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

April 22: 1Samuel 25, 26; Psalm 63; Matthew 9

Scripture: Matthew (NIV) 9:37 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.

Observation: A kingdom is a structure of authority in which a king has supreme control. The people were very interested in the subject of a kingdom for they did not like Roman rule. But Jesus was not interested in an earthly kingdom. He preached about the Kingdom of God. He proclaimed God’s rule! But he did not set up an earthly government. Jesus demonstrated the power of the kingdom through “healing every disease and sickness.” People could see the healings; they could see the difference God’s kingdom made. God’s kingdom is a heavenly kingdom that can be seen and experienced; it does a lot of earthly good!

Application: My life is to be a demonstration of the power of God’s Kingdom. God’s rule in Leon makes a difference that should be easily seen by others.

Prayer: Lord, when I call you “Lord” I am recognizing your authority to rule my life. You even taught us to pray, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Let it be so in me. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

April 21: 1Samuel 24; Psalm 57, 58; 1Chronicles 8; Matthew 8

Scripture: Psalm (NIV) 57:7 My heart, O God is steadfast, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.
8 Awake, my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.
9 I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples.
10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.

Observation: David was hiding from King Saul who was trying to kill him. But David knew that praising God was the right thing to do. God’s love and faithfulness were steadfast and so was David’s heart!

Application: God has not been any less loving and faithful to me than He was to David. My commitment to be steadfast in praising him should be the same as David.

Prayer: I am still singing: Jesus, I’ll praise you forever! Jesus, I’ll praise you forever! No matter what the cost may be; I’ll praise you, Lord, eternally. My mind’s made up; I’ll praise you forever! (author unknown) Amen

(Listen to song at: )

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

April 20: 1Samuel 23; Psalm 31, 54; Matthew 7

Scripture: 1Samuel 23:14 David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands. (NIV)

Observation: Saul was searching for David to kill David. That God did not give David into Saul’s hands was a good indication that David was in God’s hands! There is not a safer place to be!

Application: Staying in God’s hands is staying in the center of His will. It is there I have the fellowship of His Presence. It is there I have confidence in His power to protect me and His wisdom to guide me.

Prayer: Lord, I place my life in your hands. There is not a better place for me than in the center of your will! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

April 19: 1Samuel 22; Psalm 17,35; Matthew 6

Scripture: Matthew 6:31 So do not worry, saying “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?”
32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Observation: Our Heavenly Father who created us knows we need “these things.” People in the world go to great effort to obtain “these things.” Here we are instructed to put our efforts on the priorities of God’s structure of authority and doing things right. When we do that, God will provide the “these things” we need.

Application: God has been faithful in providing what I need. I have no reason to believe He is going to stop. I want Him to have no reason to believe that I will stop seeking first His kingdom.

Prayer: Lord, you know what I need and I thank you for your faithful provision! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

April 18: 1Samuel 20-21; Psalm 34; Matthew 5

Scripture: Psalm 34:1 I will extol the LORD at all times, his praise will always be on my lips.
2 I will glory in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
3 Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the LORD and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.

Observation: David did not praise God depending on the circumstances, but because he was convinced that God was worthy of praise. God is not worthy only when things are going good, but God is ALWAYS worthy of praise. It is good to note that David was not a priest, but a shepherd boy who became a king. He had a lot of things about which he could talk. He chose that praise would always be a part of his conversation.

Application: Praising God should not depend on how I feel but on God’s worthiness. People should know by the words I speak that I am convinced God is worthy of praise. If I am a pastor or a bus driver, it makes no difference; God is ALWAYS worthy of my praise. God’s name is safe in my mouth.

Prayer: Lord, I do not need good circumstances to convince me that You are worthy of my praise. You are ALWAYS worthy! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

April 17: 1Samuel 19; 1Chronicles 7; Psalm 59; Matthew 4

Scripture: Psalm 59:16 But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.
17. You are my strength, I sing praise to you; you, God are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely. (NIV)

Observation: David would personally sing of God’s strength and love. Why? Because God was personally to David a fortress, a refuge and strength! It was not for someone else to sing about God being David’s fortress, refuge and strength. David took that responsibility personally.

Application: God is Leon’s fortress. God is Leon’s refuge. God is Leon’s strength. It is for Leon to sing of Leon’s God. The words of my song may not rhyme. The melody of my song may not pleasant to others. But the praise in Leon’s heart will bring joy to Leon’s God!

Prayer: Lord, I praise you, MY Fortress, MY Refuge, and MY Strength! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

April 16: 1Samuel 18; 1Chronicles 6; Psalm 11; Matthew 3

Scripture: Psalm 11:1 In the LORD I take refuge. How then can you say to me: “Flee like a bird to your mountain?
2 For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart. (NIV)

Observation: David found the same thing most of us have discovered. There are always people who will tell us what to do, or what we should have done. But they do not always see the trouble that lies in wait; they do not see the arrows that we will face. David had already discovered his refuge.

Application: The LORD is my refuge! He is everything a refuge should be and more. He is my hiding place. He is my safety. He is my peace. He is my rest.

Prayer: Lord, you are my safe place where I find rest and peace. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

April 15: 1Samuel 17; Psalm 9; Matthew 2

Scripture: Matthew 2:2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
Matthew 2:5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
Matthew 2:12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Observation: God spoke to the Magi/Wisemen in three different ways: first, through a sign in the stars; second, through Herod and the priest who looked in the scriptures; and third, through a dream. The Magi understood each message and acted appropriately.

Application: God speaks to me in various ways also. Although the Bible is the primary way God speaks to me, it is important that I recognize God’s voice however He speaks. I have found that the better I know the Bible, the more quickly I recognize His voice in other avenues. If I do not read God’s Word regularly, I probably should not claim that I really want Him to speak to me.

Prayer: Lord, Every day You prove faithful to speak to my listening heart. You have spoken to me through Your word and I expect that you will speak to me today through other venues also. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

April 14: 1Samuel 15-16; 1Chronicles 5; Matthew 1

Scripture: Matthew 15
Elihud the father of Eleazar,
Eleazar the father of Matthan,
Matthan the father of Jacob,
16 and Jacob the father of Joseph,
(Jospeh) the husband of Mary, and
Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah. (NIV)

Observation: Joseph was not called the “father of Jesus” as is the pattern in the previous fourteen verses. He is called the “husband” of Mary. Mary was a virgin when the Holy Spirit impregnated her. When Joseph discovered she was pregnant, he was going to break off their marriage engagement, but an angel from the Lord appeared to him and told him Mary had not been unfaithful to him, but God had chosen her to bring the Messiah into the world. Very little is known about this man who accepted Mary and supported her unique part in God’s plan.

Application: As a husband I need to allow God to work in Sharon in a way that is unique to her. God is free to use her outside our immediate family. I need to support and encourage her. I need to realize that her ministry is very significant. It is valuable to God, to me, and to those who benefit from her special talents.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for my beautiful wife. She is so special to me, and to so many others. Help me to be more supportive of her special ministries. May our marriage be good ground for good growth. May she become all you meant her to be. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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

April 13: 1Samuel 14; 1Chronicles 4; 2Corinthians 13

Scripture: 2Corinthians 13:14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (NIV)

Observation: Paul ends his second letter to the church in Corinth with this blessing from the Triune God. The things we receive from God are expressions of the grace that comes through the death of God the Son on the cross. The love comes from the heart of God the Father. The fellowship is with the abiding presence of God the Spirit.

Application: I am blest! I am blest to experience the grace of God every day. I am blest to know that I am loved by God and that His love flows through me to others. I am blest to have the continual presence of God with me at all times! The blessing Paul gave to those in Corinth has reached me too!

Prayer: Lord, you are a “Bless-er!” It is your nature to bless others. May your blessings flow through me as they flowed through the apostle Paul! Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!