Leb Blog

"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved." (Ephesians 2:4-5 ) I grew up in the Bronx and walking the streets, taking public transportation and putting coins into parking meters was second nature. This weekend I visited my sister in Union City, NJ and we decided to go shopping. We parked in a public parking garage that demanded quarters to be fed to the parking meter to grant us the privilege of leaving the car parked. It’s been a long time since I’ve had to pay to park! After an hour and half we returned. The parking garage is now full. The parking attendant is walking up and down the parking lanes to see who she can issue a summons to. We still had 30 minutes on our meter but did not need the extra time. I noticed to my left that the meter had expired. They could not have been there to long because when I parked the lot was empty. As

“So, if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36) I often hear about people releasing birds or butterflies as a sign of celebration. We capture the free birds and butterflies and then say we are setting them free. My first thought is, were they not free to begin with? When Adam and Eve walked with the Lord in the Garden they were free! Free to explore the beauty the Lord had created. Adam was free and even encouraged to name all the animals. Free to walk the Garden, to play and laugh. They talked with the Lord and life was good! They were free to eat of everything in the Garden except from the Tree of Good and Evil. We know the story. Temptation visited the Garden and though they were content, the planted thought of not having access to the Tree of Good and Evil caused them to stumble. And stumble they did, right into bondage. The free Adam and Eve were now enslaved to Sin. A rash decision, a decision against the counsel of God led them to a life of oppre

He replied, “If he is a sinner, I do not know. One thing I do know is that I was blind and now I see.” John 9:25 I did not know I needed help. I did not ask for it, but it was clear that I was blind. The story of the man born blind should resonate within all of us. The Scriptures unfold a theme on sin. Whose fault was it that the man was born blind is the question? What I see in this testimony is that the blind man was not even aware that Jesus was around or that he could heal him. After all he was blind. He could not see him walking toward him. Nevertheless, the Lord reached him. I love to tell the story of how I got saved; how I went from blindness to sight. I did not know I needed help. I did not ask for it, but it was clear I was blind. I was dead in sin! While on vacation visiting Disney World the encounter that I had changed my life forever. During my holiday I visited cousins that I had not seen in years. After an awkward invitation to a small church