom, or strength to accomplish what is needed.  All the credit and glory must go to the Lord.  And they are delighted when God gets the glory!  

APPLICATION:   I should be delighted, but at times I am troubled when God calls me to do something out of my comfort zone.  Only after God has proved Himself faithful in accomplishing through me what I could not accomplish myself do I relax and rejoice in His Presence. 

In driving a school bus for 15 years, I had become comfortable, enjoying the interactions with the students.  But last week, the Lord had me working in the front office of an automotive muffler shop.  At times I saw that my weaknesses became His strengths.  I could not talk much about automotive mechanics and exhaust systems, but the Lord helped me turn the conversation to spiritual things. 

PRAYER:   Lord, I know you will never call me to do what you are not willing to do through me.  More and more, help me to relax and enjoy the journey.  Amen. 

Pastor Leon
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Faithfully Prepared

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 11, 2025: SOAP #5608:  1Samuel 11-12; 1Chronicales 1; 2Corinthians 11

SCRIPTURE:  2Corinthians 11:7 Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge?
2Corinthians 13:10 — the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.  Note: 2Corinthians 10:8

OBSERVATION:   The Lord wants us to be elevators.  May we raise people with strength and confidence.  May we lift them to a higher floor.  If we have to take people down, may we do it in gentleness and carefulness, bringing them down easily and not crashing to the bottom.   The priority however is to build them up and lift them to a higher point of view.  

A word of encouragement, a compliment, a friendly greeting can lift the countenance of a person feeling discouraged, defeated, and/or all alone. 

APPLICATION:   Almost everywhere I look, I can find people who need a lift.  I need only to look at the faces of those around me.  When people are down, it can be seen on their face.  And better than that, we have the Holy Spirit to encourage us to speak to someone; and He will mix thoughts or words in our thinking to speak to them. 

Today, the Lord wants to use me to bring a word of hope and/or encouragement.  I must be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. 

Here is a simple and practical suggestion: if you do not know what to say, start with the main thought from your most recent devotion, the one from this morning or last night.  It is very likely that God knew who you would happen to meet today, and He has prepared you. 

PRAYER:   Lord, show me today someone who needs a lift.  Use me to help lift their burdens.  I believe you are preparing me now to share your love with them.    Amen.

Pastor Leon
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Approval

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 10, 2025: SOAP #5607:  1Samuel 8-10; 2Corinthians 10

SCRIPTURE:  2Corinthians (NIV) 10:17 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:   As a baby enters this world, they soon come to realize that pleasing others is important.  They like to do things that make their parents smile and praise them.  But slowly other people become important, sometimes even taking the role of the parent as the most important one to please. 

The one they want to please has great influence in their lives, schoolteachers, boyfriends, girlfriends, etc. 

When we become born again and the Holy Spirit comes to live within, everything changes.  Jesus becomes the one we want to please.  His smile and words of approval are the most important prize we could ever win. 

APPLICATION:   The longer I serve Him; the longer I get to know Him, the more reasonable it is to surrender the final power of approval to Him.  He has veto power over any decision I am in the process of making. 

PRAYER:   Lord, your “Well done,” and your smile of approval are the greatest prize that can ever be won in this life.  And they are not just given to the few winners who come in first, but to everyone who has taken Jesus as the Lord of their life.  He has already fulfilled the law perfectly.   Amen

Pastor Leon
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Faith in our Giving!

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 09, 2025: SOAP #5606:  1Samuel 6-7; Psalm 72; 2Corinthians 9

SCRIPTURE:  2Corinthians (NIV) 9:11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.

OBSERVATION:   What a special chapter on the blessings of giving, however it should be noted that Paul was not presenting this truth to motivate people to give to him or his ministry.  He was in Macedonia (Philippi) writing to the believers in Corinth about sending some financial help to the believers in Jerusalem who were experiencing a time of famine. 

My personal application of this chapter to the SOAP ministry:  God is the one who started this SOAP ministry.  I started not because I wanted to, but because He told me to write the SOAPs.  I consider myself blessed to be a part of HIS ministry.  Since the ministry is HIS, after all it is HIS word that is being presented, …since it is HIS, I expect Him to provide the necessary finances.  There should be no pressure from anyone in the SOAP ministry trying to convince anyone to give.  If convincing is needed, that is the job of our senior partner, the Holy Spirit.  

APPLICATION:  When you give in obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit, give in faith.  First: have faith that God is blest in your giving.  Second: have faith that God will use what you give to meet a need.  Third: have faith that your giving is a seed that will produce fruit.  Fourth: have faith that your seed will cause others to give praise to God.  Fifth: have faith that God will bring blessing back into your life.  Note verse 11 above.  Expect to experience the joy of giving.  Expect to experience the satisfaction of being a key part of a ministry team even though you are not physically present with the team!   

PRAYER:   Lord, teach us how to participate in ministry through praying and giving.  Show us how important the support ministries are to what you are doing.  Amen. 

Pastor Leon
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Learning the Important Things

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 08, 2025: SOAP #5605:  1Samuel 3-5; Psalm 77; 2Corinthians 8

SCRIPTURE:  1Samuel (NIV) 3:8 The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy.  9 So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” 11 And the LORD said to Samuel…

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! 

PRAYER:   Holy Spirit, make me like Samuel.  I know you like to hear me come to you with my praise and worship, yes and with my needs.  But when it comes to my wants and needs, it is more important that I hear your word, then you hear my words.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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NOTE:  dear SOAP READING friends; I trust this repeated SOAP burns in your heart as it did mine.  It speaks to the heart of our relationship with the Great God of Glory!   What a special privilege is ours!  But I fear we often fall into the temptation to see His as the answer to all our needs, rather than seeing ourselves as the ones He created for His glory.  His will has priority over our desires!   Leon    

The Road out of Trouble

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 07, 2025: SOAP #5604:  1Samuel 1-2; Psalm 66; 2Corinthians 7

SCRIPTURE:  2Corinthians (NIV) 7:10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.  

OBSERVATION:   Most of us do not consider sorrow something good, but it can be the road out of trouble.  Godly sorrow takes responsibility for our actions and seeks forgiveness.  Taking responsibility and apologizing opens the door for those offended to forgive.  And most important, for God to forgive! 

Worldly sorrow, however, blames others and refuses to take ownership.  It is not our fault.  Someone else made us do it.  We are sorry we got caught or sorry for the results that came our way, but not because we did it. 

APPLICATION:   It is wonderful that God is so willing to forgive and restore friendship with us.   For me to receive His forgiveness, I must take responsibility for what I have done.  When I cannot admit that I have sinned, I cannot experience the joy of His forgiveness and restoration.  But when I do, I have His promise of forgiveness.  (1John 1:9) 

We find that confession is the first step on the road out of trouble!  And when we take the first step, we find that He is right there waiting for us!   All the time we wasted while He was just one step away!  And then He walks with me on the rest of the road out of trouble. 

PRAYER:   Lord, I know that you are the only One who can truly forgive and remove the guilt of sin.  I want to be quick to apologize, to be quick to admit that I have sinned.  1John 1:9 says that if I confess my sins, you are faithful and just to forgive my sins and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness.      Amen

Pastor Leon
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Wherever & Whenever

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 06, 2025: SOAP #5603:  Ruth 3-4; Psalm 64, 65; 2Corinthians 6

SCRIPTURE:  Psalm (NIV) 65:1 Praise awaits you, O God, in Zion; to you our vows will be fulfilled.  2 O you who hear prayer, to you all men will come.

OBSERVATION:   I see Zion as the place where people gathered to worship the Lord.  It was there they celebrated in His presence.  It was there they heard the decrees and judgments of the Lord.  It was there they brought their sacrifices.  It was a gathering place for worshippers. 

So, what is in Zion that makes God want to be present?  Praise!   The assembled worshippers are anticipating His arrival.  Their hearts have been cleansed from sin.  Their mind is anticipating His arrival.  Then His presence is recognized, and what happens? The place erupts in praise!   There are shouts of “Hallelujah!  Praise the Lord!.”  There are expressions of joy, clapping and dancing.  The King is present and they rejoice. 

APPLICATION:   Then the praise subsides, but not His presence.  And in the stillness of His presence the praise turns to worship!   They do not sing about Him, they sing to Him.  His presence stirs in their hearts and they respond in loving surrender.  He is God, Almighty.  He is our dearest friend!   The bride of Christ has moved from the wedding celebration into the intimacy of the bridal chamber where the relationship can reach new levels of love. 

Yes, praise awaits God in our gatherings, but the psalmist did not wait until he was in Zion to praise and worship the Lord.  As we read Psalms, we see that praise and worship should be a major part of our lives, wherever and whenever.  Praising Him for what He has done and worshipping Him for who He is. 

PRAYER:   Lord, you are worthy of my praise and worship. May you enjoy your days living in me.  May I always have praise in my heart ready for you.  May praise always be ready to spill out of my mouth.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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