April 5: Ruth 1-2; Psalm 53, 61; 2Corinthians 5

A Relationship of Favor

Scripture: 2Corinthians 5: 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:

Observation: What God did in us He wants to do through us. He brought us back into favor with Him and He wants us to bring others back into favor with ourselves.

Application: God paid for my sins, forgave me and drew me to himself. He now wants to include me in this ministry. He wants me to give favor those whose relationships with me have been broken. He also wants me to encourage others to be reconciled to God.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for favor. May I be quick to give favor to others and show them the way to receive your favor. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

April 3: Judges 17-18; Psalm 89; 2Corinthians 3

Full provision

Scripture: 2Corinthians 3:6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant— not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Observation: The “letter” is a reference to the written law that was given to Moses. It included the 10 Commandments. The “letter” can show me what I have done wrong, but it does not help me to do better. God understands that I am incompetent to live up to His standards. But the Holy Spirit living inside me is competent to both help me understand God’s requirements AND help me live them. (Wow!)

Application: When all I see is the law of God and how I have broken it, I live in condemnation. When I accept that God the Son, Christ Jesus died for MY sins, I receive His provision of forgiveness. Forgiven and depending on my own strength, I fall back into sin. But when I depend on God the Spirit living inside me, I have His provision to overcome temptation. (Praise the Lord!)
The law of God the Father gives me understanding of sin! The death of God the Son, Jesus, gives me forgiveness of sin! The indwelling of God the Spirit gives me power over sin!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for understanding me and fully providing everything I need. You are amazing! Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

April 2: Judges 13-16; 2Corinthians 2

Peace of Mind

Scripture: 2Corinthians 2:12 Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me,
13 I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said good-bye to them and went on to Macedonia.

Observation: There was an opportunity for Paul to minister in the city of Troas, but he was looking for Titus who was bringing news of the church in Corinth. He was concerned; His mind was troubled. He had to move on looking for Titus. Later in the book of Acts we read of ministry in Troas.
Peace of mind—what a wonderful blessing! When we have it, we can face great opposition. When we do not have it, we find it difficult to take advantage of open doors.

Application: Peace of mind—what a special blessing! Sometimes it is simply a gift of God’s grace. Sometimes I may have to make changes to find it. Sometimes I have to fight my thoughts to keep it. It is worth fighting for.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for peace. Thank you for helping me overcome troubled thoughts that blur my thinking. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

April 1: Judges 11-12; Psalm 50; 2Corinthians 1

In God We Trust

Scripture: 2Corinthians 1:10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us,

Observation: What God has done in the past gives us faith for the future. What we know about the past builds our faith for the future. What we have experienced of God’s grace prepares us to expect His grace in the future! It is our confident expectation that God will not change and will continue to deliver us. We must always face forward. We must face the future, but we must not forget the past. As we look to the future, we remember the past! To move into the future without the lessons of the past is foolish.

Application: Again and again the Lord has proved to be faithful to me, even though I have not always been faithful to Him. As I face the future I find I have less and less confidence in the world, but more and more confidence in God! Like Ira Stanphill, the song writer, “I don’t know about tomorrow…but I know Who holds my hand.”

Prayer: Lord, a bank may be a good place to place my money, but as is printed on our U.S. money, you are the only place to put our trust! Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

March 31: Judges 9-10; Psalm 49; 1Corinthians 16

Opposition

Scripture: 1Corinthians 16:8 But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost,
9 because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.

Observation: Opposition is not a sign that one should quit. Opposition may be a sign that God is at work and the enemy does not like it!

Application: When I am doing what God has called me to do, I should not be surprised if I find opposition. Opposition is not a reason to quit. Opposition gives God opportunity to do something that only He can do. And when He does what only He can do, I get the blessing and He gets the glory! I can rejoice when I see opposition. It can be a sign to me that God is preparing to do something special.

Prayer: Lord, I set my heart not to get discouraged when facing opposition. I believe you will work through the opposition for my good and for your glory! Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

S.O.A.P.

March 30: Judges 8; Psalm 42; 1Corinthians 15

Swallowed!

Scripture: 1Corinthians 15:54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."

Observation: In this chapter Paul is writing about what happens to believers when they die and when their bodies are raised back to life. That which can perish and decay is completely taken in and surrounded by that which cannot perish nor decay. When something is swallowed, it disappears, it is digested, and loses its identity in that which swallowed it.

Application: At the end of my life on earth, the great victory that I will experience in entering the Presence of the Living God will totally banish any pain and suffering I may experience in dying. Death will be swallowed up in victory! Death will no longer be the focus as I rejoice in the victory!

Prayer: Lord, I am so grateful that you will be with me when I pass through death. You have already been there! You fully know what to expect! You will give me your strength! And You know the victory that lies ahead! Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

March 29: Judges 6-7; Psalm 52; 1Corinthians 14

Pleasing God

Scripture: 1Corinthians 14:1 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.

Observation: This verse gives us something to desire and something to do. I am to desire spiritual gifts listed in this chapter, but I am to follow the way of love as shown in the previous chapter. Although spiritual gifts are important and something to be desired, it is much more important that I live a life of love.

Application: What I do for God is very important, but how I do it is even more important. Although my actions may be what He desires, unless I do them in love I can never please God.

Prayer: Love through me, Holy Spirit, love through me! Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

March 28: Judges 4-5; Psalm 39, 41; 1Corinthians 13

Keep loving

Scripture: 1Corinthians 13: 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Observation: “God is love.” (1John 4:8,16) So the truth in these verses can be easily seen in God’s words and actions.

Application: God wants the truth of these verses easily seen in my words and actions.

Prayer: Lord, keep loving me and keep loving through me until it become natural for me to love like you love. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

March 27: Judges 1-3; 1Corinthians 12

I am a part…

Scripture: 1Corinthians 12:15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.

Observation: Confessions in themselves do not make something true. They must be according to truth. The foot is part of the body even if it says it is not.

Application: I may not feel that I am a part of the body of Christ, but I am. At times I may not want to be a part of the body of Christ, but I am. Others may treat me as though I am not a part of the body of Christ, but I am.

Prayer: Lord, your life in me has made me a part of your body. I want that to be obvious to everyone around me. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

March 26: Joshua 23-24; Psalm 44; 1Corinthians 11

It’s a Generation Thing!

Scripture: Psalm 44:1 We have heard with our ears, O God; our fathers have told us what you did in their days, in days long ago.

Observation: In reading the whole Psalm one discovers that there is trouble. The nation is under attack. Here the song writer is encouraged because he has heard what God did for the past generation.

Application: It is good to hear what God has done for others. It builds my faith. AND it is good to share with others what God has done for me. That builds their faith. It is good for each generation to make sure their children know how God has guided and provided for them.

Prayer: Lord, my appreciation to you can be shown by faithfully telling the next generation what You have done for me. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!