October 25, 2018

REPENTANCE

Isaiah 30:15

For thus says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel: “When you return and groan, then you will be saved and know where you were. When you trusted in vain things, vain was your strength, and you did not will to listen.”

Personal Challenge

Repentance is not confession. Confession is the act of admitting our sin to someone else, whether it be to God, to our priest, or to another person. Confession is the first step in repentance. Repent­ance is the set of steps following confession where we return to our Lord and grieve, or groan, as Isaiah calls out for our wrongdoing, followed by fleeing that which draws us to commit this sin and striving to pursue godly acts going forward. Without repentance, we end up trusting in vain things and therefore having vain strengths and an unwillingness to listen to our Lord. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

October 24, 2018

LETTERS OF COMMENDATION

2 Corinthians 3:1-3

Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you? You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.

Personal Challenge

One of our fallen human characteristics is to desire to be in positions of authority, whether it be in our places of work, our homes, or our churches. Why do we embellish our resumes to paint such glorious pictures of our careers? Why do we demand absolute submission from our spouses or our children? Why do we play political games and butter up all of the "right" people in our churches? We do all of this as a way to build up "letters of commendation" for ourselves. Isn't this really what is becoming the source of all of the fake news that we are seeing today...attempts to put ourselves first above those around us so that our dreams and desires will come true? What Paul is focusing on here is that these kinds of letters of commendation mean nothing for they are false documents. What really counts are those things that we have written on the hearts of those around us. If we are truly living our lives the way that God wants us to, loving Him and loving our neighbors, then the resume of our life will be evident in the life of everyone that we have come into contact with for we would have sincerely imparted a part of Christ upon them. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner and forgive me for seeking to build "letters of commendation"!

October 23, 2018

REAL OR FAKE WORSHIP

Isaiah 29:13

So the Lord said, “These people draw near to Me and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me, and they worship Me in vain, teaching the commandments and doctrines of men.

Personal Challenge

We are called to love the Lord our God with all of our heart and body. However, it is so easy to slip into the mode of just going through the motions of liturgical practices and leaving our hearts guarded and protected from even God. I see it every Sunday...older, seasoned adults who come to the liturgy and yet glare at the young parents because their child is restless. I see it regularity with people who are striving for some position in the local church body and yet do things to others so that they can be their stepping stones to their desired goal. And yes, I see it in myself as I regularly show up for liturgy with the appearance of piety and having my act all together just to find myself thinking about, and judging those around me for their behaviors when mine is just as bad, if not worse. I too must continually be searching the depths of my heart to ferret out those areas which I guard and protect from turning over to my Lord and God for cleansing. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

October 22, 2018

DELIVERANCE

2 Corinthians 1:10

(God) who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us,

Encouraging Words

When Adam and Eve introduced sin into God's creation, the ultimate consequence was death, both physical and spiritual. It is this death that Jesus Christ defeated on the cross. Through His victory over death, we have all been delivered from its constraints and bondage. Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death and upon those in the tombs, bestowing life.

October 21, 2018

THE CORNERSTONE

Isaiah 28:16

therefore, thus says the Lord: “Behold, I lay for the foundations of Zion a costly stone, a chosen and precious cornerstone for its foundations, and whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.

Encouraging Words

Christianity is not founded on some person's teaching or special accomplish­ment. It is founded on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is founded on the only one in the history of mankind and eternity to be fully God and fully man. It is because of this foundation that the Church can be built and nothing will ever prevail against it. It is because of this foundation that we who are finite can claim eternal life by believing in Him. Glory be to God.

October 20, 2018

Saint of the Week

St. Mark the Ascetic

October 19, 2019

PROVIDING COMFORT

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Encouraging Words

We often wonder why God allows us to go through different trials and tribulations. There are as many answers to this question as there are people asking it. One important thing that Paul points out to the Corinthians, and us, is that what we do with our trials and tribulations is also extremely important. One of the most important things that we can do is to use our experience to provide comfort and guidance to another who is going through a similar trial or tribulation. We have been through it. We have survived. We can offer compassion to the other that is a sincere and experiential compassion. We can be God's hands, feet, and arms to offer comfort, support, and guidance to another. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

October 18, 2018

BE PREPARED

Isaiah 26:7

The way of the godly is straight; and the way of the godly is prepared.

Personal Challenge

We are told here by Isaiah and later reminded by Jesus in the parable of the ten bridesmaids, that one of the characteristics of a godly person is to be prepared. We know that our Lord will be returning to take us home with Him. In that knowledge, we should be doing whatever we can to be ready and worthy for Him. This requires us to be living lives that are focused on Him and the fact that He could arrive at any moment. Glory be to God.

October 11, 2018

MY SAVIOR AND LORD

Isaiah 12:2

Behold, God is my Savior and Lord. I will trust in Him and be saved by Him. I will not be afraid, for the Lord is my glory and my praise. He has become my salvation.

Encouraging Words

Our Lord is not just some man that was great in his time, died, and left followers behind that are keeping his teachings alive. Our Lord was fully a human being like every one of us, but He was also fully God. He is the only human to have lived His entire life sinless and pure. He is also the only Lord who freely gave up His life for mankind, was put to death in a horrible way, and then resurrected from that death, with scores of witnesses of Him in His resurrected body. He is the only Lord that lives this day, 2,000 years later. He is our Savior and Lord. We can put our trust in Him and not be afraid, for He is our salvation.

October 17, 2018

WITH LOVE

1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love.

Personal Challenge

Our fallen, human nature leads us to be self-focused and self-serving. Our Lord calls us to be like Him, loving. In order to do this, we must watch ourselves and all that is going on around us, lest we fall to the worldly temptations. We must stand fast in the faith that He has planted within us and be brave and strong as we stand contrary to the ways of the world. And by doing this we do all that we do with love for our God and others. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

October 16, 2018

OPEN THE GATES

Isaiah 26:2-4

Open the gates; let the people enter who keep righteousness and guard the truth, and who lay hold of the truth and keep peace, because they hope forever in You, O Lord, the great and eternal God,

Encouraging Words

The gates of heaven, eternal life, are opened through the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has both opened the gate and become the gate by which we can become joint heirs in the kingdom of God, something that no man on woman or principality can ever take from us. Glory be to God!

October 15, 2018

ABOUNDING IN WORK

1 Corinthians 15:58

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Personal Challenge

The life of a follower of Christ is not a passive life. We are expected to labor aboundingly in the work of the Lord. We do this knowing that none of our work, no matter how big or how small, is ever done in vain. With our Lords' help, we can remain steadfast and immovable in our love for Him. Glory be to God.

October 13, 2018

Saint of the Week

St. Jerome

October 10, 2018

PEACE, NOT CONFUSION

1 Corinthians 14:33a

For God is not the author of confusion but of peace,

Encouraging Words

God is the author of peace. He is not the creator or author of confusion or disarray. We can look at the order of how His creation works and functions. We can apply this to every aspect of our lives, whether it be that which is going on in our heads and hearts or that which is going on around us in the world. If we find that we are encountering confusion or disarray we can turn to Him and seek His peace to sort things out and to give us His peace. Glory be to God!

October 9, 2018

HIS GOVERNMENT SHALL HAVE NO END

Isaiah 9:6

Great shall be His government, and of His peace there is no end. His peace shall be upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order and establish it with righteousness and judgment, from that time forward and unto ages of ages. The zeal of the Lord of hosts shall perform this.

Encouraging Words

One of the problems with taking the scripture in with only a literal translation is that you miss out on so many of the other teachings and meanings that our God wants us to receive from His living word. This verse is a great example of that. So many people see this as some future kingdom that Jesus will set up some day in the distant future. This is part of the promise of this prophecy, but Jesus Himself said that His Kingdom had arrived when He arrived. He also told us that He gives us His peace. So rereading this verse with that perspective in mind it is easy to see that His government is already great. His Church has been strong and growing for 2,000 years. There is no end to the peace that He bestows on His followers if we choose to accept it and let it permeate our lives. There is an order established in our world based on righteousness and godly judgment by the Church, the Bride, that He established. His Kingdom was established 2,000 years ago and we are members of it. Glory be to God!

October 8, 2018

LOVE

1 Corinthians 13:1-8, 13

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Personal Challenge

This may be one of the most complete definitions of love. There is nothing that I could add to this passage except a prayer for forgiveness. I desire to be loved this way and to love others this way, and yet I find myself far short of loving others, even those closest to me this way. And it is for this that I seek forgiveness, both from my God and those in my life whom I should be loving this way. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

October 7, 2018

OUR OWN CHOICES

Isaiah 6:8-10

I also heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go to this people?” Then I said, “Behold, here am I, send me.” So He said, “Go, and tell this people, ‘You shall hear indeed, but not understand; and you shall see indeed, but not perceive.’ For the heart of this people has become insensitive, and their ears hear with difficulty. They have closed their eyes, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and return, and I should heal them.”

Personal Challenge

The portion of this passage that usually stands out to me is Isaiah's willingness to be used by His God. I always have to ask myself if I would be this willing. However, today the part of the passage that struck me, is the description of the people that Isaiah is going to go preach to, God's chosen people. They are described as having insensitive hearts toward God and their neighbor, people who know God but have chosen to close their ears and eyes to what their God would say to them and show them. As I read this I must ask myself if I am becoming this way. Am I developing an insensitive heart toward both God and my fellow human being? Am I choosing to close of my eyes and ears to what God is asking of me so that I can do my own thing? Lord, have mercy! Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

October 6, 2018

Saint of the Week

St. Clement of Alexandria

October 5, 2018

FOR THE PROFIT OF ALL

1 Corinthians 12:7-11

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

Personal Challenge

We are not alone. We are part of a bigger group. In Orthodoxy, we believe that our salvation can only be worked out within a community of fellow believers, our local parish or church. It is in this setting that we have others that can model godly behaviors for us. It is here that we are stretched and challenged, guided and disciplined, and free to exercise the gifts of the Holy Spirit that have been bestowed upon us. This is why so many of our prayers speak of "we" and "us". Glory be to God!

October 4, 2018

WHITE LIKE SNOW

Isaiah 1:16-20

Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean. Put away the evils from your souls before My eyes. Cease from your evils. Learn to do good. Seek judgment and redeem the wronged. Defend the orphan and justify the widow. Come now, and let us reason together,” says the Lord, “although your sins are like crimson, I shall make them white like snow, and although they are as scarlet, I shall make them white like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good things of the land. But if you are unwilling and disobedient, you shall be devoured by the sword,” for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

Encouraging Words

Because of God's great love for us and His mercy and grace, our sins will be forgiven and we will stand purified before our God cleansed by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. His desire is that all of His creation will turn to Him and away from the ways and desires of the world. But our life in Christ does not stop there. When we truly turn our lives over to God, we will desire to serve Him. We will desire to wash and become clean. We will desire to put away evil from our eyes and our minds. We will desire to defend the orphan and justify the widow amongst us. God forgive me of my pride and arrogance that constantly puts me and my desires before You and my neighbor. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

October 3, 2018

GLORIFY GOD IN ALL THINGS

1 Corinthians 10:3

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Personal Challenge

This is quickly becoming a lost part of our modern world. When God was more important in people's lives and in the mind of society as a whole, people knew that what they did either glorified Him or offended Him. Artisans plied their trade so that God would be glorified. Workers did their jobs, not only to provide for their families but so that God would be pleased with the fruit of their labor. Now, people so often just do things to get ahead or to get by. There is becoming less and less pride in one's workmanship because people don't think God is watching, let alone even in the picture. Paul reminds us that no matter what it is that we are doing in our lives, no matter how spectacular or mundane, we are doing it for God's glory. When we go to work each day, we are not working for our employer, we are working for God. When we spend time with our family and loved ones, we have God in the midst and want to glorify Him in our actions. When we volunteer our time at our churches and other institutions, we work as if God is the recipient of the fruit of our labors, as well as those around us, and our desire should always be to give Him our best. There really is no room in the kingdom of God for shortcuts, laziness, sloppiness, or apathy. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

October 2, 2018

A FAMILIARITY

Malachi 3:1-5

“Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come into His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, whom you desire. Behold, He is coming,” says the Lord Almighty. “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can withstand His appearance? For He enters like a refiner's fire and as soap in one's wash. He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver and gold. He will purify the sons of Levi and pour them out as purified gold and silver, and they will bring an offering to the Lord in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord, as in the days of old, as in former years.

“And I will draw near to you in judgment, a swift witness against sorcerers, adulterers, those who swear falsely by My name, those who exploit wage-earners, those who oppress widows and afflict orphans, those who pervert the justice due foreigners, and those who do not fear Me,” says the Lord Almighty.

Personal Challenge

We, as a post-modern culture, have developed a "familiarity" with Jesus. We act as if He is just one of us and in that process, we minimize His God-ness. In this prophecy of Malachi, Jesus is presented as our coming Messenger of God. As with many of these prophecies, both His first coming and His second coming are comingled. When Jesus first came, He came to be the Savior of the world, to provide us the way to eternal life with Him in heaven. When He comes again He will be judging the world, especially His church on how well we did His work. And what is that work? How well do we love our neighbor? Do we treat those who work for us with honor and respect? Do we take care of the widows, the orphans, and the foreigners amongst us? And the hardest part of all of this is how well do me treat those who do not fear Him. He wants us to be His salt and light in the world for these people so that the might see Him and turn to Him. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

October 1, 2018

OUR RESPONSIBILITY

1 Corinthians 10:24

Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well-being.

Personal Challenge

If you had to sum up the responsibility of a follower of Christ in a simple and succinct statement, it would be, "Put others before yourself." Isn't this what God did went He sent His son to be incarnated? Isn't this what Jesus did when He willingly went to the cross? Isn't this what Mary did when she said, "Yes!"? Isn't this what the prophets and the martyrs did when they died for our Lord? Isn't this what Jesus asked us to do when He asked us to take up our cross and follow Him? Lord, have mercy! Lord. have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

September 30, 2018

DISPARAGING GOD

Malachi 1:6

“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then, I am the Father, where is My honor? And if I am a Master, where is the reverence due to me?” says the Lord Almighty. “You priests are the ones who disparage My name, yet you say, ‘In what way have we disparaged Your name?’”

Personal Challenge

So many of us today proclaim that we are Christians, yet if we watch the news, read the feeds of "social" media, and observe the behaviors of us, then we can see how God might accuse us of disparaging His name today. As Christians, we are commanded to love the Lord our God above all else. Do we really do that? Do we participate in our churches, practice prayer, do almsgiving, and do His works on a regular basis? Do we execute His second commandment to love our neighbor as much, or more, than we love ourselves? I don't think we do. I know that I don't. We disparage His name by living the way that we do. We cast a bad, dark light on who God is to those around us who do not know Him. We are called to honor Him and to glorify Him. That means in all aspects of our lives. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

September 29, 2018

Saint of the Week

St. Isaac the Syrian

September 28, 2018

TAKE HEED

1 Corinthians 10:12-13

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

Personal Challenge

I remember, back in my younger days, memorizing verse 13 of this passage. It is a powerful tool in our arsenal against sinning. To know that there is no temptation coming at us that has not come against many other people helps us to remember that we can say "No!" to the temptations because others have as well. Also knowing that God loves us so much that He will not let us be tempted beyond our capability to say "No!", to be able to exercise our own free will and walk away from the temptation and the potential sin that it could lead us to. God is there to help us beat the temptation. But it is verse 12 that sets this up and gives the power to verse 13. We must be careful that we do not stand tall in our pride thinking that we can withstand these temptations on our own for in doing so we are setting ourselves up for a fall, regardless of the escape that God is giving us. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

September 27, 2018

HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE

Zechariah 9:9

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Proclaim it aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King comes to you; He is righteous and saving; He is gentle and mounted upon a donkey, even a young foal.”

Encouraging Words

Even though this prophecy was given to God's chosen people in the day of Zechariah, we can claim this for ourselves. God's chosen people have always been the entire population of His creation. Israel was chosen to be a light to the rest of the world. We, the church, are His daughter of Zion, His daughter of Jerusalem. He, the King, came to us upon the young foal to give us life and claim us for His own. Glory be to God!

September 26, 2018

PROPER DISCIPLINE

1 Corinthians 9:25-27

And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

Personal Challenge

As we strive to discipline our bodies and our passions through ascetical practices we must remember that it is not about just doing these things because they are there for us to do. Paul reminds us that we live this life of discipline with purpose and focus. We target those passions and sins that we know we need to take care of. We confess those areas of our lives, read scriptures that guide us through our discipline and do the right kinds of "exercises" to heal that part of our lives. My flight instructor from many years ago told me, "Practice does not make perfect! Perfect practice makes perfect!" Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner and correct my vision and focus!

September 25, 2018

OUT OF EXILE

Zechariah 8:7-8

Thus says the Lord Almighty: ‘Behold, I shall deliver My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west. I shall bring them in and settle them in the midst of Jerusalem. They shall be to Me a people and I will be to them a God in truth and in righteousness.’

Encouraging Words

Israel had been living in exile from their promised land for a long time. They desired to be home again. It was their sin that got them exiled and their continued sin that kept them there. Aren't we in a similar situation? Jesus proclaimed the He was establishing the new, heavenly kingdom with His incarnation. Heaven exists today and we can be living within its spiritual boundaries, yet we choose to sin and be exiled from it. Just as God promised the Israelites that He would bring them back to their promised land out of exile, He also promised us that through Christ, His incarnation, His sinless life, His death, burial, and resurrection, that we too will be brought out of exile into His present kingdom. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner, and bring me home.