SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer

Scripture: John 16:32 NIV But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.

Observation: Jesus is speaking to his disciples. He understood that his arrest, trial, crucifixion, and death would cause his disciples to scatter to their homes. He would be left “all alone.” He would be all alone—by himself—from a human aspect, but in reality, he would not be alone. His Father was with him.

Application: There are times when I am by myself, but I too am never alone. The Holy Spirit sent by God to be our comforter is always with me! And as the Father was with Jesus, so Jesus and the Father are with the Holy Spirit in me! —Would it hurt God if I talked about being alone or having to do something by myself? Would he say, “Hey, Leon, who am I? Don’t I count? You pray for my presence, but when it is just the two of us, you talk and act like I am not there!”

Prayer: Lord, don’t ever leave me alone! And Holy Spirit, nudge me if I ever start to complain about being alone or needing to do something by myself. Amen.

August 14: Jeremiah 16-17; Psalm 96; John 16

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer

Scripture: John 15:7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
John 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

Observation: What an amazing promise is given in verse seven. It is not a blank promise that anyone can claim, but one given to those who remain in close relationship with Jesus and keep his words in their heart. Verse sixteen indicates when we can expect the fulfillment of that promise. It is when our lives have become fruitful.

Application: From these two verses and their context it is easy to see that fruitfulness is of great importance to our Heavenly Father. Fruitfulness is the natural result of the life of the vine flowing into the branch. Unlike the vine and branch which has no mind and makes no choice in the matter, this passage gives me the responsibility of remaining. I must choose to remain. The lesson is from the vine and branch, but the application is that I must choose to live in constant contact and dependence on God.

Prayer: Lord, may the fruit of my life bring refreshment to others and glory to you. Amen.

August 13: Jeremiah 13-15; John 15

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer

Scripture: John 14:1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.
2 In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

Observation: Jesus tells me not to allow my heart to be troubled. But how can I keep my heart from being troubled? How can I maintain peace? Jesus is giving me a key in keeping my mind at peace. It is to trust God and also to trust Him. He then tells us where He is going, what He is going to do, and gives a promise to return and take us to share what He will have made for us.

Application: I see that the key to a peaceful, un-troubled heart is a trusting, disciplined mind. Leon has an eye (even two of them). They are very important to him, but Leon is not a pair of eyes. He can choose what at what he looks. Leon has a mind. It is very important to him, but the Bible shows that Leon is not a mind. Leon has a mind and Leon can choose his thoughts. Leon must be careful how he uses his eyes and his mind. Trusting Jesus is remembering what He said then thinking, talking, and acting like it is true.

Prayer: Lord, I trust you. Amen.

August 12: Jeremiah 10-12; John 14

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer

Scripture: John 13:20 NIV I tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me."

Observation: During my last year in the US Navy I served on a Commodore’s staff. He took it personally how we were received when sent to one of his ships to inspect the medical department. Several times I remember Commanding Officers serving us coffee, not because they saw us as the enlisted men we were, but because they saw us as the Commodore who had sent us. Once when refused permission to board the ship, we politely left and reported back to the Commodore. Soon we had a call from the ship’s Commanding Officer to see if we would be available to help. What a change.

Here Jesus was speaking to his disciples. Since the disciples were sent by Jesus he would consider whatever response they encountered as coming to him. And as Jesus was sent by the Father, the Father would consider whatever response Jesus encountered as personal.

Application: Knowing that I am sent from God sets three foundational principles for my life. First: My main concern is to do His will. That is the reason I am here. Second: When I do His will, I should not take the reaction of others as personal. They are responding to what He gave me to do so I leave that up to Him. Third: I can trust him to provide everything needed to carry out His assignment.

Prayer: Lord, may the joy of being useful overcome any hurt of being used. Amen.

August 11: Jeremiah 7-9; John 13

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer

Scripture: John 12:1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.
2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him.

Observation: They had reason to celebrate! Jesus was in the house. Jesus was their friend. Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead.

Application: Jesus is always welcome in my home. It is always right to celebrate His presence! He did more for me than He had done for Lazarus. Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead, but He died for Leon!!! He has forgiven my sins!!! Everyday should be “celebrate JESUS day” at Leon’s house!

Prayer: Lord, how can I say thanks for all you have done for me! Amen.

August 10: Jeremiah 5-6; John 12

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer

Scripture: John 11:3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick."
4 When he heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it."
5 Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
6 Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days.

Observation: The sisters, Mary and Martha, recognize that Jesus loved Lazarus. Verse 5 says Jesus loved them too. Yet Jesus did not do what would be expected of someone who loved. Jesus did not just drop everything and come running. He even delayed his journey. The sisters were disappointed in Jesus timing. If only he had arrived sooner Jesus could have healed Lazarus before he died. In the end, they were clearly not disappointed as their brother was raised from the dead. What they saw as the end was not really the end!

Application: Just because Jesus does not help me when I think He should, does not mean that He does not love me. I can trust Him that He is working for my good and His glory! He can even work after my deadline! It is not over until He says it is over!

Prayer: Lord, how special to know you love me and you are not limited by my deadlines! Amen.

August 9: Jeremiah 3-4; John 11

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer

Scripture: John 10:2 The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep.
3 The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice….
11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Observation: The Good Shepherd does not go behind the sheep to drive them, but goes ahead of them to lead them.

Application: I am finding that following Jesus insures that He arrives first. He is already there when I arrive! He already knows what I will be facing. He already knows what I will be doing when I arrive. He knows the purpose for my being there because He is the one who led me there. If I am to be a good leader, I must be a good follower.

Prayer: Lord, gently remind me not to run on ahead. You have called me to follow. Amen.

August 8: Jeremiah 1-2; John 10

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer

Scripture: John 9:4 NIV As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no-one can work.

Observation: The King James Version uses "I" here where other translations use "we." I do not understand the difference; however the use of "we" includes us in the urgency of the day. There was urgency for Jesus to complete His assignments in the day in which He lived. The same is true for all believers. There is urgency for us to complete our assignments in the day in which we are living. Future generations will not be able to reach our generation. It is for us to do!

Application: The sense of urgency felt by Jesus should also affect my relationships and how I live my daily life. I have no promise of tomorrow. Those around me have no promise of tomorrow.

Prayer: Lord, find me faithfully doing each day what you have given me to do. Help me not to put off till tomorrow what I should be doing today. Amen.

August 7: Zephaniah 1-3; John 9

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer

Scripture: John 8:31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.
32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Observation: It is not difficult to understand. It is quite simple. The ones who make Jesus’ teaching their way of life are truly his disciples.

Application: The Bible has to have a place of great value to me if I claim to be a disciple of Jesus. To do his teachings, I must know his teachings. To know his teachings, I must read the Bible, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, them into practice in my life.

Prayer: Lord, it is not the Bibles sitting on the shelf at home, but the scriptures hidden in my heart that affect the way I live. May I truly be your disciple! Amen.

August 6: Habakkuk 1-3; John 8

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer

Scripture: John 7:28 Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, "Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him,
29 but I know him because I am from him and he sent me."

Observation: Jesus is more than just my example; he actually lives inside me. His words take on very special meaning. Some apply to his coming to earth and his purpose, but some can become personal to me: “I am not here on my own…” and “…he sent me.”

Application: My life takes on purpose when I remember that God lives in me. “I am not here on my own.” My life provides opportunity for God to demonstrate how he is able to maintain joy and peace in my circumstances. My life will not demonstrate how God is greater than ALL circumstances. God will use someone else to demonstrate his grace and power in their circumstances. But my life can show he is greater than my circumstances.

Prayer: Lord, I am not here on my own. You have sent me to my world. I want you be seen in me. Amen.

August 5: 2Kings 23; 2Chronicles 35; John 7

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!