February 19: Numbers 5-6; Psalm 22; Acts 26

Open ears, open mouth…

Scripture: Numbers (NIV) 6:1 ¶ The LORD said to Moses,
2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them:…

Observation: I have noticed these exact words several times as reading through the first part of the book of Numbers. Two things come to my mind as I see them repeated: First, we must be willing to hear God speak to us through other people. Second, what God speaks to me often times is not just for me, but is to be shared with others.

Application: I need to be humble in accepting that God may use someone else to speak to me. I need to be able to recognize His voice no matter how He speaks to me. The amazing thing is not so much HOW he speaks, but that He DOES SPEAK to me! I also need to be willing to pass along His message to others.

Prayer: Lord, like the song says, “Open my ears, Lord and teach me to listen…” And when I open my mouth, may it be filled with your words. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

February 12: Leviticus 18-19; Psalm 13; Acts 19

If…

Scripture: Leviticus (NIV) 19:5 When you sacrifice a fellowship offering to the LORD, sacrifice it in such a way that it will be accepted on your behalf. (Note Romans 12:1)

Observation: If I am doing something for my friend, I should do it in a way that my friend would appreciate. It is for them. If I buy a present for someone special, I should buy something THEY would enjoy, not necessarily something I would enjoy. Doesn’t it seem logical that if I am giving an offering to the Lord, I should do it in a way that HE considers acceptable?

Application: If I say I have given my life to Jesus, I should consider what HE likes. If I say that HE lives inside me, I should live not to offend HIM in my words or actions.

Prayer: Lord, I have given my life to you, and I am privileged to know you live inside me! May this day be special to you! Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

February 5: Exodus 39-40; Psalm 15; Acts 12

Blessing others

Scripture: Exodus 39: 42 The Israelites had done all the work just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
43 Moses inspected the work and saw that they had done it just as the LORD had commanded. So Moses blessed them.

Observation: God gave Moses the plans for the tabernacle. The people completed the work by listening to Moses repeat what God had told him. They trusted that Moses had heard God’s plan. They believed God could speak to them through a person—through Moses. And when it was completed, Moses blessed them.

Application: It is so important that I be able to hear from God as He speaks to me through other people. And when I see someone who has accomplished something for the Lord, I should be ready and willing and quick to bless them.

Prayer: Lord, I appreciate the blessings that others have given me; may I be faithful in blessing others. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

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!

January 19: Genesis 47-48; Psalm 10; Luke 19

“…until I come back.”

Scripture: Luke (NIV) 19: 12 He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return.
13 So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’

Observation: In Jesus story, a nobleman gave his servants money to be invested. The goal was clear; they were rewarded according to how well they had invested it. The timeline, though indefinite, was also clear; it was to be put to work until he returned.

Application: Like everyone else, The Lord has given me talents. These talents do not belong to me and are not for my benefit; they belong to the Lord and are for His benefit. He has told me what to do with them: “put them to work.” He has told me for how long: “until I come back.” Circumstances change, especially as I grow older, and how I use the talents given me may change, but they are not to remain idle.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for new and fresh ways to use the talents you have given me. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

January 9: Genesis 23-24; Luke 9

The Big Picture

Scripture: Luke 9:46 An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest.

Observation: If Jesus had been walking in the flesh, this surely would have frustrated him. Only two verses back He was explaining to them how He would be betrayed. He was preparing Himself for the single greatest act of serving in the history of creation. He was preparing to offer Himself as a sacrifice in payment for our sins. And here His disciples, having totally missed the big picture, are arguing about who will be the greatest! Instead of dealing with them out of frustration, Jesus makes it a teaching moment by having a small child stand before them emphasizing that it is the one who is the least who is really the greatest.

Families have stood around a casket arguing over who is going to get what is left behind totally missing the obvious that they too will die, and that what their relative left behind, they too will leave behind.

Parents who discipline their children out of frustration may get the undesirable activities to stop for the moment but they miss valuable opportunities to teach lessons that will shaped their children’s future.

Application: It is easy to ignore the big picture and focus on the specifics that affect me. But to properly deal with the specifics, I must keep the big picture in view.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, especially now in my senior years, help me to always see things in the light of eternity. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

December 21: John 9-11

Listening

Scripture: John (NIV) 10:27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

Observation: As the relationships with an earthly parent progresses through many levels, so the relationship with our Heavenly Father progresses/grows through many levels. I see the first level described in the Bible as a Shepherd and sheep. Before one can be sent as a servant, one has to first learn to recognize the voice of the Master. The emphasis on being a sheep is to recognize His voice and follow.

Application: Before I can listen to understand what God is saying to me, I must first learn to recognize His voice. Using SOAP as an outline helps me focus on the Bible as God’s primary avenue of speaking to me and to listen to what He is saying personally to me. The more I understand the Bible, the more I am able to recognize His voice when He speaks through other means. If what I am hearing goes contrary to what God has said in His word, I can rest assured that it is not His voice.

Prayer: Lord, I am so glad that you speak to me! What a special privilege it is to hear your voice. Keep speaking till I learn to listen carefully to every word. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!