June 21, 2019

PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE

2 Peter 1:2-4

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Encouraging Words

The nature of God is something that we will never be able to acquire or achieve. If we could, then there would be no difference between Him and us. However, through His grace and mercy, we may become partakers or participants, in His divine nature and power. As His adopted children we receive all things that pertain to life and godliness. We can live in the presence of His light, His power, His glory, and grow in the image of His Son. We are truly blessed.

June 20, 2019

THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT

1 Peter 5:8-10

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

Personal Challenge

We are informed throughout the scriptures, both old and new, that the devil is constantly trying to trip us up in our walk with our God. It is so easy for us to choose to sin and to proclaim the saying that Flip Wilson made famous, "the devil made me do it?" But this is never the truth. the devil cannot make us do anything. He and his minions may orchestrate all forms of temptations for us, but it is our own free will that chooses to act on those temptations or reject them. In order to reject them, we must be sober and vigilant in our walk with the Lord. We must be able to resist the enemy by being steadfast in our faith and relying on our God to give us the strength to resist. We do this because we know that we have been called to His eternal glory. Glory be to God!

June 19, 2019

EXALTED

1 Peter 5:6-7

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
Personal Challenge

contrary to what the world teaches us, humbling ourselves before God does not make us weak or unimportant. If we humble ourselves before God we make room in our lives for the blessings that He wants to bestow upon us. By doing this we can offload all of our cares and concerns to Him so that He can care for us. Glory be to God!

June 18, 2019

RESISTANCE

1 Peter 5:5

Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for

“God resists the proud,But gives grace to the humble.”

Personal challenge

It is one thing to encounter resistance from those around us, but I don't think I want to encounter resistance from God. However, every time I step out to do something with an attitude of pride, resistance from God is what I will encounter. That resistance, if received properly, can be a part of my theosis because it will continue to conform me into the image of Jesus. However, if I choose to do things with a humble spirit, God will give me the grace that I need to do His work. We learn humility through our submission to others, to God first, to those who are over us, and even to one another, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

June 17, 2019

GOOD STEWARDS

1 Peter 4:10-11

As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Personal challenge

We have each been blessed by one or more gifts from God in our spiritual lives. These gifts are not for us to keep or hide under a rock, but to give away to those around us by using them so that God may be glorified. Once more, our, salvation is not about us, it is about Him. Glory be to God!

June 16, 2019

FERVENT LOVE

1 Peter 4:7-9

But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.

Personal challenge

Sometimes other people are just a pain in the neck and it feels like it would be better just to write them off. I am sure that other people have the same feelings about me at times. These are the times for us to have fervent love for one another. If we love Jesus, then we are to love one another and be hospitable to them, no matter what the circumstances. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

June 15, 2019

Saint of the Week

St. Justin Popovich

June 13, 2019

SEEK PEACE

1 Peter 3:8-12

Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. For

“He who would love lifeAnd see good days,Let him refrain his tongue from evil,And his lips from speaking deceit.Let him turn away from evil and do good;Let him seek peace and pursue it.For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,And His ears are open to their prayers;But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Personal challenge

We live in a world and a time that is filled with anger and contention. Our part in this world is to be peacemakers in all that we do so that by our actions the Word of God is shared with everyone. This is no small task, but the rewards are eternal. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

June 12, 2019

HONORING OUR WIVES

1 Peter 3:7

Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

Personal challenge

This passage, and the one before it is often misunderstood and misused. Wives are told to submit to their husbands, and husbands are told to honor their wives. Here is what my Orthodox Study Bible says about this:

3:1-7 A stunning call to contentment in Christian marriage, whether we live in the first century or the twenty-first. The dignity and modesty of a woman—and her good conduct—have the power to call her husband to faith and devotion. Husbands are not to take advantage of this superior conduct on the part of their wives, but are to reciprocate, indeed to give honor. Peter's image of marriage is one of sacramental union, not merely of legal contract. Contrary to the inheritance customs of the time, husband and wife are heirs together of the grace of life (v. 7). Failure to live with understanding with one's spouse even affects one's relationship with God (see Eph 5:22–33).

We view marriage as a sacrament in the church because, through it, two people become one. Husbands and wives are peers and partners at the same time. This is the personal challenge, to always put my wife and her needs before mine and continually give her the honor she deserves. Glory be to God!

June 11, 2019

COMMENDABLE BEFORE GOD

1 Peter 2:19-20

For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.

Personal Challenge

So, what is being considered commendable here? When we are subservient to another, whether it be our employer, a government official or the government itself, or anyone that we are under the authority of, then whether they treat us nicely or poorly, it is our responsibility as Christians to be submissive to them. We do this because we are ultimately being submissive to God. Glory be to God!

June 10, 2019

HONORABLE CONDUCT

1 Peter 2:12

having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.

Personal Challenge

Who are the Gentiles that we are supposed to have honorable conduct around? They are those around us who do not yet know our Lord. Our lives are supposed to be lived in such a way that those who do not know our Lord or those who have rejected Him, cannot refute the good works that we are doing on behalf of our Lord. This means that the words coming out of our mouths, the things that we do, the places that we frequent, the positions that we take in our social structure, all shout loudly about the grace and mercy and love that our Lord has for everyone. Living this way makes it impossible for anyone to accuse us of doing wrong and having that accusation stick. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

June 9, 2019

CHOSEN

1 Peter 2:9

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

Encouraging Words

I remember well those days of my youth when all the kids in the neighborhood would come together for that game of stickball. The two coolest guys would be the team captains and then they would start picking the rest of the lineup as members of their teams. Oh, how awesome it felt to be chosen. Peter reminds us that we are a chosen group of people, special in the eyes of our Lord, called out of darkness into His uncreated light. Glory be to God!

June 8, 2019

Saint of the Week

St. Basil the Great

June 6, 2019

DESIRING CHRIST

1 Peter 2:1-3

Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

Personal Challenge

Do I really desire Christ as much as I should? Is He in the forefront of my every thought and desire? Is He the center of every decision that I make and everything that I do? Unfortunately, the answer to these questions is "No". I let the busyness of my life, the burdens of my work, the extensiveness of my to-do list, get in the way of my seeking Him and before I know it, He is just an afterthought. Lord, have mercy! He wants me to lay aside the things of this world and to desire Him above else. Do I need rest? I will find it in Him. Do I need focus? I will find it in Him. Do I need peace? It is only in Him! Glory be to God!

June 4, 2019

BE HOLY

1 Peter 1:13-16

Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

Personal challenge

Being a Christian is not like being a passenger on some train or bus headed to a glorious destination. We are not just sitting there all cushy and comfortable while God navigates the vehicle through the obstacles of our lives. We are mandated to be active participants in this journey called life. Look at all of the active verbs in this short passage. Gird up the loins of your mind. Be sober. Rest your hope upon the grace of Christ. Be obedient children. Do not conform yourselves to your former life. In all of your conduct, be holy. Sure, God in His loving grace and mercy will allow passengers to ride His train of salvation without being active, changed people. But so much of life and His blessings will be missed doing that. If we are not constantly being changed into His image by our actions in Him then we must question, "Are we on the right train?" Be holy for He is holy!

June 3, 2019

A LIVING HOPE

1 Peter 1:3-5

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Encouraging Words

We have been begotten, or born again, into a living hope through the work of Jesus Christ. This living hope is an inheritance that is incorruptible and undefiled and one that does not fade away. It is reserved for us in heaven, guarded and protected by the power of our loving God. We know that this living hope will be revealed to us on that day when we see our Lord face to face. Glory be to God!

June 1, 2019

Saint of the Week

St. Dominic Guzman

May 31, 2019

CONFESSION

James 5:16

Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

Personal challenge

One of the hurdles that I had to overcome while I was in the process of converting to Orthodoxy was the sacrament of confession. I had it ground into me in my protestant years that you do not confess your sin to anyone but God. This is erroneous teaching. Here is an excerpt from my Orthodox Study Bible:

5:16-18 Some allege that confessing sins to God before a priest is not biblical. The ancient Christian custom was to confess your trespasses to one another (v. 16). When a Christian was guilty of sin, the matter was confessed before the whole Church as an act of repentance. As the Church grew, and those not part of the community came to observe, the pressure in such public confession became so great that the priest, instead of the entire community, heard the confession, representing the people. What is not taught in Scripture is a private confession only to God, which refuses to acknowledge sin to the community (1Jonn 1:8, 10). Thus, the Church has effected healing through such works of faith as confession of sins and the power of intercessory prayer.

It is important to know that in Orthodoxy, the priest does not forgive our sins. He hears our confession and our Lord forgives us of our sins. Glory be to God!

May 30, 2019

THE PRAYER OF FAITH

James 5:13-15

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

Encouraging Words

Do we really believe that our God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow? If so, then why do we not see Him performing the kinds of miracles in the days of the early church. Even the shadow of Peter and Paul falling on people healed them. It is not God that has changed. He is constant and never changing. It is we who have changed. Jesus showed us this when He went back to His home town and could not perform very many miracles. He said it was due to the lack of their faith. James gives us the formula for dealing with sickness in our lives. We know what we are to do, and when do it, the results are seldom there. That is not because God is reneging on His part of the bargain. It is because we do not have the faith needed to enable God's minacious powers to come to fruition. Our healing, our salvation from this world, our life must be synergistic with our God. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

May 29, 2019

PATIENCE

James 5:7-11

Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.

Personal challenge
We live in an age of instant gratification. We have drive-throughs so that we don't have to wait for our food and we are still upset if they are not fast enough. We have electronics and modern machinery to do things for us quickly and without effort and yet none of it works as fast as we want it to. Nearly all of us have never been on a farm or grown a garden or even a houseplant from the seed. We have lost that under­standing that it takes time, lots of time, to nurture and grow something to fruition. I have two orange trees that I have been growing in pots for about 9 years. Last year I got my first 2 oranges. This year the crop looks to be a little more abundant. They got to this point with patience and lots of nurturing. And the work must continue. This is the same with our walk in Christ. It is a journey based on patiently waiting upon our Lord, for His ways are not our ways and His timeline is not our timeline. Glory be to God!

May 28, 2019

THE SIN OF INACTION

James 4:17

Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

Personal Challenge

We often think of sin as something that we do that offends God. However, James makes it very clear that it is just as much of a sin to not do that which we know to be good in God's eyes. This all boils down to living out the second great commandment. That commandment is to love our neighbor and to meet their needs. When we neglect to do this, we sin. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!