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

July 2: Isaiah 4-5; Psalm 115-116; Jude

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 116:1 I love the LORD for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.
2 Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.

Observation: The writer of this psalm was happy for two things. First he served a God with ears! God can hear! What a difference between Israel’s God and the gods of the nations around them; their gods were but idols and could not hear. If the first was important, the second is even more important. God specifically heard his prayers. God focused in on what the psalmist was saying! God listened to the psalmist as though what the psalmist said was important!

Application: I know important people who have ears; I can see them. But they do not listen to me. They are too busy. They have more important people to whom they must listen. However, there is no one more important than God! There is no one busier than God. There is no one who has important people clamoring for His attention. But God listens to LEON! Wow! God listens to me!

Prayer: Lord, like the psalmist, if you are listening, then I am going to call on you as long as I live! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

July 1: Isaiah 1-3; Titus 3

Scripture: Isaiah (KJV) 1: 17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Observation: Here is our loving, hurting God reasoning with his beloved. If they will but do right, they will enjoy their lives. If not, they will be "devoured by the sword." In the surrounding verses, the Reasoning God puts His requirements in very reasonable terms. They are simple and easy to understand.
What about the guilt of their past sins? He will take care of that! He will make them as "white" and like "snow."

Application: God created man with a mind and the ability to reason. He interacts with me to engage my mind and my emotions. The more I understand the Bible, the more reasonable are God’s requirements. The more unreasonable it is to ignore his will.

Prayer: Lord, you love to interact with me as I love to interact with my son and granddaughter. Train my mind to think like you. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

June 30: Amos 7-9; Psalm 104: Titus 2

Scripture: Amos (NIV) 7:8 And the LORD asked me, “What do you see, Amos?”
Amos 8:2 “What do you see, Amos? He asked.

Observation: Amos was not born into the priestly tribe. He called himself a “shepherd” who also took care of “sycamore-fig trees.” (7:14) He had no reason to expect God to speak to him or through him to the nation. Yet God “took him from tending the flock.” The LORD spoke to him, and even called him by name!

Application: Amazingly, God knows me by name. It is a personal relationship I have with God, and it is a personal relationship He has with me. Among the billions of people on earth, God knows my name! May God’s name be safe in my mouth. Although many speak His name thoughtlessly, God allows me to use His name. And what a privilege it is to know that He uses my name. He calls me by name!

Prayer: Lord, I often have trouble remembering names, but you have never forgotten mine. May I always speak your name respectfully and in a meaningful way! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

June 29: Amos 4-6; Psalm 86,87; Titus 1

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 86:1 Hear me, LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.
2 guard my life, for I am faithful to you; save your servant who trusts in you. You are my God’ have mercy on me Lord, for I call to you all day long. …
5 You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you….
10 For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God.

Observation: David was in trouble, but he knew what to do. He called out to God. He knew God’s character and God’s capability. He knew what God was able to do, and what God could be expected to do.

Application: The more I know God’s being and God’s character, the more I know what to expect. The more my first inclination in times of trouble will be to call upon God.

Prayer: Lord, “you alone are God.” Thank you for revealing yourself to me. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

June 28: Amos 1-3; Psalm 80; 2Timothy 4

Scripture: Amos (NIV) 3:1. Hear this word, people of Israel, the word of the LORD has spoken against you—against the whole family I brought up out of Egypt.
2 You only have I chosen of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your sins.

Observation: For the other nations, God would punish them for three or four sins. (See chapters 1 and 2) However with those God brought out of Egypt it will be different. God will hold Israel to a higher standard. To them He gave The Law. To them He sent the prophets. Their history consisted of God’s dealings. God gave them more and He expected more. God will not punish Israel for only three or four sins, but for all their sins.

With Israel, God had a history, but more importantly, God had a future. It was through Israel that Jesus would come. If the other nations disappeared nothing would change. If Israel disappeared, then the channel for fulfilling prophecy would be gone, there would be no atonement for sin, and all would be lost.

Application: When God holds me to a higher standard, it is not only because God and I have a history; we have a future! That God still holds me accountable for sins is proof that He is not finished with me. He does not want my present to mar my future.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for loving me enough to correct me in preparation for the amazing future you have for me. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

June 27: 2Kings 13,14; 2Chronicles 25; 2Timothy 3

Scripture: 2Timothy (NIV) 3:16 All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Observation: God’s plan is that Christians grow in the knowledge and application of the scriptures, His Word, The Bible. Doing so will result in the believer becoming useful in doing good works. We are not saved by our works, but by His “work” on the cross. We are not saved BY our works, but we are saved TO work.

Application: By God’s word I am equipped for every good work that comes my way as His servant. When I refuse to work or serve in the body of Christ I am not useful to the Kingdom. I am wasting what God has given me. I am not living up to the potential God has placed in me. Simply put, I am not very Christ-like. Jesus “went around doing good…” Acts 10:38.

Prayer: Lord, Make me more like you; may your Word not be wasted in my life. May I share your love with others by serving them. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

June 26: Jonah 1-4; 2Timothy 2

Scripture: 2Timothy (NIV) 2:24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.

Observation: Teaching is not only how information is presented by
speaking in public, but also presented by setting an example of how to live. It can be easy for leaders to become resentful because of the actions of those they are leading. It helps to remember how people treated Jesus and follow His example. God forgives and forgets. He has no hidden barbs with which to jab us when we get close. He does not hold us at arms distance when we draw close. He is an amazing example of how we are to treat others.

Application: I have had several great examples of people who did not become resentful when mistreated. Like Jesus, they freely forgave and did not hold grudges. I definitely need the help of the Holy Spirit to keep out resentment from the past. And I need His help to reveal resentment before it takes hold in my heart.

Prayer: Lord, I want to follow your example in teaching and living. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

June 25: Joel 1-3; 2Timothy 1

Scripture: 2Timothy (NIV) 1:7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

Observation: When God places His Spirit within us, it is NOT to make us bashful, shy, timid, nervous or afraid. His Spirit give s power, love and self-discipline.

Application: The Spirit of the Lord energizes me with power to make a difference. He places the God kind of love in me to enable me to love the unlovable. He causes me to think and understand without over-reacting, but in moderation and self-control.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your Holy Spirit. You know what I need! I need more than just to be told to how to act, I need the presence of your Spirit within to enable me to act appropriately! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

June 24: 2Kings 11, 12; 2Chronicles 24; 1Timothy 6

Scripture: 1Timothy (NIV) 6:5a …people of corrupt mind…who think that godliness is a means to financial gain
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.
8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

Observation: Money is an important part of our life and is an avenue through which we can express our priorities. Earthly money will have no value in heaven. God did not place us on earth with a given amount of money, and we will not be allowed to take any of it with us. It is how we use money here that gives it eternal value.

Application: Some of the great challenges of my life have to do with the proper use of money. One challenge is to get the best value available out of the money I have. Money is valuable and should not be wasted on unimportant matters. Another challenge is to trust God that he has and will provide what I need to fulfill his will. It is easier to do God’s will with other people’s money rather than believe God can multiply what I already have. (Henry Vanderbush was the best example of not putting pressure on people to give to support what God had assigned him to do.) My third challenge is how to invest what I have in ministry that will best enhance God’s Kingdom. People arriving in heaven will not go to the bank teller to check on the size of their account. But people arriving in heaven will be greeted by others who are there because of how their money was invested on earth!

Prayer: Lord, I need the help of the Holy Spirit to wisely use the money you have made available to me. May Your priorities be easily seen in how I use money. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

June 23: 2Kings 10; 2Chronicles 22,23; 1Timothy 5

Scripture: 1Timothy (NIV) 5:21 I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.

Observation: Not every has the same talents and assignment from the Lord, but everyone has the same value to the Lord. The Bible even gives different qualifications for various leadership positions. Leaders should emphasize that each member of the body is necessary and valuable.

Application: People have different talents and assignments from the Lord. Some people have been believers for many years, others but a few. Some are wealthy, others poor. Some speak fluently, others are hard to understand. But Jesus died for each and every one. They are extremely and equally valuable to Him and should be to me also.

Prayer: Lord, check my prejudices. Help me to see each person as you see them. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!