Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer

January 7: Genesis 18-19; Psalm 3; Luke 7

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 3:1 O LORD, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! 2 Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.” Selah 3 But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head. 4 To the LORD I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill. Selah

Observation: King David heard his enemies trying to convince him that it was foolish to trust God. According to them God would not help David. David was on his own in dealing with his enemies. So what does David do? He tells God what his enemies are saying. He confesses his faith to God. God is not only going to help David, God Himself is a shield around David!!! God gives David His favor, and causes him to lift his head from gazing at the problems around him to the blessings above him!

Application: God Himself is a shield around me! He looks on me with favor! He causes me to lift my head from looking at the problems surrounding me to looking at the blessings above me!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I am blest to be your child. In times of trouble I can cry to You and You will answer me! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer

January 6: Genesis 15-17; Luke 6

Scripture: Luke (NIV) 6:38 Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Observation: Receiving starts with giving. Some want to give according to how they receive, but Jesus told us that we would receive according to how we give. Some want to meagerly give and then receive a good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over. But that is not what Jesus said. He said that the measure I use in giving is the same measure that will be used in giving to me.

Application: It starts with me. If I give with a good measure, I will receive with a good measure. If I give shaken together and running over, I will receive in the same measure. A Most Generous God wants me to be generous.

Prayer: Lord, you have proved the truth of this verse many times. But I have also discovered that you can press much more into the measure than I can. And the running over of your gifts far surpasses any excess of mine. I can never out give you! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer

January 5: Genesis 12-14; Luke 5

Scripture: Luke (NIV) 5:20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” …24 … [Jesus to paralytic] ”I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 25 Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God.

Observation: Some friends carried a paralytic on a mat to Jesus. They knew Jesus had the answer to their friend’s need. When they were unable to get to Jesus, who was inside a house crowded with people, they carried their friend to the roof, took up the tiles and lowered their friend in front of Jesus. “When Jesus saw their faith…” Many times Jesus responded to the faith of those needing his help, but here he responded to the faith of those who carried their friend. True faith always has action. What they did made their faith seeable. James 2:20 says faith without works is dead. Here we see that faith with works is seeable!

Application: It is good for me to consider that my faith could be the key to a friend’s salvation and/or healing. Like the friends of the paralytic, my priority should be to get my friends to Jesus. My faith should be seeable.

Prayer: Lord, help me bring my friends to you. May you see my faith and respond in meeting their need. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer

January 4: Genesis 9-11; Luke 4

Scripture: Luke (NIV) 4:42 At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. 43 But he said, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to other towns also, because that is why I was sent.

Observation: Earlier in this chapter I noticed how people were astonished that Jesus spoke with such authority. (vs 36) He quieted demons and commanded them to come out. (vs 35, 41) He rebuked a fever which left immediately. (vs 39) Of course the people in this community would want him to stay with them, but He had to be obedient to the authority that sent him. He did not have authority so that he could do what he wanted or what others wanted. Jesus, living as a man on earth, had authority because he was submitted to the authority of His Father.

Application: Only God has authority because He is worthy. Any authority I have is delegated authority. Obedience increases my authority.

My last duty in the US Navy was on the staff of a Commodore. When we went aboard the ships under his command, we went in his authority. Commanding Officers would often meet us at the quarter deck and invite us into their state rooms to review what we would be doing on their ship. That we were enlisted men did not matter to them; what mattered was who it was that sent us. Commanding Officers would answer to the Commodore according to our words. When we walked under his authority, we walked in his authority.

Prayer: Jesus, may I live in such obedience to you that my words are as true and faithful as your words. May I walk under AND in your authority! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer

January 3: Genesis 6-8; Luke 3

Scripture: Genesis (NIV) 6:22 Noah did everything just as God commanded him. 7:1 The LORD then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation.
Genesis (NIV) 8:14 By the twenty-seventh day of the second month the earth was completely dry. 15 The God said to Noah, 16 “Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives…”

Observation: After years of building on the ark, the time arrived for it to be used. But Noah did not move into the ark until God specifically told him to do so. The same was true when it came time to move out of the ark. The flood was abated and the earth was dry, but Noah did not move out until God specifically told him to do so.

Application: I have discovered that it is worth waiting for God to speak before making major changes. Circumstances may indicate that it is getting time to make a change, but it is best to wait for God to speak. If God told Noah to get into the ark, it was best for Noah to wait until he was told to disembark. If God clearly sent me somewhere or gave me something specific to do, I need to wait until He clearly sends me elsewhere or tells me that the assignment is complete.

Prayer: Jesus, I want to clearly hear what you say to me and carefully obey what you tell me to do. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer

January 2: Genesis 3-5; Luke 2

Scripture: Luke (NIV) 2:15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word… 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen..

Observation: People who have personally seen the things in question become the best witnesses. I have seen advertising money for new products spent to give free samples to people who hopefully will use the product and tell others. Their testimony is valuable.
-I enjoy walking through the areas at the state fair where new products are demonstrated. They want me to see how it works.
-God made sure there were people who SAW the angels and the baby. The shepherds were faithful to report what they saw.

Application: God wants people to see my life also. God wants people to witness the trouble I experience and how He works through it for His glory. Many times the testimony of others who have witnessed how God has worked in my life is better than my personal testimony.

Prayer: Lord, may your work in my life be visible to others. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Special greetings of the Lord’s blessings for a new year! Today begins the sixth calendar year for the Daily SOAP! I celebrate God’s faithfulness in giving me something unique for each day. Should you, or a friend you know, like to be added to the email list, send me an email request at elhiebert. And if you receive too much email and would like to be removed, just reply to one you have received and let me know. Leon J

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer

January 1: Genesis 1-2; Luke 1

Scripture: Luke (NIV) 1:80 And the child [John the Baptist] grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the desert until he appeared publicly to Israel.

Observation: Earlier in the chapter (verse 13) we read that an angel told Zechariah that his wife would become pregnant and have a son to be named John. This child would prepare the way for Jesus to be introduced to Israel. But it would take nine months in his mother’s womb, then close to thirty years before his ministry would start.

God’s salvation plans are not only developed for the good of people, they are built around people. People are an important part of God’s plans. When God works His plan, He includes the time for people to develop and mature.

Application: God has plans that include me. I must go through each day expecting God to speak to me. I need to be listening for what He says to me. I need to rest in His perfect timing. He takes time to develop me to be a part of His plans. Sometimes I must wait as He is developing those around me.

Prayer: Lord, it is my privilege and pleasure to serve you! Keep speaking as I commit to keep listening. Thank you for teaching me to rest in your timing. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer

December 31: Revelation 19-22

Scripture: Revelation (NIV) 19:1 After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, 2 for true and just are his judgments.

Observation: Being true and just are great reasons to give honor to a king, governor, and/or ruler. God’s judgments are true; they are not phony, but real and genuine. They are not done for show. His judgments are just. They are the proper application of a holy law. They are in keeping with the nature and purpose of the law. The wording of the law is not twisted to make it mean something that was not intended.

Application: What a great reason I have to worship Jesus; He is true and just. What a great reason it is for me to surrender total control of my life to Him! What a great reason I have to look forward to His government taking control of this earth.

Prayer: As the author of Revelation closes out the book (Revelation 22:20), I also pray, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer

December 30: Revelation 15-18

Scripture: Revelation (NIV) 16:9 They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him.
16:10 …People gnawed their tongues in agony 11 and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.
16:21 From the sky huge hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds, fell on the people. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.

Observation: Today, it seems people just do not want to acknowledge there is a God, or want to think that if he does exist, he is not interested in this earth. In Revelation chapter 16, people are forced to acknowledge the existence of God, and that he is very involved in the earth. They acknowledge Him, but they curse Him. Sin has warped their thinking!

Application: How foolish to blame God for reaping what I sow. My heart must be tender to God and I need to be quick to repent.

Prayer: Holy Father, the day of Your judgment on sin is coming, even sooner than we like to think. May I stand before you with my sins forgiven, covered by the blood Your Son shed for me on the cross Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer

December 29: Revelation 10-14

Scripture: Revelation (NIV) 13:8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.
11 Then I saw another beast…12 It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast…15 It was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed.

Observation: As I continue reading through the book of Revelation, I am again drawn to the truth that this is a book of worship. The issue: will the world worship the Lamb who created the heavens and the earth and who shed his blood in payment for man’s sins? Or will they worship the beast who is out to destroy God’s creation.

Today I noticed a major difference: those who worship the Lamb do so because He is worthy. Note how their songs emphasize that He is worthy. But those who worship the beast do so because they are forced to do so or they will be killed if they do not worship.

Application: I worship The One who is obviously worthy of worship! He does not have to twist my arm to make me worship. I honor Him by worshipping Him willingly.

Prayer: Jesus, You are the Lamb, and you are worthy of my worship. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!