Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 03, 2026: SOAP #6116: Ezekiel 20-21; Psalm 111; Revelation 8

SCRIPTURE: Revelation (NIV) 8:3 Another angel, who had a golden censor, came, and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. 4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel’s hand.

OBSERVATION:  In Exodus (26:30) we read that Moses was told to build the tabernacle according to what he saw when he was in God’s presence on Mount Saini.  In Moses’ tabernacle we see the altar of incense the last piece of furniture before the ark.  It was the final stop where the priest would take the hot coals with incense to wave before the Lord as he approached the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat.  It was piece of furniture closest to the mercy seat. 

Here we see the altar of incense before God’s throne.  Incense is sweet smelling heated smoke.  It naturally rises.  Our prayers, like incense naturally rise to the throne of God. 

APPLICATION: The prayers we thought got no higher than the ceiling; the prayers we wondered if anyone heard, but we prayed anyway.  Those prayers mixed with incense help give heaven a beautiful fragrance. 

With all the hurtful things God sees on earth every day, surely it must be a healing balm to His heart to hear His people call out to Him. 

I believe our praise and worship add a beautiful fragrance to our prayers.  When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He started with “hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done.”  Praise and worship came before requesting our daily needs.  (Luke 11:2-4)

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, may my prayers rise as a beautiful fragrance to your throne.  Amen. 

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
July 25, 2026: SOAP #6078: Isaiah 43-45; 1Peter 4

SCRIPTURE:  1Peter (NIV) 4:7 The end of all things is near. Therefore, be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.

OBSERVATION:  Here in the New International Version, and in 5 other translations (NAS, NLT, NRSV, RSV, and WEY) we see clear-mindedness and self-control affecting our prayers.  It is probably not something we think about too often, but maybe we should consider how God hears our prayers. 

We complain about visiting with people who ramble and seem to endlessly repeat themselves.  We would rather visit someone who does not always cover the same material, with most of it coming from the past.  Could it be that God feels the same way about our prayers?  Think about it!   

APPLICATION: I wonder if God does not listen to my prayers and say something like, “It would be good for Leon to stop rambling.”  “If Leon would cut out all the repetition and just think about what he is saying I might be able to identify a prayer I can answer.” 

Or He might say, “I am going to answer that prayer, but Leon will not recognize the answer because he did not put much thought into the request. He will not recognize the answer when it hits him in the face.”  (Sometimes it is good for me to write out my prayer because it forces me to write in legible and understandable sentences.)

OF course, feelings (joy, sorrow, excitement, desperation, love, appreciation, etc.) are a part of praying and many times feelings are expressed in how we pray and not just the words we pray.  After all, we are talking to our Heavenly Father! 

PRAYER:  Lord, remind me to be clear-minded and self-controlled in my prayers.  May you be blessed hearing me pray!  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
July 20, 2026: SOAP #6073: 2Kings 18-19; 2Chronicles 32; James 5

SCRIPTURE:  2Kings 18: ⁵ Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. ⁶ He held fast to the LORD and did not stop following him; he kept the commands the LORD had given Moses. ⁷ And the LORD was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook.

OBSERVATION:  In reading the passage above, I would like to be like Hezekiah, “successful in whatever” I do.  But taking a step back in verse seven, I find the reason for his success; “the LORD was with him.”   

In taking a second step back I discover the reason the Lord was with Hezekiah:  Hezekiah “held fast” (verse 6) to the Lord, keeping His commandments.  And going back to verse 5 we read that “Hezekiah trusted in the Lord.”  

No wonder God wanted to be with Hezekiah and made him successful and if I want Him to help me be successful, that is where I must start too.

APPLICATION: Of course I want the Lord to help me.  But even more, I want the Lord to want to help me.  I do not want to “twist His arm” to get Him to help me.  I do not like people to plead and beg me for help.  I am thinking that God might not enjoy that either.  It is so much better when He helps me because He wants to help me!  When God sees that Leon is joyfully doing what pleases Him and He thinks to Himself, “What can I do to bless and encourage Leon?  I want to make Leon successful!”

I want to live my life in such a way that God wants to help me succeed.  And since He has taken up residency in my life, I especially want the inside of my life (my heart, desires, attitudes, and thoughts) to be a pleasing place for Him to live.    

PRAYER:  Lord, let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight, Oh Lord and my strength and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:14) Amen. 

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
July 10, 2026: SOAP #6063: Micah 5-7; Hebrews 7

SCRIPTURE:  Hebrews (NIV) 7:25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

OBSERVATION:  Jesus saves us completely! 

There is no one I would rather have as my intercessor!  There is no one who knows me better than Jesus!  There is no one who has done more for me than Jesus!  I have confidence that He will represent me perfectly!

There is no one I would rather have as my intercessor!  There is no one who knows the Father better than Jesus.  There is no one who has done more for the Father than Jesus.  At the Father’s direction, Jesus came to be born as a created man and die to bring the Father a large family of sons in the image of Jesus!  If there is anyone to whom the Father will listen, it is Jesus!

APPLICATION: I can come in confidence to the Father through my intercessor.  I am “completely” saved!  No sin that is brought to Jesus has more negative value than the positive value of His death on the cross.

I can come to the Father through my intercessor at any time; He “always lives.”  He is alive at this very moment! 

PRAYER:   Lord, I cannot even begin to know how blest I am to have you as my representative in the courts of heaven…to have you as my intercessor!  You know me perfectly.  And you know the Father perfectly.  May my life bring you much joy.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 11, 2026: SOAP #6034: Song of Solomon 5-8; Philippians 1

SCRIPTURE:  Philippians (NIV) 1:18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.

OBSERVATION:  Paul has confidence, knowing that what he is enduring will end up for good.  It is not an exercise in futility.  He realizes that the good will come as the result of two causes.  The first is in answer to their prayers.  The second is through the help of the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit’s work is in coordination with the prayers of the saints. Paul often speaks appreciatively of the prayers of his readers.  He understands that they work for his benefit.  In this verse, those prayers are coupled with the Spirit’s working.  Paul has confident that things will work out well.

The sovereign God could work totally on His own, yet he holds back and waits for our prayers.  It is his way of preparing us to rule and reign with him. 

APPLICATION:  John Wesley said, “God does nothing except in response to believing prayer.” My part is to pray in faith according to the Father’s will.  His part is to answer those prayers that are in keeping with his will and prayed in faith.   

NOTE:  The past week I have been to the emergency room several times and had several doctor’s appointments.  Earlier today it was considered that I may need to be admitted to the hospital.  But in answer to many prayers, the doctor thought to take another blood test which showed that the problem was not serious enough to be hospitalized!  Praise the Lord!  I still have a specialized test Friday and another appointment in a couple of weeks.  A special thanks to all who have been praying for me. 

PRAYER:  Holy Spirit, reveal to me the heart of Father God so that my prayers may serve to further his Kingdom.  Teach me to walk and pray in faith with full confidence that the answer is on the way.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
June 03, 2026: SOAP #6026: Proverbs 25-27: Romans 15

SCRIPTURE:  Romans (NIV) 8:24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.

OBSERVATION: We have not yet seen what is in store for us, but we have a wonderful expectation that it will be great!  We do not yet possess the fullness of what is ahead, but we live in hope.  We live in expectation that it is well worth the wait.

And since we are convinced that it is well worth waiting for, we wait with patience.  We can be patience because it is in God’s timing and we can rejoice in the glory He receives as we are waiting. Selfishly we want His return to spare ourselves discomfort.  Lovingly we wait patiently so that His return comes only after He has received as much glory as possible from this present age!

We only see what is visible.  We do not see what is behind the trouble unless the Holy Spirit reveals it to us.  We need the Spirit to help us pray! The Holy Spirit uses our bodies, tongues, vocal abilities and powers to pray for us.  We become the instrument the Holy Spirit uses in prayer.  In this way, He prays for us, but not without us!  PTL!  He prays through us.

APPLICATION:  The mind of the Spirit and the mind of the Father are in perfect agreement.  As we are the channel through which the Spirit prays, we are joining in that agreement. It may be concerning God’s desire and plan for our lives or it may be concerning some issue for which God has us praying.  Although we may not understand (for the previous verse indicates a level of praying beyond human understanding) we can be assured that we are praying in accordance with God’s will. We are in agreement!  We are party in prayer to that which God is desiring!  What a privilege is ours!

PRAYER:  Holy Spirit, pray through me!  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 01, 2026:  SOAP #5963:   Judges 11-12; Psalm 50; 2Corinthians 1

SCRIPTURE:  Psalm (NIV) 50:14 Sacrifice thank-offerings to God, fulfil your vows to the Most High, 15 and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”
2Corinthians (NIV) !:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

OBSERVATION: Thank offerings express appreciation for what God has done in the past.  Prayer for help expresses confidence that He is able and faith that He will help!  He likes that!  He likes to be believed.  He likes to be needed.  He likes to show that He uses His power and ability on behalf of the weak and helpless. 

We must remember that after God has “comforted” us by providing what we need, we are to “comfort” others with what we have “receive from God.”  But until God has met our need, we should not beg others to give us what God has given them.  We are to take our needs to HIM and trust HIM to speak to others about “comforting” us.  We are to trust HIS promises! 

APPLICATION: My weaknesses do not bother God.  He is not staying awake all night worrying over my weaknesses.  He is not wringing His hands in concern over my inabilities.  God has more than enough strength, and more than enough ability to make up for my lack. God has unnumberable ways to meet my needs!!!  I can ask others to pray, but I should not depend on others to provide what God has promised. If God uses them, I can rejoice, but their motivation is God and not my need!     

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, you like it when I depend on you.  My weakness provides you the opportunity to demonstrate your strength.  You express your love by doing what I cannot do for myself!  You forgave my sins!  I thank you.  I honor you. Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
February 23, 2026:  SOAP #5926:   Numbers 12-13; Psalm 90; Mark 2

SCRIPTURE:  Mark (NIV) 2:16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the “sinners” and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” 17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

OBSERVATION:   The Pharisees prided themselves on keeping the law.  They talked the part and they dressed the part.  It would not be difficult to recognize them on the streets of Jerusalem. 

The people with whom Jesus was eating were just “tax collectors and sinners.”  Religious people need not waste their time.  Oh…, but to Jesus…, they were so much more!  He would die for these people.  They were important to him!   They were valuable.  Jesus was living out His mission.       

APPLICATION:   I need to be careful not to treat some groups of people like “tax collectors and sinners.”  There are people who dress differently than I dress.  Even their women cover themselves from head to foot, usually in black clothing.  They gather on Friday for their worship.  There are small groups of them that have terroristic tendencies.  When I think of this group of people, I seldom think of them as being someone God would use me to reach. 

YET, God is His grace and mercy has used the SOAPs and people printing and distributing the SOAPs to reach thousands of Muslims!  

PRAYER:   Lord, I am humbled and stand amazed at how you have used the SOAPs along with healings and miracles to reveal yourself to many Muslims.  I look forward to standing before the throne in heaven with these new brothers and sisters.  We are all trophies of your grace and mercy.  Oh, how you love Muslims!  Oh, how you love the people for whom you died!  Amen 

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
January 11, 2026:  SOAP #5883   Genesis 27-28; Psalm 4; Luke 11

SCRIPTURE:  Psalm (NIV) 4:8 I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

OBSERVATION:   One day in 1969, while serving with the US Marine Corps in Viet Nam I heard the Lord speak this scripture to me.  Up to that time, like the Marines sleeping around me,  I slept with my boots on.  There would be no time to put on boots if the enemy attacked. But the Lord’s word was specific to me, so from that day on I took off my boots to sleep. We never had any trouble from the enemy at night, not at our home base nor camped on the mountain side.  I would take off my damp socks that I had been wearing that day and put them down my pant legs to be dried by my body heat.  I would then put on dry socks and set my boot close by to let them air out while I slept.  My feet and toes were also able to air out during the night.  And I slept in peace, for the LORD made me dwell in safety!

APPLICATION:  What was once foolish made perfect sense when I heard God’s promise.  Only God knows if He ever needed to confuse the enemy or direct them away from our camp because one of His children was sleeping with his boots off.  Only God knows if my simple act of faith had impact on the enemy, but it had an impact on my life.  My God was trustworthy and I could sleep!  

It has been 57 years; God is still trustworthy, and I can still trust Him.  In a few weeks, others will be making decisions that may affect my circumstances but cannot affect my God!  So, I have very little trouble sleeping.  As long as I trust and obey, I have confidence in His love, His wisdom and provision! 

PRAYER:  Lord, thank you for personally speaking to me and teaching me that I can trust you!  My faith is still expressed in small actions that I can do to honor You.  Hear my prayers for the SOAP readers whose worried and troubled minds keep them awake at night.  “You, alone, Oh Lord, make me dwell in safety.”  Amen

Pastor Leon
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