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

March 26: Joshua 23-24; Psalm 44; 1Corinthians 11

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 44:6 I put no trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory;
7 but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame.
8 In God we make our boast all day long, and we praise your name forever.

Observation: God had promised the land to Israel and then gave them victories over the nations that once lived there. The Psalmist was celebrating those victories in this psalm. The Israelites could not boast in their great army, or in their great battle plans. Clearly their God had given them the victory!

Application: The longer I live, the more I realize that I can only boast in the Lord. Victory and success comes to me as I follow His lead. His ways are always better than my ways. His wisdom always proves wiser than mine. The smartest thing I can do is to do as He directs.

Prayer: Lord, I can trust you because you are trustworthy. You are faithful. I can trust you because you are wise. I can trust you because you love me. You have proved your love for me! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

March 25: Joshua 21-22; Psalm 47; 1Corinthians 10

Scripture: 1Corinthians (NIV) 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—
33 even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good, but the good of many, so that they may be saved.

Observation: What Paul wrote to the church under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit may not be acceptable to people of the “me” generation. In Paul’s priorities, pleasing himself came far behind winning souls. He was more interested in the eternal destination of the people around him than in his own comfort.

Application: It has been impossible for me to live for God without at times offending someone. But that should never be my goal. If I want to bring people to Jesus, I have to be willing to step out of my comfort zone and go the extra mile, even when tired. Sometimes it means I must be willing to give what I would rather keep. Sometimes it means not doing what I would enjoy.

Prayer: Lord, it is hard to choose not to offend—hard to choose to seek the good of others. What helps is when your love flows through me. Lord, help me love the world the way you love the world. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

March 24: Joshua 18-20; 1Corinthians 9

Scripture: 1Corinthians (NIV) 9:22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all thing to all people so that by all possible means I might save some
23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

Observation: Instead of making people cross cultural barriers to hear the gospel, Paul was willing to cross those barriers so that the people hearing the gospel would hear it from someone who understood them. God places each believer in a unique place so that people will be able to hear the gospel from someone who lives like they do.

Application: The Lord has me living in Andover, Kansas, USA so that the people in Andover can hear the good news from someone who knows what it is like to live in Andover. The Lord has me working as a bus driver so that another bus driver can hear the good news from someone who knows what it is like to be a bus driver.

Prayer: Lord, as members of your body, we “have become all things to all people that by all possible means” we might save some. May I be useful to you. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

March 23: Joshua 15-17; 1Corinthians 8

Scripture: 1Corinthians 8:3 But whoever loves God is known by God.

Observation: For those who do not love God, thinking that God might know everything about them can cause them to think that God is spying on them. They do not like the idea that God knows their every thought and every action. They like their privacy. But…

Application: …how wonderful it is to be known by God! I can rely on Him for strength because He knows my weaknesses. I can rely on Him for provision because He knows what I need. I can rely on Him for counsel because He knows how little I really know. When I confess my sins, I can rely on Him for forgiveness because He knows my heart.

Prayer: Lord, there is no reason to hide anything from you. I trust your wisdom and love for me and am glad that you know me! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

March 22: Joshua 12-14; 1Corinthians 7

Scripture: Joshua (NIV) 13:1 When Joshua had grown old, and the LORD said to him, “You are now very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over.
2 This is the land that remains: …
6 …Be sure to allocate this land to Israel for an inheritance, as I have instructed you…

Observation: Joshua was old, but there was still work to be done. The land had not been fully cleared and assigned to the tribes. Joshua was to divide the land among the tribes of Israel and they were to go and take possession of their inheritance. The end of Joshua’s life was not the end of God’s plan for Israel. His work was to help the nation continue in the land.

Application: I do not yet think of myself as “very old,” but I am a part of the senior generation. God has given me things to do. And I know that a day will come when I will have to leave what remain to others, unless Jesus returns before then. The end of my earthly life will not be the end of God’s working. God’s plans will outlast my life. My work is to help people continue in their faith.

Prayer: Lord, I want to be faithful in this season of my life. Help me to be fruitful as a senior citizen. Help me be an encourager for the following generations. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

March 21: Joshua 9-11; 1Corinthians 6

Scripture: Joshua (NIV) 9:14 And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.

Observation: The people showed up in the camp of Israel with stale bread and empty bottles of wine. Their clothing and shoes were worn out. They lied to Joshua and Israel’s leaders that their food and clothes were as new when they left their home but became worn out as they had traveled so far. They came to make peace with Israel. It was a believable story and the evidence seemed so clear. Yet a few days later when Israel was preparing to attack the city of Gibeon, they were confronted with the agreement they had made. Now they had to keep their word which they had foolishly given.

Application: I can never trust the provision of the world! What a mistake to not enquire of the Lord! Things may seem so clear, the decision may seem so obvious that I do not feel I need to waste time talking to the Lord, but…

Prayer: Lord, too much is at stake for me not to seek your counsel. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

March 20: Joshua 7-8; Psalm 69; 1Corinthians 5

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 69:30 I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.
31 This will please the LORD more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hooves.
32 The poor will see and be glad—you who seek God, may your hearts live!

Observation: The law of Moses gave requirements for various sacrifices. But in these verses, David recognized that an offering of praise and thanksgiving would please the LORD more than an animal sacrifice.

Application: Sometimes in wanting to please the Lord, I think I must do something big. However I may not be able to do something big, or may not have the opportunity. But I can always praise Him and I can always think of something for which I can be thankful.

Prayer: Lord, today will be a day of praising you and giving you thanks. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

March 19: Joshua 3-6; 1Corinthians 4

Scripture: Joshua (NIV) 5:13 Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”
14 “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?”

Observation: He did not come to give advice, but to take charge. Joshua became #2. Joshua could only give orders if he could take orders. The battle plan was designed to give Joshua the opportunity to prove that he could follow orders. Many times the instructions we receive from the Lord are not designed to fix the problem, but to demonstrate our obedience! Once the Lordship issue is settled, God is free to bring the deliverance needed. Obedience proves submission and submission takes priority over everything else. Once the Lord wins the battle inside a person, He can then use that person to win battles on the outside!

Application: To me it appears black and white. I am right and the other side is wrong. Like Joshua, I ask, “Lord, are you for me or for my enemy?” But more important to the Lord: is my heart fully surrendered to him? Can He trust me to do what He says?

Prayer: Lord, no one is more capable to be in charge than you! You alone are able to understand every aspect of every situation. Trusting you makes perfect sense! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

March 18: Joshua 1-2; Psalm 37; 1Corinthians 3

Scripture: 1Corinthians (NIV) 3:21 So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future – all are yours, 23 and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.

Observation: The people in Corinth had a tendency to boast about who they were following. They considered themselves more spiritual than others who followed different leaders. They needed to realize that they were really following Christ. Their leaders belonged to Christ, and they did too! They should be boasting in the Lord!

Application: Sometimes people thank me for the SOAP. I want to respond, “I agree, that one is really good,” because it really is good! But I do not respond that way because I fear it may be interpreted that I am boasting on myself. I try to write what God gives me—something fresh each day—just from Him. They are good! If not for others, they are good for me because God gives them to me. So all the glory belongs to Him! If God uses the SOAP to speak to others, then all their glory belongs to Him also!

Those who translate these SOAPs into other languages do not take the credit for the SOAP—they are simply translating what I have written. And in the same way, I cannot take the credit for the SOAP—I am just trying to translate into English words that I hear God speaking into my spirit. All the glory belongs to God!

Prayer: Lord, help me to use my words and actions to translate your truth into everyday living so people can come to know and love you. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

March 17: Deuteronomy 32-34; 1Corinthians 2

Scripture: Deuteronomy (NIV) 32:3 I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God!
4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect and all his ways are just.
A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.

Observation: These words are from a song Moses wrote to celebrate the end of the forty-year wilderness journey. He wrote the song to teach the people and help them remember. At the beginning of the song Moses proclaims the greatness and holiness of God. If we do not get this right, we will not get anything right. Understanding the character of God helps us understand His creation.

Application: God is perfectly just and everything he does is right! Knowing the perfect holiness of His character helps me understand that I can never live up to His standards on my own. Of course this is also obvious to Him, so He sent His Holy Spirit to live inside me. (Thank you, Jesus!) Knowing His character helps me understand why He works on the attitudes in my heart and things that do not seem so important to me. There is no “small” sin to him!

Prayer: Lord, you are amazing! You are perfect in holiness. Make my life an expression of your love and holiness. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!