Tag Archives: resurrection

HE accepted me!

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
October 11, 2025: SOAP #5791: Nehemiah 5-6; Psalm 146; Luke 24

SCRIPTURE:  Luke (NIV) 24:1 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’”

OBSERVATION:  Jesus was risen!  He said he would rise again, and HE DID!  (Note: Matthew 16:21; 17:23; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22; John 2:22)   He had kept His word!!! 

APPLICATION:  As much as these verses bless me, I am even more blest by the thought that HE IS STILL RISEN!  As the song says, “I serve a RISEN Savior, He’s in the world today!  I know that He is living, whatever men may say!” (Alfred Ackley) 

I serve a RISEN SAVIOR who is with me!  He will be with me when I am at death’s door, and He will take me through to life eternal in heaven, in the presence of His Father to live with Him forever!  

PRAYER:   Lord, How my heart rejoices to know that your are my LIVING Savior!  You are not a god made of wood or stone that sets on a shelf in my home.  But you are the LIVING GOD who dwells in my heart and shares my life with me.  Making you the LORD of my life was the smartest thing I ever did!  Thank you for accepting me!  Amen

Pastor Leon
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For my sake

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
August 09, 2025: SOAP #5728: Jeremiah 3-4; John 11

SCRIPTURE:  John (NIV) 11:11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” 12 His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” 13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. 14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

OBSERVATION:  Jesus was glad that Lazarus was dead!  Yet only 20 verses later (verse 35) we read that Jesus wept.  And the Jews who witnessed His grief commented on His love for Lazarus.   

What was it that something so painful for Jesus would make Him glad?   Jesus said, “…for your sake I am glad.”  The disciples were about to learn that life does not stop at the grave, and neither should their faith!  

The disciples need to see the bigger picture!  He had told them that He Himself would be killed but on the third day He would be raised back to life.  (Matthew 16:21, Mark 8:31, 9:31, Luke 9:22)  I wonder if they considered Lazarus during the dark days that Jesus was in the grave. 

APPLICATIOAN:  Tuesday Sharon and I will head to Hawaii to a funeral of a dear friend, Pastor Sualua Tauala.  But I go knowing I will see him again as surely as Mary and Martha saw their brother again.  The disciples would see that in Jesus they had a faith that reaches beyond the grave!   

I wonder how many times Jesus has said, “Leon is going through a tough time, and for his sake, I am glad.  He will need this lesson for later.” 

PRAYER:   Lord, I am learning to trust you in the hard times.  I know you see the big picture.  My faith reaches past the grave.  My faith will carry me through death into Your throne room.  What a day–glorious day that will be!   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!   
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Jesus!

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
May 20, 2025: SOAP #5647: 1Kings 6; 2Chronicles 3; Psalm 97; Romans 1

SCRIPTURE:  Romans (NIV) 1:1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God, by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.

OBSERVATION:   Through the prophecies in the Old Testament we are assured that Jesus, as a descendent of David, is fully human.  It was the resurrection that “declared with power” that Jesus is the Son of God.    His death proved His humanness.  His resurrection proved His divinity.   His death showed Him to be the Son of man.  His resurrection showed Him to be the Son of God. 

Actions speak louder than words.  There are no words of Jesus that are more powerful than His resurrection.  No one was at the garden grave calling Jesus to come out of the tomb.  No one was speaking to His dead body to come back to life.  The only ones at the tomb were ones making sure no one would steal His dead body.  By His power as God the Son He rose from the grave!  He had laid down His life and He picked it up again.  What a powerful declaration!!!

APPLICATION:   Jesus, the Son of God, has already been and returned from where I am headed—the grave.  He is with me now and from this moment on!  

PRAYER:   Jesus, how powerfully you have spoken.  The truth of who you are fills my heart and life.  Your presence in my life assures me that I have nothing to fear! Amen

Pastor Leon
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Service or Relationship?

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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
May 10, 2025: SOAP #5637:  2Samuel 18; Psalm 56; Matthew 27

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew (NIV) 27:63 “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64 So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” 65 “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.

OBSERVATION:   They put a seal on the tomb of Jesus and posted a guard to make sure no one could get into the tomb and steal the body.  It was the best they knew how to do.  They could stop man from breaking in, but they could not stop Jesus from breaking out!!! 

APPLICATION:   I may find myself limited by what man does, but if I am working and walking with Jesus…He is never limited!  He cannot be limited!  It is important for me to work WITH Him, not just FOR Him. 

Sometimes I come up with a good idea of something I can do for God.  Just because it is something I think would please Him, I need to check with Him.  I have found He does not always help me to what I want to do FOR Him.  But He always helps me do what I do WITH Him.  He wants my relationship more than my service! 

Note:  If you know that God has given you a special ministry, then count on His presence to be with you.  Be faithful to use what you have for the Lord but realize that He is the One who does what you cannot do.  Count on Him for your provision.  Remember, He wants your relationship even more than your service.  Cast your cares upon Him, not on someone on the internet.  Ask Him for some promises in His word that will cause your faith to grow. 

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, you sent your Son, Jesus, to die in my place for my sins.  You love me and want us to have a loving relationship.  As I grow in my relationship to you, you give me assignments where you teach me to rely upon you, your presence and your promises.  I am blessed as I grow in you!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!   
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