April 28, 2021

HELP MY UNBELIEF

Mark 9:23-24

Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

Personal Challenge

Sometimes I think this is my favorite passage in the Scriptures. Here we have a man whose son is very sick. He had brought him to the disciples hoping that they could heal him. They couldn't. Then he asked Jesus to heal him. Once again, Jesus reminds us that our faith plays an active role in His work of miracles in our lives. The father proclaims what I have felt so many times in my life. "Lord, I believe, help me in my unbelief!" We need to reach out to Jesus to help us believe in Him. We need to trust Him. We need Him to lead us though our valley of disbelief. Glory be to God!

April 27, 2021

DENYING OURSELVES

Mark 8:34-35

When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.”

Personal Challenge

It can be difficult living the life that Jesus calls us to live. A critical component of this kind of life is denying ourselves, putting God and others before ourselves. This is indeed what God expects of us. This may mean that I spend less time doing the things at my church that I find uplifting and edifying because they are coming between me and my spouse or family. They should come before me. It may mean doing things that I do not enjoy or that do not make me look good because they are inhibiting someone else from growing in Christ. If we want to be like Christ, which all Christians should desire, then we must be willing to set aside those things that we perceive as important in order to raise up the importance of others and our God. This is losing our life for God and others. Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

April 26, 2021

WHY?

Mark 8:11-12

Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him. But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation.”

Personal Challenge

Are we, the modern church, as bad as the Pharisees were in the day of Jesus? Do we expect God to show us signs and wonders before we will commit our lives and hearts to Him? Do we make Him jump through hoops in order to satisfy our own expectations before we put our trust in Him? Based on this passage, these expectations grieve and sadden Him. He wants our love and trust, not our disbelief. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, hare mercy!

April 25, 2021

OBSERVING THE SABBATH?

Mark 2:27-28

And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”

Personal Challenge

This is still a challenge with religiosity today. God gives us something good like the Sabbath, a day of rest, and we turn it into something to be worshipped and a stumbling block for our brothers and sisters. Any tradition or rubric in our faith practice can be misused like this. This is why God wants us to always keep our eyes on Him and not on the things that He gives us, no matter how good they are. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

April 24, 2021

Saint of the Week

St. Maximos the Confessor

April 23, 2021

FORGIVEN SINS

Mark 2:5

When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”

Encouraging Words

Throughout the ministry of Jesus during His time here on earth, we see Him connecting sin to physical maladies. There is much to be said about how the sins in our lives do not only affect our spiritual state, but they also affect or physical, emotional, and mental states as well. More and more scientific evidence is being gathered that shows this as well. When Jesus forgives us of our sins, He also sets us on a path of healing, holistically. Glory be to God!

April 22, 2021

HE PRAYED

Mark 1:35

Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.

Personal Challenge

So, if Jesus was fully God and fully man, why did He take time out of His day to pray? He shows us here that He needed to be in fellowship with the rest of the Godhead. He demonstrates the need to stay connected to His Father and the Spirit: He also shows that being fully human, His humanness is complete by being in fellowship with the Father of all. His example shows us what we need to do in order to grow in our lives in the likeness of Him. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

April 21, 2021

GO!

Matthew 28:19-20

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Personal Challenge

Being a true follower of Christ does not mean living a static Christian life. He wants us to be active in our relationship with Him. Sometimes this may mean writing a check so that someone else can go, but in reality, it means going and doing. We can be goers within our own churches and families. We may be called to go into our neighborhoods or even somewhere half way around the world. In all cases, we are to be goers and doers so that God's kingdom can be taken to the ends of the earth. Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

April 20, 2021

WATCH AND PRAY

Matthew 26:41

Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Personal Challenge

I know, that for myself, I usually go through life just living and taking care of things as they come up. This way will often set me up for failing when a temptation arises and then I end up sinning. Jesus reminds His disciples, and consequently us, that we must live our lives in constant awareness that the enemy will be throwing temptations at us all of the time, especially when we least expect it. We protect ourselves against this by constantly being on the watch for the attacks and praying for God to guide us through the maze of life. He knows that our spirits are willing to know Him, but that our flesh is weak. One way to be in constant prayer is to use the Jesus prayer. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner! Glory be to God!

April 19, 2021

WHEN DID WE SEE YOU...

Matthew 25:34-40

"Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

Personal Challenge

There are multiple interpretations of this act of separation of those who followed in Christ's steps and those who did not. Jesus ends up by reminding us that He, the incarnation, is in every single person. If we do not see Him in the people around us, especially the destitute, then we do not know Him. And then we are charged to not stop at just seeing Him in our fellow humankind. We must be willing to step into their lives as He did in our lives and meet their needs where they are. This is being His hands and feet in the broken world around us. Glory be to God!

April 18, 2021

HIS WORDS

Matthew 24:35

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

Encouraging Words

Jesus taught many things to His disciples while He was with them. He continued His teaching after He returned from the tomb. He also taught much through the Old Testament fathers as the pre-incarnate Christ. These are the words that will never pass away. These are the words that are eternal. They started in the beginning of time. May we hold on to them and embrace them as His truth. Glory be to God!

April 17, 2021

Saint of the Week

St. Porphyrios the Kapsokalyvite

April 16, 2021

TWO COMMANDMENTS

Matthew 22:37-40

Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Personal Challenge

My former, retired priest used to often tell me that one of this challenges with his flock was their constant request for a set of rules to live their lives by. As humans we are constantly looking for that perfect checklist to use so that we can earn our way Into heaven. First of all, there is no earning our way into God's grace. It is a free gift that only He can give. Secondly, a checklist becomes a shortcut, a crutch, and often a measuring stick used to lord it over our brothers and sisters. How are you doing keeping the fast? How many prayers did you say today? How many services have you come to (regardless of how many people you have cut in front of to get there? Our Old Testament Jewish forefathers were given 10 commandments, which later evolved into over 600 rules and laws. We are doing the same with the teachings of our Lord, the Apostles, and the early church fathers, with our many traditions that are viewed as sacraments. Jesus gave us two commandments to live our lives by. Yes? Only two! If we live by these two commandments, we will be godly, righteous people. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind and love your neighbor as yourself. There is nothing more needed than these two commandments. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner, and teach me to love your way?

April 15, 2021

GOD OF THE LIVING

Matthew 22:31-32

But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

Encouraging Words

When we say that we love God and put our hope in Him, what are we really doing? We are proclaiming that our God is a living God that is going to keep us alive forever. It is taught by many fathers of the Orthodox church that we sin because we fear death. We fear the fact that our lives will end so we do whatever we can to get the most out of this life. During our Pascha (Easter) celebration, we proclaim over and over again, "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death and on those in the tombs bestowing life!" This is where we put our hope when we choose to follow Him. He has promised us that He is victorious over the death of us all that was ushered in by Adam and Eve and that He will give us life. Glory be to God!

April 14, 2021

BELIEVING

Matthew 21:21-22

So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

Personal Challenge

Being a follower of Christ must take over our entire lives if we are to experience the fullness of what He has to offer us. Our relationship with Him does not get all wrapped up in just one prayer where we profess Him as Lord. If our lives have not been permanently changed by that profession then we are no different than the demons who also profess that He is the Lord. Our journey through life with Christ as our Lord should change us. We should be growing in our faith and our belief as we draw closer to Him. It's through this growing relationship that we will be able to move the mountains in our lives. Glory be to God!

April 13, 2021

GIVE IT AWAY

Matthew 19:21

Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

Personal Challenge

It always amazes me how those who proclaim the prosperity gospel skip past all the teachings of Christ that tell us just the opposite. Here He clearly tells the rich young man to give away all of his wealth in order to gain the treasure awaiting him in heaven. He tells us elsewhere not to put our faith in the wealth of this world because we cannot serve two masters, wealth and God. It is not that He is against having wealth here on earth. He is against putting it above the needs of others. He is against making it our God. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

April 12, 2021

IN HIS NAME

Matthew 18:20

For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.

Personal challenge

As followers of Christ, we should be doing all things in His name. He should be the center of every thought, word, action, or desire. This is a hard thing to accomplish, but is a worthy goal for all of us to pursue. Jesus promises us that when more than one of us gets together, people who are pursuing Christ in this manor, then He will be there with us. Just as the two men who were walking on the road to Emmaus, talking about Jesus, mourning His death, cherishing their memories, He appeared and spent time with them. So too, can we have Him with us. Glory be to God!

April 11, 2021

RECONCILIATION

Matthew 18:15-18

“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.”

“Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Encouraging Words

I have heard from well-meaning people that they wished the Bible was more of an instruction book so that they would know how to live their lives. My first thought when I hear that is, "Are you kidding me?" There is so much instruction and guidance on how to live a godly life. We just need to be willing to look for it and to practice it. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

April 10, 2021

Saint of the Week

St. Ambrose of Optina

April 9, 2021

LOST AND FOUND

Matthew 18:12-14

What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

Encouraging Words

Have you ever been separated from the group that you were with? It can be very disconcerting to feel like you are all alone and the rest of the group has moved on without you. Then all of a sudden they show up explaining that they stopped what they were doing to find you. What a sense of joy that produces. We will never be totally lost and separated from Jesus. He will always come for us because He loves us and wants us to be back in the fold. He will rescue us and bring us back home. Glory be to God!

April 8, 2021

AS LITTLE CHILDREN

Matthew 18:1-6

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.

“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”

Encouraging Words

It is encouraging to know that the standard by which we are measured regarding our potential greatness in the kingdom of heaven is that of a child. Children are humble by nature. They are loving. They are transparent. The are sponges, taking in so much information and learning as they grow. These characteristics are what we should be pursing in our lives. This is why Jesus answered the question about greatness by pointing to the children. Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

April 7, 2021

FOLLOWING CHRIST

Matthew 16:24-28

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

Personal Challenge

Following Christ is not just a once a week thing. Jesus expects His followers to give their entire lives to Him by denying ourselves, taking up our cross, and following Him. Yes, He loves us all, and He will still redeem those who choose to follow Him in a cavalier manner. If, however, we desire to not only see His Kingdom here on earth, but to the be in the midst of it every day of our lives, then we need to follow Him on His terms. Glory be to God!

April 6, 2021

HYPOCRITES!

Matthew 15:7-9

Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

Personal Challenge

Jesus had no problem challenging the religious elite of His day who had added all sorts of restrictions and expectations on top of the teachings of the fathers of the church. They could not leave it alone and added all kinds of rules, traditions, and rubrics to make it hard for the common person to practice their faith. Jesus called them hypocrites. Have we started doing the same thing in our lives and churches? Do we do the same things with our practices of worship God? We need to stay true to the teachings of our fathers and practice the simple truths of our Lord. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

April 5, 2021

DO NOT BE AFRAID

Matthew 14:27

But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”

Encouraging Words

In many of the Old Testament teachings we are told to be fearful of God for what He could do to us because of our sinfulness. This often developed into a cowering in the corner form of fear. If we study how David and many of the other saints in the Old Testament lived their lives in relationship to God, they had developed a fear that was more about a respect for who God was and what He could do to them, but with a hope that God's mercy would always prevail. Jesus ushered in a new covenant with us where all of us can have this latter form of fear of our God and not be afraid at the same time. He is our intercessor and our source of hope for the mercy of God. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

April 3, 2021

Saint of the Week

St. Isaac of Syria

April 2, 2021

HIDDEN TREASURE

Matthew 13:44

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

Encouraging Words

It is hard to conceive of finding something so valuable that one would be willing to sell everything that they own in order to purchase the place where it was found. This is how we should view the kingdom of heaven that was ushered in by Jesus. It is more valuable than any thing or every thing that we could ever possess. It is the ultimate treasure. And yet so many of us leave it behind because the shiny bobbles of this temporal realm appear to out shine it. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

April 1, 2021

GO TO HIM

Matthew 11:28-30

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Personal Challenge

Which yoke are we taking up and putting on our backs? Is it the yoke of the world or the yoke of Christ? He calls out to us and asks us to come to Him first. He asks us to take up His yoke. He offers us rest in response to our coming to Him and a yoke that is easy and light because He shares the weight. We need to examine the joke that we are carrying to make sure it is truly His. Glory be to God!