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

December 8: 1Timothy 1-4

Scripture: 1Timothy (NIV) 4:1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 3 They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.

Observation: These are the later times and there are many false teachers active today. The media makes it easy for them to spread their doctrines across our nation and around the world. In the grace of God this is also a time of abundance when it comes to God’s word. To all the translations and versions of the Bible that have been made available in the past, today even more are being added. To all the individual Bibles that have been printed and distributed throughout the world in the past, today presses are printing even more Bibles. Various Bibles are available on the web. Many believers will have no excuse for not knowing God’s Word.

Application: The better I know God’s Word, the better I am able to identify false doctrines. The better I know God’s character, the better I am able to recognize what He would be saying and what He would not be saying. The better I know my God and His word, the better I will be prepared for the troubled times ahead.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, as I read the Bible, reveal to me the character of my Heavenly Father. Sharpen my spiritual perception so that I may easily recognize false teachers and their doctrines. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

December 7: Colossians 1-4

Scripture: Colossians (NIV) 1:11 [Paul praying for those in Colosse, that they would be] …strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his people in the kingdom of light.

Observation: Here Paul uses three words that do not seem to fit together: endurance, patience, and joyful. The King James Version translates verse 11 as: “Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.”

Application: Situations in which I need endurance and patience seldom lend themselves to joyfulness. Yet when I am strengthened with God’s power and remember that I have a glorious inheritance awaiting me, I can respond to God with joyful thanksgiving. I can also respond to those around me pleasantly and with joy.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for the power of your Spirit. Keep reminding me of the inheritance you have prepared for me. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

December 6: Philippians 1-4

Scripture: Philippians (NIV) 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die gain.

Observation: There is only one purpose for Paul’s life—indeed for all our lives! To live is Christ! To live, not just to exist, but to truly live life to the fullness can only be done in Christ. I can live my life, but I cannot live His life. If I am to live His life, He must come and live His own life through me. I may make a good copy of His life, or I may make a poor copy. If I put myself to it, I may be able to train the flesh to duplicate many characteristics of Jesus’ life. I may be able to fool a lot of people, and be proud of how good I am. I may find encouragement in the compliments that come my way as I live the "good" life. But those compliments may work against me, if they encourage me to continue training the flesh to be "like Jesus." Paul did not say, for me to live is to be "like Jesus," but "for to me, to live is Christ." What an important difference!

Application: My Christian life is not a cleaned-up Leon, but a new Leon. When I confessed my sins and invited Jesus to live in me as my Lord, I was born again. Christ’s life within me makes me a new person. As I get to know God’s Word and learn to listen to the Holy Spirit I find my words and actions more and more becoming expressions of His presence.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, use me in my circumstances today. I desire that others see you living in me. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

December 5: Ephesians 5-6; Psalm 119:1-80

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 119:24 Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors.
119:77 Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight.

Observation: What gives me delight is what brings joy to me. When I delight myself in something I take the joy that accompanies it. It lifts my spirit, brings a twinkle to my eyes, and makes me smile. The thought of it sticks like Velcro in my mind; just its memory will bring a smile. Delight is a word often used to describe how we should see God and His Word.

Some people act like it is a great burden to be a Christian. Others act like it is not very important. I think the Lord best enjoys Christians who see their commitment to Him as a great blessing and joy. A person who delights himself in the Lord will be a good witness. Others will want to know what brings them joy.

Application: When my heart is right with the Lord and all known sins are confessed, I can expect time spent with the Lord and in His word to be a delightful experience.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, what a privilege and joy is mine to be your servant! May that joy be seen in my life today. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

December 4: Ephesians 1-4

Scripture: Ephesians (NIV) 4:7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people…11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up

Observation: Giving gifts has always been associated with Christmas. It is common to think of the magi that came from the east bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Of course the greatest Christmas gift was the baby lying in the manger. God so loved that He gave His Son! Wow! God’s gifts often come packaged as people. The gifts mentioned in verse 11 (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers) are not given to do the work of the church, but to prepare the body of Christ to do the work of the church.

Application: The gifts God has given me—the people God has brought to minister into my life—are to prepare me to be a gift to someone else. I need to ask myself, “What kind of a gift will I be today, and to whom?”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I want to be a gift that encourages and equips others to be the gift you want them to be. May you receive many expressions of thanks from people who are glad you put this gift in their lives. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

December 3: Romans 13-16

Scripture: Romans (NIV) 15:2 We should all please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. 3 For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me. “

Observation: Jesus is our example. He lived his life for others, and still does. Hebrews says he ever lives to make intercession for us. (Hebrews 7:25) The purpose of pleasing our neighbors is for their good and to build them up. We are to encourage them to be and do better.

Application: People’s lives should improve because I am their neighbor and/or relative and/or friend. God has placed me their lives to be an encourager. God has placed me in their lives for their good and His glory.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, use me today in little or big ways to be an influence of eternal good in the lives of those around me. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

December 2: Romans 9-12

Scripture: Romans (NIV) 10:12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Observation: We all stand before the Lord with equal value. We all have the same potential of pleasing Him, of bringing a smile to His face. As members of the body of Christ have the same value, but different assignments, so it is with the nations of the world. Whether we live in the mountains, or on the planes, we all come to Christ by faith. Those who are farmers and those who are sailors both come by faith. Those who are African and those who are North American all come by the same faith. And here Paul emphasizes that though the Jews have had a major role in bringing Christ into the world, yet they too come to Him by the same faith.

Application: As we all have the same value, so OUR Heavenly Father richly blesses all who call on him. We are not just blest but richly blest. We are blest us with His Son. It is impossible to be more blest than that!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I am so blest! I have favor because your Son. I have the Spirit of Your Son actually living in me! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

December 1: Romans 5-8

Scripture: Romans (NIV) 7:7 …I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law….
Romans (NIV) 8:11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

Observation: –I many ways, it is like a mother and her child. The Mother knows that it is important to warn her child of the dangers in the room so she “lays down the law,” but she also understands that he is focused on those things; they hold an attraction for him. So she stays with the child and works to keep the child’s focus on herself and those things she knows are not harmful. Her presence is protection for her child. Her wisdom is now available to guide and protect the child. Her presence makes all the difference. If she had just warned the child (laid down the law), then left the room, the child would soon wander to the forbidden things, but her watchful presence keeps him safe.
–Her warning teaches, but her presence protects! How true of our walk with God. God desires that we learn and grow in understanding, so He gives us His Word, the Bible. God also knows that we need His watchful eye on us, so He is present with us by His Holy Spirit.
–And in addition to all this, it is the joy of the mother to spend the time with her child, and so it is not grievous for God to spend the personal time with each of us! He joys in us even as a mother in her child.

Application: Let me be a child that brings my Heavenly Father much joy!!!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I want you to enjoy our life together! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

November 30: Rom 1-4

Scripture: Romans (NIV) 1:1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God.

Observation: Paul begins his letter to the Romans simply with his name. He gives his credentials in the next few phrases, but they are not attached directly to his name. Many, out of respect, refer to him as the "Apostle Paul," but he merely introduces himself as "Paul." What does Paul list first, as he identifies himself further? Not the high position of one of the key leaders of the church, nor as a writer of Holy Scripture. His first identification is as a servant.

Application: In identifying himself as a servant, Paul identifies himself with the One he serves; Jesus came not to be served, but to serve. And that is how I must see myself. I am a servant of Jesus Christ. I am a better husband, a better pastor, a better bus driver, etc. when I first see myself as a servant of Jesus.

Prayer: Jesus, I am your servant. In success or failure, I am your servant. Doing what appears important, or doing what seems unimportant, I remain your servant. Pleasing you takes priority in my life. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

November 29: 1Thes 4-5; 2Thes 1-3

Scripture: 1Thessalonians (NIV) 4:3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.

Observation: A quick look around reveals how sexually focused our society is, and how the immorality of "yesterday" is accepted as permissible today. Immoral issues that once were hidden are being discussed openly, even legalized. Those assigned to uphold moral laws are replacing morality with immorality.
Although our society is changing, what we are experiencing is not new to the world. The nature of sin has not changed. The nature of man has not changed. The effect of sin within the heart of man has not changed. The immorality in the days of Noah was rampant within the Roman Empire in the days of Paul, and is now rampant in our day.

Application: The nature of man has not changed; the nature of sin has not changed; and neither has the nature of God! It is God’s will that I avoid sexual immorality—control my own body and live a holy life.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, I need you to be strong in me as I walk in a world full of temptation. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!