Rev Leon's Podcast: Recent Episodes
Leon Bailey, Jr.
Regardless of your faith tradition, we speak to the higher self in each of us. Take what serves you from these messages for inspiration and encouragement. We can all use a bit of that. God Bless.
We often hear the phrase, 'if they knew better, they would do better.' That being the case, there is substantial evidence to support the premise of willful misconduct. Putting that aside, we know better and what we may not be operating with in our awareness is how much more is available to us in doing better. If we put aside that willful neglect, we can align with greater fulfillment in our lives. The we will see the better that we deserve become available and unfold.
God bless,
Rev Leon
We often confuse our gesture of forgiveness as releasing an actor from judgement. That type of forgiveness is left to the courts. Spiritual forgiveness means that I give up any harsh feeling against the actor and will not seek vengeance. I am releasing my right to carry ill-feelings toward that actor. As a Christian, forgiveness is required, it’s not optional. When I don’t forgive, I am not able to allow the presence of God to occupy my spirit. That’s what makes it a requirement.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Gen 45:1-15
Have you ever spoken something into existence? Have you ever seen the alignment of your heart match your words and suddenly, things start to happen? There is a power that you have to literally create with your speaking. This creative power becomes even stronger when we learn that the true power is co-creating with God. Then things really start to happen.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Romans 8:5-18
Ever wonder why you may have sleepless nights? Ever wonder who or what is keeping you up? What is it like to wrestle with the devil. When dealing with challenging circumstances we are in a wrestling match to overcome those hurdles. It is important to know with whom you are wrestling.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Genesis 32:22-31
Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable to you Lord. Psalm 19:14
What if you were taken literally for every word you spoke? How connected are you to your spoken word? There is clear inauthenticity related to how we communicate with others. When we align our spoken words with our heart centered words and add authenticity, we learn that God is willing and ready to fulfill our goodness.
God bless,
Rev Leon
1 Kings 3:5-12
Did you know that there are 13 different parts to the human heart? Thank God that cardiologist study these facts and are able to address those issues of the heart. At the same time, We who are committed to matters of the Spirit must study the nature of the spiritual heart. It is not about the number of aspects and components, but more about how one's heart is inclined to serve. It is more about what drives the nature and discipline of the heart.
When we arrive at having our hearts aligned with the will and nature of God, the presence and power of God can be felt wherever we are.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Psallm 86:11-17
What lights your path? What are the things that motivate your actions and daily activities? We are all busy, and to what end? When you take an honest look at what is in your heart and how that is what lights your path, you may be surprised at what you find.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Psalm 119:103-112
God has chosen to hide wisdom from the wise and to reveal it to the humble. Are you humble enough to enjoy the power and presence of God's wisdom?
God bless,
Rev Leon
Matthew 11:16-19; 25-30
As we encounter challenges in life, the question of how long will this go on often arises. We are challenged, when faced with adversity, to be aware of the presence of God. We may find ourselves looking at the problem and circumstances rather than resting in God's love. When we are able to make that shift is when we are able to know that resolution is not far, and peace is present.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Psalm 13
It takes something to admit that one needs help. We generally keep our need for assistance to ourselves. It is liberating to acknowledge the need for assistance, and it can be an expression of God's grace.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Psalm 69:7-18
In Paul's letter to the Romans, he speaks of being justified by faith. We will explore what that could mean for believers.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Romans 5:1-11
We all know the Golden Rule, but how much real gold can be found in your operating system of this rule? How authentic are your transactions? How honest are you with your treatment of others? This is an inquiry what it may look like when we examine the 'gold' content of interactions.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Luke 6:41-42, Luke 6:31
Rarely do we consider the value of our time. If you think about it, time is like a bank account with savings, checking and investment options. Time with others, especially those who are important in our lives, require deposits. When was the last time you reconciled your emotional accounts with those important people in your life? Let’s hope that you are not overdrawn and about to receive a notice of insufficient funds.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Proverbs 11:1
This is the beginning of the holiday season. In the US, it begins with Thanksgiving a time to acknowledge what there is to be thankful for in our lives. This message is a reflection on those things for which to be thankful.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Righteousness is without question, a place of clarity, and peace. Christ operated from a place of righteousness and that allowed for some many to be healed and returned to wholeness. Jesus was our guide for this journey called life.
With that leadership, we can only do well.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Jeremiah 23:1-6
The power of envisioning is incredible. Learn how to use this gift and you will be amazed at how you can be more creative than you ever imagined.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Isaiah 67-17-25
We are all wounded. Our pretense does not make it go away. Our pretense requires that we must lie and deceive in order to maintain the pretense. Pretense becomes the required context for our lives and the wounds we are covering up become worse. We don’t realize that we can be healed.
Little do we realize that we have the power of healing. It is possible to heal quite effectively when we abandon the pretense. Are you ready to be healed?
God bless,
Rev Leon
Romans 15:13
Colossians 1:27
We all know about those scary movies that feature characters like Chuckie, Jason and such. We also know about vampires who are often referred to as the walking dead. Many of us are living lives as we become part of the walking dead. Not because we are vampires, but because we have given up hope or lost our dreams. Let’s explore what it might take to return to life and restore new dreams.
Luke 18:14
"...for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted."
God bless,
Rev Leon
Luke 18:9-14
Whether we realize it or not, we are all ministers. There are those who recognize and acknowledge this fact and others who have yet to discover and own their ministry. One important aspect of this call to ministry is that we all subscribe to our own theologies, so to speak. This means that we are grounded in the work serves the greater good for all, or we subscribe to some other self-serving doctrine or storyline.
Perhaps the best way to convey the bast intended outcome for each of us in contained in the following verse:
2 Timothy 2:15
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
God bless,
Rev Leon
2 Timothy 3:14 - 4:5
What do you do when you have reached the end of that which you understand? How do you navigate within the world knowing that the end of your understanding is not too far off? What is beyond your ability to understand. In all of this, where is God in the equation? Let’s explore the faith that exists beyond our own understanding and see what God can provide.
God bless,
Rev Leon
2 Timothy 2:8-15
It is unsettling to be in a foreign land and expected to move about comfortably. That is a challenge. When in a foreign land, it could be said that one is homeless in a sense because there is no confidence or knowledge about what it takes to make things work in that foreign land. This is also true when it comes to operating without the safety net of being emotionally, psychologically and spiritually grounded. In this respect, it can be said that we are homeless without such grounding.
This short talk will instruct on how to end homelessness.
Where two or more are gathered in my name, there I am also.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Psalm 137
Matthew 18:20
We all have areas in our lives of challenge. For some these challenges may be small, while for others the challenges are overwhelming. Regardless of the magnitude of your challenge, God’s presence within each of us holds the hope that displaces the despair. We can provide hope by acknowledging God’s presence within and between all of us.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Psalm 40:1-3
We fall victim to our circumstances and let them lead in terms of how we navigate our lives. What if we were to stay centered in abundance? What if you learned that every circumstance in your life was intended to move you toward greater abundance rather than what may look like a. challenge. A challenge only remains if we hold on to it.
Let it go and let God reign.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Psalm 14
When you hear the phrase, there is no God, what is your reaction? Might it be more accurate to say that we choose to ignore God? Either case leaves us with a sense of spiritual poverty. Let the Lord restore your fortune.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Psalm 14
Are you aware of how your life as a creation of God is beyond words? We have been made in the image and likeness of God and that means we are walking around with the operating elements of God's greatness within each of us. The question becomes what to do with that power.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18
Honey from the rock was a metaphor used to describe the sweetest nectar available. That is the reward for our obedience to God. That is the healing balm for our hearts and minds when there is a need. Thank you, God.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Psalm 81
Have you thought about your will versus God’s will? Have you ever thought about the visions that continually stay with you versus the things you do every day? The differences between all of these things is rather important. We have to determine what is driving our decision making process here. If there is a plan, where can it be found? If there are directions, how do you get to follow them? If there is guidance, what does one have to do to comply?
God knows.
And God bless.
Rev Leon
Jeremiah 1:4-10
Have you ever tried to make something and you are left disappointed with the results? What do you do with that product? Do you try to salvage it or just toss out everything? Disappointment is difficult to manage and too often, we throw the baby out with the bathwater as they say. Today, we look at some options.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Isaiah 5:1-7
We always have a choice in love. We can choose to hoard the love we receive now because we did not have it in the past or we can choose to expand and express the love that God has placed in our hearts. Little do we realize that all of our past love experiences are foundational pillars for the love we have today. The challenging love lessons of the past may have been there to teach us appreciation for the love yet to come. If all that has happened in our past was preparation, what would you say you are now ready to encounter? We are continually growing in God’s love and we must learn how to express that love for God’s voice to be heard.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Luke 12:32-34
Jesus prepared the disciples for his departure with what could be called a review. He reviewed topics of importance to remind them of how much ground he had covered. There is a wealth of knowledge contained in this scripture and many lessons for us all to absorb.
God bless,
Rev Leon
John 15
It may not be true that God loves us all the same. What may be more accurate is that God loves us according to our needs. That compassion and consideration is God letting us know that we are in fact favored. Each of us and all of us are favored. Being favored means we are obligated to return the favor of God's love to the world and to each other.
How will you demonstrate your status of being favored?
God bless,
Rev Leon
Psalm 85
Does your house reflect the best of your community or is it just average? If you live in a poor town does your existence match that description or are you doing better than average? Does your life reflect the same things you are saying about yourself or is there a different or a gap? What is the truth about where/how you live?
After all is said and done, if you declare yourself a Christian, are you worthy to live in God's house?
God bless,
Rev Leon
Psalm 15
In Paul's letter to the Colossians, he acknowledged them for their demonstrations of faith and love. They
were known widely for being faithful and loving people. Their reputation preceded them, as the saying goes. What are you known for? How do people feel when they know you are expected.
This brings to mind a childhood rhyme that was used to support good behavior.
Let it never be said
And said to your shame
That things were much nicer
Before you came.
Turn up the level of your faith and love. I think the world could use it right about now.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Luke 1:1-14
What do you do when you have a sense of being unsettled? Things are not quite right. There's nothing wrong, and yet you are aware of something about to unfold. Get ready because God is about to unfold some untold good in your life. You are in a state of preparation.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Luke 1:46-47
How often have we been ill, gotten well, and jump right back into life's routines? What about a prayer of gratitude for God's grace? We are witnessing the miraculous and not recognizing that it is God's grace that allow us to continue in this life.
Thank God for the grace of healing.
Peace,
Rev Leon
Psalm 30
We honor and bless fathers everywhere. We are because they were. It is our choice to determine how best to be in the world based upon how we translate their experiences with us. Thank you God for all fathers.
God bless,
Rev Leon
One day Grace quietly moved away. Some noticed while other carried on as if nothing was different. For those who knew Grace, they felt her absence. For Grace, she knew her calling took her to express God's grace in the world.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Matthew 7:12
Isn't it time for some remodeling? When was the last time you reinvented yourself? What are you tolerating that no longer has value in your life? It is time for you to be transformed.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Revelation 21:1-6
II Corinthians 5:17
Have you ever been recognized by someone before you recognize who they are? This was the case when two disciples were walking on the road to Emmaus and discovered that the risen Christ was walking with them. Let's explore what it means to be recognized and the difference in can make in our lives.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Luke 24:13-35
Whether we choose to acknowledge God or not, that power and presence is with us. Take some time to be with that peaceful, powerful presence. You will be blessed and others will see God's blessing in you.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Acts 5:27-32
Easter is more than candy and new outfits. What the resurrection of Christ can mean to us today is powerful. Through prayer and reflection we will see that we can resurrect hope in our lives. With that hope we can see our way to God's promise of eternal life.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Luke 24:1-17
Romans 6:3-11
When Jesus was leaving the Mount of Olives on what we now call Palm Sunday, crowds gathered to see him. It became an epic event. The Pharisees urged him to quiet the crowd. Jesus replied that something greater was taking place and even if they were silent, God's work will still be done.
Your spiritual voice makes a difference.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Luke 19:28-40
Tears may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Psalm 30:5
We are experiencing extraordinary chaos these days. It is not only all around the world, it is locally as well. Where are your places of refuge? What does it take to transcend this human experience? Who must we become in order to rise above it all? By releasing our old selves and embracing who we are in spirit, the high road becomes the best and only option.
God bless,
Rev Leon
2 Corinthians 5:16-21
Have you ever encountered something that you just "couldn't wrap your head around?" That could be something called cognitive dissonance. What you hold as a thought or concept does not match what you may be seeing or experiencing. But how does one reconcile that experience when it comes to a life based upon faith?
Peace,
Rev Leon
Isaiah 55:1-9
Who are your heroes? Are there people who you may pattern your life practices after? this is an important question to consider. As has often been said, "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." What might that look like in your life?
God bless,
Rev Leon
Philippians 3:17-4:1
Would you consider a broader consideration of sacrifice? Consider also, the opportunity to form a new habit. You might discover a greater experience of life.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Matthew 6:1-6
We suffer from gratuitous niceness. It is more often the case that we cover up what is real with niceties. Just as being nice covers some potentially ugly feelings, When we get to the real that is everyone's heart, what will be revealed is the glow of God that is within us all.
God bless,
Rev Leon
2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2
In the words of Kahlil Gibran, "For what is your friend that you should seek him with hours to kill?
Seek him always with hours to live."How do you value the time the time spent with friends? This is an important question.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Luke 14:12
Instant gratification is becoming expected more and more everyday. We have come to want results as quickly as possible. We don't have that same expectation with respect to spiritual peace and ease. We want to be healed right away. We have very little acknowledgment of what God wants of us. Regardless of any circumstances, it must be realized that we are operating within God's time frames. That realization frees us up from unreasonable urgency. That provides great freedom.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Isaiah 60:22
Luke 6:17-19
We have been given an assignment. We are obligated to fulfill that assignment. When we become aware of how much in our lives we have to be grateful for, our assignments (who we are here to be for others), becomes clear. That awareness brings us closer to God. Getting closer to God is ultimately what it is all about. That is our collective and continual prayer.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Psalm 138
Where do you find refuge? What is a safe-haven for you? At the same time, are you a refuge for others? We live our lives in the context of being and seeking safety. How do we reconcile that with our higher calling? Where is God in all of this?
God bless,
Rev Leon
Psalm 71:1-6
An old friend was complaining about what how husband overlooked all of her gestures of generosity. She talked about all that she does, and he doesn't acknowledge much of anything. She said that the more she tries, the more he takes and goes on as if it is expected. It is her feeling that if she didn't do certain things, nothing would happen.
When presented with a simple question, she found herself stuck for an answer. Are you giving to please him, change him, or to just love him? What is behind the giving?
We all do the same thing. We say we love unconditionally, but there are strings attached that we ignore. Look into your heart and assess what is really behind your giving.
God bless,
Rev Leon
Psalm 19:14