Monthly Archives: January 2012

It’s a DAILY thing!

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January 31: Exodus 28-29; Acts 7

It’s a DAILY thing!

Scripture: Exodus (NIV) 29: 38 ¶ “This is what you are to offer on the altar regularly each day: two lambs a year old.
39 Offer one in the morning and the other at twilight.

Observation: Among the directions for worship given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai we find here directives for the daily offerings.

Application: Although there is interesting truth revealed in the following verses as to the way this offering is made and other items included, what grabs my attention this morning is that it is not annually, not monthly, not weekly, but DAILY.

Prayer: Lord, living for you is a DAILY adventure. What do you have for me today? Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

Not an option

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January 30: Exodus 25-27; Acts 6

Not an option

Scripture: Exodus 25:2 "Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from each man whose heart prompts him to give.
3 These are the offerings you are to receive from them: gold, silver and bronze;
4 blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair;…

Observation: God tells the Israelites to bring Him an offering. He tells them how they are to bring it (whose heart prompts him). He even tells them what to give! He had provided these things for them when they left Egypt. He was only telling them to give what He had already given them. And He was going to use these things to build a place for Him to dwell in the middle of their camp. He was going to bless them with His presence!!! Wow!

Application: I am discovering that giving is not an option. When He tells me to give, how to give, and what to give I can rest assured that He has something special in store for me!

Prayer: Lord, help me not to be offended when you tell me to give, how to give and what to give. May you find me a joyful giver! Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

The Best Way!

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January 29: Exodus 23-24; Psalm 14; Acts 5

The best way!

Scripture: Acts 5: 28 “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”
29 Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men!

Observation: The angel of the Lord had set them free by opening the prison doors and telling them to go teach the people in the temple courts. They had been arrested and were now standing before the high priest. These were the people who had been the driving force for the crucifixion of Jesus.

Application: There should never be a question as to whom I will obey. I have enough knowledge about God to logically know that the best thing I can do is to obey God! I have enough awareness of His past working in my life to experientially know that the best thing I can do is to obey God! I have enough awareness of His loving Presence in my life to emotionally know that the best thing I can do is to obey God!

Prayer: Lord, in loving obedience to you. That is the best way to live my life! Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

What a difference!

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January 28: Exodus 21-22; Psalm 12; Acts 4

What a difference!

Scripture: Acts (NIV) 4:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people…
13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

Observation: Those questioning Peter and John took note that “these men had been with Jesus.” But Peter had been with Jesus during the last supper and in the garden of Gethsemane, yet during Jesus trial, when questioned, Peter denied he ever knew Jesus. Now Jesus is gone; Peter and John are on trial. And what a difference!!! This time Peter spoke with boldness and confidence. This time Peter was “filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Application: More than just reading about the Holy Spirit, more than just hearing people talk about the Holy Spirit, like Peter, I too need to be “filled with the Holy Spirit.” I need that dynamic relationship in which His Presence is expressed through me.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, fill me and keep me full! Flow through me to bless others. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

Eager

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January 27: Exodus 17-20; Acts 3

Eager

Scripture: Exodus (NIV) 19:3 Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel:
4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.
5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine,
6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

Observation: God rescued Israel from bondage in Egypt by many miraculous interventions. God did not bring them out of Egypt so they could run off on their own and do whatever they desired. Verse 4 says, “…and brought you to myself.” God had special plans for them.

Application: God does not set me free so that I can do my own thing. He has a plan for me. When He saved me from sin, He saved me to live for Him and do His will.

Prayer: Lord, you rescued me from the destruction of sin and now I am free to serve you. As I begin my 65th year, may my appreciation be easily seen in how eager I am to do your will. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

He is God!

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January 26: Exodus 14-16; Acts 2

He is God!

Scripture: Exodus 14: 1 ¶ Then the LORD said to Moses,…
3 Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.’
4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.” So the Israelites did this.

Observation: Earlier in Exodus and twice in this chapter we read, “…and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.” Not only did God want to bring the Israelites out of Egypt to the land He had promised Abraham, God also was interested in the Egyptians. John 3:16 says, “…God so loved the world…” The Egyptians were as important to God as the Israelites.

Application: Sometimes the hard times I go through are not for my benefit alone, but so that others too may know that He is God! When they see the Lord working to bring me through a hard time, they come to know that He is God! Sometimes the struggle that comes to parents is so that their children may know that they serve the true God!

Prayer: Lord, may I remain faithful through the good times and tough times. May others see you in me and know you are God! Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

With me!

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January 25: Exodus 12-13; Psalm 21; Acts 1

With me!

Scripture: Acts 1:1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach
2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.

Observation: It does not take long before Luke introduces the Holy Spirit into the book of Acts. The Holy Spirit is a shared emphasis in both books written by Luke. In the gospel of Luke we see the importance of the Holy Spirit in the life of Jesus. In the book of Acts we see the importance of the same Holy Spirit in the lives of believers.

Application: The disciples walked with Jesus. They were with Him when in HIS location. The Holy Spirit walks with me! He shares MY location! He is always with me! My body is a living temple of the Holy Spirit!

Prayer: Holy Spirit, how amazingly blest I am to have you with me. You are my teacher to give me understanding and my guide to give me direction. I am so blest! Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

Not as expected…

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January 24: Exodus 9-11; Luke 24

Not as expected…

Scripture: (NIV) Luke 24:2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb,
3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

Observation: The ladies went to the tomb where they had seen the body of Jesus laid (Luke 23:55). But when they arrived, things were not as they expected. They expected to have trouble getting the stone moved so they could place spices around the body. As it turns out, things were so much better—far better than they could have ever dreamed!!!

Application: When facing the unknown, it almost seems human nature to expect the worst. God is teaching me not to fear the worst and not to worry about how things will work out. Many times I am wonderfully surprised by what I find.

Prayer: Lord, you are amazing, often surprising me with blessings when I am expecting trouble. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

My small part

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January 23: Exodus 6-8; Luke 23

My small part…

Scripture: Exodus (NIV) 7:1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet.
2 You are to say everything I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his country.
3 But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt,
4 he will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts of judgment I will bring out my divisions, my people the Israelites.
5 And the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it.”
6 Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD commanded them.

Observation: Moses had a part and God had a part. Moses part was simply to speak to Pharaoh. He was God’s messenger boy. God’s part was to do the rest. As Moses was faithful, God was faithful.

Application: When it comes to working with God, my part is always the small part. At times it may look like my part is useless, but when done in obedience; God takes care of the rest.

Prayer: Lord, find me faithful in being obedient to do the small part you give me; then I can trust you to take care of the rest. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

God speaking

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January 22: Exodus 3-5; Luke 22

God speaking

Scripture: Exodus 3:3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”
4 When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.”

Observation: He was not making a sacrifice at some altar. He was doing what he had done yesterday, what he had done last week, last month. Moses was at work tending sheep. Something unusual caught His eye and he went out of his way to take a look. It may not have been unusual for a bush to be on fire in the dessert, but that it did not burn up was very unusual.

Application: I expect God to speak to me in church, but I need to be careful not to miss what He might say to me at work. Unusual things, things that grab my attention, another worker waiting nearby to speak with me, a special opportunity for training—all could provide the opportunity for God to give me a special message.

Prayer: Lord, I want to be a good listener, especially when You are talking. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!