May 9: 2Samuel 17; Psalm 71; Matthew 26

Recognized by his speech!

Scripture: Matthew 26:73 After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, "Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away."

Observation: Jesus was on trial and Peter was close by. Peter had just denied knowing Jesus two times. But the way he talked gave him away. Probably those from Galilee had unique and recognizable ways of saying certain words. But the next verse tells us that Peter began to curse and swear. The accent may identify Peter with Jesus, but the way he cursed was meant to break that tie.

Application: The way I talk has a lot to do with how others think of me. Jesus presence in my life affects how I act and how I talk. That Jesus is living on the inside should be easily recognized by my speech.

Prayer: Lord, may people see you in my actions and hear you in my words. Live your life through me today. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

May 8: 2Samuel 15, 16; Psalm 32; Matthew 25

Campaigning

Scripture: 2Samuel 15:1 As time went on, Absalom took to riding in a horse-drawn chariot, with fifty men running in front of him.
2 Early each morning he would take up his post beside the road at the city gate. When anyone showed up with a case to bring to the king for a decision, Absalom would call him over and say, "Where do you hail from?" And the answer would come, "Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel."
3 Then Absalom would say, "Look, you’ve got a strong case; but the king isn’t going to listen to you."
4 Then he’d say, "Why doesn’t someone make me a judge for this country? Anybody with a case could bring it to me and I’d settle things fair and square."
5 Whenever someone would treat him with special honor, he’d shrug it off and treat him like an equal, making him feel important.
6 Absalom did this to everyone who came to do business with the king and stole the hearts of everyone in Israel.

Observation: As we approach our national elections we are seeing more and more political advertising. Candidates are looking for votes. It appears to me that some act just like Absalom. Although there was no election for king in Israel, the above verses above show Absalom undermining David’s position as King of Israel.

Application: I need to be careful not to draw attention to myself, but always point people to the real King, King Jesus!

Prayer: Lord, you are worthy of all honor. May all the glory go to you! Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

May 7: 2Samuel 13, 14; Matthew 24

No longer banished!

Scripture: 2Samuel 14:14 Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But God does not take away life; instead, he devises ways so that a banished person may not remain estranged from him.

Observation: What an interesting story in 2Samuel 14. What a prophetic word from this lady! God still loves people who are banished by their sin. Through the death of His Son, Jesus, He made a way to bring them into His Presence!

Application: I was once banished from God’s Presence on the basis of my sin. I have now been forgiven and brought into His Kingdom as a servant, into His family as a son, and into His Presence as a worshipper! Wow!

Prayer: Lord, Thank you for making the required payment for my sins. Thank you for welcoming me into your Kingdom, into your Family, and into your Presence! Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

May 6: 2Samuel 11,12; Psalm 51; Matthew 23

All because of Who He is!

Scripture: Psalm 51:1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.

Observation: The above is a psalm of King David after he had been confronted with committing adultery with Bathsheba. He does not seek mercy because he is such a good man or because he has such an important position in government, or because it may hurt others if the truth came out. There is only one basis to seek God’s mercy: that is the basis of God’s character. God has “unfailing love” and “great compassion.”

Application: I cannot earn God’s forgiveness with my history of good works. I cannot earn God’s forgiveness with the importance of my service. Truth is that I cannot earn my forgiveness. It is not given on the basis of my merit. It is God alone who will hear my confession and forgive me. And He does it because of who HE is, not because of who I am.

Prayer: Lord, What amazing grace comes to me from your “unfailing love” and “great compassion.” Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

May 5: 2Samuel 10; 1Chronicles 20; Psalm 20; Matthew 22

A Blessing

Scripture: Psalm 20:1 May the LORD answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob (your father) protect you.
2 May he send you help from the sanctuary (heaven) and grant you support from Zion. (His people)
3 May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings. (the dedication of yourself to His purposes) Selah
4 May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.
5 We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the LORD grant all your requests. –NOTE: Leon’s words in parenthesis.

Observation: The commentaries I read are not certain about the setting of this Psalm. They thought it may have been given in sending the army off to war. To me it seems something David would have said to his dear friend Jonathan after Jonathan had warned David of King Saul’s (Jonathan’s father) intent to kill David. (1Samuel 20)

Application: These verses are a good blessing for me to give my son or dear friends when we are going to be apart for an extended time. Should I be afforded the luxury of knowing that my death is soon approaching, putting these verses in my own words would be a good blessing to give those remaining behind.

Prayer: Lord, asking you to bless people is not contrary to what you want to do. You love to bless your people! It is your joy! Thank you for letting me have a part in this joy. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

May 4: 2Samuel 8,9; 1Chronicles 18,19; Matthew 21

The Importance of God’s Word!

Scripture: Matthew 21:13 "It is written," he said to them, "‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers’."
Matthew 21:16 "Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him. "Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read, "‘From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise’?"
Matthew 21:42 Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: "‘The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

Observation: In verse 13 Jesus said, "It is written …" to people criticizing his actions in cleansing the temple. In verse 16 he asks, “have you never read,” as an explanation of the children singing his praise. In verse 42 he again refers to the scriptures to show how he will be rejected.

Many times our questions could be easily answered if we but read God’s Word!

Application: The better I know the Bible, the better I will be able to understand what is happening in the world around me. Reading the Bible must be a priority in my life.

Prayer: Lord, use your word to open my eyes so that I may see things as you see them. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

S.O.A.P. (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer)

May 3: 2Samuel 7; 1Chronicles 17; Psalm 2; Matthew 20

God’s anger!

Scripture: Psalm 2:2 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One.
3 "Let us break their chains," they say, "and throw off their fetters."
4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath…

Observation: In my mind, I can see Goliath (1Samuel 17), the giant laughing at David but totally unaware that Someone much bigger was laughing at him. God is not threatened by people who want to believe that He does not exist. He laughs at their arguments. A day is coming when He will terrify them with His wrath.

Application: How loving would God really be if He did not become angry when something threatened those He loved? The greater His love, the greater would be His anger. God went to great measures to free Leon from sin. He sent His greatly loved Son, Jesus, to die for my sins. I should not be surprised if God gets angry with me if I treat sin as no big thing.

Prayer: Lord, may I come to hate sin as much as you do. I need your Holy Spirit to help me walk in victory over the temptations I meet each day. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

May 2: 1Chronicles 16; Psalm 106; Matthew 19

Don’t forget!

Scripture: Psalm 106:4 Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people, come to my aid when you save them, …
Psalm 106:6 We have sinned, even as our fathers did; we have done wrong and acted wickedly.
7 When our fathers were in Egypt, they gave no thought to your miracles; they did not remember your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea.

Observation: The Psalmist wanted God to remember him, but just a few verses later he admits that Israel had sinned and not remembered the many things God had done for them.

Application: I want God to remember me and help me, but how quickly I forget His kindness in helping me. How disappointing that must be to God. I should make it a practice every day to remember several of His kindnesses and to thank Him specifically.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, remind me of the many things done for me. Help me live today with a grateful heart. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

May 1: 1Chronicles 14,15; Psalm 132; Matthew 18

Important to Him!

Scripture: Matthew 18:10 "See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.

Observation: Jesus speaks of angels in heaven as being assigned to children. The angels are mentioned as being before the face of the Father. In other words, there is an intelligent being in heaven with direct access to God on behalf of the children they represent. God has made sure that there is a highly positioned being watching every child, and making note of how they are treated.

Application: If children are so important to God that he assigns them a personal angel, I must be careful to diligently train and lovingly discipline those in my care. I can count on being held accountable.

Prayer: Lord, I need your help with the responsibilities dealing with children. They are of great importance to you and I can bring you much joy in serving them. Amen.

NOTE: If people really believed Matthew 18:1-10 everyone in the church would be begging to help with the children’s ministries!!!

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

April 30: 2Samuel 6; 1Chronicles 13; Psalm 68; Matthew 17

Looking through…

Scripture: Matthew 17: 22 ¶ When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men.
23 They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life." And the disciples were filled with grief.

Observation: The disciples could not see the resurrection because they were looking through his betrayal and death. It was difficult to look through the suffering and see the resurrection. They saw what was the closest to them. They loved Jesus and were filled with grief that he would have to suffer.

Application: Just as the disciples were looking ahead through the suffering to see the resurrection, I am looking back through the great victory of the resurrection to see the suffering of the cross. Sometimes I forget what a terrible payment Jesus made to pay for my sins. Sometimes I get to thinking that sin is no big deal.

Prayer: Lord, forgive me for forgetting what a great price you paid for my salvation. Forgive me for thinking that sin is no big thing. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!