Tag Archives: bible

Learning the Important Things

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 08, 2025: SOAP #5605:  1Samuel 3-5; Psalm 77; 2Corinthians 8

SCRIPTURE:  1Samuel (NIV) 3:8 The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy.  9 So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” 11 And the LORD said to Samuel…

OBSERVATION:   God was speaking!  The God of creation was speaking to a young boy.  Samuel did not yet recognize God’s voice and thought the old priest, Eli, was calling him.  After his third trip to check on Eli, Eli realized that God was calling Samuel.  So, he told Samuel how to respond.  And God cared enough that He called out a fourth time!

What Samuel heard was important, but what God heard was even more important!  First, God heard one of his created beings say, “LORD, I hear you.”  God had been hearing people cry out to Him, but here was a man that could hear God call out to him!  Second, God heard a man, created in His image say, “What you say is important.  I am listening.”  God had been listening to desperate people call to him with what was important to them.  Here was a young man willing to let God tell him what was important to God.  Samuel was saying, I can sleep later; hearing what you have to say is more important than sleep.  Third, God heard a young man say, “I am your servant.  I will follow through with your instructions.”  I will honor your word.

APPLICATION:   I know God hears me.  It is important that God knows that I hear Him! 

PRAYER:   Holy Spirit, make me like Samuel.  I know you like to hear me come to you with my praise and worship, yes and with my needs.  But when it comes to my wants and needs, it is more important that I hear your word, then you hear my words.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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NOTE:  dear SOAP READING friends; I trust this repeated SOAP burns in your heart as it did mine.  It speaks to the heart of our relationship with the Great God of Glory!   What a special privilege is ours!  But I fear we often fall into the temptation to see His as the answer to all our needs, rather than seeing ourselves as the ones He created for His glory.  His will has priority over our desires!   Leon    

The Road out of Trouble

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 07, 2025: SOAP #5604:  1Samuel 1-2; Psalm 66; 2Corinthians 7

SCRIPTURE:  2Corinthians (NIV) 7:10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.  

OBSERVATION:   Most of us do not consider sorrow something good, but it can be the road out of trouble.  Godly sorrow takes responsibility for our actions and seeks forgiveness.  Taking responsibility and apologizing opens the door for those offended to forgive.  And most important, for God to forgive! 

Worldly sorrow, however, blames others and refuses to take ownership.  It is not our fault.  Someone else made us do it.  We are sorry we got caught or sorry for the results that came our way, but not because we did it. 

APPLICATION:   It is wonderful that God is so willing to forgive and restore friendship with us.   For me to receive His forgiveness, I must take responsibility for what I have done.  When I cannot admit that I have sinned, I cannot experience the joy of His forgiveness and restoration.  But when I do, I have His promise of forgiveness.  (1John 1:9) 

We find that confession is the first step on the road out of trouble!  And when we take the first step, we find that He is right there waiting for us!   All the time we wasted while He was just one step away!  And then He walks with me on the rest of the road out of trouble. 

PRAYER:   Lord, I know that you are the only One who can truly forgive and remove the guilt of sin.  I want to be quick to apologize, to be quick to admit that I have sinned.  1John 1:9 says that if I confess my sins, you are faithful and just to forgive my sins and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness.      Amen

Pastor Leon
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Priorities

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 05, 2025: SOAP #5602:  Ruth 1-2; Psalm 53, 61; 2Corinthians 5

SCRIPTURE:   2Corinthians (NIV) 5:8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due to him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

OBSERVATION:   It is good that Paul describes death with two equal but opposing phrases.  The first is “to be away from the body.”  The body in its present form is temporary.  It is temporal.  It is appropriate and proper for our life on earth.  But until Jesus comes, it will be left behind.

The second phrase, “at home with the Lord,” gives us a wonderful comforting thought about death.  Not only does Paul tell where we will not be, he also tells us where we will be!   When death takes us, what a comfort it is for our loved ones to know to where we have gone!  What comfort for those left behind, those with the responsibility of taking care of what we leave behind — our possessions, our family and friends, yes, and our body too.

APPLICATION:   Two things we can take from this passage as priorities.   First, we need to make sure that are ready to meet Jesus, either when He specifically calls for us, or when He comes for all believers!   What could be more important than being prepared for our death!!!  We choose our eternal destiny while here on this earth.  “Eternity” is longer than “forever.”   Now is the time to choose; today is the day of salvation.  Going through death’s door, we will enter eternity without God in hell, or eternity with God in heaven!  The second is to make sure our family will meet us there!  

If you are not sure, pray with me…

PRAYER:   Lord Jesus, I confess to you that I am a sinner.  I humbly request your forgiveness.  What a terrible price You paid to be able to wash me clean from all sin.  I receive the blood of your sacrifice as payment for my sins.  Come live in my life as my Lord.  I surrender my heart and life to you.  Thank you for forgiving me and sharing my life with me.  As you are living in me, may the things I do and say bring you joy.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Renewed Thinking

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 03, 2025: SOAP #5600:  Judges 19-21; 2Corinthians 4:

SCRIPTURE:  2Corinthians (NIV) 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

OBSERVATION:   Paul was going through tough times.  It was not easy, but he kept things in proper perspective.  Some things have more value than others, and Paul had sorted them out.  He “fixed” his eyes on what was unseen because that was eternal and more important.  Being unseen, it was the eyes of his soul that were fixed.  His thoughts were continuously taken up with the eternal things. 

APPLICATION:   There are so many voices calling and signals vying for our attention today.  It is so easy to let our thoughts get wrapped around the temporal things facing us.  How we need to be like Paul with our minds so impacted by God and His plan that we see everything in the light of eternal values.  When we must think of temporal (seen) things, for we live in a temporal world and are trying to win people in that world, we consider temporal things in the light of eternity!  How can we use them to have the greatest effect on eternity.  Can I give a temporal gift or serve them in such a way that they will want to meet this Jesus I love and serve. 

PRAYER:  Lord, I see the value of keeping everything in the perspective of the eternal.  I am too easily distracted.  Please do not ever stop calling me back to your side to see things as you see them. 
Holy Spirit, you have moved into my life and made me your home.  You are always with me.  You know my thoughts better than any other person, even better than I do.  Renew and refresh my thoughts each day, even every hour if you see it is needed.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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God’s Earth Plan for Man

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 03, 2025: SOAP #5600:  Judges 17-18; Psalm 89; 2Corinthians 3

SCRIPTURE:  2Corinthians (NIV) 3:6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant— not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

OBSERVATION:   The “letter” is a reference to the written law that was given to Moses.  It included the 10 Commandments.  The “letter” can show me what I have done wrong, but it does not help me to do better.  God understands that I am incompetent to live up to His standards.  But the Holy Spirit living inside me is competent to both help me understand God’s requirements AND help me live them.  (Wow!) 

APPLICATION:   When all I see is the law of God and how I have broken it, I live in condemnation.  When I confess my sins and accept that God the Son, Christ Jesus died for MY sins, I receive His provision of forgiveness.  The Father knew that I would need more than forgiveness.  Forgiven and depending on my own strength, I fall back into sin.  So, He sent the Holy Spirit to live in me.  When I depend on God the Spirit living inside me, I have His provision to overcome temptation.  (Praise the Lord!)  

The law of God the Father gives me understanding of sin!  The death of God the Son, Jesus, gives me forgiveness of sin!  The indwelling of God the Spirit gives me power over sin!

PRAYER:   Heavenly Father, thank you for understanding me and fully providing everything I need.  You are amazing!  While I am on this earth, You have designed me to be a temple of the Holy Spirit and to work together with Him.  In that way I can live a life that glorifies Jesus and gives you much joy.  Amen. 

Pastor Leon
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Beauty spilling out…

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 02, 2025: SOAP #5599:  Judges 13-16; 2Corinthians 2

SCRIPTURE:  2Corinthians (NIV) 2:14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.

OBSERVATION:   Later in chapter 11 of this letter, Paul gives a list of the things he has endured while serving the Lord.  Five times he had been whipped with 39 lashes, he had been beaten with rods, he had been stoned, he had been shipwrecked three times, he had been hungry and thirsty, cold and naked.  Yet in this verse he is thankful to God who had always led him “in triumphal procession in Christ.” 

The physical crushing and hardships that Paul endured released a special insight into the depth of Paul’s love for Christ and for the church.  People could see evidence of the presence of Jesus in his life.  It was like people could smell a special fragrance that made them realize the presence of Jesus. 

APPLICATION:   We may not always have triumph in our circumstances, but we can always have victory in our spirit and in our attitude.  And when it is obvious to others that we are being beaten down, yet we do not act beaten down—it is then our life becomes a testimony that there is something on the inside (the life of Christ) that is greater than anything the world can throw at us!  

The deep-seated joy and peace that radiated from His presence seems especially noticeable when there is struggle and turmoil on the outside.     

PRAYER:   Lord, I pray for those who are going through great suffering or are in the hospital.  May your presence be easily recognized in their lives.  May your peace flood their room and spill out into the hallway.  May the medical staff look for excuses to visit their rooms.  Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in them.  Amen 

Pastor Leon
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A Good Character Trait

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 01, 2025: SOAP #5598:  Judges 11-12; Psalm 50; 2Corinthians 1

SCRIPTURE:   Psalm (NIV) 50:23 He who sacrifices thank-offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God.”

OBSERVATION:   This translation speaks to me in a special way.  It says that my thank-offerings are like the return address on my mail.  It shows the avenue for God to send a return blessing. 

It is much easier to give to someone with a thankful heart.  When someone is twisting my arm to force me, or motivate me, or using the scriptures to convince me to give to their need, I resist giving.  But it is so much easier to give to a thankful person. 

APPLICATION:   Thanksgiving is a way of acknowledging that the blessing has been received.  It is now in my possession.  It arrived safely. 

Thanksgiving is a way of showing that we value what we have received.  The gift met a need and is being used. 

Thanksgiving is a way of appreciating what was given to us.  It acknowledges the value of the gift. 

Thanksgiving is a way of valuing the giver.  They may have been motivated by their love for Jesus, but they are worthy of a, “Thank you!”

Thanksgiving gives joy to the giver and opens the heart to receive again.  It is the return address on your communication!  

PRAYER:   Lord, may SOAP readers grow in their faithfulness to be thankful.  May thankfulness be a well=known characteristic of their lives.  Lord, I pray that their way of thanking you will bless your heart and make you even more willing to bless them with your Presence and help.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Our Heavenly Father

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
March 31, 2025: SOAP #5597:  Judges 9-10; Psalm 49; 1Corinthians 16

SCRIPTURE:  Judges (NIV) 10:13 [The LORD speaking:] But you have forsaken me and served other gods, so I will no longer save you. 14 Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you when you are in trouble!”
15 But the Israelites said to the LORD, “We have sinned. Do with us whatever you think best, but please rescue us now.”
16Then they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served the LORD. And he could bear Israel’s misery no longer.

OBSERVATION:   God had chosen Israel as His special people.  He had delivered them from slavery in Egypt.  But Israel put God through much heartache by turning to other gods.  Now they were in trouble and asking for help.  God was understandably angry (verse 7) with them and told them to go to the other gods they had chosen to worship.  But, instead of turning to the other gods, Israel, obviously knowing there was only One True God, got rid of the foreign gods.  Then God had a problem.  The problem—His love!  He could bear their misery no longer!  What a special insight into the character of our amazing God!  

APPLICATION:   Parents who go through ups and down with their children should easily be able to identify with God.  They can become so angry with the decisions their children make, yet they lovingly suffer with their children through the results of those decisions.  

PRAYER:   Heavenly Father, forgive me for not paying attention to what you have said.  I need your Holy Spirit to help me not to do those things that hurt you, but to help me do those things that bring joy to your heart.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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Inescapable, Universal Law

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
March 29, 2025: SOAP #5595:  Judges 8; Psalm 42; 1Corinthians 15

SCRIPTURE:  1Corinthians (NIV) 15:21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.  22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.     

OBSERVATION:   The eternal laws of holiness rule all that our Holy God created.  They are reasonable and logical laws.  God is holy and he has revealed the holy laws that rule the past, the present, and eternity.  No one can escape the universe, so no one can escape the holy laws. 

The primary law of holiness is that the soul that sins shall die.  It is a law that cannot be changed.  It is a law that condemns every living person to death, eternal separation from the Holy God into a proper place for those who break the holy laws, which is eternity in hell. 

Without breaking, Holy laws allow one out.  If someone of the same eternal value who has not broken any holy laws would be willing to take the guilty party’s place, the guilty could go free! 

The reality is that the Holy God is also a loving God.  He so loved the man He had created that He sent His son (Jesus) to be born as a man, to live a perfectly holy life, and to die for our sins!  His resurrection is proof that there is life beyond the grave!   It is eternal life with two possible destinies, heaven or hell. 

APPLICATION:   In Adam, holiness demands I pay for my sin by spending eternity in hell.  In Christ, my penalty has been paid and I will spend eternity in heaven in the Presence of a Holy and Loving God!   It is truly amazing!    

PRAYER:   Heavenly Father, next month as we celebrate the death and resurrection of Your Son, thanksgiving overflows for your great mercy and grace.  Father, thank you for Jesus!   Jesus, thank you for dying and resurrecting!  Holy Spirit, thank you for leading me to Jesus! Amen

Pastor Leon
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Lord, may it be your joy…

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
March 28, 2025: SOAP #5594:  Judges 4-5; Psalm 39, 41; 1Corinthians 13

SCRIPTURE:  Psalm (NIV) 41:1   Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the LORD delivers them in time of trouble.
2   The LORD protects and preserves them—they are counted among the blessed in the land—he does not give them over to the desire of their foes. 
3   The LORD sustains them on their sickbed and restores them from their bed of illness.  

OBSERVATION:   The weak are important to God and those who care for the weak are important to God.  God considers those who help the weak as His helpers. 

Of course, He protects and preserves them; they are doing His work.  Of course, He restores them to health so they can continue doing His work.  (This would be like Dorcas in Acts 9:36-41 who was “always doing good and helping the poor.”)

APPLICATION:   I know that God is a gracious God and treats me FAR better than I could ever deserve.  But still, I want to live my life is such a way that God would want to restore my health.  It would be to His benefit, and the benefit of others, to have me continue doing what I had been doing.  

When people are sick and praying for healing, I wonder if God ever wants to ask, “Why should I heal you?”  “Do you want me to heal you so that you can continue complaining, or hating, or hurting others, etc.?” How much better it would be if God could say, “Of course, I will heal you.  It gives me joy to enable you to continue bringing me honor and glory on earth by the way you serve others.  They can easily see that I am living in you!” 

PRAYER:   Lord, help me to be like Dorcas.  I want to please you in the way I live my daily life.  May you smile and may others be blest.  When I am sick, may it be your joy to heal me so I can continue to honor you with the way I live.  Amen.
And, Lord, there are SOAP readers who have used up their strength in serving others.  Help them to know that you take their service personal—they have been serving you; and they can personally take the above verses as your promise to them.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!   
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