The Promise-Keeper

Scripture: Numbers (NIV) 15:1 The LORD said to Moses,
2 "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘After you enter the land I am giving you as a home
3 and you present to the LORD offerings made by fire…

Observation: Israel had dis-believed God. Even after seeing all the miracles less than a year before when God led them out of Egypt, they refused to believe that God was able to defeat those presently living in the land God had promised them. So God sent them back into the wilderness. However, then they decided that it was OK to go into the Promised Land, and took it upon themselves to move ahead. They were soundly defeated and driven back.

So what is God’s next move? He gives them instruction for when they do enter the Promised Land. It is still His plan! He has not given up on His plan! They are still His people! He keeps the "dream" of a homeland before them by giving them an assignment. It is not "if" they will enter, but "when" they will enter.

God had made a promise to Abraham that this land would belong to Israel. Because one generation did not have the faith to take what God was giving, did not mean that God was giving up on His promise.

Application: Anything I read or hear in the news about the Jews living in the Promised Land should build faith in my heart that God keeps His promises!

Prayer: Lord, I can count on You! You are the original Promise-Keeper! Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Special Blessing for Me!

Scripture: Mark (NIV) 2:27 Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.
28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."

Observation: Jesus’ disciples had been walking through a corn field on the Sabbath day, they picked some ears of corn and ate them, an act that was breaking the Jewish laws for Sabbath keeping. Jesus makes it clear that man was not created to observe the Sabbath, but the Sabbath was made to be a blessing to man. The Jewish religious leaders had made so many laws about what people should do in order to keep the law that they had become a great burden.

Application: The first Sabbath mentioned in the scriptures was the day after creation was finished and God rested. He rested not because He was tired, but because He was through. The Sabbath, a day of rest, was put into the Ten Commandments, according to Jesus, for my benefit. Becoming tired is natural. God provided for my tiredness; He made rest a necessary part of my day and my week.

Prayer: Lord, from the day you created man, you knew we would need to put aside those things that stress us and rest. Thank you for rest. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Present, Promising and Providing…

Scripture: Numbers (NIV) 11: 21 But Moses said, “Here I am among six hundred thousand men on foot, and you say, ‘I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!’
22 Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?”
23 The LORD answered Moses, “Is the LORD’s arm too short? You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you.”

Observation: Moses had personally witnessed enough miracles that God’s word promising enough meat to eat for a whole month should have been easily believable. But Moses was under a heavy load and depressed by the people’s complaining. (Note: verses 11-14.) He questions God’s capability to bring this about. His mind was more on the complaining people than the Present, Promising and Providing God! (Note: verses 31-32 accounts how God provided.)

Application: At time present circumstances hinder my faith by dimming my memory of what God has done in the past for me. But the Present, Promising and Providing God is with me too!

Prayer: Lord, I am so glad I can count on You! Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!

Limitations Serving for Good!

Scripture: Acts (NIV) 28: 16 When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him….
30 ¶ For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him.
31 Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.

Observation: Again in the seemingly fast moving book of Acts we see a second pause of two years. Paul had been arrested in Jerusalem then held in Judea in a Roman jail for two years. Upon his appeal to Caesar, he was sent as a prisoner to Rome to appear before the Emperor. The book of Acts ends with Paul being under house arrest for another two years. It is interesting to note that the authority that arrested Paul also provided his transportation to Rome. The soldier who guarded Paul also provided his protection.

Application: The things I dislike the most can often become the source of God’s provision and blessing. Sometimes embracing the things that limit me can work to God’s glory and my good. God often does provide in abundance, but God is not hindered by my lack of provision or limited resources. In fact, my lack can serve to highlight the fact that God is at work in my life as it is obvious that I could not have accomplished it on my own.

Prayer: Lord, You are my source and Your resources never run out. As you used the Roman government to transport and protect Paul, so you can use that which seems to be against me to enable me to do Your will. You are an amazing God!!! Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

Breaks

Scripture: Acts 27:3 The next day we landed at Sidon; and Julius, in kindness to Paul, allowed him to go to his friends so they might provide for his needs.
4 From there we put out to sea again and passed to the lee of Cyprus because the winds were against us.

Observation: Paul was traveling as a prisoner by ship from Jerusalem to Rome. As they were taking a short break from the sea, Paul was allowed to spend time with some friends. When the break was over, they picked up the journey where they had left off, back out at sea.

Application: One reason I enjoyed playing football more than basketball was the huddle! Thank the Lord for breaks! Thank the Lord for safe harbors in which I can stop for a rest. I know I have to pick up and go again, but the pause refreshes and I have opportunity to refocus.
NOTE: In visiting a friend in the hospital, I may be able to provide a needed break from the obvious problem they are journeying through. I may be able to help them refocus on their priority.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for the “breaks” You have placed in my life. Like a wise basketball coach, You call time-outs at a critical times. Help me to take full advantage of these breaks to enjoy Your presence and refocus on why You have me here. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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!

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!

My impatience/His faithfulness!

Scripture: Acts 24:27 When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, but because Felix wanted to grant a favor to the Jews, he left Paul in prison.

Observation: When Paul first became a follower of Jesus he was told that he was chosen to take the message of Jesus before kings. Years later when arrested in Jerusalem he was specifically told he would be testifying in Rome. (Acts 23:11) But two years have passed and Paul is still in jail in Judea! Two years—a long time to wait—and to be waiting in jail—Paul was waiting for others to make decisions concerning his life. He was totally powerless to determine his own course of life yet he eventually made it to Rome. (Acts 28:16) (In Genesis 41:1 we read of Joseph also waiting an additional two years in prison after revealing the dreams of the butler and cup-bearer.)

Application: Sometimes when I read the Bible, I think that things happen as fast as I can read about them. But verses like the one above let me know that though God is not always in a hurry, He is always faithful. I can trust God to bring about His promise in His timing. And I am far enough along in the course of my life to have some personal testimonies of God working through my impatience to prove His faithfulness!

Prayer: Lord, even though my patience may be stretched, I know I can count on your faithfulness. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

February 16: Leviticus 26-27; Acts 23

It is still a go…

Scripture: Acts 23:11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, "Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome."

Observation: Paul had just found himself in the middle of turmoil and had been taken into custody. He may not have understood all that was happening to him, but God was clearly in control. The Lord was making arrangements for an all-expense paid trip to Rome.

The Lord makes a personal appearance to Paul to let him know He was not through with him and Paul was being sent to Rome. However it would take several years and Paul would make the trip as a prisoner.

Application: I can trust the Lord to work through the difficulties surrounding me for my good and His glory. His plan for me is still on and has not been cancelled or derailed.

Prayer: Lord, you reach out to me at the bottom of my troubles and assure me that you are in control and your plan for my life is still on track. Amen.

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!

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!