Tag Archives: christianity

Doing it The Jesus Way!

Posted on by
Reply

Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
May 03, 2025: SOAP #5630:  2Samuel 7; 1Chronicles 17; Psalm 2; Matthew 20

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew 20:26 …whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—
28 just as THE SON OF MAN DID NOT COME TO BE SERVED, BUT TO SERVE, AND TO GIVE HIS LIFE AS A RANSOM FOR MANY.”

OBSERVATION:   That is how verse 28 is marked in my Bible – bold and underlined.  It is a purpose statement Jesus gives for His own life.  This is why He came.  Here is the reason for His presence.  This is an important verse revealing motive.  Recently as I read this passage, I noticed I had missed something very important.  I missed the first two words of the verse: “just as…”  Jesus was telling us about His purpose to use Himself as an example for applying the previous two verses to our lives.  “If you want to be great, you must become a servant (vs 26), —even a slave (vs 27); and here is your example (vs 28).  Do it like I do it!  Follow my example!”

APPLICATION:   The authority God has given me is a tool to use in serving others.  It is not how many people I can rule, but how many people I can serve.  Jesus is my example of not taking the comfortable way and making choices that serve me but making choices that serve others.  Today, in my life, I want to embolden and underline the two words previously missed. 

I want to serve “Jesus way.”  And since He is living inside as my LORD, I can count on Him to express Himself through me. 

PRAYER:   Lord, you are my example in using whatever authority is mine today, be it over others or just over myself.  I want to make decisions that please you and serve others.  As best I can, I want to use this day “just as” you would.  I am counting on your presence in me to help me.  Amen. 

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

Pleasing God

Posted on by
Reply

Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 29, 2025: SOAP #5626:  2Samuel 4,5; Psalm 139; Matthew 16

SCRIPTURE:   Psalm 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.

OBSERVATION:   If I really want to please God, then I must know what pleases Him.  I cannot live my life doing what pleases me and just hope that enough of it will please Him that I will make it into heaven. 

APPLICATION:   There are two ways to organize one’s life.  First is to please myself and hope that some of it pleases God.  The second way is to set my heart to please God and discover that it very often pleases me too!  

There are two sources of knowledge about God and what pleases Him.  First is The Word of God which many refer to as the Holy Bible or the scriptures.  In them we read about the character of God and see how Jesus lived in this world.  Second is the Holy Spirit that comes into our lives when we take Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  He often releases joy when we are pleasing God and usually fills our heart with guilt, or remorse, or heaviness when we do what displeases God. 

PRAYER:   Lord, thank you for the joy that fills our hearts when we first invite you to live in our hearts.  And thank you for the peace you bring into our lives.  Teach us from your Word how to please you.  Walk with us, talk with us.  Teach us to recognize your voice.  In Your Name, Lord Jesus, we pray,  Amen

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

Just a note of rejoicing to share with SOAP readers.  Yesterday evening there was a LARGE group of people gathered to hear about Jesus and the SOAPs. (35-40,000) It is reported that 19,000 accepted Jesus as Lord and gave their names and phone numbers to receive the daily SOAPs. 
So, if you had a glad day today, it might have been that the joy of heaven spilled over into your heart!   Please pray for the SOAP team to help these new believers grow in their faith and in the joy of the Lord!   It’s a new day of the Lord!  

It Must Be A Heart Matter!

Posted on by
Reply

Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 28, 2025: SOAP #5625:  2Samuel 3; 1Chronicles 12; Matthew 15

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew (NIV) 15:4  For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ 5 But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,’ 6 he is not to ‘honor his father’ with it. Thus, you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition.
7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: 8 “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’”

OBSERVATION:   In these verses Jesus was speaking to the religious leaders about the way they twisted the commands.  They talked like they had it all together when it came to spiritual things, but the most important part to God—their heart—was far from what it should be.    

I hear him saying their worship was useless to God and useless to themselves.  Their teaching should have come from their personal relationship with God, but instead they just mouthed what someone else had said. 

APPLICATION:   It is good to learn from others, but I must personally hear God speaking to me.  And when He does use people to speak to me, the Holy Spirit confirms in my spirit that the message is from God.    That happens more often when I honor God with my lips AND with my heart.

The personal relationship that God desires is for us to accept Jesus offer of forgiveness (made possible by His sinless life and death on the cross) and to make Jesus the Lord of our lives.  We invite Him to live in our lives, not as a guest, but as a permanent, honored resident, as the LORD of our lives.

PRAYER:   Lord, as a child, I used to sing:  “Into my heart, come into my heart, come into my heart Lord Jesus.  Come in today, come in to stay; come into my heart Lord Jesus.”  Amen. 

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

Something Fresh!

Posted on by
Reply

Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 26, 2025: SOAP #5623:  2Samuel 1; Psalm 140; Matthew 13

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew (NIV) 13:52 He (Jesus) said to them (His disciples) “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” 

OBSERVATION:   One should not throw away something just because it is old.  Neither should one continue to use the old when the new is better.  Wisdom is the blending of the old and the new.  Both have value.   (The principle in this verse can be applied to everything from worship music to using technology.) 

APPLICATION:   To live under the Old Testament law when I understand New Testament grace would be foolish, but if I ignore the Old Testament and only read the New Testament I will miss much of God’s character that can be seen as He interacted with the Old Testament people. 

I continue to enjoy the songs that were written in the 1920’s to the 1970’s.  But if I refuse the songs of today, I miss the joy of hearing a new generation express their love and devotion to the One I love most!  After all, what makes God happy should make Leon happy! 

Oh the joy that comes from daily time reading and meditating on God’s word.  He continues to give me new understanding from the Old Testament and New Testament scriptures and new ways to apply them to my daily life.  God’s word is always fresh in my heart.  

Read your Bible with a pencil and sheet of paper (or a blank page in a journal) with you.  Write the date on the sheet praying for God to show you something fresh for you today.  God responds to faith and your faith has made preparation for you to hear from God!  

PRAYER:   Lord, I want to always appreciate what you have done in the past yet I want to be flexible enough to appreciate what you are doing in the present…what you are doing today.  Amen

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

My Honor, Privilege, and Joy

Posted on by
Reply

Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 23, 2025: SOAP #5620:  1Samuel 27; 1Chronicles 9; Psalm 141; Matthew 10

SCRIPTURE:   Matthew (NIV) 10:40 “He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me. 41 Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.”

OBSERVATION:   Jesus takes personally how others treat us!  We are His children; we identify with Him.  He is our Lord; He identifies with us. 

For several years in the US Navy, I served on a Commodore’s staff.  When sent by the Commodore to inspect a ship, the Commodore was very interested in how I was received.  When we were not welcome, we did not complain, nor did we try to prove why we should be given permission to inspect the ship.  We merely reported back to the Commodore!  He made the phone call.  He had the ship’s captain come to his office.  He spoke to the captain.  The captain returned to the ship, gave us a call and welcomed us to his ship.  The Commodore took it personally!   Jesus takes it personally!

The Commodore had invested his authority in me; but Jesus has invested His LIFE in me!   If the Commodore took people’s reaction to me personally, how much more would Jesus take personally how people treat me!!!  

APPLICATION:   The Commodore sent me to his ships, but he never accompanied me.  But what a difference with Jesus!   He not only sends me, but He accompanies me!   What people do to me, they do to HIM!  No wonder He takes it personally!  

Knowing that Jesus is with me gives me courage to step out and do what I believe He is leading me to do.  His presence helps me overcome any fear that the enemy tries to put in my heart.  It is such a privilege to represent the omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent Creator of all things. 

PRAYER:   Lord, it is an honor to know that the King of Glory uses me for His purpose.  Be it something great, or something very small, it is my joy to serve you.  Amen

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

The Living Jesus seen through my actions!

Posted on by
Reply

Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 20, 2025: SOAP #5617:  1Samuel 23; Psalm 31,54; Matthew 7

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew (NIV) 7:21 Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven.  Only those who do what my Father in heaven wants will enter.  …
24 “So then, everyone who hears my words and puts them into practice is like a wise man.  He builds his house on the rock. 
25 The rain comes down.  The water rises.  The winds blow and beat against that house.  But it does not fall.  It is built on the rock.   

OBSERVATION:   Jesus knew what he was talking about.  He came to do the will of the Father.  He said that the works he did were really the Father’s works and the words he spoke were also the Father’s. 

Doing the Father’s will led Him to the cross and the grave.  It also led him through the resurrection back to the glory at His Father’s side.     

APPLICATION:   The first work of being a Christian is to believe.   I must believe that the work of Jesus on the cross is the full payment for my sins.  Forgiveness is amazing grace offered to me; I receive it by faith. 

That my life belongs to Jesus can be easily seen by others as I do what He directs. 

Salvation starts in my heart but finds expressions through my actions and words.  If there is no outward expression, there is probably no inward life.  After all, faith without works is dead.

PRAYER:   Lord, not just a hearer, but a doer is what you expect from me.  May my hands and feet please you as much as my heart.  And, Lord, as we celebrate your resurrection today, may it become clear to others that You are alive and living in me.  Amen

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

He Already Knows

Posted on by
Reply

Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 19, 2025: SOAP #5616:  1Samuel 22; Psalm 17,35; Matthew 6

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew (NIV) 6:31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

OBSERVATION:   Our Heavenly Father who created us already knows we need “these things.”  He created our bodies to need them. 

People in the world go to great effort to obtain “these things.”  Here we are instructed to put our efforts on the priorities of God’s structure of authority and doing things right.  When we do that, God will provide the “these things” we need.

APPLICATION:   God has been faithful in providing what I need.  I have no reason to believe He is going to stop. 

I want Him to have no reason to believe that I will stop seeking first His kingdom.

NOTE: To those who have taken orphans into their care, here is a verse to take to the Lord in prayer.  When you are short on food, drink, and/or clothing, go to God with your Bible open to this passage and your finger on these verses.  Then listen and obey.  There are many scriptures upon which those caring for children can stand to bolster their faith.  Seek to bring those children into becoming fruitful members of God’s kingdom. 

PRAYER:   Lord, you know what I need, and I thank you for your faithful provision!  Amen

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

The Identifying Mark

Posted on by
Reply

Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 18, 2025: SOAP #5615:  1Samuel 20-21; Psalm 34; Matthew 5

SCRIPTURE:   Matthew (NIV) 5:43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?

OBSERVATION:   Love is not only a dominate part of God’s character, He desires that His creation have love as a dominant part of their character!  It was because of love that God send His son to die in our stead for our sins.  (John 3:16)   He said that love would be a distinguishing characteristic of His disciples. (John 13:35)   It is to be the identifying mark that identifies us with Him!  It leaves no mark on our body, but everyone knows it is there! 

APPLICATION:   The love God wants for His people is not a reaction love, but an acting love.  It is not love that returns a favor; it is love that is given when no favor is expected in return.  Simple put, it is the love that God has extended to me.                                                                                                                                                                

PRAYER:   Holy Spirit, I who have been loved so much need your help to love those around me.  Let you love flow through me to someone who needs that love today.  Amen

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

Wisdom

Posted on by
Reply

Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 16, 2025: SOAP #5612:  1Samuel 18; 1Chronicles 6; Psalm 11; Matthew 3

SCRIPTURE:  1Samuel (KJV) 18:5 And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely…
1Samuel (KJV) 18:14 And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him. 15 Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.
1Samuel (KJV) 18:30 …David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.

OBSERVATION:   David was young, but wise.  He did not act foolishly.  His wisdom was appreciated by others because they could see it in his actions.  Wisdom comes more with maturity than with age. 

Wisdom is more than intelligence and knowledge.  Wisdom is understanding how to apply knowledge.  It is understanding what truth applies to a given situation.  Priorities are set by wisdom.  Wisdom gathers applicable truth and determines a course of action and sets the timeline for that action. 

APPLICATION:   Wisdom is communicated to me through daily reading the Bible and in listening to the Holy Spirit who is my constant companion.  The wisest thing I can do is to listen to Him and do as He directs. 

The Gospels show the life of Christ while he lived here on earth and since I am presently on earth, I find wisdom from learning how he lived.  Wisdom should be seen in my actions.     

Wisdom emphasizes the importance of my eternal life and where I will spend eternity.  Wisdom searches out the important choices that need to be made. 

PRAYER:   Holy Spirit may your presence in my life be seen by what you lead me to do.  May the wisdom of your Word be visible in my words and actions. Wisdom shows me that I need to receive forgiveness for the things I have done wrong.  Wisdom shows me that Jesus died on the cross as payment for my sins.  In wisdom, I have accepted His forgiveness.   Amen

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

My Mission

Posted on by
Reply

Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 15, 2025: SOAP #5611:  1Samuel 17; Psalm 9; Matthew 2

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew 2:1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”…
11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.

OBSERVATION:   The Magi traveled many miles and many days to fulfill their mission.  Surely, they were thinking that any king born in Israel would be born in Jerusalem.  But in Jerusalem they were only able to state their mission and get directions to where they would be able to fulfill their mission. 

What was their mission?  They had come to worship the new-born king!   They did not worship in Jerusalem, nor when the star appeared, however they did rejoice upon seeing the star.  It was when they saw the child; it was when they were in His presence that they fulfilled their mission—they worshipped!  

APPLICATION:   I can praise God talking to you; I can give Him glory talking to you; but for worship, I must be aware of His presence.  Simply stated, worship begins with an awareness of His presence.  It is the natural response to His presence.  What we do to Him (worship) leads to what we do for Him (service).  Worship leads to deeper commitment, to service, to evangelism.

PRAYER:  Lord, you alone are worthy of my worship.  You are searching for worshippers.  May you find me to be what you desire. (John 4:23)   My mission is to honor you in all I do. Worship is at the heart of my mission.   Amen

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