March 31, 2023

GIVE

Tobit 4:16

From your bread, give to him who is hungry, and from your clothing, give to the naked. If you have more than you need, do almsgiving, and do not let your eye envy the almsgiving when you do it.

Personal Challenge

As Tobit continues to teach his son how to be a godly man, he moves into this teaching. It is clear in the gospels that Jesus taught these same values to live by. The formula is really quite simple, give to those who have a need from the surplus that we have been blessed with. Glory be to God!

March 29, 2023

JUDGE NOT, CONDEMN NOT, FORGIVE

Luke 6:37

Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

Personal Challenge

It has amazed me to see so many professing Christians who believe, and are taught in their faith practices, that they are the prosecutor, judge, and jury of the people around them. They believe that it is their responsibility to set aright those who are sinners and not living the way that they deem as right. These people are in our churches, our places of work, and in our politics. I do not understand how they can justify this action when Jesus clearly tells us not to judge and condemn, but to forgive. We must always remember that we too are sinners and can easily be judged and condemned. We are in desperate need of forgiveness. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner and forgive me for my judgmental ways.

March 28, 2023

FATHERLY INSTRUCTIONS

Tobit 4:5-7

My son, remember the Lord our God all your days, and do not desire to sin or to disobey His commandments. Do righteousness all the days of your life, and do not walk in the ways of wrongdoing. For if you walk in the truth, you will be successful in your works. Do almsgiving from your possessions to all who do righteousness. When you do almsgiving, do not let your eye be envious. Do not turn your face away from any poor man, so the face of God will not be turned away from you.

Personal Challenge

Tobit was a godly, righteous man. He followed his God closely and did things in his life to glorify Him. He reminds us here that there comes a time in every father's life where it is necessary to pour our fatherly experiences and wisdom into our children's lives in order to bless them and prepare them for their opportunity of adulthood. The advice given here is still timely today. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

March 27, 2023

BE MERCIFUL

Luke 6:32-36

But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.

Personal Challenge

One way that loving our neighbor shows in our lives is how we show mercy to others. We must always remember that our God showed us great mercy. He does not expect anything from us that He has not already shown us how to do The challenge for us is to show mercy to everyone, especially those who really do not deserve it. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

March 26, 2023

INCONVENIENCE?

Tobit 1:6

But I alone traveled frequently to Jerusalem for the feast days, as it is written for all of Israel in an everlasting ordinance. I would carry the firstfruits and the tithes of my harvest and the first-shearing.

Personal challenge

If we are truly trying to follow Christ, we must be ready for those times that Jesus will call us to do things that are very inconvenient. Actually, the more we strive to follow Christ, the more inconvenient it seems to get. Why is this? As followers of Christ, we are no longer citizens of this world, but citizens of the kingdom heaven. As citizens of heaven, the things of this world become noise and obstacles to doing His work. Glory be to God.

March 25 , 2023

Saint of the Week

St. Isaac the Syrian

March 24, 2023

LOVE YOUR ENEMY

Luke 6:27-31

“But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.”

Personal Challenge

Jesus does not pull His punches on how we are supposed to love others. He knows that all of us have the capability to love those who are close to us, our families, our dear friends, those who have loved us in return. But his expectation is that we extend that love to those who are our enemies, those who have, or would do harm to us. We are to love the unlovable. This is not a request from our Lord but a command. Are we really stepping into His footsteps and loving our enemies this way? If we are not, then we must be willing to acknowledge that we are not following Him. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

March 23, 2023

AND IT HAPPENED

Nehemiah 6:16

And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God.

Encouraging Words

Amazing things happen around us when we submit to God and do what He asks us to do, In most cases, people recognize that we had nothing to do with the results of His using us to do His work. We know the truth and can relish that, but we should never use it to turn the spot light on us. All glory belongs to God all the time because all is done in and through him. Glory be to God!

March 22, 2023

BLESSED

Luke 6:20-23

Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said:
“Blessed are you poor,
For yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who hunger now,
For you shall be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now,

For you shall laugh.
Blessed are you when men hate you,
And when they exclude you,
And revile you, and cast out your name as evil,
For the Son of Man's sake.
Rejoice in that day and leap for joy!
For indeed your reward is great in heaven,
For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.”

Personal Challenge

We so often get the message of Jesus wrong because He teaches a life style that turns the world upside down. The world teaches us to pursue wealth and to horde for that day that we might need it. It teaches us to fill our bellies and our lives with all the stuff that satisfies us...temporarily. It teaches us to party all the time as if tomorrow is our last day and to live in such a way that everyone accepts us because we fit into the world. The beatitudes are a call to live counter to the culture around us. That is how we are blessed. Lord have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

March 21, 2023

BE READY

Nehemiah 4:7-8

Therefore I positioned men behind the lower parts of the wall in the sheltered areas, and I positioned the people by families with their swords, their spears, and their bows. And I looked and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember our God, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”

Personal Challenge

One very large mistake that we often make in our modern Christian experience is to boil down whether or not we are a Christian, a follower of Christ, to a single decision or a prayer that we repeat. This can lead us to a place in our journey through life where we quickly veer away from a vibrant, living relationship with Jesus, to being connected to Him only by a name and not our actions. We must be ready at all times to serve our Lord when He calls upon us. We must remember that our God, great and awesome, stands with us when we serve Him. Glory be to God!

March 20, 2023

IN THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST

Luke 5:31-36

Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

Then they said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John fast often and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink?”

And He said to them, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days.”

Then He spoke a parable to them: “No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old one; otherwise the new makes a tear, and also the piece that was taken out of the new does not match the old.

Personal Challenge

There is much history in the church, as well as the Jewish nation, related to fasting and praying. Before the incarnation of Jesus, the fasting and praying was in anticipation of the coming Messiah. As Jesus was here on earth as a man, He fasted and prayed so that He could be close to His Father. After Christ departed, we fast and pray in remembrance of Him as we look for his return. These are all practices that point us to Him and draw is closer to Him and the Father. Glory be to God!

March 19, 2023

INSPIRED

1 Esdras 9:54-55 (Ezra)

Then everyone went on their way to eat and drink, to gladden themselves, to give gifts to those who were lacking, and to heartily rejoice. For they were inspired by the words which were taught to them, and they gathered together.

Personal Challenge

In this event in Esdras (Ezra), the people have just finished listening to the reading of the Law, the words of God. They did not leave this event going their own way and doing what they did every other day. They were moved by God's presence in His living word to go away inspired to do His works, to live differently in a way so as to be the hands and feet of God. They were inspired to change the world for him. We too have the opportunity to here His living Word every time that we participate in a service of our church. Do we listen close enough to go out inspired to do His work? Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

March 18, 2023

Saint of the Week

St. Augustine

March 16, 2023

HE FOLLOWED HIM

Luke 5:27-28

After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he left all, rose up, and followed Him.

Personal Challenge

The focus of the commentary on this verse is usually about how Jesus was willing to call upon a tax collector to join his band of followers. What strikes me here, is how Matthew dropped everything, and immediately followed Jesus. This is a characteristic that has been exhibited by most of the Apostles of Jesus. None of us fully knows the circumstances of their lives and why they dropped everything to follow Jesus, but this is what is expected of all of us. We are to take up our cross and follow him. Are we willing to do this? Am I willing to do this? Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

March 15, 2023

THE GLORY IS GOD'S

1 Esdras 4:59-60 (Ezra)

“The victory and the wisdom are from You, the glory is Yours, and I am Your servant. Blessed are You who granted me wisdom, and I give thanks to You, O Lord of our fathers.”

Personal Challenge

So many times throughout our lives we choose to take the glory for what God has done in our lives or for how He used us for His work. God deserves all the credit and all the glory for everything that happens in our lives. Every victory, all wisdom, all blessed results, are from Him, and Him alone. Glory be to God!

March 14, 2023

YEAR OF THE LORD

Luke 4:18-19

“The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.”

Encouraging Words

Jesus launched His ministry with this proclamation from Isaiah. He was not here to liberate the Jewish nation from the tyranny and oppression of the Roman empire as so many looked for the Messiah to do. He was here to liberate all of mankind from the shackles of death. Even today, we have different Christian faith practices calling out for God to liberate them from the tyrannies of this society that they are against. And again God proclaims that His Son became a man so that these blessings could be bestowed upon all of His creation and that our role as his followers is to spread His Good News to all and to not condemn them. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

March 13, 2023

TRUTH

1 Esdras 4:38-40 (Ezra)

“But the truth abides and is strong forever. The truth lives and rules unto ages of ages. There is no partiality or prejudice with the truth, but it does righteous things, distinct from all wrongdoings and evil. All are pleased with its deeds, and there is nothing unjust in its judgment. For strength, dominion, authority, and majesty belong to it unto all ages, and blessed is the God of truth.”

Encouraging Words

If I have learned anything during my short life on this earth, it is that the truth always does prevail. It may be painful at times to stand firm on the truth, but it will always win out. Why? Because we serve the God of truth. He will always prevail in any situation. If we can hold onto Him and His truth, then we too will prevail. Glory be to God!

March 12, 2023

FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

Luke 4:1

Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

Encouraging Words

We all have the opportunity to be baptized and chrismated into the body of Christ. Through this process we are blessed with the infilling of the Holy Spirit in our lives. He dwells within us. Just as Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to face the temptations of Satan, we too are led by the Spirit through our lives as children of God, facing temptations that confront us. The Holy Spirit is always there to lead us through the challenges of live and to comfort us, even when we miss the mark. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

March 11, 2023

Saint of the Week

St. Cyril of Jerusalem

March 10, 2023

RESPECT YOUR RULERS

1 Esdras 2:2 (Ezra 2:2)

Thus says Cyrus the king of the Persians: Israel's Lord, the Lord Most High, revealed and indicated to me, the king of the inhabited world, that I should build a house for Him at Jerusalem in Judea.

Personal Challenge

Throughout the scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, we are instructed to respect our rulers and to be obedient to them. Why? God has put them into these positions for reasons that we may never know. Here is a case where Cyrus the king of the Persians was user to send the Jewish diaspora back to their home land in order to rebuild Jerusalem. We may never know what God has in mind, but He does want us to be obedient to Him and to show this obedience by respecting those leaders that He has put over us. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

March 9, 2023

JESUS WAS BAPTIZED

Luke 3:21-22

When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”

Encouraging Words

Throughout history, many have been asked that if Jesus was sinless, then why was He baptized? Here are some notes out of the Orthodox Study Bible that offer a very good answer to this question.

“Jesus Himself does not need baptism. In being baptized, our Lord accomplished several things: (1) He affirmed John's ministry; (2) He was revealed by the Father and the Holy Spirit to be the Christ, God's beloved Son; (3) He identified with His people by descending into the waters with them; (4) He prefigured His own death, giving baptism its ultimate meaning; (5) He entered the waters, sanctifying the water itself; (6) He fulfilled the many types given in the Old Testament, as when Moses led the people from bondage through the Red Sea (Exodus 14) and when the ark of the covenant was carried into the Jordan so the people could enter the Promised Land (Joshua 3; 4); and (7) He opened heaven to a world separated from God through sin.”

Jesus was baptized for us, His people, His children. He gave His all for us by becoming one of us so that we might become one with Him and His Father. Glory be to God!

March 8, 2023

KNOWING THAT THE LORD IS GOD

2 Chronicles 33:12-13

Now when he was in affliction, he sought the face of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, and prayed to Him. And the Lord received his entreaty, heard his cry, and brought him back to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God.

Personal Challenge

Isn't this how our lives so often play out. We know that our Lord desires that we do something his way and that we do it now. But in our defiance, we choose to to what we want to do and then do it with reckless abandon. Then come the consequences from our choice. Emphasis placed on," our choice." That was what Manasseh did. He was the king of Judah and God tried to show him how to lead his people through the guidance of prophets. However, Manasseh chose to lead the people his own way and led them away from God. The consequences were that that he was captured by the king of Assyria and taken away to Babylon. While in captivity, he came to his senses his senses and cried out to God. Did God ignore him? No! Did God say, "Look, you got yourself into this mess, get yourself out."? No! God heard his petition because they were sincere as his humbled himself before God. God rescued him and restored him to his original state. This is what happens to us all too often. How much better would our lives be if we just listened to God to begin with. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy.

March 7, 2023

JESUS INCREASED

Luke 2:52

And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Encouraging Words

We must never forget that Jesus is fully human, as well as fully God. As a human. He was born an infant that still needed to be nursed and have his diaper changed. He grew (increased) through the toddler years as well as going through being an awkward teenager. He lived a normal human life for the period of history that He was born into, except that He never sinned. Even though He was fully God, He had to make the choices throughout His life to say "No!" to the temptations that came His way. He did all this so that we. His followers, would be redeemed from the sins of our lives and not taste death. He put death to death. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

March 6, 2023

STRENGTHENED BY HIS WORDS

2 Chronicles 32:7-8

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid of the king of Assyria, nor before all the nation with him, for there are more with us than with him. With him are arms of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God, to save us and to fight our battles.” And the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

Encouraging Words

God uses people to do His work. He needs people like Hezekiah stand up on His behalf and encourage those in their presence to trust in the living God. Those of us who are willing to proclaim the truth of God and stand firm on His promises are blessed to see Him continue to exercise His providence over his creation. So as Hezekiah proclaimed to his people, as Mose, Joshua, and so many other patriarchs of old did, "Be strong and courageous," in the midst of your battles as you journey through life. For if you put your trust in our Almighty God, He will prevail. Glory be to God!

March 5, 2023

HIS MERCY

Luke 1:50

And His mercy is on those who fear Him
From generation to generation.

Encouraging Word

God's mercy is poured out upon those who trust in, and depend on, Him. The word fear is used to describe an awe and respect for Goal, a dependency upon Him. It is not the kind of fear where we are afraid that He will punish us any moment. God is pure love. God is pure mercy. We can hold on to him knowing that He, and He alone, will pour out his love and mercy on us. Glory be to God!

March 4, 2023

Saint of the Week

St. Maximus the Confessor

March 3, 2023

HE HEALED THEM

2 Chronicles 30:18-20

Most of the people from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun had not cleansed themselves, but they ate the Passover contrary to what was written.

But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the good Lord provide atonement for everyone who prepares his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, even though he is not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.” And the Lord listened to Hezekiah and healed the people.

Encouraging Words

Before Christ, the new Covenant, the Jewish people followed the law that God gave to Moses. This law had some very rigorous rules for cleansing before the celebration of Passover. In this passage we find Hezekiah interceding for a group of people who were not able to do this cleansing but had a heart for God and desired to participate in the Passover. God heard Hezekiah's petitions and provided healing. Jesus fulfilled these laws and has called everyone to join Him at His table. We must be careful to not allow our commitment to fasting during this time of Lent to come between us and our brothers and sisters. We are not to lord it over others because we think we are more pious and doing the fast better than them. We are not to be putting others down because we judge them and accuse them of not fasting properly or enough. As my dear friend, Archpriest Fr. Ted often taught, "I am to not look at my brothers plate." Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy on us all!

March 2, 2023

HOW?

Luke 1:37

For with God nothing will be impossible.

Encouraging Words

Once again, we have someone asking God how it can be that this impending event is going to happen. This time it is Elizabeth, the elderly aunt of Mary, asking God how she could be pregnant. She was well beyond the age of childbearing. And she gets this answer from the angel. Nothing is impossible with God. Glory be to God!

March 1, 2023

LOYALTY

2 Chronicles 16:9

For the eyes of the Lord look over the whole earth and strengthen every heart that is loyal to Him. In this you did foolishly, and from now on you shall have wars.

Personal Challenge

This verse refers to King Asa and a bad decision that he made. Earlier in Chronicles, he was asked to join another king to go into a battle that was against all odds. He sought the counsel of God and was blessed in his endeavors. This time, when he was asked to join in another battle, he chose to not seek God's advise and made his own decision. The results were not good. God wants us to be seeking Him out at all times so that He can lead us effectively through life's labyrinth, because He knows and sees all. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Love, have mercy !