February 28, 2021

FULFILLMENT

Matthew 5:17

Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.

Personal Challenge

Another error that I have heard taught throughout my life as a Christian is that since Jesus came, everything in the Old Testament is null and void. Not true. Jesus, Himself said that the Law and the Prophets were still valid. They were all shadows of Christ, pointing to the One who would fulfill them. He is the only one who ever has, or ever will, fulfill every Law and Prophecy about the Messiah. We are still to live with respect for these laws and teachings knowing that Christ is our ultimate law to follow. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

February 27, 2021

Saint of the Week

St. Seraphim of Sarov

February 26, 2021

SHINE

Matthew 5:16

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Personal Challenge

In my earlier years of being a Christian I was often confronted by my reformed brothers and sisters about the things that I did in the church, I would be reminded, often by people who chose not to do these kinds of things, that I I had to be careful to know that none of these things would "earn" my way into heaven. My answer was always," Duh!!" Jesus is how I get into heaven. Jesus is my salvation. Jesus is my all. And if Jesus is that important to me and clearly the one that I owe everything to, then why would I not serve Him in every possible way that I can? The service comes out of thanks and gratitude. It is a way to give back. It is a way to shine the light of God to everyone around us. Is it this teaching that has made it so easy for people to become consumers and not contributors in the church? Is this why we can hardly get people to volunteer to be Sunday school teachers or serve on committees. Jesus died for us, why wouldn't we at least give some of our time to Him in gratitude. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

February 25, 2021

BLESSED

Matthew 5:3-12

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Encouraging Words

How is it that those who support the gospel of prosperity skip over this sermon by Jesus on the mount of Olives? There is nothing in here about being rewarded with great wealth or position by living a Christian life. To the contrary, we are told that those who are poor in spirit, mourn, are meek, who hunger and thirst after righteousness, are merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, persecuted for righteousness sake, and reviled and persecuted for Christ's sake, are the ones who receive the blessings from God. And to top that off, the blessings have nothing to do with worldly riches. The blessings are heavenly focused blessings. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

February 24, 2021

IF...

Matthew 4:1-11

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”

Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:

‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’

and,

‘In their hands they shall bear you up,

Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ”

Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ”

Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”

Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”

Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

Personal Challenge

When Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan River there occurred a very significant event. The Trinity of God was magnificently revealed to all present. Even God spoke letting every one know that Jesus was His beloved Son. This event was immediately followed by Jesus going out into the wilderness for forty days and nights preparing for His upcoming life of ministry. After fasting for these days He was confronted by Satan with three very tempting if's. Satisfy your hunger. Glorify your health. Claim the leadership of the world. Three Temptations that every person is faced with at one time or another in their life. Jesus, as a human being, was able to say "No" to these Temptations by knowing the word of God. We too can do this. Glory be to God!

February 23, 2021

HIS BELOVED SON

Matthew 3:13-17

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”

But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him.

When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Personal challenge

Why was it necessary for Jesus to be baptized if He was fully God? If He had never sinned then why be baptized? I am sure that there are many out there that can answer these questions much better than I can, but here are some of the things that I have learned along the way. Jesus was also fully man and by following in the-steps of so many others that were baptized to repent of their sins, Jesus solidified the sacrament of baptism as an important part of the Church. It was not that He had sins that needed to be cleansed of, but by His submitting to John to be baptized, He made baptism and the waters used in baptism holy and righteous for everyone else. Another reason that presents itself is that in His incarnation He made it possible for people to become Holy and to receive eternal life. By His baptism, He purified creation and blessed it to return to its created state before the fall. God entered creation and blessed it through our Lord Jesus Christ. Glory be to God!

February 22, 2021

WEEPING

Matthew 2:18

“A voice was heard in Ramah,
Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children,
Refusing to be comforted,
Because they are no more.”

Personal Challenge

The nation of Israel spent their entire history up to the advent of Jesus Christ looking anxiously for their Messiah to come. In their eyes, it would be a glorious event filed with joy. And yet, we see in this account of what Herod did to the infants and toddlers in order to squelch the arrival of a competing King, nothing but lamentation, weeping, and mourning. Jesus knew of suffering and hardship. He identified with people then just as He does today. It is only through a relationship with, the King of Peace that we will overcome the lamentation, weeping, and mourning in our lives. Glory be to God!

February 20, 2021

Saint of the Week

St. Polycarp

February 19, 2021

AM I FAITHFUL?

Daniel 6:5-6

The administrators and governors sought to find some charge against Daniel, but they could find no charge or wrongdoing or fault against him because he was faithful. Then the administrators said, “We will find nothing against Daniel unless we find it in the laws of his God.”

Personal Challenge

Persecution is guaranteed if we remain faithful to God. Daniel was elevated to a position of great power in his land because he remained faithful to his God and hired his life according to godly principles. By doing this he was blessed and those blessings overflowed to those around him. This generated jealousy by those in his circle of influence which led them to try to overthrown him for their own gain. In the midst of this he remained faithful to God, which ultimately led to that which was used against him in his persecution. Rather than turn away from God, he clung to him even tighter and trusted Him to prevail. And the rest is His story! Glory be to God!

February 18, 2021

TRUSTING IN GOD

Daniel 3:95 (3:28)

So King Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed is the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent His Angel and saved His servants who trusted in Him; for they altered the word of the king and handed over their bodies to be burned, so as not to serve and worship any god other than their God.”

Personal Challenge

We may never know the impact that our lives will have on other people. When we choose to live all out for our God and put our full trust in Him, not only does our life get changed, but so do the lives of those around us. King Nebuchad­nezzar not only abandoned his own unalterable decree that everyone should bow down and worship his statue, but he also praised the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as the God of gods because of their unfaltering trust in their God. Glory be to God!

February 17, 2021

OUR SACRIFICE

Daniel 3:40

So let this be our sacrifice before You today,
And may it be accomplished for those who follow You;
For there is no shame for those who trust in You.

Personal Challenge

The world around us wants us to conform to the way that it is. Living a Christian life is always contrary to this worldly expectation. This is our sacrifice to our Lord, choosing to reject the ways of the world in order to claim the ways of God. It is a sacrifice because it sets us at odds with those around us, even our loved ones at times, who are comfortable with living in the world the world's way. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

February 16, 2021

SERVING A HIGHER GOD

Daniel 3:16-18

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “We have no need to answer you in regard to this thing. For there is a God in the heavens, whom we serve, and He is able to save us from the burning fiery furnace; and He will deliver us from your hands, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image you set up.” 

Personal Challenge

It is not always easy trying to live a godly life. We will be confronted by times where Christians are not understood or appreciated. There will be times that we mess up and sin. One thing that we can do is to live our lives like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did. They chose to stand firm in their belief in their God and their commitment to live for Him. They knew that no matter what happened, God would be there for them. We too can choose to live for God this way. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner and give me the strength to always stand for you!

February 15, 2021

THE STONE

Daniel 2:45

Whereas you saw the stone cut out of the mountain without hands, it ground to powder the clay, the iron, the copper, the silver, and the gold. Thus the great God has made known to the king what must come to pass after this. The dream is true, and its interpretation is trustworthy.

Encouraging Words

Jesus is referred to as the stone that was rejected that became the cornerstone of the Church. Here in Daniel, the king's dream is interpreted and he is told that there will be a stone that will destroy all of the kingdoms of the world. This is a prophecy of the coming Messiah, the Son of God, who will overturn all of the kings of man as He sets up His eternal Kingdom. Glory be to God!

February 14, 2021

HEMMED IN

Susanna 1:22-23

Then Susanna sighed deeply and said, “I am hemmed in on all sides, for if I do this thing, it is death for me; yet if I do not, I will not escape your hands. But it is better for me not to do it and to fall into your hands, than to sin against the Lord.”

Personal Challenge

Sometimes it feels like life is offering us no win scenarios. In these situations we believe that we have no choice but to take the route that causes us to sin the least. However, as Susanna tells the two men who have trapped her and are pressing her to sin, it is better to stay true to her Lord and trust that He will sort it out. That is a great lesson in the scripture that is unfort­unately left out of many Bibles. Glory be to God!

February 13, 2021

Saint of the Week

St. John of Kronstadt

February 12, 2021

A COVENANT OF PEACE

Ezekiel 37:26-28

I will make a covenant of peace with them. It shall be an everlasting covenant, and I will establish My sanctuary in their midst forever. My tabernacle shall be among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them, when My sanctuary is among them forever.

Encouraging Words

God promises to establish a covenant of peace with His creation that will last forever. Part of that covenant will be the establishment of His sanctuary, His tabernacle, in the midst of His people where He can be worshipped. Jesus ushered in this covenant and He became that tabernacle that is amongst us and eternal. We can seek sanctuary in Him at all times. Glory be to God!

February 11, 2021

REGENERATED

Ezekiel 36:25-27

I shall sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be cleansed from all your uncleanness, and I will also cleanse you from all your idols. I shall give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. I shall take the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I shall put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My requirements, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

Encouraging Words

When Adam and Eve were created, they were created perfect. God planted in all of creation His perfection. When they sinned that perfection was soiled and has been soiled ever since. God promises us here through the prophesy of Ezekiel, that there will be a day when He will regenerate us. He will sprinkle clean water on us to cleanse us from our uncleanness and our idolization of things other than God. He will give us a new heart and a new spirit. He will fill us with His spirit and will cause us to walk in His ways. For those of who have been baptized into His family, our journey to this regenerated person has begun. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner and forgive me for continually turning back to my old worldly ways.

February 10, 2021

GOD'S SHEEP

Ezekiel 34:15-16

I shall feed My sheep and refresh them; and they will know that I am the Lord,” thus says the Lord and Master. “I shall seek the lost, bring back the misled, bind up the broken, strengthen the fallen, protect the strong, and feed them with judgment.”

Encouraging Words

God loves His flock of sheep. Through Jesus and His works, we can all become sheep in God's flock. As sheep in His flock, He feeds and refreshes us. We will know Him. He seeks after those who are lost, brings back those who are misled, binds up the broken ones, Strengthens the fallen ones, protects the strong ones, and feeds us all with judgment.

February 9, 2021

SEEING HIM

Ezekiel 1:27b

This was the vision of the likeness of the Lord's glory. I saw it, and I fell down on my face, and heard the voice of One speaking.

Encouraging Words

Ezekiel had the privilege of seeing the pre-incarnate Christ, face-to-face. The apostles and others of their day had the privilege of seeing the incarnate Christ face-to-face and to live with Him while He ministered here on earth. And we, the followers of Christ, have the privilege of having Him dwell within our hearts as we await His second coming. We honor and serve a God who is real and who has manifested Himself to us in so many ways. Glory be to God!

February 8, 2021

DO NOT FEAR

Lamentations 3:52-54

“You heard my voice;
Do not hide Your ears from my supplication.
You drew near at my call on the day I called upon You.
You said to me, ‘Do not fear.’
O Lord, You pleaded the case for my soul;
You redeemed my life.”

Encouraging Words

The scriptures often refer to God drawing near to us as if there are times that He is far from us. In reality, it is us who often withdraw from Him and need to be brought back into His presence. We can put our faith and trust in the truth that He does hear our voices when we call out to Him. He does not block out our pleas and supplications to Him. He does draw near to us when we call out to Him. And He does redeem us from the depths of separation from Him. This is why we do not fear anything in this life. Glory be to God!

February 7, 2021

TAKING UP OUR YOKE

Lamentations 3:24-27

It is good for a man when he takes up
A yoke in his youth.
“He will sit alone and be silent,
Because he bears it on himself.
He will give his cheek to the one who strikes him,
And he will be filled with insults.
Yet the Lord shall not reject him forever.”

Personal Challenge

Once again many of us miss an under­standing of a passage like this one because we no longer live in a culture that is tied to an agricultural way of life. f we had a cow or an ox that we were raising with the intent of yoking them to a cart, we would start early in their life, putting a yoke on them. By doing this they become familiar with it and slowly become accustomed to its pressure and weight. Isn't this an image of the expected life of a Christian.The sooner we let God put on His yoke of obedience, or the cross that Jesus told us to take up and bear for Him, the sooner we begin to grow accustomed to carrying out cross through live. Jesus Christ, Son of God, hare mercy on me, the sinner!

February 6, 2021

Saint of the Week

St. Macarius the Great

February 5, 2021

WAIT AND EXPECT

Lamentations 3:22-23

“The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,
To the soul who will seek Him, the Good One.
He will wait for and quietly expect
The salvation of the Lord.”

Command with a Promise

Wait for and quietly expect the salvation of the Lord and He will be good to us. If we seek Him, He will be good to us. Now this does not mean that God's salvation is dependent upon us, for there is nothing that we can do to earn that. Salvation is God's free gift to mankind through the work of Jesus Christ. If we wait for God to show Himself in our lives, if we seek Him and wait quietly expecting His salvation, He reveal all of that to us. Glory be to God!

February 4, 2021

HEAR OUR PRAYER

Baruch 2:14-15

O Lord, hear our prayer and our petition, and for Your own sake deliver us, and grant us mercy before those who have carried us into exile, in order that the whole earth may come to know that You are the Lord our God, for Israel and his descendants are called by Your name.

Personal Challenge

Just as the nation of israel was in exile in Babylon, so too are we, the followers of Christ, in exile in this fallen and temporal world. Our true home is now in the Kingdom of heaven and we are awaiting the return of our Lord to take us back home.. Therefore we pray to Him to deliver us and to grant us mercy in this foreign land. We pray that He does this so that this fallen world may know who He is. And in this prayer we are also asking that we be good representatives of Him and His Kingdom. Glory be to God!

February 3, 2021

PRAY FOR OUR LEADERS

Baruch 1:11-12

And pray for the life of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his son Belshazzar, that their days on earth may be like the days of heaven. And the Lord will give us strength and enlighten our eyes, and we will live under the shelter of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and under the shelter of Belshazzar his son, and we will serve them for many days and find mercy in their sight.

Command with a Promise

So, what is the command here? Pray for the life of the king and his son and that their days on earth may be like the days of heaven. What does this mean to us? We have no king. The expectation here is that we pray for our leaders, whether we voted them into office or not. We are to pray for those who have been put into a position of authority over us. Our politicians, our managers, our parents, our teachers, our priests and bishops. Then what is the promise that goes with this command? The Lord will gave us strength and enlighten our eyes He will bless those leaders and we will live under their shelter. We will be blessed with many days under their leadership and find mercy in their sight. As a "Christian" nation, we have really lost sight of this command. No wonder we are not seeing these promises unfold in our lives. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

February 2, 2021

GOD WILL DO...

Jeremiah 40:6-9 (33:6-9)

‘Behold, I bring her health and healing for her wounds, and I will show them how to obey. Yes, I will heal this city and bring about peace and faithfulness. I shall return the captives of Judah and Israel and will restore them, even as before. I will cleanse them from all their wrongdoings by which they sinned against Me. I will not remember their sins by which they sinned against Me and withdrew from Me. This shall be for the gladness, praise, and majesty of all the people of the earth, who shall hear all the good things I will do. They shall fear and be provoked concerning all the good things and the peace I shall bring upon them.’

Encouraging Words

God promises here all the great things that He will do for His errant children. He promises to bring health and healing for their wounds, show them how to obey Him, heal their land and bring them peace and faithfulness, return those who have been taken captive, cleanse them from their wrongdoings and sins, and not remember those sins any more. This is not just a promise for the nation, but for all who had wandered away from Him and have returned to His loving arms. He will demonstrate to us the love that He has always had for us. Glory bet God!

February 1, 2021

NOTHING HIDDEN

Jeremiah 39:27 (32:27)

I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Shall anything be hidden from Me?

Personal Challenge

Oh, foolish mankind. How often do we commit sins behind closed doors or in the dark thinking that no one can see us? How often do we think sinful thoughts believing that only we know what is going on in our minds? God is everywhere all the time. He knows our actions, even if hidden from all others. He knows our thoughts no matter how much we try to hide them. And yet, He loves us. He stands ready to forgive us when we turn back to Him. He does not use our sinfulness against us, but yearns for us to confess it to Him, repent from our sinful ways, and live within His love and light. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

January 30, 2021

Saint of the Week

St. John of Kronstadt

January 29, 2021

THIRST AND HUNGER

Jeremiah 38:25 (31:25)

For I have satiated every thirsty soul and filled every hungry soul.

Personal Challenge

Do we really want to be satiated by our God? Do we want Him to fill us so much with His love and mercy that it overflows and touches everyone around us? The only way that this can happen is for us to thirst and hunger for Him. That is when He satiates that thirst and hunger. If our thirst and hunger is for the world, then the world will fill us up with itself and we will never be satiated. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!