Today's SOAP from Pastor Leon

04/27/2026

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 28, 2026: SOAP #5990: 2Samuel 3; 1Chronicles 12; Matthew 15
Keeping A Clean Heart!

SCRIPTURE: Matthew (NIV) 15:17 [Jesus speaking] "Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean’. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20 These are what make a man ‘unclean’; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him ‘unclean’."

OBSERVATION: Uncleanness is a heart matter. Unclean thoughts may enter through the eye gate or the ear gate, but it is in the heart that they are accepted and reviewed, and reviewed again, and reviewed again until a plan of action is worked out in the mind. Maybe the plan never gets put into action, but the issue can remain in the heart.

Forgiveness is the detergent for cleaning the heart of past sins: asking God to forgive me and me forgiving others. The presence of the Holy Spirit gives us strength to resist present temptations.

APPLICATION: I must rule my private life if I am ever to rule my public life. From time to time, those around me may get a glimpse of what is inside my heart, but God always sees my heart. Living in an immoral world, I must continually guard my heart. I may not be able to keep evil from entering my eye or ear gates, but with the presence of the Lord in my life and His help, and by thinking on the good things God has brought to me, I can stop evil from getting settled in my heart.

PRAYER: Lord, when I received you as my Lord, you forgave my past sins. Now, I want my heart to be always full of you. May your will be done in my heart as it is in heaven. Amen.

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

Scripture - Observation - Application - Prayer

04/27/2026

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 27, 2026: SOAP #5989: 2Samuel 2; 1Chronicles 11; Psalm 142; Matthew 14
HE is our sufficiency!

SCRIPTURE: Matthew 14:15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so that they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food." 16 Jesus replied, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat." 17 "We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish," they answered. 18 "Bring them here to me," he said. … 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

OBSERVATION: Jesus told them to feed the hungry crowd. They responded, "We have only...." --they did not reckon on the presence of Jesus!!!

They had enough to feed 5000 men plus the women and children. Wow! They even had more than enough! They had twelve basketsful of leftovers! WOW!! The miracle could have been done with much less! One loaf, and one fish, would have been more than sufficient!

Their attention had been on what they had in their hands (which was clearly insufficient), rather than on who was among them (Who was completely sufficient)!

APPLICATION: To limit my potential to what I have in my possession is foolish. His resources are far greater than what I have and far greater than what I need. Through Him I can do whatever God tells me to do.

I do not have enough education… I do not have enough money… We do not have enough SOAPs… God can use what we have and multiply it to meet the need. We have God; and we can always depend on Him! He is sufficient!

PRAYER: Holy Spirit, keep reminding us that we are enabled to do what we are told to do. Our obedience assures us of Your provision. Amen

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

Scripture - Observation - Application - Prayer

04/26/2026

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 26, 2026: SOAP #5988: 2Samuel 1; Psalm 140; Matthew 13
Soften My Heart

SCRIPTURE: Matthew (NIV) 13:13 This is why I speak to them in parables: "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: "‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 15 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ 16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.

OBSERVATION: Here we have the bottom line. This is why people are in such a predicament. Their hearts are hard! Hearing comes through the ears, but the message is understood in the heart. Seeing comes through the eyes, but the understanding of what is seen is in the heart. Our five senses keep us in touch with the world around us, but our heart must be sensitive to the Lord in order to process that information and make application to life.

APPLICATION: Truth sometimes hits us like a big surprise. We are forced to acknowledge something that we previously resisted. We are forced to acknowledge that we were wrong. The Holy Spirit often moves around our preconceived notions about Jesus and forces us to acknowledge that Jesus really is Who He says He is and can really do what He said He could do. He really can forgive my sins.

We did not want to acknowledge what we could see and hear, but the Holy Spirit works around our eyes and ears and speaks directly to our heart. He often uses miracles to bypass our understanding and forces us to deal with truth. Jesus is the TRUTH!

PRAYER: Holy Spirit, we surrender our prejudices and fears and preconceived ideas to you. We ask you to work with us to make our hearts soft and able to hear and understand what you are saying to us. May Jesus be exalted as Lord in our lives, for it is in His Name we pray, Amen

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

Scripture - Observation - Application - Prayer

04/25/2026

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 24, 2026: SOAP #5986: 1Samuel 30,31; 1Chronicles 10; Matthew 12
Our Ever-present Help

SCRIPTURE: 1Samuel 30:3 When David and his men came to Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. 4 So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. 5 David’s two wives had been captured—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel.
6 David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.

OBSERVATION: David and his warriors had returned to their homes to find they had been raided by an enemy and their families had been carried off. Everything was going wrong for David, even his men were turning against him.

BUT David had a source to Whom he could turn for solace, support and strength. It is an eternal and never-failing source. It avails today as it did then for all who seek its comfort. God is our refuge, an ever-present help in time of trouble! (Psalm 46:1)

APPLICATION: Today I have the same source for strength as David did in his day. God is my refuge and my ever-present help in time of trouble!

Here is a report, in my words, from Guinea-Conakry from 5 days ago: Pastor Elijah and his SOAP ministry team went into a anti-Christian area and started preaching the gospel. They were surrounded and being rushed by about 200 people holding sticks and stones to harm them. Then Pastor Elijah, as loud as he could, started shouting “Jesus” and the SOAP team members joined him. About 1000 people joined the attackers, but the power of God settled on them and they all fell to the ground! So, the team started ministering to them and it resulted in over 1500 giving their lives to Jesus!

PRAYER: Lord, even today, you prove yourself to be our strength and ever-present help. Amen

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

Scripture - Observation - Application - Prayer

04/24/2026

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 24, 2026: SOAP #5986: 1Samuel 28,29; Psalm 109; Matthew 11
Yoked with HIM, what a pleasure!

SCRIPTURE: Matthew (NIV) 11:29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

OBSERVATION: We may like to think of God being yoked to us. To accomplish our goal, we want the benefit of His power and provision. But that is not what these verses teach. He is not taking MY yoke, but I am taking HIS yoke.

In HIS yoke, I learn His ways and priorities. In HIS yoke, I can rest; the pressure is on Him. He is the Strong One in the yoke who pulls the load.

APPLICATION: Several years ago, as I was preparing to go to the hospital for some surgery on my heart, the Lord surprised me by telling me He would not be going with me to the hospital; after my initial shock, He told me I would be going with Him. He was teaching me the truth of the above verses.

When I am desperately trying to accomplish my goal, when I am passionately trying to get others to help me, I need to make sure I am in HIS yoke and I am working together to accomplish HIS goal.

The Lord is reminding me that the SOAP ministry is HIS ministry! We are in the yoke with HIM. We do not want to get ahead of HIM or lag behind HIM. It is then we start feeling like we are pulling the whole load. Staying in step with HIM Is the best way to accomplish the task.

PRAYER: Lord, when yoked to you, the load is easy for me; the burden is light for me. Instead of frantically trying to make things work, I can rest in your yoke. It does not depend on me! Amen

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

Scripture - Observation - Application - Prayer

04/23/2026

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 23, 2026: SOAP #5985: 1Samuel 27; 1Chronicles 9; Psalm 141; Matthew 10
He takes it personally!

SCRIPTURE: Matthew (NIV) 10:40 "He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me.

OBSERVATION: How people receive me is of great concern to Jesus. He dwells in me; He is personally involved in what happens to me. I am more than representing Him, our lives are intertwined. Of course, it should affect how I live my life, how I talk and act. I must conduct my life in a way that honors Him.

Our lives being so intertwined, people honoring or mistreating me are doing it to Jesus! And the truth progresses on because the life of Jesus is even more intertwined with our Heavenly Father. They are doing it to the Father.

APPLICATION: As an enlisted man in the US Navy, I was privileged to serve on a Commodore’s staff. When I visited a ship to conduct a medical inspection, the Captain gave me more respect than my rank deserved because when he saw me, he saw the Commodore. The Captain knew that he would be answering to the Commodore for my report.

I was just a lowly enlisted man dealing with earthly Captains and an earthly Commodore. But as a born-again believers, we are walking under the Lordship of Jesus Christ! We can expect God to deal with issues of how we are received.

For those teams going this week into the Muslim areas of Guinea, or individuals going to work every day, we are representing the Creator of the earth, and what is more, He is with us; He has made us His dwelling place!

PRAYER: Holy Spirit, teach me to walk solely in the authority given me. Inspire me to use that authority to change my family and my world. Keep reminding me that you are not only sending me, you are going with me; and how I am received is how you are received! Amen

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

Scripture - Observation - Application - Prayer

04/22/2026

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 22, 2026: SOAP #5984: 1Samuel 25,26; Psalm 63; Matthew 9
Seeable faith!

SCRIPTURE: Matthew (NIV) 9:2 Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven."

OBSERVATION: The faith of those bringing this crippled man to Jesus was visible. Jesus saw their faith. Their faith was visible because they had put their faith in action. Their faith was that Jesus could heal this man. So, they did a very logical thing; they picked him up and took him to Jesus.

They did not say, “It is too bad that our friend cannot get to Jesus,” NO, they said, “Let’s us take him to Jesus!”

Last week a hospitalized gentleman in Sierra Leone wanted to go and be baptized, but the doctor would not release him to go. So the man had his son hire a motorbike to take him. The SOAP workers encouraged him to return to the hospital, he was so sick. But Apostle Alex said that since he is here lets go ahead and baptize him. When he came up out of the water, he was healed! His faith was evident. Everyone could see his faith. But most important, God saw his faith!

APPLICATION: When I am praying for someone else, I need to be open to doing something that demonstrates my faith. I need to make my faith visible.

PRAYER: Lord, may my faith be visible! I want you and those around me to be able to SEE my faith. Amen.

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

Scripture - Observation - Application - Prayer

04/20/2026

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 21, 2026: SOAP #5983: 1Samuel 24; 1Chronicles 8; Psalm 57, 58; Matthew 8
Blest to be a blessing!

SCRIPTURE: Matthew (NIV) 8:14 When Jesus came into Peter’s house, he saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever.
15 He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him.

OBSERVATION: Jesus healing Peter’s mother-in-law provided two things. First, it provided relief from suffering. The fever and all that accompanied it was gone. Second, it provided opportunity to serve Jesus. She was enabled to use her gifts to serve.

She did not just sit back and enjoy the fact that she had been blest; she made herself a blessing!

APPLICATION: God has blest me in many ways. It is good to enjoy His blessings. I believe He enjoys that I enjoy His blessings. But He receives even more joy when I take those blessings and use them to bless others. I can tell others what God has done for me to encourage them to believe God for what He will do for them. And, I can share my blessings with others; I can give part of what I have been given.

The blessings/gifts I receive from THE GREAT GIVER, enables me to bless/give to others.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, You are a giver and your blessings enable me to be a giver like you. Show me how to bless others with the blessings you have given me. Amen

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

Scripture - Observation - Application - Prayer

04/20/2026

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 20, 2026: SOAP #5982: 1Samuel 23; Psalm 31,54; Matthew 7
What starts in the heart does not stay in the heart!

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 which I receive 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. Amen

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

Scripture - Observation - Application - Prayer

04/19/2026

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 19, 2026: SOAP #5981: 1Samuel 22; Psalm 17,35; Matthew 6
What motivates my giving?

SCRIPTURE: Matthew (NIV) 6:1 "Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven… 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

OBSERVATION: Acts of righteousness are good and kind things which are expected of a person claiming to be a Christian. They are done to please God and/or serve others. When they are done so people will notice, their thank you and compliments will be the only payment one should expect. When they are done quietly and go unnoticed by others, the Heavenly Father takes responsibility for the reward. And He is the GREAT Rewarder!

APPLICATION: When everyone sees me do something kind for another person, or ministry, two things happen: 1, the need of the other is met. And 2, they appreciate me and make me look good.

But when no one knows that I have done something kind for another person, or ministry, three things happen: 1. the need of the other is met. 2, not knowing who to thank, they give thanks and glory to God and make Him look good. And 3, my reward comes from God!

When a church offers a gift for an offering, and a greater gift for a larger offering, they are robbing the givers of rewards from our Heavenly Father. Those “giving” are just settling for a cheap earthly gift when they could have had an eternal blessing from their Heavenly Father!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, you look beyond our gifts; you are always looking at our hearts. May our gifts be expressions of your love. May our “acts of righteousness” give many people reason to appreciate you and give you praise. Amen

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

Scripture - Observation - Application - Prayer

04/18/2026

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 18, 2026: SOAP #5980: 1Samuel 20-21; Psalm 34; Matthew 5
Living the Impossible Life!

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? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

OBSERVATION: The love God wants for His people is not a reaction love, but an acting love. It is not love in return for a favor. It is love that is given when nothing has been received deserving love. It is a love given even when the opposite is expected. And it is given without a promise of returned love.

APPLICATION: Simply put, it is the love that God has extended to me! My love is to be a response to His love for me.

One might say, “It is impossible to love like that. It is not natural.” And they would be right. It is impossible for fallen, sinful man to live up to God’s holy standards. If man was to love like that, God would need to live in him and love through him! And that is the beauty of the Christian life! God lives His life in me and through me!!! I am living the impossible life because God is living His life in and through me!

PRAYER: Lord, because of your death on the cross in payment for sin, forgive me and cleanse me from all sin. Come and live in me. Come live and love through me. Teach me your ways. May my life bring you joy today. Amen.

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

Scripture - Observation - Application - Prayer

04/17/2026

Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
April 17, 2026: SOAP #5979: 1Samuel 19; 1Chronicles 7; Psalm 59; Matthew 4
HE is still at work in this world!

SCRIPTURE: Matthew (NIV) 4:23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them. 25 Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.

OBSERVATION: Healing was always a major part of Jesus’ ministry. It still is! Last week (April 8,2026)in Sierra Leone a man (Mohammed Ishaka)scheduled to be baptized was quite sick in the hospital. The doctor said he was too sick and would not release him to go to the baptism. He was too sick to walk. After the doctor left the man had his son call a moped cycle to take him. The SOAP people saw that he was too sick to be baptized, but Apostle Alex said that since he was there they should go ahead and baptize him. He came up out of the water completely healed!!

So this is the testimony I received yesterday: “…and now this is the greatest testimony that ever happened in the history of the SOAP MINISTRY in Sierra Leone all the sick people who came from different hospital's after the baptism all of them was healed from their sickness and this create a lot of panic from the hospitals some hospitals close their gate for the sick people not to come out some of the sick people the doctor was following them to come and some of those doctors are Christians and those doctor was telling the SOAP MINISTRY team leader Apostle Alex for the SOAP MINISTRY team to come to the hospitals to pray for the sick people but Apostle Alex said we do not have time to go to the hospital because our time is limited so we was not able to go to the hospital because we was having only 3 days remaining, Also we do not baptize everyone especially those name who was on the list because the crowd was too much especially those who are coming from the hospital and other places…” Pastor Elijah

APPLICATION: God is alive TODAY!

PRAYER: Lord, you are still alive and active in our world today! You love people and want us to express your love to them. Find us faithful. Amen

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