Devotionals by Chaplain (Col) Stephen W. Leonard, USA, Ret.
Slithering Reminder
"Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made...The woman said, "The serpent deceived me and I ate." So the Lord said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will »
Undistracted Pursuit
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great crowd of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For »
Lying Tongues
"There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up »
Does Encounter Always Lead to Transformation?
"When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, "Truly, this was the Son of God." - Matthew 27:54 There were many characters who observed the crucifixion of Jesus, many bad, some »
A Mere Matter of Believing God
"Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench." - 1 Kings 18:38 It was a supreme competition to determine who was truly God and who was not. »
Evil to its Full Extent
"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" - Jeremiah 17:9 The Anne Frank House in Amsterdam and its terrifying story is a poignant reminder of the great and terrible evil perpetrated by humans on their fellows, the ultimate exposure of the utter depths »
Completely Original
"By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what is visible." - Hebrews 11:3 "For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers »
Worship: Created Things, Created People, or the Creator
"Fear God and give Him glory, for the hour of His judgment has come. Worship Him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water." - Revelation 14:7 Going behind the Iron Curtain very soon after the Wall came down, was a fascinating experience! Walking through »
Peace in the Maelstrom
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life." - Matthew 6:25 Anxiety is a killer. It is an ever present irritant to the body's nervous system, impacting your physical health. Excessive and constant worry gives disease a foothold. It wears you down. It saps your strength. It is »
When You Confess Your Sin, Others are Helped
"Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned »
Sin's Repeat: The Energizer Bunny
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race which is set before us." - Hebrews 12:1 King Saul could not keep from trying to kill »
Taking Your Own Life
"For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's." - Romans 14:7-8 Suicide is »
