Devotionals by Chaplain (Col) Stephen W. Leonard, USA, Ret.
KISS THE SON: A VALENTINE MESSAGE
“Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you perish in the way. -Psalm 2:12 A kiss of another can signify many different things; after all, Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss. Kisses can be deceitful. On the other hand, they can and usually do communicate affection. They can express »
SLEEP, GLORIOUS SLEEP
“I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me. -Psalm 3:5 “I didn’t sleep a wink last night! How often have you had to say that? Just what is the function of sleep in your life? Sleep is, you know, a necessity of life; you can’t »
THE NATURE OF YOUR BELIEF IN GOD
“Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him. -Job 13:15 There is a difference of translations when it comes to this verse in Job. Regardless, the truth remains that, no matter which translation you choose, Job never questions that God is! He is in the midst of a »
DECORATING DUST
God said, “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return. -Genesis 3:19 Dust. How often have you used the word to describe yourself? You probably »
MILLSTONES AND PARENTING
“Whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believes in Me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. -Matthew »
INVIGORATING HOPE
“For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. -Romans 8:24-25 The most depressed and lonely among us have »
HE IS ALWAYS RIGHT THERE
“‘Am I a God at hand,’ declares the Lord, ‘and not a God far away?’ –Jeremiah 23:23 The closeness or distance of God is a matter which concerns everyone, whether or not they admit it. Some think anything about God is of little consequence to them. Others who think God »
SEEING LAZARUS
“When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of Him but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, because on account of him »
HYPERBOLE?
“Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter »
THE HELPER IN BURYING JESUS
“Jesus answered Nicodemus, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ -John 3:3 The torturous crucifixion of Jesus accomplished its purpose. He truly died; He did not “swoon on the cross to later be revived in a cold tomb. Ridiculous »
THE VISIBLE RISEN CHRIST
“As they were talking about these things, Jesus Himself stood among them, and said to them, ‘Peace be to you!’ But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. And He said to them, ‘Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See »
