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

May 25: 1Kings 10, 11; 2Chronicles 9; Romans 6

Scripture: Romans (NIV) 6:17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted.
18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

Observation: We were (past tense) slaves to sin, but we have been (again past tense) set free. We have become (this is what we are in the present) slaves to righteousness. NOTE: The train can either travel on a hard surface, or on the train track. In dirt or sand it can go nowhere. Running on a very hard surface, it can make some progress, but not with any guidance, not with any speed, and probably not for very far. It is much better for the train to be the slave of the track. Only when restricted to the track, is it free to excel in the purpose for which it was created.

Application: As a slave to the great restrictions of sin I could boast of my freedom believing I was doing what I choose; I might even enjoy the pleasures of sin for a while but I would end up in hell. However, I have become a slave to righteousness, to God’s restrictions. I have found peace and joy in the true freedom for which I was created! I am living in His purpose!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for setting me free from the bondage of sin. I am now your servant, and a slave to righteousness as you created me to be. There is peace and joy when my life lines up with the reason for which I was created. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

May 24: 1Kings 9; 2Chronicles 8; Psalm 136; Romans 5

Scripture: Romans (NIV) 5:5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out (KJV-shed abroad) his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given to us.

Observation: God did not give us only a little bit of love. He was generous in pouring out, in shedding abroad his love in our hearts. His love, like His grace is sufficient. He did not just give me a few drops of His love; He poured it in.

Application: I need never doubt God’s love. He loves me! And he wants me to love as He loves. He wants me to be generous with my love. He gives me more than I deserve; I need to be willing to give others more than they deserve.

Prayer: Lord, I thank you because you have invested generously in my life. May I show my appreciation by investing generously in the lives of others. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

May 23: 2Chronicles 6, 7; Psalm 135; Romans 4

Scripture: Romans (NIV) 4:19 Without weakening in his faith, he (Abraham) faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.
20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,
21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

Observation: Abraham’s faith was strong. It did not ignore the facts, but faced the facts. He and Sarah were well past the child-bearing age BUT God promised them a son. He faced the facts yet did not waver. KJV says "He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief … " He did not let the facts stop his faith. He did not let the facts even cause a waver or stutter step. He had hope in God and faith in His word. He continued to live and make his decisions with confidence that God was able to perform what He had promised!

Application: Flying an airplane is not done ignoring the law of gravity, but it is done understanding that applying the law of aerodynamics overcomes gravity. When I walk in faith, I am not ignoring my problems, but obeying God because I am certain that He is able to overcome them. I can talk about my problems with an attitude of confidence and peace rather that of worry and desperation.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for revealing yourself to me for the more I see of you the more logical it is to trust you. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

May 22: 1Kings 8; 2Chronicles 5; Psalm 99; Romans 3

Scripture: 1Kings (NIV) 8:59 And may these words of mine, which I have prayed before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, that he may uphold the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel according to each day’s need,
60 so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God and that there is no other.

Observation: Solomon’s prayer contained motivations for God to answer. First could be so that the one praying would give God thanks for receiving the answer to prayer. The second could be that Israel would recognize the working of God in their nation. And the third could be that the whole earth would recognize the LORD alone as God.

Application: When I pray, I need to take more time to consider the benefit God would receive if He answered my prayers. Many times I am only thinking of how I am affected by my problems and how it would benefit me for God to answer my prayer. I need to look at things more carefully from His point of view.

Prayer: Lord, may answering my prayers bring you praise and glory. May those around me see that you alone are God! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

May 21: 1Kings 7; 2Chronicles 4; Psalm 98; Romans 2

Scripture: Romans (NIV) 2:29 No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise is not from men, but from God.

Observation: It is not the flesh that needs to be circumcised, but the heart. Cutting the flesh does not control the heart, but cutting away the pride and selfishness of the heart controls the flesh! When the “heart” work is done, it is not visible to men! But it is visible to God. Our praise and acceptance comes from Him! How we enjoy the praise of men. It is encouraging to know that others appreciate what we do. It lifts us, putting courage in our hearts to continue. When little children perform something that brings a smile to their parents, they often repeat it again and again. The pleasure and praise of their parents is reason enough to repeat it.

Application: How much more should I value the praise of my Heavenly Father! Knowing that I have pleased Him and brought a smile to His face, puts courage in my hearts to do it again! When I receive praise from Him, I have faith that He will also come to my aid. I am doing that which pleases Him. I remember that Jesus mentioned that His Father was pleased with Him or that He only did that which pleased His Father.

Prayer: Lord, to please you, that is my goal! Your praise is much more important to me than the praise of people. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

May 20: 1Kings 6; 2Chronicles 3; Psalm 97; Romans 1

Scripture: Romans (NIV) 1:10 In my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you.
11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong

Observation: Paul had a longing to meet his brothers and sisters in Christ who live in Rome. He wanted to see them succeed, to grow, and to be strong. He knew he could be a part in their growth if he could just spend some time with them. Historically, some see evidence that Paul later got to Rome. It is interesting to me to note that we have no cassette tape or DVD or record of his ministry there. It is only in the delay of his going that we are blessed. Out of a heart of concern, a heart of longing to see them, Paul writes this letter, which remains to bless us today! If Paul would not have been delayed in visiting his friends in Rome, we would not have the book of Romans today!

Application: I need to learn to see delay as God does. Like He did with Paul, God wants to use the delays I encounter to make me fruitful. A delay in my plans may be a divine opportunity for fruitful ministry in an unexpected way.

Prayer: Lord, help me to see inconveniences as you see them. Help me turn delays into fruitful times of serving You! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

May 19: 1Kings 4, 5; 2Chronicles 2; Psalm 101; 2Thessalonians 3

Scripture: 2Thessalonians (NIV) 3:16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.

Observation: In closing his letter, Paul ends with a blessing. He desires that they have peace. What a better place from which to receive peace than from the "Lord of peace" Himself! The One with the power to make peace, to enforce peace, to speak peace becomes the source of our peace! Paul’s desire/prayer is that this happen on a continual way, that we always have God’s peace. May it come to us all the time and in every way.

Then Paul reinforces the blessing with, “The Lord be with all of you.” This is in keeping with the blessing God commanded the priests to place on the people of Israel. (Numbers 6:24-27)

Application: I need not depend on the world around me to give me its peace. In John 14:27, the Peace-Speaker Himself promised to give me His peace. He is with me and in His Presence I find peace. Not only does He give me peace, He is my peace!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your peace which you give to me “at all times and in every way!” Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

May 18: 1Kings 3; 2Chronicles 1; Psalm 78; 2Thessalonians 2

Scripture: 2Thessalonians (NIV) 2:9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, 10 and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

Observation: When people have “refused to love the truth” they open themselves to believe anything. They begin to walk further and further from the truth and in the end “delight in wickedness.” It is even true in our country. When people do not delight in our constitution and do not love the meanings of its words, they try to change the meanings in order to allow all kinds of things the writers never imagined.

Application: I am often amazed at what people believe today. But I too need to be careful to love the truth and especially the One Who is the Truth. He will keep me from delighting in wickedness, in my own life or viewed on TV. I believe that daily delighting in God’s Word will keep me from delighting in wickedness.

Prayer: Lord, I still sing, “Keep me true, Lord Jesus, Keep me true. There’s a race that I must run; there are victories to be won. Give me power, every hour, to be true.” Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

May 17: 1Kings 2: 1Chronicles 29; Psalm 95; 2Thessalonians 1

Scripture: 2Thessalonians (NIV) 1:12 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Observation: Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians is for the purpose that God may be glorified in them. God is clearly Paul’s first love. As much as he loves the Thessalonians, Paul loves God even more. Loving God motivates Paul to reach out to those in Thessalonica; Paul has come to love them too. Not only does he desire God to be glorified in their lives, but for them to be glorified in God! Paul prays that God will look good living in the lives of the Thessalonians and that the Thessalonians would look good as their lives are in Christ!

Application: When people see my life, I want them to see the wonderful God living in me. I want them to like God. And I believe He wants people to see how good I look as the fruit of the Spirit grows in me. He wants them to like me.

Prayer: Lord, I want to make you look good. Thank you for working in my life, making me more likeable to others. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

May 16: 1Kings 1: 1Chronicles 28; Psalm 91; 1Thessalonians 5

Scripture: 1Thessalonians (NIV) 5:18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Observation: I count 14 specific thoughts Paul given in this section as to how we are to live. Verse 18 is the 10th such statement. In whatever circumstances we find ourselves, we are to be thankful. Paul is not here telling us to be thankful FOR those circumstances, but IN those circumstances. However blessed or troublesome our circumstances are, we have something for which we are eternally grateful. We have His Presence! We have His Promises!

Application: It is the will of God for me to be thankful. It is good for God when I am thankful. It honors God when I declare that He is loving and faithful even when circumstances may seem to say otherwise. It is good for me when I am thankful. It lifts my vision to focus on the source of my strength rather than the source of my frustrations.

Prayer: Lord, you have given me so many reasons to be thankful. I want you to find me ever grateful! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!