Pillars of Creation
James Webb Space Telescope
“Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”
(Colossians 1:15-17)
Hi Men:
As we get ready to close out this year, ask the Lord to reveal throughout 2026 who you are “IN” Him. If convicted, plan to do a study of the “in Christ” verses this next year. Next week we will talk about how you are going to read through the Bible in 2026…..
Many of you know Will Leshley. He attended Zion two years back and attends Jerry Bangert’s Bible Study. Guess what? Last Saturday he got married to Dannielle Doplayna. It was a beautiful wedding. I remember when Will walked in our church back in March of 2022. As an officer in the USAF, Will was a HH-60 Helicopter pilot. Jane & I invited him to our house for lunch that afternoon ….. and we have had the blessing to be in their lives ever since.
Photo Above: Will asked if he could use our backyard for pre-wedding photos.
PHOTO AT TOP
With Christmas approaching, I thought it was appropriate to visit briefly on the familiar Pillars of Creation, located in the Eagle Nebula. As some of you know, they are just a very small region in the Eagle Nebula, about 6,500 light-years away. Each “pillar” is several light-years tall (that’s trillions of miles), dense enough to hold the material for dozens of stars, and functioning as a “stellar nursery” where new stars are being born.
Now read the verse above from Colossians in that light. Take a moment to slowly gaze at the image and then reflect on this:
“All things came into being through Him (JESUS), and apart from Him (JESUS) nothing came into being that has come into being.” (John 1:3)
How do you even begin to describe a Creator like that? And on top of that, Jesus has come to live “in” us (Galatians 2:20). The One who spoke the Pillars of Creation into existence now dwells in blind naked beggars like us. Jesus is truly INDESCRIBABLE.
Make sure you read Miltinnie Yih’s short letter below, where she sees herself as a “speck.”
Even though it’s 3 years old, you have to see this Pillars of Creation Video.
(YouTube 1:42 Mins)
IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD
As you guys know, often I get too wordy, so will delay sharing my conversations with the catering staff at Zion and opportunities I had Sam’s Club and BofA this week….
But……. I just had to share my conversation at my eye doctor’s office on Tuesday.
So, I had my annual eye exam on Tuesday, and while my optometrist, who I shared the gospel with last year, remains warm but comfortably settled in his Catholic faith, God opened a completely unexpected door with his assistant, a young woman named Meia. After she finished the pre-exam tests and brought me into the exam room, I told her I had something for her, and when I handed her the Santa Claus million-dollar bill, she laughed with delight. As I explained the gospel message on the back and shared my testimony of how Jesus radically changed my life, her eyes filled with tears. I showed her Steps to Peace With God and told her how I surrendered my life to Christ under a tree in my backyard. She was deeply moved – almost overwhelmed – and told me she had recently lost a close friend to suicide. I briefly shared my own story from when I was 40, and she hung on every word – As you men know, God will use us to comfort the afflicted (2 Cor 1:3-4). She had to rush off to other patients, but she couldn’t have been more grateful, telling me she would read everything. As I was leaving, we saw each other in the hallway. She still seemed quite emotional. I gave her a gentle, grandfatherly hug, and she thanked me again. It was one of those unmistakable, divine appointments – an encounter that made my entire week. Men, you just never know —- and what’s the downside?
“NOTHING”
Merry Christmas Men! 🎄
Until Our Nets Are Full,
Dan
[Let’s re-visit this once more]
The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1)
Note: Mary knew clearly that she was the bondslave of Christ. Greek word for bondslave: doulē = female slave. Mary was the willing slave to Jesus!
In the song, “Mary, Did You Know?” …… I love the line: This Child that you delivered will soon deliver you
ZION
Listen To Jerry’s Message at Zion.
Here Are The Notes as you listen to his message (PDF)
Go to our media page, E²Vegas.com/Media to listen to all of this years recorded messages.
A very tough verse and very few sermons on this verse for obvious reasons!
1 Cor 5:5
If the Apostle Paul and the early church was willing to hand a man over to Satan to save his soul, why do we tolerate the very sins that destroy ours?
Tolerating Sin – Day 354 Red Book
The purpose of these devotionals is to help you think Biblically
Solomon said, “As a man thinks, so is he”
Be Bold! Send A PDF Copy to a friend to discuss….
Lee and Miltinnie Yih…….. Many of you might not know, but Lee came up with the name, “Zion Boot Camp.” He was also the very first speaker when we started the conference in 2009. This photo was just sent to me last night. Lee and Miltinnie are such a precious couple – faithful disciplers of numerous men and women.
“He sent His own Son to become one of us, die on the cross
for the punishment we deserved, to purchase our forgiveness….”
Read Miltinnie’s note for December….. PROFOUND!!
For a better read View The PDF
Song by Stefany Gretzinger: No One Ever Cared For Me Like Jesus
Watch it on YouTube (5 minutes)
Lee’s Favorite: Man of Sorrows – What a Name (1875)
Listen to it on YouTube (2.40 minutes)
Man of sorrows what a name
for the Son of God, who came
ruined sinners to reclaim:
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
Jesus said to him, “I am the WAY, and the TRUTH, and the LIFE; no one comes to the Father but through Me. (John 14:6)
Men, this was sent to me by one of our brothers…….. so good!!
Without the Way, there is no going,
Without the Truth, there is no knowing,
Without the Life, there is no living.
I am the way which thou must follow; the truth which thou must believe; the life for which thou must hope. I am the inviolable way; the infallible truth, the never-ending life. I am the straightest way; the sovereign truth; life true, life blessed, life uncreated.
Thomas à Kempis (1380 – 1471) — The Imitation of Christ
[Let’s continue this jaw-dropping verse from John 14:6]
A GREAT CHRISTMAS MEDITATION
If I Have Christ, What Need I More?
~ J.C. Ryle (1816 – 1900)
Christ is ‘the way’ — the way to heaven and peace with God. He is not only the guide and teacher and lawgiver, like Moses; he is himself the door, the ladder and the road through whom we must draw near to God. He has opened the way to the tree of life, which was closed when Adam and Eve fell, by the satisfaction he made for us on the cross. Through his blood we may draw near with boldness and have access with confidence into God’s presence.
Christ is ‘the truth’ — the whole substance of true religion which the mind of man requires. Without him the wisest heathen groped in gross darkness and knew nothing about God. Before he came even the Jews saw ‘through a glass darkly’ and discerned nothing distinctly under the types, figures and ceremonies of the Mosaic law. Christ is the whole truth and meets and satisfies every desire of the human mind.
Christ is ‘the life’ — the sinner’s title to eternal life and pardon, the believer’s root of spiritual life and holiness, the surety of the Christian’s resurrection life. He that believeth on Christ hath everlasting life. He that abideth in him, as the branch abides in the vine, shall bring forth much fruit. He that believeth on him, though he were dead, yet shall he live. The root of all life, for soul and for body, is Christ.
If I Have Christ, What Need I More?
If you missed this message from last week, Here It Is Again…..
One of the brothers in Atlanta wrote the following:
Our dear friend and departed brother, Gayle Jackson wrote the attached back in 2017. Arthur ran across the piece recently and shared it with the team. The piece warmed our hearts as we remembered our deep love for Gayle. We thought it was worth sharing this Christmas season. May it bring joy to your soul as you reflect on God’s magnificent gift.
“Season of Joy: How can we rejoice always?”
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A good buddy in San Diego passed the short statement below on to me. This might be your Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning Devotional:
As previously mentioned above, reflecting on Mary’s statement to the angel in Luke 1:38, when told that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit with the Son of God:
“Behold I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word”.
Two questions worth asking ourselves:
- Are you willing to obey anything the Bible clearly says to do (or not do), whether you like it or not?
- Are you willing to trust God in anything He sends into your life, whether you understand it or not?
If you can’t answer these two questions in the affirmative, you may believe in Jesus in some general way, but you have never said to Him: “Behold I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word”.
Questions taken from the book Hidden Christmas by Tim Keller.
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WHAT DO YOU NOTICE ABOUT THIS CHRISTMAS CARD?
“But as many as received Him,
to them He gave the right to become children of God…….”
John 1:12
