February 27, 2022

AWAKE AND WALK AS THE WISE

Ephesians 5:14-16

Therefore He says:

“Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light.”

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Encouraging Words

Before we know Christ, we are dark, living in the dark. Christ recreates us as light 
and brings us into His Kingdom of light. We must awake from our earthly and temporal slumbers. We must arise from the dead and live in the light. We are to walk circumspectly and as the wise, redeeming the time in these evils. And Jesus gives us the power and ability to do this. Glory be to God!

February 26, 2022

Saint of the Week

St. Athanasius

February 25, 2022

FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT

Ephesians 5:8-10

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.

Encouraging Words

Notice that this text does not say that we were in darkness but that we were darkness. It does not say that we are now in light but that we are light in the Lord. If we are following Him then we are transformed. In that trans­formation, we should walk as children of light in a way that is acceptable to the Lord. Glory be to God!

February 24, 2022

IMITATORS

Ephesians 5:1-2

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

Personal Challenge

I remember when my children were young, especially my son, that they reached and age where they would imitate me. On good days they would try to do what I did, whether it was wash the car, mow the lawn, or do some carpentry. They wanted the same tools and wanted to be right there with me, mimicking what I was doing. On bad days, they would repeat that word that came out of my mouth which was not appropriate or imitate my angry or bad mood. Paul is telling us to be imitators of God. We do this by following our Lord around, watching what He does, listening to what He says, and then doing our best to do the same. This is our sweet-smelling sacrifice and offering to Him.

February 23, 2022

BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER

Ephesians 4:31-32

Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Personal Challenge

"Be kind to one another". What has happened to our Christian ethic of loving and caring for our fellow human being? Have we become so weary of doing good on our own accord that we have became bitter, wrathful, angry, clamoring, speaking evil, and full of malice? If so, then it is time to get back to the basics, like Mary did differently than Martha, and sit at our Lord's feet soaking in His love, His mercy, His teaching, His presence. Sometimes we have to step away from all the "godly" things that we are doing and spend time with our Lord. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

February 22, 2022

IMPARTING GRACE

Ephesians 4:29

Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.

Personal Challenge

We have come to a place where our culture and our society have devolved to a state where people have no problem belittling, bullying, and minimizing people around them. The advent of social media has made it possible for people to do this hiding behind a persona that appears loving and caring but speaks unedifying words. As practicing Christians, our charge is not to have corrupt words, come out of our mouths. We are to speak, or type on our keyboards, words the edify others and imparts grace toward others. It is bad enough that our culture embraces the opposite of this charge, but when we, the members of the body of Christ, behave this way, then we have abandoned our Lord, Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

February 21, 2022

ANGER AND SIN

Ephesians 4:26-27

“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.

Personal Challenge

Is there such a thing as righteous anger? It appears, based on this verse that there is. There is a fine line, however, between righteous anger and sin. We can be angry at those things that are wrong, evil, and unrighteous, but it is what we do with that anger that can turn it into a sin. If we dwell upon it and let it fester in our hearts and minds, it will infect us and lead us to sin. If we lash out and seek to hunt those whom we are angry at, we sin against them. The challenge is to process that anger, determine the godly response to it, and respond accordingly in a loving way. Often that response will be difficult, but will lead to closure and reconciliation. In order to do this we need to include our Lord in our actions by doing them for Him. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

February 20, 2022

KEEPING UNITY

Ephesians 4:1-3

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Personal Challenge

Paul is reminding us that we have been called to follow Jesus and walk worthy of that calling. We are to do this with all lowliness and gentleness, with long suffering, bearing with one another in love, and endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. This is absolutely necessary in the universal church of our Lord, His bride, that all who follow Him are members of. We are blessed to have local expressions of His bride, the churches that we worship at. It is important the we strive to follow Paul's admonition in these bodies as well. Sometimes, however, it may mean that in order to keep this unity and peace, we separate ourselves from that body due to local conflicts or changes of direction and purpose. This is always a difficult challenge and one that requires much prayer and soul searching. If our desire is unity and peace then personal sacrifice is always necessary. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

February 19, 2022

Saint of the Week

St. Anthony the Great

February 18, 2022

MAY WE BE GRANTED...

Ephesians 3:14-19

For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Encouraging Words

Paul ends his letter to the Ephesians with a plea to God for them to be blessed. What are these blessings that he wants bestowed upon them, and ultimately us? To be strengthened with might through His spirit in our inner man or woman. That Christ will dwell in our hearts through faith. That we being rooted and grounded in love be able to comprehend with all the saints the width, length, depth, and height of His love for us through Christ. That we might be filled with all the fullness of God. These are the rich blessings of our Father bestowed on His children. Glory be to God!

February 17, 2022

FELLOW CITIZENS

Ephesians 2:19-22

Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Encouraging Words

What is the holy temple in the Lord? Is it a building or a tabernacle built by human hands? It is not. The holy temple is the Church of Christ that is built from the people of His adopted family. Jesus is the cornerstone of this holy structure. Upon this cornerstone, the foundation was built by the apostles and prophets who new Jesus personally and learned directly from His teachings. Upon this foundation, the church is built by the lives of the saints that have gone before us and continues to be built by each new believer in Christ. We are not strangers or foreigners, but fellow citizens in the building of this holy structure, the Church of Christ. the dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Glory be to God.

February 16, 2022

THE GIFT OF GOD

Ephesians 2:8-10

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Encouraging Words

Our salvation from death has been given to us by God. There is nothing that we can do. to earn it, but there are many good works that we can do out of our gratefulness for His love and mercy. It works this way because we can only boast in Jesus and His works and not in ourselves. Glory be to God!

February 14, 2022

WE ARE BLESSED

Ephesians 1:3-6

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

Encouraging Words

We are blessed...by God! He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places through Jesus Christ. He knew before the beginning of time that we would be His and that through His Son we would be holy and without blame before Him in His love. In this love we are adopted as sons and daughters of God by the work of Jesus. Glory be to God!

February 13, 2022

IN WHOM DO I BOAST?

Galatians 6:14

But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Personal Challenged

It is very easy to slip into the mode of boasting about what we have done and leaving God out of the conversation. This often happens in our lives outside of the church, which is still boasting in ourselves and not about God. We should always give God the praise for our accomplishments. But when we do this in the church, boast about what we have done, then we are thumbing our noses as God. I have started a new ministry at my church. I am the lead singer in our choir. I set up a video ministry for those who can't be there. I, I, I, is where we make the mistake. It is God who has done these things and He was merciful enough to use me in this process. Something to think about in this age of personal expression and glorification. To God be the glory, not me!

February 12, 2022

Saint of the Week

St. Basil the Great

February 11, 2022

DO NOT GROW WEARY

Galatians 6:9

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Encouraging Words

God cares about us. He promises in another verse that He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear and that He will provide us a way to escape the temptation. Here, He promises that if we are doing His good work, striving to Glorify Him, and that if we do not grow weary doing that work, then in due season, we will reap the fruit of our labor, a labor of love for our God. Glory be to God!

February 10, 2022

OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHERS

Galatians 6:1-5

Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load.

Personal Challenge

If we practice our Christianity in a church that has formal traditions and rubrics, it is easy to get caught up in the concept that the more that we do these things, the better a Christian we are. While it is important to participate in the activities of our church, it is also important how we the live out our relationships with others, both inside and outside of the church. Do we strive to restore a brother or sister who has been overtaken in a trespass in a spirit of gentleness? Do we bear one another's burdens without grumbling and complaining? Do we truly consider ourselves as nothing in the eyes of God and others and humble ourselves? Do we examine our own work to determine our motives in order to keep them pure? This is living the godly, righteous Christian life. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

February 9, 2022

IF WE LIVE IN THE SPIRIT

Galatians 5:24-26

And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Personal Challenge

It is possible to be very active in our church or parish of choice, following all the traditions, speaking the right language, and appearing to be a devout follower of Christ, and yet not be living in the Spirit. If we are doing all these things on our own power and yet living conceited lives in what we are "doing", provoking one another for our own preferences, and envying one another, then we have not crucified the flesh of our passions and desires. We are not living and walking in the Spirit. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy on me, the sinner!

February 8, 2022

FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Personal Challenge

A question that we must ask ourselves as we go through our journey of life is, "Am I seeing this promised fruit of the spirit evidenced in my life?" If the answer is anywhere close to, "No". then we need to do some real soul searching. Either we have been quenching the spirit or we never really gave our lives over to Him. If Christ is living and growing within us, then we will see these fruit: love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control happening in our lives. This is a promise from our Lord that we will be given this fruit when we receive Him and let His Spirit lead us on our journey. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

February 7, 2022

WALK IN THE SPIRIT

Galatians 5:16

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Personal Challenge

When the scriptures talk about us being crucified with Christ, they are not talking about us being physically hung on a cross. They are talking about putting our fleshly desires and passions to death on His cross so that we can be free to walk in the presence of the Holy Spirit. This is a daily, even moment by moment, action of submitting our will, our desires, our passions, to Him so that He can replace them with godly and righteous thoughts and actions. Lord Jesus Christ son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

February 6, 2022

CALLED TO LIBERTY

Galatians 5:13

For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Personal challenge

When Christ became incarnate, lived a sinless life, was put to death on the cross, and rose from the grave, He freed us from the grip of sin and called us to a life of liberty. This is not liberty like we see in the Constitution which gives us the pursuit of happiness. This is a liberty to serve one another through love. We are no longer to be focused on our individualism but on the needs of others. This is our call to liberty. Glory be to God!

February 5, 2022

Saint of the Week

St. Silouan the Athonite

February 4, 2022

DO NOT BE ENTANGLED AGAIN

Galatians 5:1

Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

Personal Challenge

Jesus has set us free from the bondage of sin. Technically, because of His work and the Holy Spirit that He has given us, we could spend the remainder of our life not committing another sin. However, He has also created us with free will, so we can choose to follow Him and not sin or follow our desires and sin. This is a choice that we must make over and over and over again. This is our battle in this physical and temporal body. When we do choose to sin, we can always run back to Jesus, repenting and seeking His forgiveness, then trying again to avoid sinning. Paul is reminding us in this verse to be careful to not live our lives in a way that leads us back into slavery and bondage to sin. Again, it is about our choices. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy?

February 3, 2022

NO LONGER A SLAVE

Galatians 4:4-7

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Encouraging Words

"Wait a minute," you might say, "I am not now, nor have I ever, been a slave!" The truth is that we are born into a world where we are all slaves to sin. This is because the world is still fallen and enmeshed in sin. Because of Jesus and the work that He did, those of us who follow Him have been redeemed from the slavery and set free to be God's adopted children. What work did Jesus do to do this? He left His throne in heaven to become incarnate as a human being. He became one of us through the same process that we do. He was born of a virgin and lived a life from infancy to adulthood. He loved that life without sin, not because He was fully God, but as a fully human person He chose to not sin. He then gave up His life as a sacrificial lamb, was crucified on a cross, died, and was buried. On the third day He rose from that death and left the grave, fulfilling forever the Law of God. He destroyed the grip that death had on everyone of us and broke the bondage of slavery that it had on us. Through Him we are set free and reunited with God as his adopted children. Glory be to God!

February 2, 2022

ALL ONE

Galatians 3:28

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Personal Challenge

One of the fall outs of the Western church breaking away from the Eastern church in 1054 and then continuing to splinter and divide since then, is just the opposite of this verse. We have ended up with people, and their churches, who claim to be followers of Christ but point fingers at every other Christian faith practice and proclaiming that they are not Christians. In the early church there was no division, there was no splintering. Slaves and free people were the same, if the proclaimed Christ. Male and female, Jew or Greek, all who proclaimed Christ worshipped together. Glory be to God!

February 1, 2022

SONS (AND DAUGHTERS) OF GOD

Galatians 3:26-27

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Encouraging Words

When we were baptized into Christ, we put on Christ as our garments of son-ship and daughter-ship. Through Christ and His work, we have been grafted into the family of God and are now His sons and daughters. It is all about Him and the work that He has done to redeem us from this fallen world. Glory be to God!