Tag Archives: acts

The Book of Acts: no ending, only continuations!

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
February 03, 2026:  SOAP #5906:   Exodus 35-36; Acts 10

SCRIPTURE:  Acts (NIV) 10:44  While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, 47 “Can anyone keep these people from being baptised with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” 48 So he ordered that they be baptised in the name of Jesus.

OBSERVATION:  In this chapter we read of the church being opened to the Gentiles.  It was not a man planned outreach, but totally originated by the Holy Spirit.  Peter did not have a prepared sermon, but when he started, he was interrupted by the Holy Spirit baptizing the Gentiles.  And since the Holy Spirit had baptized them with speaking in tongues, Peter led them in being baptized in water!   

APPLICATION:  This passage has so many similarities to what God is doing in Sierra Leon.  After three weeks of outreach to the Muslims, and after several weeks of setting up and starting the Bible Fellowship meetings, they were preparing to return home.  BUT their plans were interrupted with a meeting set up with the Muslim evangelists who had come to stop others from becoming Christians.  When those gathered heard the gospel, about 30,000 received Jesus as Lord and Savior, even some of the Muslim evangelists!   The book of ACTS has no ending, just continuations!   

PRAYER:  Lord, you are the same yesterday, and today, and forever!   The church you birthed  by your death, and started organizing and spreading in the book of Acts, is alive today and still growing!  What a privilege to be a part!   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!   
On Facebook:  Today’s SOAP from Pastor Leon
Also on:  soapsbyleon.wordpress.com

This is to every ONE!

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
February 01, 2026:  SOAP #5904:   Exodus 30-32; Acts 8

SCRIPTURE:  Acts (NIV) 8:26  Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet.
29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” 30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked….
35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.

OBSERVATION:  God had been using Philip to minister in Samaria.  (Acts 8:5-13)  Miracles and healings and deliverance brought many to Jesus.  Peter and John went to see what God was doing, and the Spirit sent Philip toward Gaza.  One the road he met a single person, an Ethiopian on his way home. 

It was the same Holy Spirit that ministered through Philip to the whole city of Samaria, who now ministered through Philip to a single person.  The same Holy Spirit who had ministered in miracles, was now ministering through directing the Ethiopian where to read in the book of Isaiah!     

APPLICATION:  For the last six weeks the SOAP ministry has seen thousands of people respond to seeing miracles and healings by making Jesus Lord and Savior of their lives.  We must never forget that the Holy Spirit ministers to individuals, even when there is only one.  Every ONE is important to Jesus!  Every ONE is important to us.  The miracle of God reaching hundreds is no less wonderful than the miracle of God reaching one!  

PRAYER:  Holy Spirit, continue flowing through this SOAP ministry to every individual who prints or distributes this SOAP.  And especially minister to every ONE who reads this SOAP.  In Jesus Name, Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!   
On Facebook:  Today’s SOAP from Pastor Leon-13)
Also on:  soapsbyleon.wordpress.com

Oh, what a change!!!

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
February 2, 2025: SOAP #5540:  Exodus 33-34; Psalm 16; Acts 9

SCRIPTURE:  Acts (NIV) 9:19 …Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who caused havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” 22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ. 23 After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him,

OBSERVATION:   What a change!  Paul was on a trip to Damascus to take those who believed in Jesus as prisoner and take them before the religious court, probably to kill them.  That is the way it started, but Jesus interrupted Paul’s trip and Paul came to believe that Jesus was the promised Messiah for which the Jews were waiting.  Before leaving Damascus, he preached powerful sermons proving that Jesus is the Christ.  He even became a target of being potentially killed

APPLICATION:  No one can change a life like Jesus!  When He comes into a person’s life and is given the place as Lord, He makes changes!   Our nation is presently undergoing great changes as we have a new president!   Every day, the news has stories about how President Trump has changed something.  But the political changes are small compared to the changes Christ brings to our lives.  2Corinthians 5:17 says “if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come.  The old has gone, the new is here!”

PRAYER:  Lord, what a special blessing it is to be a “new creation” in you.  Life is not boring with you because every day you have something new for us.  Being faithful in reading your word, in prayer, in consciously being aware of your presence all day long keeps us spiritually alert for a new adventure with you.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!   
On Facebook:  Today’s SOAP from Pastor Leon