Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 10, 2028: SOAP #5668: Song of Solomon 1-4; Ephesians 6

SCRIPTURE:  Ephesians (NIV) 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

OBSERVATION:   People have a combination of strong and weak character traits.  Some are strong in patience.  Others seem to have great knowledge.  Some love sports.  But each one has areas of weakness.  Our strengths enable us to serve others.  Our weaknesses cause us to need others.  However there is one area in which we should all be strong.  We should all be “strong in the Lord.”

APPLICATION:  In areas where I am weak, it is obvious that I need to depend on the Lord and his strength.  But I am finding that God’s strengths make my strengths look like weaknesses.  It is much better to rely on God even in areas where I think I am strong. 

PRAYER:   Lord, I want to be strong in my knowledge of you, strong in my relationship with you, strong in recognizing how you speak to me, and strong in depending on you. In dealing with temptation and the devil, I want to be strong in you!   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!   
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NOTE: As I was reading today’s assigned passages, I was considering what I should include and what should be left for another time.  There was an urgency to write SOAPs, but we would not be back to this passage of scripture for another six months.  In pondering the many strong thoughts that came to my mind, I believe the Lord wants me to pause writing SOAPs from the daily Bible readings that is given every day at the top.  Instead, for the next week or so, I will write SOAPs from this passage on the armor of God.  I pray they will be a blessing to each SOAP reader.   😊  Leon

Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 7, 2025: SOAP #5665: Ecclesiastes 4-6; Psalm 18; Ephesians 3

A Mystery No Longer!

SCRIPTURE:  Ephesians (NIV) 3:4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. 6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

OBSERVATION:   Although there are many references in the Old Testament to God reaching the Gentile, the Jews saw themselves as God’s people.  In God’s plan to populate heaven with people, He had to start somewhere.  In sending Jesus to die in payment for our sins, He could not send 25 or 30 Jesuses—only One.  He could only come through one family in one nation.  Jesus was sent to earth through the Jewish nation. 

Once Jesus ministry was complete, the Holy Spirit was given Who revealed that God’s plan had always been to give gentiles the same standing as Jews!  

Jews and Gentiles are members of the same body—the body of Christ.  We have the same Lord!  We have the same Holy Spirit.  We share in the same promises.  We share the same destination—heaven.

APPLICATION:   Whether we live in an Asian or African country…whether we live in Europe or the Americas…whether we live in Australia or the islands of the sea…if we have confessed our sins and received His forgiveness…if we have received Jesus into our lives…then we are all members of the same body!  

The question is not to what kind of church de we attend, but has Jesus forgiven our sins and does He live within?  If so, we share the same life.  God lives in us.  We are brothers and sisters in Christ! 

PRAYER:   Jesus, you prayed that we (the members of your body) would be one. (John 17:21)   Holy Spirit, we need your help.  Work in us and through us in answer to Jesus’ prayer.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!   
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
May 30, 2025: SOAP #5657: Proverbs 13-15; Romans 11

(more from Romans)

SCRIPTURE:  and OBSERVATION:   

Romans (NIV) 6:22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.

But, praise be to God, things are different now!  No longer a slave to sin, we have become slaves to God!  Serving sin reaped results and so does serving God; but what a difference.  Serving sin results in death.  Serving God leads us in a life of holiness leading to eternal life!

Note the comparisons:  slaves to sin vs. slaves to God; no benefit vs. great benefit; death vs. life!

23  For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

And here it is stated simply and clearly.  Here is the summation of the matter.  “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord!”

And what a gift it is!   It is eternal life that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  If I want to receive it, I have to do nothing but accept it!  It is a gift!

I receive a physical gift by reaching out my hand.  I receive a non-physical gift, like a compliment, simply by saying, “Thank you.” Thank you, Lord, for saving my life from eternal death.  Thank you, Lord, for purchasing the gift of eternal life with your death on the cross.  Thank you, Lord, for giving that gift to me.  It is mine, and I am thankful!

APPLICATION:   Once sin entered the picture, God knew that there is nothing man could do to merit or earn eternal life.  Man could not do enough good deeds or say enough prayers to equal the value of forgiveness and eternal life.  If God wanted man to share eternity with Him, He would have to make a payment worthy to cover sin.  And that is what He did in sending Jesus to live without sin and die on the cross for our sins.    

PRAYER:   Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned, but I believe your promise to forgive me if I confess my sins.  I receive your gift and make you my Lord.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!   
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NOTE to SOAP Readers:  God’s blessing is on this SOAP ministry.  Recently many have accepted Jesus as their Lord and joined us in living for God.  Many new believers have very limited access to Bibles, so recently I have tried to cover some basics of our faith.  I pray they will be a blessing to everyone and an aid in helping each of us be stronger witnesses.   Pray for me to write SOAPs that God can use. 

Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
May 29, 2025: SOAP #5656: Proverbs 10-12; Romans 10

(more from Romans)

SCRIPTURE:  Romans (NIV) 4:24 …to whom God will credit righteousness— for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

OBSERVATION:   At the end of chapter four, the author applies the faith concept to us. Chapter five begins, “Therefore, since WE … “

In the first five verses:  WE have been justified, WE have peace, WE have access, WE rejoice, WE know, WE have God’s love, and WE have the Holy Spirit!

We have all this, not because of our works, but because of our faith.  We have been justified through faith!

Here in verse one, we read that our justification came by faith. Along with being cleansed and made as though we had never sinned comes peace.  Our sins destroyed any hope we might have had regarding peace with God, but through the Lord Jesus Christ and His work on the cross, we have peace.  This is not something that we will be given in the future, but something we have now, in the present!

We have peace when Jesus Christ becomes “our Lord.”  When He has the power of decision, the power of directing, we have peace.  He alone, through His Holy Spirit, can establish peace and maintain peace with God.

APPLICATION:   So, what do I do now with my life?  I surrender it to Jesus!  He is my LORD!   He has made me to be His dwelling place.  I listen to hear what He says to me.  I live in ways that please Him.  I talk in ways that please Him.  I make some time to spend just with Him AND I treat Him as my faithful companion throughout each day. 

PRAYER:   Lord, you have done so much for me.  You have forgiven my sins.  You have put peace and joy in my heart.  You are with me now AND you have given me promises of spending eternity with you!  You gave your life for my sake; I now want to live for your sake.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!   
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
May 27, 2025: SOAP #5654: Proverbs 4-6; Romans 8

(Continuing thoughts from Romans 4)

SCRIPTURE:  Romans (NIV) 4:16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace…

OBSERVATION:   What is given to us by grace is received through faith.  That truth shows that faith is of great importance to our spiritual life, and even to life in general.  Faith is believing that something is true even if it cannot be proved to everyone’s satisfaction.  What matters is that I believe it is true, so I base my actions on that belief.  I act like it is true because I believe it is true. 

When someone makes me a promise, I have faith based on who they are, and the experience I have had with that person in the past.  My faith is based on their words and their character. 

Faith is a connection with our mind and our heart.  With our heart we become convicted that something is true and with our minds we choose to believe and with our body we begin to ack out that faith. 

Faith is how we deal with things we cannot fully prove.  In faith we buy food at the market, now knowing how it was raised, harvested, cleaned and marketed.  By faith we drink water coming from a source we cannot see.  By faith we trust the doctor.  AND by faith we believe that a God we cannot see will accept as payment for our sins a sacrifice that we did not make!  By faith we come to know that HE really loves us and wants to share our lives by making us to be His dwelling place!!!  (Hebrews 11:1)

APPLICATION:   Many times, from the outside, God uses another person to speak truth about Jesus to our minds, and at the same time the Holy Spirit starts working on the inside, in our heart.  And often, when the other person is gone, the Holy Spirit continues to push thoughts across our mind with feelings moving in our heart.  When, with our faith, we finally agree with what God is speaking and surrender to Him as Lord and Savior, our heart and mind become unified in Christ, peace floods our soul and our joy overflows.

We all need to pay attention to thoughts that continually cross our minds.  It can be that the Holy Spirit is trying to get our attention. 

PRAYER:   Heavenly Father, use this SOAP to help us better understand the place of faith in our daily relationship with you.  May you enjoy living in us. (Hebrews 11:6)  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!   
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
May 26, 2025: SOAP #5653: Proverbs 1-3; Romans 7

Continuing in Romans 4…

SCRIPTURE: and OBSERVATION:   Romans (NIV) 4:

7 “Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

In this verse from Psalm 32, David writes about the terrible time he was having when he tried to cover up his sin. The relief of being forgiven came after he confessed his sin.  The blessedness of being forgiven is contrasted to the miserable-ness of trying to hide sin, knowing all the time that it is there.

There is only one covering for sin:  the blood of Jesus shed on the cross.  Adam and Eve discovered that leaves could not cover sin. God provided a blood sacrifice when He skinned an animal and gave them the skin for a covering, but that would only be temporary.  It is the blood of Jesus that covers sin!  That is the only acceptable covering!  It was provided by Someone who perfectly knew the nature and results of sin, and Someone who had never sinned Himself!   His death could be the payment for my sin since He did not have to pay for His own!

Although this verse does not mention how many, or what types of sin are covered, clearly we can see that we are only blessed if ALL our sins are covered.  One sin will send us to hell as well as one hundred.  A person on their way to hell could not be considered blessed.  To be truly blessed, they must ALL be forgiven!

8 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.”

What a wonderful blessing!  God’s forgiveness finalizes the matter.  We do not have to worry about the future.  He Who has dealt with our sin will not be holding it up to us in the future.  Indeed, we are justified.  In His eyes, we are made as though we had never sinned.  I who am unworthy, have been blessed in a way that only God can bless!

APPLICATION:   As a child of God, the issue of my past sins is over.  It is over for all eternity!   I may have some issues with the law where I live, or with friends and family, but with God the issue of past sins is settled.  And He now lives in me to help me deal with any issues from the past. 

I now live as a free person!  I am free from the bondage of sin, but a love slave to Jesus my Lord!   How could I be any less!   

PRAYER:   Lord, I am yours.  You forgave me and set me free from the bondage and the penalty of sin.  Thank you! I am forever grateful!  I love you   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!   
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