Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
October 08, 2024: SOAP #5423:  Ezra 9-10; Psalm 131; Luke 21

SCRIPTURE:  Luke (NIV) 21:1 As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 3 “I tell you the truth,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

OBSERVATION:   Since this was a public place, I can imagine that it would not be uncommon for people to watch what was being given into the “temple treasury.”   The amount of the offering would probably bring some comments from those watching.  And, for those wanting attention, this would be a good way to be noticed. 

Jesus saw the big givers, but He also saw a poor widow.  He took note of the small offering she brought.  He also saw her and her gift.  In HIS eyes, her little gift did not get lost in the total. 

APPLICATION:  Sometimes our gift is hardly noticeable.  Compared to what others can give, it hardly seems worth giving.  But we are not giving for others to see, but for HIM to see.  Our gift is in honor to HIM!  

Poor people can give too!   Our gift may be just a glass of cold water, or a word of encouragement, but with the blessing of God, it can be just what is needed at that moment.   Sometimes it is just the gift of our presence. 

PRAYER:  Lord, make me a giver.  Holy Spirit, open my eyes to see what I have that I can give.  Make me a blessing to someone today.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
October 07, 2024: SOAP #5422:  Ezra 7-8; Luke 20

SCRIPTURE:  Luke (NIV) 20:22 Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not? 
23 He (Jesus) saw through their duplicity and said to them,
24 “Show me a denarius.  Whose image and inscription are on it?”  “Caesar’s,” they replied. 
25 He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” 

OBSERVATION:    If the image of Caesar on the coin indicated Caesar’s ownership, then that which carried the image of God would indicate God’s ownership. 

Genesis 1:27 says that “God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” Mankind was God’s plan and God’s creation. 

As coins having the image of Caesar are to be returned to Caesar, so those bearing the image of God should be returned to God. 

A day is coming when we will all stand before our Creator to give an answer for how we lived. 

APPLICATION:  I like the song: “I was made in His likeness, created in His image.  I was born to serve the Lord.  I can’t deny Him; I’ll always walk beside Him.  I was born to serve the Lord!”    

All people carry the image and likeness of God, so when dealing with people, even with hard people, I should respect God’s image in them. 

PRAYER:  Lord, I bear your image and you have chosen to live in me.  Today may others recognize your Presence in me.   Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
October 06, 2024: SOAP #5421:  Esther 9-10; Luke 19

SCRIPTURE:  Luke (NIV) 19:7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner’.” 8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

OBSERVATION:    Visiting the home of Zacchaeus, a tax collector, gave the Jews opportunity to criticize Jesus, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”  But it also gave Jesus the opportunity to make a clear statement of His purpose in being on earth.  He had come “to seek and to save what was lost.”  

APPLICATION:  If I claim to be Christ-like (Christian) than I should have the same priority: to seek and to save what was lost.  If I claim to have the same Holy Spirit in me as was in Jesus, then I should expect that He will establish the same priority in me as He did in the life and ministry of Jesus. 

If I look at the world around me and believe that the time for the return of Jesus is getting close, then I should have the same priority as Jesus.  If someone I know has not received the forgiveness of sins that Jesus offers, if they do not know that Jesus paid for our sins by His death on the cross, then I should love them enough to tell them.  I cannot save them, but I can tell them.

PRAYER:  Holy Spirit, guide my steps each day, and draw my attention to someone ready to receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  Make me a continuation of the life and ministry of Jesus—to seek and save the lost.   Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
October 05, 2024: SOAP #5420:  Esther 3-8; Luke 18

SCRIPTURE:  Esther (NIV) 4:12 When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, 13 he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” 15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”

OBSERVATION:    Mordecai had raised Esther as his own daughter.  He had taught her to honor God and respect her earthly father.  Understanding the grave predicament facing the Jews, he realized that, as queen, Esther had a unique position to speak to the King an their behalf.  …also on her behalf for she too was a Jew. 

APPLICATION:  Every believer should look around them and ask themselves, “Why am I working in this company, or why am I living in this neighborhood?”  “Why did this family move into the house next to mine?”  “Has God put me here for such a time as this?” 

When a unique opportunity comes our way, we should be looking to see if God has a reason for bringing it to us.   Will this bring opportunity to tell someone about Jesus and what He can do?  

PRAYER:  Lord, I know you are depending on me like you were depending on Esther.  But in being used, Esther was depending on you!   I expect you want to use me where you have placed me.  I am depending on you.  Be glorified in and through me.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
October 04, 2024: SOAP #5419:  Esther 1-2; Psalm 150; Luke 17

SCRIPTURE:  Luke (NIV) 17:20 Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, 21 nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.”

OBSERVATION:   Jesus said there would be a day when the King comes to earth in a very dramatic way.  It will be like lightning flashing from one part of heaven and streaking across to another part!  Everyone will see it!  (Verse 24)   But until that day, people will not be able to observe expected characteristics of God’s Kingdom being established on earth.  With fallen man leading governments, we will observe what fallen man does. 

It is not that the Kingdom of God is not present, for indeed it is!   It is not that the Kingdom of God does not make and changes, for indeed it does!   But its presence is in the hearts of people!   The changes brought by the Kingdom are in the hearts of people!    

APPLICATION:  When I accept Jesus as my savior and place my faith in His death as the payment for my sins, I become a part of His body.  But as I make Jesus the Lord of my life, I begin to live the Kingdom life.  King Jesus becomes the LORD of my life and lives His life through me.  He can bless the plans I make, or he can cancel those plans, or he can replace them with His plans.  It is perfectly OK because He is LORD!   

I have lived long enough to know that when Jesus changes my plans, it is well worth any effort to do as He leads.   He changed the way I did my daily devotions to this SOAP format!  I did not want to make the change, but I am so glad I did!   

PRAYER:  Lord Jesus, more than just calling you LORD, I want to live my life like you really are my LORD.   You loved me enough to die for me, so obviously I can trust my life in your hands.  Your ways are always better than my ways.  The SOAPs sure are proof of that.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
October 03, 2024: SOAP #5418:  Ezra 5-6; Psalm 138; Luke 16

SCRIPTURE:  Luke (NIV) 16:9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

OBSERVATION:   When we all get to heaven, our eyes will be opened to what God has prepared for us!  It will be better than anything we had ever dreamed.  We will be overflowing with thanksgiving to Jesus for His sacrifice that covered our sins and made heaven possible for us.  We will also be thankful for people who told us the truth about Jesus, about sin, and about salvation.  We will be glad to meet them and tell them how God used them to reach us. 

With that in mind, Jesus here tells us that we, who know Him, should use our worldly wealth in ways that will insure that others will join us in heaven. 

APPLICATION:  There are so many ways to invest our money into the kingdom from buying a ticket to take an unsaved friend to his favorite sporting event, to buying a Bible to give to someone interested, to giving in an offering for a missionary or their ministry, and on, and on, and on…  

Jesus is telling us to use our money to win people to Him, but many times it takes no money.  Just lend a listening ear or a helping hand, or a word of encouragement, or just a smile.   

Jesus is telling us that the people we influence in this life will be on the welcoming committee when we arrive in heaven!  

PRAYER:  Holy Spirit, may there be people in heaven who will be glad to see me.  May the money that passes through my hands influence people to love and serve you.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
October 02, 2024: SOAP #5417:  Zechariah 13-14; Psalm 147; Luke 15

SCRIPTURE:  Luke (NIV) 15:4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?…
8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?…
20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

OBSERVATION:   In Luke 15 we read three stories about lost things.  Note with me.  The sheep owner searches “until he finds it.”  The woman searches for the coin “until she finds it.” And the Father was still looking for his boy when he returned and spotted him coming while “he was still a long way off.”   

Although the sheep owner had 99 others, each one was important.  Although the woman had 9 other coins, this one was important.  And although the Father had another son, this one was important!  They were important enough to not give up searching.    

APPLICATION:  Each one is important to the Heavenly Father.  I am important. He is not willing that any should perish. (2Peter 3:9) He is not willing that I perish.  When it comes to dealing with me, God is persistent!  

It is good for us to hear the testimonies of how people were drawn to the Lord by the Holy Spirit.  Each story is a little different.  God has so many ways of revealing Jesus to us and convincing us of truth. 

PRAYER:  Thank you, Lord, for not giving up on me.  Thank you for calling until…  Thank you for loving me until…  Thank you!  Amen. 

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
October 01, 2024: SOAP #5416:  Zechariah 10-12; Psalm 126; Luke 14

SCRIPTURE:  Luke (NIV) 14:13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

OBSERVATION:    Jesus had been watching the guests at a banquet and made two comments.  First to the guests: instead of taking a place of honor, they should choose for themselves a humble seat, because it is better to be blessed by being escorted to a place of more honor than to be asked to move to a place of less honor.  Second to those hosting the banquet:  Invite people who cannot repay you, because there is One watching who can repay and you will be repaid when it really counts.

APPLICATION:  Proverbs 19:17 reads: “He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.” When God sees us doing a kindness for those from whom we expect no repayment, he takes it personally.  He looks at it as though we did it for him!    He takes the responsibility for the repayment, if not in this life, then certainly in the one to come.

PRAYER:  Lord, you have done more for me than I can ever repay.  Today give me the joy of serving someone who has no means to repay me.  Amen.  And Heavenly Father, consider the many people who have given to the SOAP ministry.  Many have given money; many more have given their time and service.  And many have given both money and service.  In your faithfulness, reward their faithfulness.  And with your generosity, reward their generosity.  In Jesus Name, Amen.

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 30, 2024: SOAP #5415:  Zechariah 7-9; Luke 13

SCRIPTURE:  Luke (NIV) 13:18 Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches.”
20 Again he asked, “What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? 21 It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.”

OBSERVATION:    What is the kingdom of God like?  … a tiny mustard seed.  The kingdom of God starts small then grows and grows until it is like a tree in which Birds can gather.

What is the kingdom of God like?   … like yeast.  The kingdom of God will be worked through our lives until every aspect of our lives are affected by the kingdom of God.

APPLICATION:  It started with me possessing the Kingdom. It was such a small part of my life. But as I grew in understanding, the Kingdom became more and more influential in my life. I no longer see that I possess the Kingdom; now the Kingdom possesses me!

It started with me being interested, sensing the convicting presence of the Holy Spirit, but not understanding what was happening to me.  But as I grew in understanding, the Spirit’s influence affected more and more of my life. The Holy Spirit works the word through my life as yeast is worked through the whole batch of dough.  Presently, there is no part of my life unaffected by the Holy Spirit.

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, you can easily see the growth and maturity in my prayers.  The emphasis is moving from what you can do for me to what I can do for you. I am honored to be a part of your Kingdom!  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 29, 2024: SOAP #5414:  Zechariah 4-6; Luke 12

SCRIPTURE:  Luke (NIV) 12:5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.
6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. 7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

OBSERVATION:   Here we see the obvious reason we should fear God!  This fear, as Proverbs says it, is the beginning of wisdom.  If we are walking in sin, we should be afraid of God!  It would be foolish not to fear!

As awesome as the power of God is to punish, it is also awesome to protect.  As awesome to exact justice, it is also awesome to express tenderness and kindness.  And so, Luke continues in the next two verses.  This awesome God who has the power to destroy the soul in hell, watches over the sparrows!   Not even one of them is forgotten!  Amazing!  This awesome God who has the power to destroy the body in hell, knows, and cares, about even the number of the hairs on my head!   Amazing!  And so Luke, who tells us to fear this One with the power to cast into hell, also tells those in HIS care “Fear NOT!” Luke 12:32

APPLICATION:  What a God!  How foolish of me to think I can get away with sin!  
What a God!  How foolish of me to think that I cannot trust His care!   
What a God!  What a joy to have such a close relationship with Him!
What a God!  What peace to know that I can trust Him in this life and in eternity!

No need for panic when He is present, living in me, when I can talk to Him and know He speaks to me!  

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, you are more than capable of correcting me and caring for me.  You have forgiven me and made me your child.  I trust you.  In Jesus Name, I pray,  Amen

Pastor Leon
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