Monthly Archives: September 2011

Along the way

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September 30: Zechariah 7-9; Luke 13

Scripture: Luke 13:22 Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem.

Observation: Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, but he did not wait until he arrived to begin ministering. The people in Jerusalem were important. The people he met along the way in the towns and villages were just as important.

Application: I can become so task orientated that I miss opportunities to minister to the people I meet on the way. I can get in such a hurry to get where I am going that I ignore the people I meet along the way.

Prayer: Lord, I need your Holy Spirit to keep me aware of those with needs around me. Help me not to miss anyone you have placed in my pathway today. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

How’s my giving?

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September 29: Zechariah 4-6; Luke 12

Scripture: Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Observation: Consider two award ceremonies for giving. The first takes place in a special banquet setting where awards are given based on the amount given. The one who gave the most received the first-place trophy.
The second takes place in heaven where the award for giving is not based on the amount given, but the amount remaining after the gift has been given.

Application: Which reward would I prefer? Whose blessing am I seeking—that of men who see how much I give, or that of the Lord who sees how much I have left over?

Prayer: Lord, it’s Your blessing I desire. Teach me Your way of giving. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

Willing to be sent!

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September 27: Haggai 1-2; Psalm 129; Luke 10

Scripture: Luke 10:2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.
3 Go! I am sending you out…

Observation: They were to be aware harvest, seeing the grain fields ready for harvest as a picture of the people needing God. Not only were they to be aware, they were to pray. They were to pray specifically for workers. And not only were they to be aware and to pray, they were to “Go!” They would become the answer to their own prayers.

Application: When I become aware and concerned about someone’s salvation, it is not uncommon for me to pray about them. Sometimes I even specifically pray for God to send someone to speak to them. Help me remember that you have already sent Someone—Jesus. So now I must be willing to be sent in answer to those prayers.

Prayer: Father, Lord of the Harvest, you have already sent your Son, Jesus to provide the needed salvation. May I be as willing as He to be sent to those for whom I am praying. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

Broken

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September 26: Ezra 4; Psalm 113, 127; Luke 9

Scripture: Luke 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: They were not multiplied until they were broken. 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. When the loaves were broken they were still in His hands and remained there until He gave them out. It was the broken pieces that met the need of the hungry people.

Application: Being broken does not have to be a bad thing. It can be a good thing if I 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 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 work for you.” It is still true. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

A disappointment to God; A waste to me

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September 25: Ezra 2-3; Luke 8

Scripture: Ezra 3: 10 When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise the LORD, as prescribed by David king of Israel.

Observation: I have noticed that every time of restoration and revival in Judah, the Bible mentions that they returned to the ways of King David. It is never mentioned that they returned to the way he reigned, or administered, or built, or organized, or dressed, but to the way he worshipped!

Application: My worship is important to God because He is worthy and it means more to Him when it comes from those who do not worship with arms twisted (being forced to do so) but because they choose to (being convinced it is the right thing to do).

My worship is important to me because it gets my eyes off of me and places them on One who is so much greater than any problem I will ever face and the One who loves me far more than I will ever deserve! Wow!

Prayer: Lord, life without worship—what a disappointment to you and a waste to me. John 4:23 says you are seeking worshippers; may you find one in me. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

His Words

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September 24: Ezra 1; Psalm 84-85; Luke 7

Scripture: Luke 7: 6 So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof.
7 That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.
8 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go’, and he goes; and that one, ‘Come’, and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this’, and he does it.”

Observation: In Luke 5:5 Simon said, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so…”

In this verse the Centurion simple asked Jesus to “say the word.” There is power in the “word” of Jesus.

Application: Oh, how I need to be faithful in reading the Bible. Not only does it contain the “words” of Jesus as He walked on earth, it IS the “Word of God.” Oh, how I need to let the Holy Spirit speak to my heart bringing the written Word of God into personal daily application.

Prayer: Lord, I know you understand my circumstances perfectly and can speak to me, giving me direction in how I am to live. May you always find me listening and trusting in your word. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

It starts with me!

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September 23: Daniel 11-12; Luke 6

Scripture: Luke 6:31 Do to others as you would have them do to you. …
37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Observation: Verse 31 is an often quoted verse. The verses immediately following give the specifics of how we are to live verse 31. Today I noticed that the admonitions in verses 37 and 38 all begin with how I am supposed to treat others, rather than how others are to treat me.

Application: The Bible does not give me the option of blaming someone else for the trouble coming my way. It gives me the responsibility of taking the first steps in doing things right.

Prayer: Lord, I want my actions not be in response to what others have done to me, but in response to what you have done for me. You took the initiative in doing me good; help me to take the initiative to do good to others. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

Final Answer

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September 22: Daniel 9-10; Psalm 123; Luke 5

Scripture: Luke 5:5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

Observation: It is right to consider circumstances in making decisions for our lives. Peter had much experience in fishing. He was the expert. He understood that sometime fishing was an exercise in futility. However Peter had come to understand something else. Jesus is Lord. What Jesus says trumps all circumstances. So Peter proceeded to do some more fishing!

Scripture: Luke 5:6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.

Application: I am sure when I grew up I was like so many other children whose favorite question seems to be, “Why?” I am sure that my parents, like so many other parents I have known, often responded, “Because I said so.” Now I wonder if that was God’s way of training me to respond to Him. I do not need to understand every aspect of the decision, but when He speaks I do need to obey Him. His word is my “final answer.”  🙂

Prayer: Lord, You are faithful. I know I can trust you. “Because you said so” is enough of a reason to obey. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

The “Why” & The “Who”

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September 21: Daniel 7-8; Psalm 137; Luke 4

Scripture: Luke 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.”

Observation: Some people have trouble saying, “No” because they lack two key bits of information. They do not know why they are here, and they do not know who sent them. Jesus knew both, so he could say, “No” to those who wanted Him to stay in their city. The One who gave Him the mission was greater than those wanting to detain Him. And the mission was larger than just one town.

Application: When I do not know Who is sending me and why they sent me then it is easy to let others and other things crowd in on my assignment. Even in driving a school bus, there are waiting times as a football or volleyball game is being played. I must be careful that what I do in those times does not hinder me from being available when needed. I was sent with the purpose of providing transportation for the team. That is my priority. And in a greater way, God has sent me with the purpose of letting Jesus live and love through me. THAT is my priority!

Prayer: Lord, You have sent me to do your will. It is my joy to please you. J Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!