Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
August 12, 2026: SOAP #6096: Jeremiah 10-12; John 14

SCRIPTURE:  John (NIV) 12:26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be.  My Father will honor the one who serves me. 
John (NIV) 14:30  I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming.  He has no hold over me, 31 but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me. 

OBSERVATION:   In the first verse (John 12:26) the love the Father has for His Son is seen in that He honors those who serve His special Son. 

In the second verse (John 14:30-31) the love Jesus had for His Father would be easily seen by those around Him.   The intensity of the suffering he would endure was proof of His love for His Father and His willingness to do as commanded in spite of personal suffering.  Oh, how Jesus loves His Father!   

APPLICATION:   I always walk in the love my Heavenly Father has for me.  And the love I have in my heart for my Savior can be easily seen by others when they see me doing what He directs even when it takes me through tough times.   

Note: Children are blessed when they are caught in the middle of two great loves.  When their father has a committed love for their mother, and their mother has a committed love for their father.  A child will grow and flourish in such a loving environment. 

PRAYER:  Lord, it is special when I get a glimpse of the love you have for your Father and the love He has for you. I am blest to find myself right in the middle!  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
August11, 2026: SOAP #6095: Jeremiah 7-9; John 13

SCRIPTURE:  John (NIV) 13:1 …Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father.  … 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 

OBSERVATION:  Jesus knew that the culmination of His time was just before Him.  He knew He had come from God and was soon to return to His place in the heavens—so what did He do?   Did he force His authority on them?  Did He take charge and give orders?  Did He impress them by making sure they understood just who He was? 

SCRIPTURE: John (NIV) 13:4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.  5 After that he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 

OBSERVATION:  He knew who He was, yet He took the position and responsibility of a servant. 

APPLICATION: When I know who I am, I become a better servant.  There is no need for me to impress others with my importance. 

The One who lives within me came to serve.  Knowing that the Creator God lives by His Spirit within me, should not make me arrogant, or demanding, or pushy.   The authority I have in His name is given to me for the purpose of making me a better servant.   

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, I want to please you by being like Your Son, Jesus.  Holy Spirit, help me to serve others like Jesus did.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
August10, 2026: SOAP #6094: Jeremiah 5-6; John 12

SCRIPTURE:  John (NIV) 12: [Jesus speaking] 49 “I did not speak on my own.  The Father who sent me commanded me what to say.  He also told me how to say it. 
50 I know that his command leads to eternal life.  So, everything I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”         

OBSERVATION:  Jesus was sent into the world to represent the Father.  In these verses we see that Jesus was not only careful about at WHAT said, but also about HOW he said it.  I have been taught that there are three parts to communication.  First, there are the words we say.  Second is our tone of voice.  And third is our body language.  Tone of voice and body language actually communicate more of a message than the words we use. 

When someone in an argument is accused of saying something they often respond, “…but I said…” and they repeat it word for word.  In my mind I say, “you should to listen to what the other person said they heard.”  In listening to your tone of voice and in watching your face and hands, they got a message.  It may not be the message you wanted to send, but they got it. 

APPLICATION: Like Jesus, I need to communicate the Father’s message carefully.  I must understand what he wants me to say, and then say it in a way that communicates his message clearly.   I want my tone of voice and actions to communicate the same message as my words.      

PRAYER:  Holy Spirit, I need you to help me to fully communicate the love God has for those nearby and the holiness he desires.  Knowing that the message given me has the potential of leading to eternal life, use my whole being to communicate.  May my words, my tone of voice, and my actions all communicate the same message.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
August 09, 2026: SOAP #6093: Jeremiah 3-4; John 11

SCRIPTURE:  John 11:4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”…
17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.

OBSERVATION:  It is good for us to quickly understand that Jesus’ love for us does not always mean that he will do what we want when we want it.  His actions may seem to us that he has ignored our request or not taken it very seriously.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  He loves us!  Even in this passage that fact is repeated in verse five. These were people that Jesus loved!  They were important to him!

I wonder if at least one of the disciples had the thought, “Jesus, you sure missed it this time.  You said this sickness would not end in death.”  For those of us who now know the rest of the story we see that the end result was not death but death was one step in the pathway that led to “God’s glory.”

For the Christian, nothing ends in death!!!

APPLICATION: I can trust the Lord.  I may not understand why He does some things or the way He does them, but I can trust Him.  Everything I know about Him tells me I can trust Him.  I can trust his love for me! 

Even my physical death will be but one step that into God’s presence! 

PRAYER:  Lord, when you do not do what I want, or do it when I want it, I still know I can trust you.  Your love for me never changes.  Amen. 

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
August 06, 2026: SOAP #6090: Habakkuk 1-3; John 8

SCRIPTURE: John (NIV) 8:2 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.”

OBSERVATION: In this passage we see that Jesus carefully did what the Father directed; He was sent by the Father. He was here to do the Father’s will.

Note that the One who sent Him, was also with Him. According to His own words, “He was not left alone.” The Heavenly Father was with Jesus.

Jesus was aware of the presence of the Omnipresent God. Even as he laid aside His deity to live as a man on earth, he had fellowship with His Father. He often spoke to and with Him. His awareness of the presence of His Heavenly Father can be seen in many places.

APPLICATION: As Jesus did not live His life on His own, so He has designed that I do not live my life on my own. He has promised to never leave me or forsake me. He has sent His Holy Spirit to empower me to minister to others in His name. I am not here on my own. Jesus and the Father have made me their dwelling! (John 14:23) My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit!

Jesus did not drop me off, leave me on my own, promise to check up on me from time to time, and finally promise to return later to take me where He lives. He placed me here; He remains with me; He does His work through me.

PRAYER: Jesus, it is you and me—we are in this together! My desire—to always do what pleases you! Amen

Pastor Leon
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
August 04, 2026: SOAP #6088: 2Kings 22; 2Chronicles 34; John 6

SCRIPTURE:  John (NIV) 6:63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.

OBSERVATION:  There are many recent testimonies from West Africa about the healing power of God flowing through these SOAP devotionals.  About a month ago there was a cripple young man who stayed in his room for several days reading the SOAP.  One night he began shouting, “I can walk!”  It was a miracle that opened a whole city to the gospel! (He was not even yet a believer!) 

Yesterday I read about a man who took a SOAP home and read it to his blind mother.  She took it and kept it under her pillow for three days.  Then after 15 years of blindness, she woke up seeing!  

There was no medicine, no doctors, no preachers, no apostles, no evangelists…only words printed on a sheet of paper—the Words of God!  (She was not even yet a believer!) 

APPLICATION:  It is a powerful thing when the Living Word (Jesus) has the opportunity to apply the Written Word (the Bible).  Miracles and healings can happen when the Living Word applies the Written Word!  

Be faithful to take in God’s Word, either through reading or being in a place to listen. 

PRAYER:  Holy Spirit, awaken my heart to what you are saying to me through the scriptures.  Surely there be many opportunities to apply the Word of God in my life.  Help me apply the Word of God to my daily life.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!   
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Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
August 03, 2026: SOAP #6087: Nahum 1-3; John 5

SCRIPTURE:  John (NIV) 5:39 You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

OBSERVATION:  Jesus was speaking to the Jewish Religious leaders who took great pride in knowing and studying the writings of Moses and the Prophets.  They were considered experts in the law.  They could quote it; they could use it to condemn others; but they could not see that its purpose was to lead them to Jesus, the Promised Messiah!

The ones who best knew the Written Word missed the Living Word to whom the scriptures pointed!  We need the ministry of the Holy Spirit to draw us to Jesus!  He reveals truth about Jesus to our hearts.   

APPLICATION: The two men on the road to Emmaus had a personal eye-opening conference with the post-resurrection Jesus who revealed how that he had just fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies.  (Luke 24:13-27)

We all need the Holy Spirit to give us such a conference as we read God’s Word and hear God’s Word preached.  He convicts us of sin and convinces us that Jesus died for our sin.  He takes the truth of Jesus and applies it to our hearts. 

PRAYER:  Jesus, it is not how well I know the scriptures that matters, it is how well I know you!  You are the reason to study the scriptures, either by reading or hearing!  Thank you for the healings and miracles.  They show your power to change our lives.  They demonstrate your love for people.  They show us that you are present with us.  Holy Spirit, open my understanding as I read and hear the Scriptures read.  Reveal to me the Living Word as I become more acquainted with the written Word.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!   
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