Temporary/Permanent

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January 5: Genesis 12-14; Luke 5

Temporary/Permanent

Scripture: Genesis (NIV) 12:8 From there he went on towards the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.

Observation: As Abram (later renamed Abraham) moved in the direction God had directed we see in the wording of this verse the priority in his life. Abram “pitched” his tent but “built” his altar. His earthly living was in a “pitched” (temporary) residence but his worship was around a “built” (permanent) altar.

Many people today are working to build their house, but too willing to worship wherever it is convenient, strikes their fancy, or is where their parents worshipped. Some will even stay home from church to accomplish some project around their house.

Application: The songwriter put it well: “This world is not my home; I’m just a passing through…” The one “permanent” thing in my life is my relationship with God. I remember the words I have seen hanging on many walls: “Only one life, will soon be past; Only what’s done for Christ will last.”

Prayer: Lord, help me live today with this truth in mind. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

Gaining Strength

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January 4: Genesis 9-11; Luke 4

Gaining Strength

Scripture: Luke (NIV) 4:14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.

Observation: In the first three chapters of Luke we read that Jesus had been conceived by the Holy Spirit, greeted by the Holy Spirit, filled with the Holy Spirit, and led by the Holy Spirit. It is interesting that only after being tempted by Satan do we read that Jesus returned from the wilderness “in the power of the Spirit.”

Application: The opposition of weights against the muscles results in the strengthening of those muscles. Similarly the devils opposition and temptations can be used to increase my spiritual strength. That is probably why James (1:2) tells me to count it all joy when I fall into various temptations.

Prayer: Lord, living for you does not mean a trouble free life. But it does mean that you are with me and that the troubles will work for my good. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

It’s A Process

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January 3: Genesis 6-8; Luke 3

It’s A Process

Scripture: Luke (NIV) 3:21 ¶ When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened
22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
23 Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry.

Observation: Jesus had been 12 years old when he accompanied his parents to the temple in Jerusalem. When his parents discovered he was missing on the return trip, they finally found him talking with the religious leaders in the temple. Jesus is now 30 years old. There have been 18 years of maturity and ministry preparation in the privacy of Joseph and Mary’s home and carpentry shop.

Application: Maturing takes time and it is difficult to measure the growth in a day by day evaluation. Progress is slow and in small steps. Much of it is done out of public sight and has to do with observing and interacting with mature friends. It’s a process that cannot be ignored nor thought unimportant. It brings great rewards.

Prayer: Lord, living for you is a daily journey that I learn by asking questions and watching the daily lives of others. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

Slow Times

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January 2: Genesis 3-5; Luke 2

Slow Times

Scripture: Luke (NIV) 2:39 When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.
40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.

Observation: After the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, the visit to the temple, the escape into Egypt and return, Joseph and Mary settled into the routine of daily life. They had done all they could do and everything required of the Law, and now was the time of just living. It was family life with a small child, and with the brothers and sisters that were born into the family. It was time needed for Jesus to grow and develop.

Application: There have been times of waiting for God to give the next move. They were times of holding steady to the course God had set. They were times of God’s instruction and character building. They were not times to run, change course, or develop my own plan. They were times of growing in the natural circumstances of life.

Prayer: Lord, your timing is amazing. Thank you for helping me not to get discouraged in the “slow” times but learning to appreciate your Presence. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

Truth for the New Year!

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January 1: Genesis 1-2; Luke 1

Truth for the New Year

Scripture: Luke 1:37 For nothing is impossible with God.

Observation: The angel speaking in this verse to Mary had told her some things that may have been hard to believe. Her relative Elizabeth, though quite elderly, would be having a baby! And Mary, though a virgin, would be having a baby also! The baby would be called the “Son of the Most High” (being conceived by the Holy Spirit) and at the same time would be given the throne of “his father, David,” (as Mary was a descendent of King David.)

How can this be? The angel leaves her with this: “For nothing is impossible with God.”

The angel’s statement is a declaration of the character and ability of the God who sent him to Mary. It is truth that Mary would need to apply many times in the days ahead.

Application: As I enter the New Year, the angel’s declaration must become my declaration. My circumstances are different than Mary’s, but my God is not! The truth shines ahead of me into the unknown: Nothing is impossible with God!

Prayer: Lord, nothing is impossible with you! I am going to think and live like that is true! Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

Palms up

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December 31: Revelation 19-22

Palms up

Scripture: Revelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

…three verses later…

Revelation 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Observation: As in Genesis chapter 2 we find Adam and Eve were given only two choices, either to eat or not to eat, so here at the end of the Bible we find only two destinations: the “lake of fire” and “heaven.” The choice is ours.

Application: Sometimes in playing with young children I hide a small toy in my hands behind my back then bring my closed hands to the front asking them to choose in which hand is the prize. God is not like that at all. He holds the choices before us in His open hands, palms up.

Prayer: Lord, living for you is not a guessing game. Through your word and by your Spirit I can know which choice honors you. Sometimes I may not know clearly which one honors you, but I can clearly see which one does NOT honor you. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

I am glad I am on His side!

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December 30: Revelation 15-18

I am glad I am on His side!

Scripture: Revelation (NIV) 17: 12 "The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast.
13 They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast.
14 They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings— and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers."

Observation: He is the “Lord of lords and the King of kings.” The question is not, “Is He on my side?” but “Am I on His side?”

Application: “I am glad I am on his side,” were the exact words I said to myself one night in a fox hole in Viet Nam. “Puff” had responded to our call for air support to drive back an enemy attack. In a three second burst a bullet was being placed in every square yard of a target the size of a football field. Although only every fifth bullet was a tracer, it looked like it was raining fire against the dark night sky. We marked our perimeter by burning heat tabs in the bottom of our fox holes so Puff would know where to start strafing.

The more I read the book of Revelation, the more I find myself saying, “I’m glad I am on His side.” I may not understand all of the symbolic language, but I can understand enough to say, “I am glad I am on HIS side!”

Prayer: Lord, I’m glad I am on YOUR side! Thank you for forgiving my sins and accepting me as your child. May I never stray outside your parameter of safety and when I do, draw me back quickly. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

More new songs…

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December 29: Revelation 10-14

More new songs…

Scripture: Revelation (NIV) 14:2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps.
3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No-one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.

Observation: In the book of Psalms we find people encouraged to sing a new song. And here in the book of Revelation we again see people singing a new song.

Application: As I walk with the Lord, there should always be a new song in my heart. I should rejoice when I hear new songs being sung to the Lord. Since I know so many “older” songs/hymns I am doubly blest. I can sing the old ones all week long wherever I am and learn new ones when I gather with other believers. I can rejoice that out of the labors of my generation a new generation is arising with a new song.

Prayer: Lord, What blesses you, blesses me. My heart rejoices when I hear new expressions of praise and worship. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

No Surprise!

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December 28: Revelation 5-9

No surprise!

Scripture: Revelation (NIV) 6: 15 Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains.
16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!
17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

Observation: It is very understandable that a mother would become extremely angry when someone tries to harm the child she loves so dearly. It seems that the amount of her anger could be in proportion to the amount of her love.

God the Son loves God the Father so much that He was willing to come to earth to redeem those created in His image.

God the Father loves God the Son so much and wants Him to be honored by those for whom He died.

When those for whom Christ died reject Him, no one should be surprised that it makes the Father angry. He loves His Son!

Application: It is good for me to remember that this Holy God who loves me also loves His Son, Jesus. I should not be surprised to discover that the Father takes personally how I treat Jesus. (John 5:23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.)

Prayer: Lord, you remain perfectly holy and perfectly loving at all times, even when you are angry for your anger is never expressed outside the boundary of justice and it is against those who dishonor the Father you love so much. Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

Still discovering…

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December 27: Revelation 1-4

Still discovering…

Scripture: Revelation (NIV) 2:4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.
5 Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

Observation: The excitement of first love is somewhat like the excitement of discovering something new. If we have not seen the value of our new discovery by the time its newness wears off, it is easy to move our attention and devotion elsewhere.

What a joy it is to see someone experience the joy of being forgiven and committing their life to Jesus. How sad it is to see them forsake that first love because they did not grow in appreciation of their salvation and did not continue to discover new things about the One who provided it for them.

Application: The newness is gone from this laptop computer I am using, however, because I have learned how to use it every day, it has become too valuable to forsake. And should I apply myself, every day I could discover something new about the computer or the programs I am using.

How much more this is true of my relationship with God. He is too valuable to forsake! And every day He reveals something new or gives me fresh understanding of things He has previously taught me. He is amazing!

Prayer: Lord, every day is a new day with you. I am still discovering new mercies every morning! Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!