Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 26, 2025: SOAP #5776: Ezra 4; Psalm 113, 127; Luke 9

SCRIPTURE:  Luke (NIV) 9:16 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to set before the people.
17 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

OBSERVATION:  The loaves of bread were not multiplied until they were broken.  The loaves were whole when they entered His hands, but they did not leave His hands until they were broken.  He only passed out broken loaves.  It was the broken pieces that met the need of the hungry people. 

What is true of the loaves Jesus used to feed the hungry can also be true of the servants Jesus uses to help the needy.  The pride in our ability to serve the Lord must be broken until we are convinced that His work is only accomplished by HIM working through us! 

APPLICATION:  Being broken in the hands of Jesus is not a bad thing.  It is a good thing to remain in the hands of Jesus!  In fact, being broken can make me more useful as He places the pieces of my brokenness in places where people are hungry. 

PRAYER:  Lord, I remember attending youth rallies and singing with all my heart: “Jesus, use me; Oh Lord, don’t refuse me.  Surely there’s a work that I can do.  And even though it’s humble, Lord help my will to crumble.  Though the cost be great I’ll work for you.”  Oh, Lord, it is still true!  Amen. 

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 25, 2025: SOAP #5775: Ezra 2-3; Luke 8

SCRIPTURE:  Luke (NIV) 8:1 … The Twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; 3 Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

OBSERVATION:  What a special privilege was given to these precious ladies who travelled with Jesus and the disciples.  They had the opportunity to invest money that was under their oversight into the Kingdom of Heaven—to actually support the KING of Heaven while he was on His earth mission.  They did not build any buildings or ministry centers, but the disciples did need to eat, have clothing, and places to clean up and rest. 

What joy must now fill their hearts as they look down from the heights of heaven onto the world and see the truth and spirit of Jesus filling the whole earth!  They had a part in the beginning!!!   They had been blessed by Jesus and were a part of moving His ministry forward! 

APPLICATION:  I cannot help but think of all the ways people have supported the SOAP ministry.  Only God knows how many computers and printers are preparing SOAPs every day!  Only God knows how many cartons of ink and sheets of paper have been used.  And only God knows how many people have made Jesus Christ the Lord of their lives!  (Two days ago, Bishop Sam Jolly wrote that in the past 6 months, 47,000 Muslims have given their hearts to Jesus from 10 communities and there are 15 communities calling for the SOAP ministry in Sierra Leone to come!)  

If you have been blessed by the SOAPs, the Lord can use you like the women who travelled with Jesus.  You can personally spread the SOAPs or help distribute them to others.  Ask the Lord how He can use you. 

PRAYER:  Lord thank you for your blessings.  Use us to pass them along to others.  Show me my part in your Kingdom.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!   
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 24, 2025: SOAP #5774: Ezra 1; Psalm 84-85; Luke 7

SCRIPTURE:  Psalm (NIV) 85:10 Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other.

OBSERVATION:  What great characteristics we see in God.  If we were choosing how to design a god, surely we would desire our god to be good.  But what makes someone good?  Is it not a combination of the two characteristics we see in this verse.  Our god must have love and our god must be holy (here expressed in faithfulness.)

Holiness is expressed in justice and faithfulness.  Truly a god would not be good if unjust and/or unfaithful.  Love is expressed in mercy and grace.  We would not call anyone good if lacking in mercy or grace. Indeed, it is the combination of these two different characteristics (love & holiness) that make the Living God GOOD!

But how can He be both and interact with fallen man?  Should He be loving and just overlook our sin?  Would not that be an affront to His holiness?  On the other hand, should He be holy and overlook His love?  Would not His holiness cause His love to be unfulfilled as He allows man to remain separated by sin?

What wisdom can bring “love and faithfulness together?”  How can “righteousness and peace kiss each other?”  Divine wisdom knew a way in which holiness would not be compromised nor love left unfulfilled.

APPLICATION:  Indeed, in the wisdom of God, the concept of love is magnified. It is defined in the clearest and most easily understood terms!  Just how loving is this God?  Look at the answer to this dilemma!

Indeed, in the wisdom of God, His holiness is magnified!  How far will God go to remain eternally holy?  Just how holy is our God?  Look at the answer to this dilemma!

The answer is the cross!  In the cross the holiness of God is satisfied as the sinless blood of God’s only begotten Son is shed to pay for our sins!   What Holiness!  What a payment!  There was no special deal for Jesus, even though He was God, the Son!   He had to pay the full price.  The wages of sin is death!

In the cross the love of God is satisfied as men who were before lost in their sin can boldly approach the throne of God in worship, covered by the precious blood of God’s Son!  Their lives, now clean through the blood of Jesus become dwelling places for the Holy Spirit!

In the humble humanity of God walking dusty roads in the flesh, experiencing hunger and weariness, love and faithfulness met together. And in the bloody, sweaty, suffering of the cross, righteousness and peace kissed each other!

It is amazing!

PRAYER:  Lord, your cross made Ephesians 3:10 possible.  Now the manifold wisdom of God can be clearly seen by principalities and powers in heavenly places. It is now visible in in God’s highest creation, the church!  And I pray that it is visible in me!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!   
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 22, 2025: SOAP #5772: Daniel 9-10; Psalm 123; Luke 5     

SCRIPTURE:  John (NIV) 5:1  And it came to pass, in the multitude pressing on him to hear the word of God, that he was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, 2 and he saw two boats standing beside the lake, and the fishers, having gone away from them, were washing the nets, 3 and having entered into one of the boats, that was Simon’s, he asked him to put back a little from land, and having sat down, was teaching the multitudes the out of the boat.

OBSERVATION:  While standing on the seashore, Jesus began teaching the people who were gathering.  As the crowd grew, they began pressing him toward the water, so he used what was available and got into an unused fisherman’s boat. 

The lack of a meeting hall did not stop His ministry.  And the people recognized the authority with which He spoke.  They were listening to the living Word of God (John 1:14) who had been anointed by the Spirit of God (Luke 4:1) teach them the not yet written Word of God. 

APPLICATION:  The Word of God has drawing power, especially when presented with the anointing of the Spirit of God. 

These SOAPs all begin with a portion of the Word of God, the SCRIPTURE.  Then the OBSERVATION helps our understanding and the APPLICATION is to show us how the Word is applied or can be applied to our lives. 

The drawing power of the Word can be seen a people read one SOAP, then look for another one the next day, and then the next.  I have heard reports of people gathering early in the morning to get a printed copy of Today’s SOAP as soon as they are available. 

PRAYER:  Holy Spirit, may your anointing accompany each of these SOAPs.  May each reader be aware of your presence.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!   
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 21, 2025: SOAP #5771: Daniel 7-8; Psalm 137; Luke 4

SCRIPTURE:  Luke (NIV) 4:42 At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. 43 But he said, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” 44 And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

OBSERVATION:  Two words in Jesus’ reply speak to me.  First is the word “must,” and second is the word “sent.”  Together they speak of His allegiance to someone else.  Someone Jesus respected very much had given Him an assignment. 

It was an assignment He could not ignore.  He had no choice in the matter.  He could not stay with them; He had to move on.  Jesus truly loved His Father and willingly did what the Father assigned. 

APPLICATION:  If Jesus loves and respects His Father in such a great way, I should love and respect the Father too!  And I should love and respect Jesus in the same way.  He is the One who gave His life to make a way for me to be a part of His wonderful family!  His actions are motivated by love, mine should be too!  

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, may you find the same love your Son, Jesus, has for you is growing in my heart and life also.  As Jesus willingly and joyfully served you, I want to serve you the same way.  Writing SOAPs is your assignment for me.  It is my privilege and joy to serve you.  I must do this because it is your assignment for me!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!   
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Also on:  soapsbyleon.wordpress.com

Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 20, 2025: SOAP #5770: Daniel 5-6; Psalm 130; Luke 3

SCRIPTURE:  Luke (NIV) 3:21 When all the people were being baptised, Jesus was baptised too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

OBSERVATION:  Jesus had not yet preached a single sermon.  He had not yet taught the Sermon on the Mount.  He had not yet healed a single sick or lame person.  He had not fed a single person.  AND He had not completed the assignment for which He was sent—to give His life as a sacrifice for our sins. 
 
Yet the Father who sent Him into the world said, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased!”  

APPLICATION:  What a wonderful example we have of how we as earthly parents should appreciate our earthly children.  They should never doubt our love.  We should publicly claim them.  They are our children; we are their parents!  We look at them with pleasure.   We are pleased that God placed them in our family.  And as they grow, we take pride in their accomplishments

PRAYER:   Heavenly Father, your approval and pleasure me makes me want to live a life that pleases you.  It is my joy to know that you also enjoy our relationship.   Sometimes you must laugh at my feeble efforts to please you, but you often have the Holy Spirit show me the best way to accomplish the task before me.  Thank you for sending your Son, Jesus, to die for my sins and make it possible to become your child.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!   
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 18, 2025: SOAP #5768: Ezekiel 45-46; Luke 1

SCRIPTURE:  Luke (NIV) 1:34  “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.

Luke emphasizes the working of the Holy Spirit in the life of Jesus and then continues that same emphasis in the life of the church in the book of Acts.

APPLICATION:  The question: “How will this be?”  It is a question we can ask about anything God assigns us to do.  He often gives us tasks greater than our abilities, things that are impossible for us to do.  We are told to obey Him, and then He gives us something impossible for us to do!   Surely, He knows our frame since He is the Creator!   Surely, He knows our limitations; if anyone does, He does.  Yet He who calls us is faithful!  He has already made a way for us to perform His will.  Yes, He does know our limitations.  In fact, He is trusting that we will not try to do it ourselves!

In verse 35 we have the answer to our dilemma.  The Holy Spirit will accomplish the will of the Father through us!   This is the Father’s plan.  It has been His plan all along!  The tension is removed.  It does not count on us, but on Him!

PRAYER:  Holy Spirit, find me a useful and willing vessel through whom you can accomplish the Father’s plan for me.  Flow through me.  Speak through me.  Write these SOAPs through me.  Love through me.  Amen

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

Note:  A team of God’s choice servants carried SOAPs into Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya the past two weeks to plant and expand the SOAP ministry.  From the three reports, they installed 21 computers and printers and trained 840 people to print and distribute SOAPs every day.  But best of all they reported 4,550 decisions for Jesus!   Please pray for these new believers to get established in churches and grow into loving servants of Jesus!  

Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 17, 2025: SOAP #5767: Ezekiel 42-44; Revelation 22

SCRIPTURE:  Revelation 22:17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.

OBSERVATION:  Here in the final verses of the book of Revelation, the final verses of the New Testament, the final verses of the Bible, we find the Holy Spirit.  The same One present in Genesis 1:2 is here in Revelation 22:17.

One of the first things we learned about God from Genesis was that His speaks!  One of the last things we see about God in the book of Revelation is that He speaks! 

In Genesis we saw The Speaker, speaking the world into existence.  Here we see The Speaker continuing to speak.  Through the Spirit and the bride (the church) an invitation from God is extended to join in the fulfillment of the purposes of creation.  God’s plan in creation is fulfilled in the acceptance of this invitation.     

APPLICATION:  In the past few months, teams of volunteers have taken SOAPs into countries of East Africa and into towns and villages of Sierra Leone.  Thousands of people were able to hear “COME” and have responded to make Jesus the Lord of their lives.    

Recently a team went out to visit the areas where people have responded to the gospel call.  They found that God is continuing to move and people are continuing to respond to His call. 

PRAYER:  Lord, I have heard and accepted your gracious invitation.  Use me to extend that call to others.  Amen

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

Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 16, 2025: SOAP #5766: Ezekiel 40-41; Psalm 128; Revelation 21

SCRIPTURE:  Revelation (NIV) 21:7 He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But the cowardly, then unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur.  This is the second death.

OBSERVATION:  The next to the last chapter in the Bible makes it clear: there are not three possible destinations for man, only two!    

APPLICATION:  I do not have three possible destinations for the end of my life.  There is not a good one, a bad one, and an in between one. 

One is to be avoided at all costs.  The other is greatly desired. 

Romans 3:23 says all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  I was headed for the fiery lake and was helpless to change my destination.  But God loved Leon so much that He sent his Son, Jesus, to make the only acceptable payment for my sins.  He now lives in me and as I live in His righteousness, I can enter the great city described in the chapter above.  God changed my destination! 

If you have acknowledged that you are a sinner and have asked Jesus to forgive your sins and live in your life as your LORD, He is now preparing a place for you in heaven, and we will meet there!  Join me in prayer…

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, we are amazed at how you love us!  Thank you for making the legal provision to cover our sins.  Thank you for taking your place as Lord in our lives.  Thank you for preparing a place for us in heaven.  Thank you for being our God and making us your children!   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!   
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