December 27, 2018

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

There is so much that could be unpacked from these four verses. Because of Jesus, who He is, the incarnate Son of God, and what He has done, lived a sinless life as a human and yet was crucified and rose from the dead, we are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. What more can we hope for than this? But our blessings do not stop here. He chose us, all of mankind, before the foundation of the world was laid, to be adopted into His heavenly family through Christ. As we choose to not reject Him and to be received into Him then we become members of His royal family. Through Jesus, we are blessed and made acceptable to be in the presence of the Almighty and sinless God. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

December 26, 2018

BLOOM WHERE PLANTED

Jeremiah 36:5-7

Build houses and dwell in them. Plant gardens and eat their fruit. Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands; and be multiplied and not diminished. Seek the peace of the land into which I carried you captive. Pray to the Lord for them, for in its peace you shall have peace.

Personal Challenge

Just as the Israelites of old, we who follow Jesus, are exiles into a land that is not ours to claim. Paul calls us ambassadors. As a follower of Jesus, our true home is the Kingdom of God and this temporal home is where we have been placed to live out our physical lines until that precious day when we are taken to our true home. We are told by Jeremiah that God wants us to live to our fullest capability in this land that is not ours so that we can be images of Him to those around us. We do this as ambassadors to win over others to Him that they too might choose to be His. Glory be to God!

December 25, 2018

BEHOLD THE CROSS

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 Challenge

How can we boast in the cross? If was such a vile instrument of cruelty. We boast in our Lord's victory over the cross and the power that victory brings into our lives. We boast in the fact that we can crucify our sinful self to Jesus' cross and through that process be cleansed of our sins and set free from the bondage of death. It is the work that Jesus performed through the cross that we boast in. Glory be to God!

December 28, 2018

PEACE

Jeremiah 36:11-13

For I shall consider a plan of peace for you, to give you good things and not calamities. Therefore, pray to Me, and I will hear you. Seek Me, and you will find Me, because you seek Me with all your heart.

Encouraging Words

Our God desires us to have peace in our lives, His peace and not the world's peace. If we will pray to Him, He will hear us. If we seek Him, we will find Him. Glory be to God!

December 24, 2018

DO NOT LOSE HEART

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.

Personal Challenge

We are called by our Lord to serve Him and our neighbor with a joyful heart. We know that by doing this we are storing up treasures in a world far beyond this one. Many times we are blessed to receive rewards for these actions in this life. Sometimes it is a heartfelt thank you from someone or a gracious smile from the recipient of our service. Many times we receive nothing, especially if our service is anonymous. Paul reminds us to not grow weary of doing this good. We are not doing acts of goodness and kindness to receive rewards but out of our love for our Lord. We do good because of the good that He has done for us. However, it is still possible to grow weary of doing good works and serving our Lord. We can always remember that in the right season of our life we will reap the treasures stored up for us. This is how we do not lose heart. Glory be to God!

December 23, 2018

A GOD WHO IS NEAR

Jeremiah 23:23-24

“I am a God who is near,” says the Lord, “and not a God afar off. Can a man hide in secret, and I not see him? Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the Lord.

Encouraging Words

As we come together in our homes and churches around the world to celebrate the birth of our incarnate Lord and Savior I am reminded by this verse of the uniqueness of the Christian belief. When our God says He is near to us it is not some ethereal promise that He is giving us. His nearness came in the form of a child that was born of a lowly, common family, in a time when the known world was under the oppression of a conceited and arrogant leader. It was a world filled with grief, hunger, wars, and sicknesses. Our God chose to become a human being so that we could become His adopted and deeply loved children. No other religious belief has this as their core teaching. God became man so that man can become His children. As so many of us reflect on the beauty and miracle of this day so many years ago, we are reminded that we too are the shepherds that the angels are hearkening to, hearkening to come and see the infant on the manger wrapped in swaddling clothes. We too are the wise men who are traveling far to find the King Who will set all of mankind and creation free from bondage. And we, like so many that have gone before us can celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ and the entry of new life to our world. Glory be to God!

December 22, 2018

Saint of the Week

St. Basil the Great

December 21, 2018

A FLOURISHING TREE

Jeremiah 17:3-4

But blessed is the man who puts his trust in the Lord, for the Lord shall be his hope. He shall be like a flourishing tree alongside the waters which spreads its roots toward the moisture. He will not fear when the burning heat comes, for He shall be like the root in a grove in the year of drought. He shall not fear, for he shall be like a tree that does not cease yielding its fruit.

Encouraging Words

Putting our trust in the Lord is never in vain. Even though the world tries to pull us away from our God and make fun of us for trusting in Him, He never abandons us. He blesses us for staying true to Him. He is our sure hope. This image of a flourishing tree next to a source of water says it all. This tree will send its roots down deep into the soil so that it can get the water from that creek, river, pond, or lake. When the heat of summer or a drought weighs in heavily on the tree, it will survive because of its deep roots. We can be like these trees by driving our roots deep into our Lord by trusting in Him and receiving His refreshing water. Glory be to God!

December 20, 2018

SELF EXAMINE

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

We are not alone on our journey of theosis, however, we must still take the time to self examine. Paul informs us that when a brother or sister in our human family falls into sin, it is our responsibility as children of God to be present in their lives in a way that helps to restore them and bring them into a relationship with Christ. We are not to do this by being judgmental and arrogant, but in a spirit of gentleness and bearing their burden with them. This is how we love our neighbor. We must be careful though, that we do not fall into the same temptation, or worse yet, the temptation of pride because of feeling better about ourselves for doing what we are called to do. Just as we are examining others to see where we can come alongside them to offer support, we should be examining ourselves to see where we can be bearing our own loads of life and saying "No!" to temptations and sin. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

December 19, 2018

CALLED BY HIS NAME FOR ME

Jeremiah 15:16

Make an end to them (those who persecute me), and Your word shall be the gladness and joy of my heart; for I am called by Your name, O Lord, the Almighty.

Encouraging Words

Jeremiah, a prophet of God, had been experien­cing much persecution for speaking God's word to the Israelites. He is pleading with God to be restored. In this verse, he recalls that as a servant of God, he has been given a name and he finds peace and comfort knowing that God will call him by that name and fill him with gladness and joy. How much more can we feel this way, for we are no longer servants of God, but children of God who have been given a new name by our Father? Glory be to God!

December 18, 2018

WALKING 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

Does anyone out there desire to walk in the Spirit? I know that I sure do. Then why is it so difficult to get to that place in our spiritual journey so that we can be doing this? I think Paul tells us why in this letter to the Galatians. Let's work backward. Paul tells us to walk in the Spirit. Before that, he indicates that if we are to walk in the Spirit, we need to live in the Spirit. How do we live in the Spirit? We do this by crucifying the flesh with its passions and desires. Now, this is starting to get really personal. So, what is this about crucifying the flesh? We are not to become conceited in ourselves or in the things that God has done for us. We are to avoid provoking and envying one another, which stems from loving our neighbor. It is possible to walk in the Spirit, but it requires an active choice to live for Christ daily. Glory be to God!

December 17, 2018

BOASTING

Jeremiah 9:23-24

Instead, let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows that I am the Lord, who shows mercy, judgment, and righteousness on earth, for in these is My will,” says the Lord. “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, “that I will visit upon all the circumcised their uncircumcision.

Personal Challenge

In the verse preceding these, we are told not to boast in our wisdom, riches, or strength, but to boast in the Lord. These things are temporal and therefore will not last through eternity. However, our Lord is forever. It is so easy to believe that we are able to succeed all the way into the eternal kingdom of God by our own merits and actions, however, this is not the case. We may be very successful here in this earthly life, but all of this can be lost in a moment. This does not mean that God wants us to cast aside the gifts, talents, and desires that He has given us to succeed in this life. It means that we must always give credit to Him for we can truly accomplish nothing without Him providing for us. He is the only One that shows us true mercy, judgment, and righteousness. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have merely on me, the sinner!

December 16, 2018

GLORIOUS FRUIT

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.

Encouraging Words

What a glorious promise this is from our God. We were promised by Jesus to have the Holy Spirit sent to us and to dwell within us. Here we are told by Paul that the fruit that the Holy Spirit will bring into our lives is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This fruit is not just ours to keep for ourselves to enjoy, but fruit to share with those around us by treating them with love, bringing joy into their lives, being at peace with all, showing patience and longsuffering to everyone, being kind to all, bringing good into other's lives, being faithful and dependable, being gentle with others, and being self-controlled in all situations. This is the glorious fruit that we have both been given and called to give to others. Glory be to God!

December 15, 2018

Saint of the Week

St. Maximus the Confessor

December 14, 2018

THE HOUSE BUILT FOR GOD

Isaiah 66:1-2

Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is My throne, and earth is the footstool of My feet. What kind of house will you build for Me? Or what kind is the place of My rest? For My hand made all these things, and all these things are Mine,” says the Lord; “and upon whom will I show respect, but to the humble and the peaceful and to him who trembles at My words.

Personal Challenge

Who are we, as God's creation, to think that we can outdo God. We go through life believing that we can fit God into our way of thinking or behaving, just as our ancestors in Israel believed that they could build the perfect temple to contain God. God is so far beyond what any of us are, or ever could be. His ways are beyond our ways and even anything that we could conjure up. Granted, we so often do these things out of our love for God, but this is not what He desires from us. He does not want grandiose things from our hands for everything we could do or offer are already His. What He wants from us is a humble heart, a peaceful disposition towards those around us, and a love and respect for Him. This is the foundation for any house that we could build for Him. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

December 13, 2018

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

What is the flesh that we must deal with? The flesh that Paul is referring to is not just our physical body, but more importantly our desires, passions, and will. These aspects of our self, our flesh, are what we are supposed to be putting to death on the cross of Christ. By doing this we can begin to walk and live in the Spirit. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

December 12, 2018

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Isaiah 61:1-4

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because of which He anointed Me. He sent Me to proclaim good news to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to preach liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind; to declare the acceptable year of the Lord, the day of recompense, and to comfort all who mourn; to give those who mourn in Zion glory instead of ashes, the oil of gladness to those who mourn; the garment of glory instead of a spirit of indifference. They shall be called generations of righteousness, the planting of the Lord for glory. They shall build the ancient deserts, raise up those formerly abandoned, and renew the desert cities that laid waste for generations.”

Encouraging Woods

What a glorious passage this is for this time of the year. Granted, our focus of the Christmas celebration is the birth of our Lord as a precious child in a lowly manger, but this passage foretells why this baby was born into this world. These words were so important to that grown up and mature baby, Jesus, to launch His ministry to His people. He was here to proclaim the good news and to set us all free, free from the bondage of death and sin. Jesus is our Lord. Jesus is our Savior. Jesus gave His all so that might be raised up from ashes and be adopted into His glorious family. Glory be to God. Merry Christmas and Happy Eternal Life!

December 11, 2018

LIBERATED

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

What did Jesus liberate us from when He became incarnate, lived a sinless life, suffered on the cross to his death, and was resurrected on the third day? He liberated us from the bondage of death that was imposed upon us by sin, therefore also liberating us from sin. The work of Jesus is not only about the forgiveness of our sins, but it is also much bigger than that. Through Jesus, we can say, "No!" to sin and temptation in our lives. Our human, temporal part of our being will continue to draw us towards the things of the flesh which will usually lead to sin, but our spiritual part, that which has been renewed and reborn in Christ will always draw us to God and His ways. We must choose which part of our being we want to listen to and obey. It takes time and effort to grow the ability to always choose the spiritual path, but it is possible. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

December 10, 2018

SHINE

Isaiah 60:1-2

“Shine, shine, O Jerusalem, for your light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. Behold, darkness and gloom shall cover the earth upon the nations, but the Lord will shine on you; and His glory shall be seen upon you.”

Encouraging Words

Is not the Church the new Jerusalem? Then we should be shining with joy for our light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon us. Even though the world around us is filled with darkness and gloom, we can be lights in the world because the light of Jesus has shone upon us and we now reflect that light to others. Glory be to God!

December 9, 2018

FREEDOM!!

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

So, what yoke of bondage have we been set free from? Paul was telling the Galatians, and us as well, that Jesus has set us free from the law that was given to the Israelites by Moses. That law was given to the Israelites to point them to Christ, the Messiah, who would fulfill the law and usher in a new covenant of grace. Does this mean that we abandon the teachings and guidance of the law, such as the ten commandments. No. It means that by submitting our lives to Christ, who is the fulfillment of the law, we will live our lives in a way that glorifies Him in ways that exceed what the law was there to accomplish. Jesus has given us freedom to live godly and righteous lives, free from sin and free to be like Him. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

December 8, 2018

Saint of the Week

St. Ambrose of Optina

December 7, 2018

A WELL-WATERED GARDEN

Isaiah 58:11

God shall be with you continually, and you shall be satisfied as your soul desires. Your bones shall be enriched, and you shall be like a well-watered garden and like a spring of water that does not fail. Your bones will arise and be enriched like a green plant, and they shall inherit generations of generations.

Encouraging Words

Have you ever had one of those times where you feel good all the way down to the very core of your body, the depths of your bones? I have, and it is an awesome experience. Isaiah iterates the promise that there will be a day when we will be in the presence of God and that our bones shall be enriched. In other words, we will live every moment of our lives from that point of on feeling God's great love and mercy to the very core of our being. Come, Lord Jesus Christ, come!

December 6, 2018

REDEEMED FOR ADOPTION

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

In the day of slavery, when someone bought another person off of the auction block that person was redeemed from their former owner, but still a slave to the new owner. God, however, when He paid the price of His Son's life to redeem us from the bondage of death, He did not stop there. He went one step further and took off our chains of bondage and claimed us as His children through adoption into His family. Through this form of adoption we are not step-children or half-siblings, but fully children of God and brothers and sisters to Christ incarnate. Glory be to God!

December 5, 2018

TO SEE LIGHT

Isaiah 58:9-10

Then you shall cry out, and God will hear you. While you are still speaking, He will say, ‘Behold, I am here.’ If you take away your fetter and the pointing of the finger, and the word of grumbling, and if you give bread to the hungry from your soul, and satisfy the humble soul, then your light shall rise up in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as midday.

Command with a Promise

What is the promise in this passage? While we are in the midst of crying out to Him, He will answer and say, "Behold, I am here." He promises that our light will rise up in the darkness and it will be like midday. So, what must we do for these promises to come to fruition? Cry out to Him, take away the fetter that we put on those around us, stop pointing our finger at everyone else, stop our grumbling, give bread, both physical and spiritual, to the hungry, and do what we can to satisfy the souls of the humble around us. This is the real gospel of prosperity in God's economy. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

December 4, 2018

NO DISCRIMINATION

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

There is no room in God's Kingdom for discrimination of any form. This is evident in the teachings of Jesus about loving our neighbor and putting their needs above our own needs. In today's cultural and political environment it is becoming harder and harder to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and love all of those around us more than we love ourselves. Living this way prevents us from being discriminatory of those around us. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner?

December 3, 2018

FALSE FASTING

Isaiah 58:3-8

saying, ‘Why have we fasted, but You did not see it? Why have we humbled our souls, but You did not know it?’ Because in the days of your fasts, you seek your own wills, and mistreat those under your authority. If you fast for condemnations and quarrels, and strike a humble man with your fists, why do you fast to Me as you do today, so your voice may be heard in crying? I did not choose this fast, and such a day for a man to humble his soul; nor if you should bow your neck like a ring and spread sackcloth and ashes under yourself, could you thus call such a fast acceptable. I did not choose such a fast,” says the Lord; “rather, loose every bond of wrongdoing; untie the knots of violent dealings; cancel the debts of the oppressed; and tear apart every unjust contract. Break your bread for the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house. If you see a naked man, clothe him, nor shall you disregard your offspring in your own household. Then your light shall break forth as the morning, and your healing shall spring forth quickly. Your righteousness shall go before you, and the glory of God shall cover you.”

Personal Challenge

God does not want our actions or our following of traditions and rubrics if our hearts are not pure. Isaiah reminds his people, as well as us, that it does us no good to perform acts of worship such as fasting when we are at war with our neighbor and ignoring those around us who are in need. Fasting at these times is just empty actions. He desires a humble and loving heart more than anything else. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

December 2, 2018

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

What has been crucified with Christ? Not my physical self, but my sinful desires and passions. This is what I must do every moment of every day, take up my cross and crucify my desires and passions, in order to live a life that glorifies God and magnifies Jesus. It is my fleshly desires that continually draw me away from Him and the more that I feed them the further from Him I roam. He loves us so much that He gave Himself up on the cross for us. Our love for Him is shown by doing the same with our passions. This is how we live by faith every day, every moment, of our lives, by trusting in Him and seeking Him. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

December 1, 2018

Saint of the Week

St. Columban

November 30, 2018

THE LORD MOST HIGH

Isaiah 57:15

The Lord, the Most High who dwells on high forever, the Holy One among His saints, whose name is the Lord Most High, who rests among His saints, and who gives patience to the fainthearted and life to the broken-hearted,

Encouraging Words

As Christians, we do not just follow the teachings of some great man, but we follow the One, true God. He is our Lord, His Most High and is eternal. He loves His saints enough to dwell amongst us. And He gives us patience and life. He is my Lord. Glory be to God!

November 28, 2018

NOTHING WASTED

Isaiah 55:10-11

For as rain comes down, or snow from heaven, and does not return until it saturates the earth, and it brings forth and produces, and gives seed to the sower and bread for food, so shall My word be, whatever proceeds from My mouth. It shall not return until it accomplishes whatever I willed, and I shall prosper your ways and My commandments.

Encouraging Words

This is a promise from our Lord that we can hold on to. God's Word is so powerful, so penetrating, and it is never wasted. Even though the bearer may ignore it or act as if they have never heard it, the seed has been planted. As parents and grandparents, we can claim this promise, if we have done our part by ensuring that His Word has been spoken, and more importantly, demonstrated, into the lives of our loved ones. That is all that we can do. It then becomes God's responsibility to bring those seeds to fruition. Glory be to God!

November 27, 2018

HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT

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

It is so easy to fall for the belief that we can do anything we set our mind to without the help or involvement of anyone else, especially God. Granted, we have been created as unique creatures with the ability to accomplish many things and excel at pushing through to the end. However, if we truly desire to do things that have eternal duration, that is beyond this present life, then we need to let go of our independent, self-focused approach, and yield to God. Only He is all powerful, all knowing, and ever-present. Only He can take our weaknesses and turn them into strengths. If we embrace this understanding and live our lives in submission to Him then there is truly nothing that can prevent Him from using us for His glory and not just our own personal gain. Only by living that way can we rejoice in our shortcomings, trials, tribulations, failures, and even successes. This is living for Christ's sake. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

November 26, 2018

HIS WAY OR MINE?

Isaiah 55:8-9

“For My counsels are not as your counsels, neither are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “But as heaven is distant from earth, so is My way distant from your ways, and your thoughts from My mind.”

Personal Challenge

Oh, how often we try to do something with good intentions to please our Lord, just to find out that we have failed miserably. Why is that? The intentions were good. When I have taken the time to dig into these events to find out what went wrong, the answer is usually that I tried to do these things my way, on my own power. This passage reminds us that God's ways are much more different than mine. Does this mean that I just stop trying? Heaven forbid! It means that I need to stay focused on God, exercising my faith in Him, and seeking His way of doing His work. This means letting go of my preferences and yielding to Him. Glory be to God!

November 29, 2018

WHO ARE WE PLEASING

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

We are bondservants of Christ. Even though He has set us free from the grip of sin and death, we have chosen to become His servants, bound to Him eternally. If we have truly done this, then we will stop trying to please our fellow human beings and focus our energies on pleasing God. This will cause us to be rejected by those who choose not to follow God, but that is better than being rejected by God. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!