January 29, 2018

FRUIT

Proverbs 23:18

For if you keep these words, you shall have offspring,
And your hope will not depart from you.

Encouraging words

We are encouraged by the author of the proverbs to hold on to the words that are given to us by Wisdom, our Lord. As we take these words, these teachings, into our hearts, they will produce fruit in the form of the virtues and our hope in the Lord will grow deeper. Glory be to God!

January 28, 2018

LOVING GOD

John 14:15-17
If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

Personal Challenge

Jesus promised to make the Holy Spirit, the Helper, available to each one of us that are baptized into Him. The Helper is within us and always present to guide us through our daily life, We can quench Him by ignoring Him and doing what our stubborn will tells us to do, but that does not remove Him from our lives. We can choose to listen to Him and yield our wills to His and we will see His greatness in our lives. Once again, God gives us the choice to yield to Him or to hold on to our earthly ways and live for us. As Jesus started off this passage, He reminds us that if we love Him, we will keep His commandments. Yielding to the Holy Spirit and following His leading is one of those commandments. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

January 27, 2018

Saint of the Week

St. Macarius of Optina

January 26, 2018

MY EZER KINEGDO

Psalms 146:1-2 (145:1-2 LXX)

Praise the Lord, O my soul.
I shall praise the Lord while I live;
I shall sing to my God as long as I exist.

Encouraging Words

What an appropriate passage to be presented on this day, the day that I celebrated my 10th anniversary with my lovely bride. I have so much that I can praise my Lord for, but she is truly a special blessing that our God has filled my life with. God is so good to us if we will just take the time to step aside and let Him be the master of our lives. He knows our needs and will supply them in the ways that are best for us. Happy Anniversary to my very precious Laura, my ezer kinegdo! Glory be to God!

January 25, 2018

ESTABLISH YOUR HEART

Proverbs 22:17-19 (22:20-22 LXX)

Incline your ear to the words of the wise and hear my word,
And establish your heart, that you may know they are good.
And if you apply them to your heart,
They will gladden you and at the same time be upon your lips;
That your hope might be in the Lord,
And His way might be known to you.

Personal Challenge

It is so easy to adhere to the modern way of thinking and beliefs that we can be independent of everything and everyone as we live our lives centered on ourselves. However, if we desire to live godly lives, we must shift our focus from self-centeredness to a focus on our God who is the source of life and wisdom. This is the only way to establish our heart on a path to righteousness and godliness. It is never about me. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

January 24, 2018

BELIEF IN HIM

John 14:12

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.

Encouraging Words

Jesus did many amazing things while He was incarnate here on earth. He healed many, raised people from the dead, fed the hungry, walked on water, and returned alive from the grave. And yet He told us that if we believe in Him, then we would do greater things than He did. In the history of the early church, these greater things did happen. People were healed of many sicknesses, some were brought back to life, and the church was spread all across the known world. So, why is this not happening today? The answer lies in Jesus' own hometown. Elsewhere in the scriptures, we are told that He was not able to perform miracles in His own hometown due to the disbelief of His neighbors. We live in an age of disbelief. We live in an age when so many, even many participating in churches, do not believe in God, Jesus, or the power that they have to work through us. It is our own disbelief that has fettered us. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

January 23, 2018

NEARNESS THROUGH FAITH

Psalms 145:18 (144:18 LXX)

The Lord is near to all who call on Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.

Encouraging Words

So, the Psalmist promises us that the Lord is near to those who call upon Him. That is good news, especially in times of need. But, there is a little caveat here. We need to seek upon Him in truth. What does that mean? The original text would have used faith rather than truth. We must call upon God with a spirit of faith if we want Him to be near us, or better yet if we want our eyes and minds to be opened to seeing Him since He is always near to us. This is why Jesus could say to so many that He healed, "Your faith has made you whole." Glory be to God!

January 22, 2018

PURSUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

Proverbs 21:21 (21:20 LXX)
The way of righteousness and mercy shall find life and glory.

Encouraging Words

It is great to know that our God is right­eous and merciful. This verse reminds us that if we strive to we will find life and glory. This life that we will find is an abundant life, both here in this temporal world and in the heavenly world to come. The glory that we receive will be heavenly, spiritual glory and not necessarily worldly glory. In all of these blessings that we receive, may it all be to the glory of God!

January 21, 2018

THE WAY, THE TRUTH, THE LIFE

John 14:6

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Personal Challenge

Jesus has made it clear to us that there is only one way to make it into the presence of the Father. It is through Jesus, by the fact of Who He is and the work that He alone has done. So, I cannot study myself into this relationship with God. I cannot do incredible acts of worship or almsgiving to make this relationship happen. I cannot buy my way there through tithes and offerings. I can only enter into a relationship with God, the Father, through coming to God, the Son, and submitting my life, my all, to Him. Any religion, or other belief system, that leaves Jesus out, also leaves God out. Lord, have mercy? Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

January 20, 2018

Saint of the Week

St. Antony the Great

January 19, 2018

GOD IS GRACIOUS

Psalms 145:8-9 (144:8-9 LXX)

The Lord is gracious and merciful,
Longsuffering and abundant in mercy.
The Lord is good to all,
And His mercies are upon all His works.

Encouraging Words

Our God is good! He is gracious to us, His creation. He is merciful to us, His children. He is longsuffering and pours out His abundant mercy upon us as He delays His return so that more may be saved. He is good to all, both those who have given their lives to Him and those who have not. We are the works of His hands and He pours out His mercy on us. Glory be to God!

January 18, 2018

DOING THE RIGHT THINGS, WITH THE RIGHT MOTIVES

Proverbs 21:3

To do righteous things and to speak the truth
Are more pleasing before God than the blood of sacrifices.

Personal Challenge

God has made it clear throughout His scriptures that He is not interested in how meticulous we are in following the rubrics of our faith. They are important and it is good that we desire to do them well so that we can glorify Him, but if our hearts are not pure, then He sees these actions as waste. He desires us to live righteous lives, loving others, speaking the truth in love, and being humble before Him and others. Our sinful nature, our stubborn will, does make this difficult, but He has given us a Helper to grow in His image. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

January 17, 2018

LOVING ONE ANOTHER

John 13:34-35

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Personal Challenge

The commandment that Jesus gave to us to love one another is not a new commandment. Christianity is not the only religion that expects its adherents to love others and to take care of them in times of need. What is different in Christianity is how we are to love one another and who that other is. Jesus expects us to love those around us as He has loved us. Unconditionally! Completely! Even to the point of giving our life for another. He also expects us to not only love those who are like us and love us, but we are to love our enemy as well, we are to love the stranger, the ones that are down and out, the ones who look funny, smell funny, and talk funny. He expects us to love everyone the way that He loves us. This can be so difficult in today's climate of terrorism, political division, nationalism, and anti-immigration. If we truly love Him, if we are truly His children, then we must rise above all of this because we are no longer citizens of this world or the nations within it, but citizens of heaven. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

January 16, 2018

LEARNING HIS WILL

Psalms 143:10 (142:10 LXX)

Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God;
Your good Spirit shall guide me in the land of uprightness.

Encouraging

What is the purpose of hardships and challenges in our lives? Why must we have to deal with difficulties and difficult people throughout our lives? The Psalmist tells us a little bit of why God continues to let this stuff happen in our lives. He uses these situations to teach us to do His will and to trust in Him. He wants us to be dependent on Him and trust that He is guiding us into His land of uprightness. I know that for me, this is never easy or fun. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

January 15, 2018

INFORMATION VERSUS WISDOM

Proverbs 19:21

There are many thoughts in the heart of a man,
But the counsel of the Lord abides forever.

Personal Challenge

We live in the Information Age, a time in the history of mankind where unlimited information is at the fingertip of every man, woman, and child. That makes this Proverb all the more powerful today. With information comes misinformation, or what we are calling today, "Fake News". With our pride and arrogance applied to this information, all that we get is opinion. The heart of man will take information to whatever end that meets their desires. It is only through the counsel of our Almighty God, the source of Wisdom, that we can apply the information available to us in a way that will glorify Him and edify our fellow human. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

January 14, 2018

OUR LIGHT IN THE DARK

John 12:46

I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.

Encouraging Words

If you have ever been caught in the middle of a dark place, or situation, without a source of light, it can be very unnerving. As a camper, and one that has done backpacking and camping for over 50 years, I have been in some scary situations with the lights gone out and no source of replenishment. Bring this into our spiritual life. We do live in a dark world. And sometimes this dark world can look pretty scary. However, Jesus promised us that He came into the world to be our light and to eliminate the darkness in the world from our lies. He is the flashlight that will never run out of energy, the candle that will never blow out. We can live our lives confidently knowing that He will be our light to show us the way at all times. Glory be to God!

January 13, 2018

Saint of the Week

St. Isaac the Syrian

January 12, 2018

A LISTENING GOD

Psalms 143:1 (142:1 LXX)

O Lord, hear my prayer; Give ear to my supplication in Your truth;
Answer me in Your righteousness;

Encouraging Words

Unlike so many of the religions of today, and throughout the history of mankind, our God is alive and ever present. He hears our prayers. He does give ear to our supplication. He also responds to our prayers and petitions, but from His place of truth and righteousness, which is why the answers are often different than what we desire. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

January 11, 2018

FATHERLY INSTRUCTION

Proverbs 19:20

Hear, my son, the instruction of your father,
That you may become wise in your last days.

Encouraging Words

We live in an age where so many are saying that we should abandon the ideas and teaching of those who have gone before us because society believes that they are either outdated or messed things up. Poppycock! So much of who I am, how I work, my values, and my core beliefs come from the teachings of my father and my mother. I have also learned from their mistakes and their accomplishments. If I desire to be wise in my later years I need to cherish their instruction. Glory be to God and thank you, Father, for such special parents.

January 10, 2018

KEEPING ETERNAL LIFE

John 12:25-26

He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.

Personal Challenge

Sometimes I find myself asking the question "Do I really want to follow Jesus?" Thankfully, those times are few and far between, however, it is still a question that needs to be answered. God has spent the entire span of human existence trying to show us His immense love for us, trying to woo us back from the sinful world that Adam and Eve ushered into this world. It is because of this love, a love that I have felt in my life, and seen manifested in the lives of so many that I have known, that I keep answering this question with a resounding "Yes!". I know that the life that He asks me to hate for Him is this temporal, worldly life, He wants me to hate that life and to love the eternal life that He has given to me through His death. He wants me to serve Him and to follow Him all the time and especially in the midst of this temporal life that I have been born into. By doing this, loving Him, serving Him, following Him, then I will constantly be in His presence and be honored by the Father. Glory be to God!

January 8, 2018

WATCHING OUR TONGUES

Psalms 140:3

Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth,
A door of enclosure about my lips.

Personal Challenge

The tongue is possibly one of the most difficult parts of our body to control and it is the one that can inflict the most damage to those around us. We need the help of our Lord to control it and the grace of our Lord to repair the damage caused by it. Only He can empower us to use it properly. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

January 7, 2018

PRAISING GOD, OUR STRENGTH

Proverbs 18:10

The name of the Lord is of great strength,
And when the righteous run to it, they are exalted.

Encouraging Words

There is so much power just in the name of our Lord. He is the one to call out to in times of trouble and need, for He will respond. He is the one to praise in times of blessing and glory, for He deserves the credit. He is the one to be exalted for He loves us. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

January 6, 2018

Saint of the Week

St. Silouan the Athonite

January 5, 2018

BELIEF

John 11:25-26

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Encouraging Words

Do you believe this? This may be one of the most powerful and important questions of all time. Do we really believe Jesus when He claims that He is the resurrection and life and that all who believe in Him shall never die? Do we truly believe that our eternal life begins when we put our trust and

belief in Him? If we do, then why do we keep living our lives as if He never existed? Why do we strive so hard to be in control of our lives and abandon God? Why do we flee from loving our neighbor in ways that only a child of God could? It is because we so often say that we believe but still hold on to our doubts and our desires to be in control. I believe, but I need my God to purge any remaining doubts from my heart and mind. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

January 4, 2017

TEST ME

Psalms 139:23-24 (138:23-24 LXX)

Test me, O God, and know my heart; Examine me, and know my paths, And see if there is a lawless way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.

Personal Challenge

It takes either a very humble man or one who is confident in his way of living, to tell God to test him and see if his paths are lawless and godly. My desire is to be able to live my life in such a way that I am willing to cry out to my God and ask Him to test my heart for purity and commitment to Him. I know that I have a very long way to go to get to that point, but I also know that my God is continually working in my heart to get me to this place. May this prayer of the Psalmist someday become my prayer as well. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

January 3, 2018

DISCERNMENT

Proverbs 17:28 (17:30 LXX)

Wisdom shall be imputed to a man without understanding who asks for wisdom,
And anyone who holds his peace will seem to have discernment.

Encouraging Words

Discernment has always been viewed as the crown of the virtues. With discernment, a person knows how and when to exercise the other virtues. All of the virtues come to is through Wisdom or Jesus Christ, and He promises to provide these virtues to grow them within us when we seek Him and ask for His virtues to become an integral part of our lives. In the process of taking on these virtues, we go through the process of taking off ourselves. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me the sinner and plant the seeds of Your virtues within me.

December 31, 2017

TRUE LIFE

John 10:10

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Encouraging Words

Jesus came into this world for only one reason. It was to give us life and break the chains that death had us bound in. Doing this He defeated the ultimate thief, Satan. We have the opportunity to have a true life while on this temporal earth and abundant life when we enter into eternity. Thank You, Lord Jesus!

December 30, 2017

Saint of the week

St. John of Damascus

December 29, 2017

OVERWHELMING LOVE

Psalms 139:4-6 (138:4-6 LXX)

For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether,
The last things and the first things;
You fashioned me, and placed Your hands on me.
Your knowledge has become too wondrous for me;
It has become too overwhelming; I am unable to grasp it.

Personal Challenge.

God knows everything about me, past, present, and future. He knows my every thought, every action, every word that proceeds out of my mouth, whether whispered or yelled. And yet He still loves me, He still forgives me, He still desires to have me walk in the gardens of eternity with Him. I know that I do not deserve any of this for I am unworthy. I will, however, cherish this un­limited love that He continually pours out on me. I will strive to submit my will to His, knowing full well that I will continue to resist Him. He made me in my mother's womb and has been making me ever since my birth. His majesty is incomprehensible to me, yet I will trust Him as He is my Lord. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!