An Elevator

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

November 17: 2Cor 7-10

Scripture: 2Corinthians (NIV) 10:8 So even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the LORD gave us for building you up rather than tearing you down, I will not be ashamed of it.

Observation: Authority is the responsibility to make decisions and to hold others accountable. Authority is a tool we are given to make us better servants. It is not given so that we can force people to do what we want; it is given to enable us to better serve others.

Application: The Lord wants me to use my authority to be an elevator. I am to raise people with strength and confidence. I am to lift them to a higher floor. Should I have to take people down, may I do it like an elevator in gentleness and carefulness, bringing them down easily and not crashing to the bottom.

Prayer: Lord, the reason you gave me authority is to “build up” rather than “tear down.” May you be pleased with the way I use this special tool. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

The Same Message

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

November 16: 2Cor 3-6

Scripture: 2Corinthians (NIV) 4:2 Rather, we have renounced the secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.

Observation: By setting forth the truth plainly … How important it is that those who minister the Word, present it in ways that are easily understood. It should be clearly set forth in our lives as well as in our preaching. The truth should not be hard to identify. It should be plain; it should be easily identifiable.

Application: … we commend ourselves to everyman’s conscience … It should be easy for people to believe me. I should live my life in a way that does not contradict what I say. One message in my words and another message in my life will cause confusion in those to whom I am ministering. People should be getting the same message from my life as from my preaching.

Prayer: Lord, may my life and my words present the same message. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

November 15: Job 41, 42; 2Corinthians 1, 2

Scripture: Job (NIV) 42:10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before…
12 The LORD blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part…
16 After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation.
17 And so Job died, an old man and full of years.

Observation: God confronts Job’s friends because they had not represented Him properly to Job. God is angry with them. He tells them to go back to Job and ask Job to pray for them. God will hear Job’s prayers. And above we read that AFTER Job prayed for his friends, the LORD restored what had been taken from Job. Years later Jesus would tell those listening, “Pray for those who persecute you.” (Mat 5:44)

Application: I want to tell them what I think; Jesus says pray for them. I want to make sure everyone knows how they have mistreated me; Jesus says pray for them. I want to get even; Jesus says pray for them. I want to talk to them; Jesus says “Talk to me!” I want them to hear me; Jesus says “I’ll listen to you!” And when I obey, like Job, I find that obedience always works for my good.

Prayer: Lord, I want to be quick to obey—quick to pray for others. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

November 14: Psalm 149; 1Corinthians 15, 16

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 149:1 Praise the LORD. Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of his faithful people.

Observation: Later in verse five we are told to “sing for joy” at night in our beds. But here we are to sing our praise when with others.

Application: I do not go to church to listen to others giving praise to God. I go to join them in praising God. I do not go to church to be entertained. I go to bring joy to my Heavenly Father.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I want to bless you with my worship when I am by myself. And I want to bless you by my participation in worship when I am with others who love you. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

November 13: Job 39, 40; 1Corinthians 13, 14

Scripture: 1Corinthians (NIV) 14:33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace – as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people…
40 But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.

Observation: I have heard it said that the first law of heaven is “order.” Heaven is definitely orderly. Everything is in place. Everything has purpose. I cannot imagine a control tower of a major airport being disorderly. The order of the landings and the planes waiting their turn to land are maintained in an orderly fashion. The universe speaks of order. The galaxies and solar systems all have order. They are an expression of an orderly creator. So it should not surprise us that God wants order in His church. The highest order in a church gathering is when the Holy Spirit directs the body of Christ in ways that bring glory and honor to God the Father.

Application: There have been times when my path took me places that appeared very dis-orderly. However in looking back, I can see that God had ordered my steps with purpose. My life is fitting and orderly when it is directed by the Holy Spirit.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, bring your order to every area of my life. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

November 12: Job 37, 38; 1Corinthians 12

Scripture: Job (NIV) 38:39 Do you hunt the prey for the lioness and satisfy the hunger of the lions
40 when they crouch in their dens or lie in wait in a thicket?
41 Who provides food for the raven when it’s young cry to God and wander about for lack of food?

Observation: Job has asked God so many questions but here God is asking Job questions. Here we see that God even considers the hungry cry of the young raven as a prayer to Him! The young raven is hungrily waiting for its mother to bring food. It is unable to get any food for itself. But God hears it’s helpless prayer.

Application: If God hears the helpless cry of the young raven, how much more does He consider my cry for help!!! Later Jesus said my Heavenly Father cared for the sparrows and that I am of more value than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:29-31)

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You hear the cry of the young ravens, and I am glad to know you hear my cry too! You know how much I need You! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

November 11: Psalm 122; 1Corinthians 9-11

Scripture: 1Corinthians (NIV) 10: (Noted from verses 1-4 …they were under the cloud that led them in the wilderness,…they all passed through the sea in escaping Egypt…all ate the manna provided in the wilderness…all drank water miraculously flowing from the rock…)
5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. …
13 No temptation has overtaken you expect what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

Observation: They were chosen by God, miraculously delivered from Egypt, sustained in the wilderness by a miraculous supply of food and water. Yet, God was not pleased with some of them! Why? The following verses give four reasons: because some worshipped other gods, because some became sexually immoral, because some doubted that God was really with them, and because some of them grumbled at God’s miraculous provisions.

Application: It is good to know I have God’s blessings. It is good to know God has set me free from the old life. But there are still temptations to resist. I must remember that God is faithful not allowing me to be tempted above what I can bear. He even provides a way of escape that I can take. He has programed me to withstand and overcome temptations.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your warning about temptations. Thank you for your promise that I will not be tempted beyond what I can bear. Thank you for programming me for victory! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

November 10: Job 35, 36; 1Corinthians 7, 8

Scripture: Job (NIV) 35:5 Look up at the heavens and see; gaze at the clouds so high above you.
6 If you sin, how does that affect him? If your sins are many, what does that do to him?
7 If you are righteous, what do you give him, or what does he receive from your hand?
8 Your wickedness only affects humans like yourself, and your righteousness only other people.

Observation: So I interrupt the speech of Elihu, “How does our sin affect God? Is that what you are asking, Elihu? I am glad you asked! If only you knew! It affected Him so much that He sent His only Son to die in payment for our sins! Everyone will have to admit that is a great affect!

Application: If I think that my sin does not hurt anyone, I am forgetting how much God paid to forgive my sins.

Prayer: Lord, please forgive me for thinking that my sins do not affect you. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

November 9: Job 34; 1Corinthians 4-6

Scripture: Job (NIV) 34:3 For the ear tests words as the tongue tastes food.
4 Let us discern for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good.

Observation: These words of Elihu sound great, but his application is lacking. His observation is that Job, once very prosperous is now destitute and suffering. He used his human wisdom to determine what has happened. He reaches the only logical conclusion. It is obvious to him that Job has sinned! Ooops, Elihu, you left out what God said about Job.

Application: As I write this SOAP, I am on a bus trip to Exploration Place. Here are exhibits of this world that are wonderful, truly full of wonder. My heart rejoices at the grandeur of God’s creation. But like Elihu, people are trying to explain this world using the greatest human wisdom available. They have reached what they see as very logical conclusions. Like Elihu, they too leave out what God has said. They ignore the only eye-witness account of how this world came to be.

Prayer: Lord, You have proven yourself faithful to me in so many ways. I know I can trust your word. Remind me to find out what you have said before I jump to my own conclusions. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

November 8: Job 33, 1Corinthians 1-3

Scripture: Job (NIV) 33:21 Their flesh wastes away to nothing, and their bones, once hidden now stick out.
22 they draw near to the pit, and their life to the messengers of death.
23 Yet if there is an angel at their side, a messenger, one out of a thousand, sent to tell them how to be upright,
24 and he is gracious to that person and says to God, “Spare them from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom for them

Observation: Here Elihu, the youngest of Job’s friends, is trying to convince Job that he must have done something terrible to deserve such suffering. Yet he believes there might be someone in death to provide a ransom. There might be someone who will speak to God on the sinner’s behalf.

Application: As I read this passage, I want to shout back through time, “Elihu, young man, there is indeed a Mediator. I have found Him! His name is Jesus. He is the fairest of ten thousand! He speaks truth. He is gracious. He not only found a ransom, He became the ransom to spare us from the pit. He restores our life. He brings us God’s favor! He brings us forgiveness and makes us live!”

Prayer: Lord, I so appreciate what you have done for me! Indeed, you are my Mediator! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!