July 29, 2024

BE HUMBLE

Proverbs 16:1

All the works of the humble are evident before the Lord,
But the ungodly will be destroyed in the evil day.

Personal Challenge

A consistent message throughout the entire scripture is that God desires that we live our life with a humble heart. Through humility we can love the Lord our God with our heart, soul, and spirit. Through humility we can love out neighbor as ourselves. By being humble we can serve God in ways that glorify Him and build His kingdom. Do we really want our works to be evident before our God? Then we must do them in humility. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

July 28, 2024

CRUCIFIED

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Personal Challenge

As a follower of Christ, we can proclaim this along with Paul. Our sinful, passion driven self was crucified with Christ when we were baptized into His body and chrismated by the oil of the Holy Spirit. It is up to us, and our free will, to stop reclaiming those crucified aspects of our lives. We can choose to live by faith in the Son of God and live sinless lives. Glory be to God!

July 27, 2024

Saint of the Week

St. Anthony of the Desert

July 26, 2024

INSTRUCTION AND REPROOF

Proverbs 15:32-33 (15:37-38)

He who rejects instruction hates himself,
But he who gives heed to reproofs loves his soul.
The fear of God is instruction and wisdom,
And the beginning of glory will respond to it.

Personal Challenge

One of the challenges of being the independent pioneers that we are, is that we begin to believe that we can make it on our own. We act as if nothing outside of us is needed because we are self-sufficient and self-directed. The problem with this mindset is that we evolve to a point where we do not accept instruction or reproof any longer. God provides instruction and reproof to us so that we can learn to shed our temporal ways and embrace His spiritual ways. Only through submitting to His will we truly see the full manifestation of His blessings in our lives. Glory be to God!

July 25, 2024

WHO DO WE AIM TO PLEASE?

Galatians 1:10

For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

Personal Challenge

If I have chosen to follow in the footsteps of Christ, then it is Him, and His Father that I should be trying to please with my thoughts, desires, and actions. If I find myself striving to please people, or myself, then I must question what my level of commitment to Jesus is. To be His bondservant I must be giving my all to Him. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

July 24, 2024

A HUMBLE ANSWER

Proverbs 15:1

Wrath destroys even men of discernment;
But a humble answer turns away anger,
And a grievous word stirs up wrath.

Personal Challenge

Our response to what goes on in our lives makes a world of difference in both our lives and the lives of those around us. If we respond in wrath, we become destructive, even to those who might be discerning. If we have a grievous response, all we do is stir up wrath in those around us. The proper response in all cases is a humble answer, which turns away anger and lifts up others. Glory be to God!

July 23, 2024

SUFFICIENT GRACE

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Personal challenge

We live in a country, and a culture, that prides itself on self-sufficiency. Many of us have ancestors that were pioneers and helped expand and settle this land. We are taught that we can do anything that we set our minds to. Even though all of this is true, as followers of Christ, we must recognize that our self-sufficiency is worthless in the kingdom of heaven. It is our weaknesses that we should boast about because it is through those weaknesses the Jesus is glorified. He is glorified when He is allowed to use those weaknesses to build His kingdom. He is magnified when He uses our weaknesses to spread His gospel. Glory be to God!

July 22, 2024

A GENTLE SPIRIT

Proverbs 14:30 (14:31)

A man with a gentle spirit is a healer of the heart,
But a sensual heart is the moth of the bones.

Personal Challenge

What does it mean to have a sensual heart? It means a heart that desires and pursues the pleasures of the senses or passions. First thought might be to point the finger at sexual pleasures, but it goes far beyond that. Seeking power comes from a sensual heart especially when you will do anything to get and keep that power. Greed, idolatry, possessiveness, lying, cheating, stealing, and anything else the puts me, and my desires above God and my neighbor, all come from a sensual heart. This heart will condemn us to a life of decay and death. On the contrary, a gentle spirit, a true humility, will create within us, and around us, a heart that is both healed and healing. The consequences are obvious, the choice is the ongoing challenge every moment of every day. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

July 21, 2024

CHEERFUL GIVER

2 Corinthians 9:7-8

So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

Personal Challenge

In the Old Testament, the expectation was that God's followers would, at a minimum, title 10% of what they earned, and that taken from the first fruits. Under the new covenant, in the New Testament, we are encouraged to give what we purpose in our heart. The key to this is to give cheerfully. We must also remember that our giving goes beyond just money. We are to give of our time, of the spiritual gifts that we have been blessed with. This applies to every aspect of our lives. We should give a smile and a blessing to the strangers that we meet, kindness to the person behind the cash register, grace to that person who cuts us off, our votes in elections to God and not just men or women. God wants us to be cheerful, purposeful givers in all aspects of our lives. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

July 20, 2024

Saint of the Week

St. Anthony the Great

July 19, 2024

BEAR MANY THINGS

Proverbs 14:17

A quick-tempered man acts with recklessness,
But a man with discernment bears many things.

Personal Challenge

One of the beautiful things about the Proverbs is how straightforward they are. There is no need for explanation with passages like this one. Be quick-tempered and reap a life of recklessness. Be discerning and slow to react and be able to bear with many things that come your way. Glory be to God!

July 18, 2024

SOWING AND REAPING

2 Corinthians 9:6

But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

Personal Challenge

I am blessed to have grown up in a farming family, The scriptures are so much clearer when you understand those which are based in a farming context due to this upbringing. There is no harvest without first the sowing of seed. There is also that balance of how much seed is enough. If the seed is sowed too sparingly, then there will be a minimal crop to harvest. This metaphor plays out in every aspect of our lives. If we sow our wealth, our time, our kindness and mercy, and grace towards others, sparingly, then we will reap it sparingly. If we sow bountifully, then the results will be bountiful. God has blessed us with so much and expects us to be good stewards with it. Glory be to God!

July 17, 2024

COMPASSION AND MERCY

Proverbs 13:10

Deceitful souls are led astray in sins,
But the righteous have compassion and are merciful.

Personal Challenge

We all desire to be treated with compassion and mercy. It appears that this desire was placed within us as part of our creation. This verse reminds us that this is an important part of our lives, especially as we learn to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and try to be like Him. Doing this is clear evidence of growing in righteousness. Glory be to God!

July 16, 2024

BECOMING RICH

2 Corinthians 8:9

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.

Encouraging Words

Throughout the scriptures, both the Old and the New Testaments, there is a significant number of passages that call out the riches that the followers of Christ will receive. None of these passages should ever be taken to create a prosperity gospel. Our riches that we receive are heavenly and not of this world. Eternal life with God is the ultimate blessing that anyone could ever receive. Glory be to God!

July 14, 2024

OUR TONGUES

Proverbs 12:18 (12:20)

There are those who wound with a sword as they speak,
But the tongues of the wise heal.

PERSONAL CHALLENGE

We have reached a state in our culture where the tongue has become the most vicious weapon in our arsenal. We incite riots with our rhetoric. We create hatred and division with our dialogue. We minimize others and their image of God in which they were created by our commentary and verbalization. Is it any wonder that our society has become so ungodly when those who proclaim to be followers of Christ have chosen to also leverage this vicious weapon? Shame on us! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

July 13, 2024

Saint of the Week

St. John Chrysostom

July 12, 2024

HE HEARS US

2 Corinthians 6:2

For He says:

“In an acceptable time I have heard you,
And in the day of salvation I have helped you.”

Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

Encouraging Words

God is everywhere present. He knows our every thought, our every desire. He hears us when we cry out to him. He knows what the acceptable times are to respond to us. He always responds with His grace and mercy bringing us into His day of salvation. Glory be to God!

July 11, 2024

INSTRUCTION AND CORRECTION

Proverbs 12:1

He who loves instruction loves perception,
But he who hates correction is without discernment.

Personal Challenge

It sometimes feels like we have entered into an age where no one wants to be taught the truth or is willing to be corrected when they err. As followers of Christ, we must be careful to not adopt the mindset of the world around us and begin to think this way as well. If we desire to gain discernment and perception of godly things, then we must accept instruction given to us by God. This instruction is delivered by those in our lives and must be validated alongside of 2,000 years of teaching in the church. We also need to recognize that much of this instruction comes with correction, which we also must be willing to accept. Glory be to God!

July 10, 2024

AMBASSADORS

2 Corinthians 5:20-21

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Personal Challenge

As followers of Christ, we have the opportunity, and blessing, to be reconciled to God, through Jesus Christ. Our sins have been forgiven. One of our critical roles now is to be ambassadors for Christ in this earthly realm. Our citizenship is now in heaven, which means we can, and should, detach ourselves from the worries and cares of this world and live as heavenly beings. Our responsibility is to represent God in all that we do. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

July 9, 2024

DISCERNMENT

Proverbs 11:9 (11:10)

A man in need of discernment treats citizens with contempt,
But a man of discernment keeps quiet.

Personal Challenge

Discernment is such a critical characteristic for us to have and exercise. Unfortunately, in today's society and culture, true discernment has been discarded and replaced by a belief that we each have the right to say and do whatever we want, regardless of the impact it has on another. Our politicians have perfected this lack of discernment and propriety. Entire political parties pride themselves on treating citizens with contempt. This has even made it into our churches...Lord, have mercy! If we desire to turn the tide on this sinful behavior, then we must make the difficult choices to be countercultural. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

July 8, 2024

A NEW CREATION

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Encouraging Words

Every person who is living their life pursuing Christ, striving to be like Him, following His teaching to love God and love their neighbor, has become this promised new creation. God will cleanse us of our old things and make all things new. Praise be to God!

July 7, 2024

ARROGANCE VERSUS HUMILITY

Proverbs 11:2

Wherever arrogance enters, there also is dishonor,
But the mouth of the humble meditates on wisdom.

Personal Challenge

We are encouraged by our Lord to be humble and put others before ourselves. This is what He did. The Proverbs consistently state that the proud and arrogant will always come to a place where they will be humbled and dishonored. On the other hand, those who strive to be humble, will be lifted up and honored. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

July 6, 2024

Saint of the Week

St. John Chrysostom

July 5, 2023

COMPELLED

2 Corinthians 5:14-15

For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

Personal Challenge

Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, gave up His place in heaven for a period of time so that He could be born as a human, live a sinless life, be put to death on the cross, and then arise from that death for all of creation. He died for all of creation and destroyed death and its grip upon us so that we would not have to die one ourselves but live for Him. Glory be to God!

July 3, 2024

OUR MOUTH

Proverbs 10:31 (10:32)

The mouth of a righteous man distills wisdom,
But the tongue of an unrighteous man utterly destroys.

Personal Challenge

Of all the parts of the physical body, the mouth and tongue seem to get the most attention. The mouth and tongue have done more damage and caused more pain than any other part of us. They can also do great good by lifting up and encouraging others. Our challenge, day in and day out, is to choose to use these parts of our bodies righteously or unrighteously. Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

July 2, 2024

CONFIDENT

2 Corinthians 5:6-8

So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

Personal Challenge

As followers of Christ, we have a confidence in who our savior is and that he has everything in the palm of His hands. We do not fear what is going on around us. We do not worry about the state of the world. We know that because of Him, all things work out to His glory. Our challenge is to keep our eyes and hearts focused on Him as we see the world around us falling apart. We trust that He will hold it all together until that day He returns. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me the sinner!

July 1, 2024

BLESSING OF THE LORD

Proverbs 10:22 (10:23)

The blessing of the Lord is upon the head of a righteous man;
It enriches him, and grief of heart will not be added to it.

Encouraging Words

We are rewarded for trying to live righteous lives by our Lord. When we strive to live His way and not the way of the world, He will bestow His blessing upon us and protect us from grief. Thanks be to God!