February 18: Numbers 3-4; Acts 25

A Great Privilege!

Scripture: Acts (NIV) 25:18 When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected.
19 Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus whom Paul claimed was alive.
20 I was at a loss how to investigate such matters;

Observation: Festus is explaining to King Agrippa about an earlier hearing he had conducted to determine if Paul is guilty of the charges against him. It is interesting to read his description of Jesus—“a dead man named Jesus whom Paul claimed was alive.”

Application: There are many people in the world with a limited understanding of who Jesus is. Some of them live and work close to me. God wants to use me to expand their understanding of who Jesus is and what a great privilege it is to serve Him!

Prayer: Lord, may people easily see that I count it a great privilege to serve you! You are such a wonderful Lord! I cannot think of anything better to do with my life than to dedicate it to you! Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

February 15: Leviticus 25; Psalm 25-26; Acts 22

Shine through me!

Scripture: Acts (NIV) 22:10 “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I (Paul) asked. “‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’ …
14 “Then he said: ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth.
15 You will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.

Observation: Paul was on his way to Damascus to arrest Christians. He had been knocked to the ground by a bright light and now, just as Jesus was sent into the world with an assignment, Jesus was sending Paul with an assignment. He was to be a witness of what he had seen and heard.

Application: Just as Paul was sent, I too have been sent. I have an assignment to tell others what God has done for me. My witness today will be a combination of my words and my actions.

Prayer: Lord, people will not be able to hear you speaking through me if they cannot see you living in me. Shine through me today I pray! Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

February 10: Leviticus 13-14; Acts 17

Every day

Scripture: Acts (NIV) 17:11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

Observation: Some people in Thessalonica had become so angry at Paul’s teaching that they incited a riot in the city. In the cover of night Paul was safely escorted out of the city and sent on to the city of Berea. The Bereans listened and every day did some study on their own to check out Paul’s message.

Application: The Bible is my standard for checking what I hear and see. When I hear something different I should check it out with the Scriptures—with the Bible. Obviously the better I know the Bible, the better I am able to make a good judgment. Like the Bereans, it is good for me to examine the Scriptures every day!

Prayer: Lord, In Your wisdom you provided me a standard for living. May I be wise enough to use it every day! Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

February 6: Leviticus 1-3: Acts 13

Offerings

Scripture: Leviticus (NIV) 2:3 The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the offerings made to the LORD by fire.

Observation: Here, and in following verses, we see that a portion of some offerings were to go to Aaron and his sons.
First: The offering is made to the Lord, but here God says this portion “belongs” to the priests.
Second: It is not a lesser part of the offering, but a “most holy part!” Just because it is not burnt by fire does not mean it is not as important to the Lord.
Third: And even though it goes to the priest, it remains part of the offering “made to the Lord!”
NOTE: people who withhold their offerings because they do not like the pastor need to realize that the Lord takes it personally. He considers it as His offering.

Application: If the Lord considers the money “most holy” that comes to me from offerings given to the church, obviously he will hold me accountable as to how I use His money.

Prayer: Lord, misused money has caused so much pain to you and harm to your church. May you find me faithful with the money entrusted to me. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

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!

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!

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!

January 18: Genesis 44-46; Luke 18

How can I say “Thanks!”

Scripture: Luke (NIV) 18:43 Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.

Observation: Having been blind and now living as a beggar, this man did not have much to leave behind. When he was healed, he began following Jesus. He followed enthusiastically and his enthusiasm was catching. It just would not have been right if he had disappeared quietly into the crowd.

Application: Jesus paid for my sins by His death on the cross. He forgave me and considers me just as if I had never sinned!!! How wrong it would be for me to disappear quietly into the crowd. How right it is for me to follow Him enthusiastically!

Prayer: Lord, like Andrea Crouch sings: “How can I say thanks for the things You have done for me, Things so undeserved, Yet You gave to prove Your love for me. The voices of a million angels could not express my gratitude. All that I am and ever hope to be, I owe it all to Thee.” Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

January 17: Genesis 42-43; Psalm 5; Luke 17

Seven times a day…

Scripture: Luke (NIV) 17:3 So watch yourselves. “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.
4 If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”

Observation: In this verse, Jesus is not speaking to the one sinning. He is not giving permission to repeat the sin seven times a day. Jesus is speaking to the one offended. Healing comes to us as we forgive those who sin against us. And it is so important that even if our brother sins against us seven times in one day, we need to forgive. Forgiveness should be the first step in negating the effects of offences that come our way, especially since Jesus commands it.

Application: I am not given permission to continue sinning. I am being told how I should react when others sin against me.

Prayer: Lord, You are the Great Forgiver and You are with me when I need to forgive! Thank you! Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!