April 29, 2024

FOOLS, WEAK, AND DISHONORED

1 Corinthians 4:10

We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored!

Personal Challenge

Again, we have a situation in the scripture where we see that God's way of doing things is much different than man's way. God used those are fools for Him to turn the world upside down and lay the foundation for the Church to flourish for 2,000 years. He uses the weak to be strong and defeat armies and civilizations without once picking up a weapon. He uses the dishonored, those who have been abused, beaten, and martyred, to be distinguished for eternity. God's ways are not the ways of man. Glory be to God!

April 28, 2024

HERE MY PRAYER

Psalms 143:1 (142:1)

O Lord, hear my prayer; Give ear to my supplication in Your truth;
Answer me in Your righteousness;

Personal Challenge

I love how God often drives His point home... if we are willing to listen. In my daily devotion, I am reading Daily Readings of the Early Church Fathers as well as the writings of Origen. Below is the content for today from the Daily Readings taken from St. Cyprian of Carthage,

APRIL 28

Concentrate When You Pray

Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto Thee will I pray.

PSALM 5:2

When we stand praying, beloved brothers and sisters, we should be vigilant and serious with our whole heart, concentrating on our prayers. All fleshly and worldly thoughts must be set aside. The soul at prayer must think of nothing but the object of its prayer alone.

Thus the bishop, before his prayer, readies the minds of his brothers and sisters by saying, "Lift up your hearts." When the people respond, "We lift them up to the Lord," the bishop is reminded that he himself should think of nothing but the Lord. Close your heart against the enemy! Open it to God alone! Do not let God's enemy come near at the time of prayer! He often creeps up on us, pierces our hearts, and by cunning trickery pulls our prayers away from God. We end up having one thing in our heart, and another in our voice! But it isn't the sound of the voice, but the soul and mind, that should be praying to the Lord with a pure purpose.

How irresponsible it is, to be diverted and carried off by silly and irreverent thoughts when you are praying to the Lord! As if there were anything else you should be thinking, apart from the fact that you are speaking with God! How can you ask God to hear you, when you don't even hear your own words? Do you want God to be mindful of you, when you aren't mindful of yourself? This is to have no safeguard whatever against the enemy! If this is how you pray to God, you offend His majesty by the sloppiness of your prayer! This is being watchful with your eyes, and asleep in your heart! But the Christian, even though he sleeps with his eyes, should be awake in his heart.

Add to this the verse for today, which is somewhat randomly selected, then I see that God is driving the point home that I need to be more focused and intentional in my prayers. Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

April 27, 2024

Saint of the Week

St. John Climacus

April 26, 2024

TRUE WISDOM

1 Corinthians 3:18

Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.

Personal Challenge

We have become a people, and a culture, that prides itself on what it calls wisdom. Granted, we have greater access to information than any other age or culture before us, but that does not lead to true wisdom. Wisdom requires that we be able to parse all that information, that knowledge, and discard the chaff that is invalid and not truthful. We cannot do this effectively without a sincere relationship with Jesus who is Wisdom incarnate. This is what Paul means when he claims that we must become a fool in order to become wise. We must give up all that we think that we know, humble ourselves before God, and let His wisdom overshadow us. Glory be to God!

April 25, 2024

GUARDING OUR MOUTH

Psalms 141:3 (140:3)

Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth,
A door of enclosure about my lips.

Personal Challenge

So many of us to today are plagued with the dreadful foot-in-mouth disease. This has been aggravated and spread by the proliferation of social media. How often do we say something just to regret it later? Worse yet, how often do we say things not caring how much someone else is hurt or degraded? We have entered into an age where highly visible leaders have embraced this way of speaking and therefore condoning it. As Christians, it is our responsibility to bring back decency in our conversations. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

April 24, 2024

GOD'S PREPARATION

1 Corinthians 2:9

But as it is written:

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

Encouraging Words

As limited, finite beings, we have no clue of that which our unlimited, infinite God and Father has in store for us. His love for us is so unknowable and therefore it is incomprehensible for us to understand the plans that He has for us as His cherished children. Our role in this is to be open to all that He has in store for us and to receive it faithfully and with gratitude. Glory be to God!

April 23, 2024

KNOW MY HEART AND PATHS

Psalms 139:23-24 (138:23-24)

Test me, O God, and know my heart;
Examine me, and know my paths,
And see if there is a lawless way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.

Personal Challenge

God knows our hearts as well as the path of life that we choose to follow. He knows these better than we do ourselves. He will refine us in order to help us purge those things in our life that get in His way, He does this so that we can be purified for Him. Glory be to God!

April 21, 2024

GLORY IN THE LORD

1 Corinthians 1:30-31

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.”

Personal Challenge

No matter how much knowledge we gain, no matter how much physical strength we acquire in our bodies, no matter how many possessions we accumulate in our journey through life, we have nothing and are nothing without our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the wisdom from God. He is righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. He deserves all the glory. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

April 20, 2024

Saint of the Week

St. Xanthias

April 19, 2024

OVERWHELMING

Psalms 139:4-6 (138:4-6)

For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether,
The last things and the first things;
You fashioned me, and placed Your hands on me.
Your knowledge has become too wondrous for me;
It has become too overwhelming; I am unable to grasp it.

Personal Challenge

The more we get to know God, the closer we are to Him, the more we realize how little we know Him and how far from Him we truly are. He knows everything about us, even our future, and we know so little about Him. This is very humbling and should drive us to our knees before Him in sincere worship. Even with all of this, He still loves us completely. Glory be to God!

April 18, 2024

FOOLISHNESS OF GOD

1 Corinthians 1:25-29

Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.

Personal Challenge

Why would God choose such foolish things (according to the wisdom of man) to accomplish His will and plan here on earth. What foolish things? Apostles that were uneducated commoners to lead His fledgling Church. Weak and broken people to be His saints and martyrs. Simple and base things to be the foundation of His kingdom. He did this so that no human being could say that they did it and not God. He did this so that all glory would go to Him. He did this so that all mankind can be a recipient of His love, mercy, and grace. He did this for each of us. Glory be to God!

April 17, 2024

HE KNOWS ME

Psalms 139:1-3 (138:1-3)

O Lord, You test me and know me;
You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thoughts from afar;
You search out my path and my portion,
And You foresee all my ways.

Encouraging Words

God knows me better than I know myself. In that, He knows which tests and trials to take me through so that I can grow more in the image of His Son. He knows my every action and thought and guides me along my path of life. The challenge is for me to be willing to submit to Him and to choose to walk along His path, His way. Glory be to God!

April 16, 2024

POWER AND WISDOM

1 Corinthians 1:22-24

For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

PERSONAL CHALLENGE

One of the awesome things about living out my Christianity with an Eastern Orthodox faith practice is how easy it is to connect with the mindset of our forefathers like Paul. We, the Western world, are formed by the age of reason and intellectualism, that shaped the way that the church of the west thinks. Because of that mindset people still look for Christ like the Jews did. Show me a sign of some tangible proof. They challenge the truths of Christ such as incarnation, death on a cross, resurrection, as foolishness and unbelievable fairy tells. But to those who have embraced Christ as their savior, all of this becomes easier to accept. For the Eastern mind, this is all part of the power and mystery of our God.

April 15, 2024

GIVE THANKS TO GOD

Psalms 138:4-6 (137:4-6)

O Lord, let all the kings of the earth give thanks to You,
For they heard all the words of Your mouth;
And let them sing in the ways of the Lord,
For the glory of the Lord is great;
For the Lord is high, and He watches over the lowly things;
But the high things He knows from afar.

Personal Challenge

No one is above God. No matter how much power or money or any other earthly possessions a person has, they are still inferior to God. God speaks and all hear Him. God's glory exceeds everything in this world created by Him. He is high above all and watches over all. We all, including all kings and all leaders, will someday, whether on our own accord or through compulsion, will ultimately give Him thanks. Why not start now? Glory be to God!

April 14, 2024

FOOLISHNESS

1 Corinthians 1:18

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Personal Challenge

The world around us, especially those who do not follow Christ, believe the devote Christians are foolish. As Paul writes here to the church in Corinth, the whole message of God becoming a man and dying on a cross, sounds like foolishness. But isn't that how God works? His economy, His way of doing things, is always so much different than how people would do things. That is why we must put our faith in Him. He far exceeds any level of understand that we will ever have, and because of that He does things in ways that we will never understand. That is why He is God, and we are not. Glory be to God!

April 13, 2024

Saint of the Week

St. Augustine of Hippo

April 12, 2024

LIKE FRAGRANT OIL

Psalm 133 (132)

Behold now, what is so good or so pleasant
As for brothers to dwell together in unity?
It is like fragrant oil running down upon the beard,
The beard of Aaron,
Running down upon the border of his garment;
It is like the dew of Hermon, running down upon the mountains of Zion;
For there the Lord commanded the blessing
And life forever.

Encouraging Words

Following up on yesterday's passage, today's also speaks of the beauty of unity. This was not planned by me and there are no such things as coincidences with God. Unity between brothers, or those in our lives, is as sweet as fragrant oil. When kings were anointed, a fragrant oil was poured on their head, and it ran down through their beard and over their whole garment. It was a fragrant reminder of God's blessing and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We anoint new members of the church of baptism with holy oil for this same reason. What a vibrant image to remind us of how important unity is to God. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

April 11, 2024

PERFECTLY JOINED TOGETHER

1 Corinthians 1:10

Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Personal Challenge

We live in an age where unity has become a nonentity. We have divisions in our homes, our churches, our relationships, and all across our society. At times it appears as if division is the desired state. True followers of Jesus will desire unity for our God is always desiring unity. The enemy thrives on sowing seeds of division. Unity is not always easy, especially when dealing with people. Unity requires work and a willingness to reconcile and cooperate with others. But this is part of our responsibility if we desire to be like Jesus. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

April 10, 2024

BLESSED

Psalms 128 (127)

Blessed are all who fear the Lord,
Who walk in His ways.
You shall eat the fruits of your labor;
You are blessed, and it shall be well with you.
Your wife shall be like a vine, prospering on the sides of your house;
Your children like newly planted olive trees
Around your table.
Behold, so shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Zion,
And may you see the good things of Jerusalem
All the days of your life;
May you see your children's children.
Peace be upon Israel.

Encouraging Words

We can live lives that are blessed by God. It does mean, however, that we live our lives in a way that opens the doors for those blessings. We most fear our Lord in the way that the saints before us did. This is not in fear of punishment but in awe and respect for how great our God is. We need to walk in His ways and labor for Him. Being a blessed child of God does not come from a passive life in Christ, but an active Christ-centered, Christ-like life lived actively for Him. Here the blessings received far outshine the sacrifice of ourselves for Him. Glory be to God!

April 9, 2024

TAKE NOTE

Romans 16:17-18

Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.

Personal Challenge

Once again, we are in the middle of another national election cycle. This passage can serve us well as we assess the candidates to determine who we believe God would want us to vote for. We live in an age where so many claim to be Christians, and yet their behavior and their speech bears no resemblance to Christ. It is incumbent upon us to prayerfully search our hearts to determine if we are supporting the people that God would want us to. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me the sinner and guide me through this process.

April 8, 2024

WHO BUILDS THE HOUSE?

Psalms 127:1 (126:1)

Unless the Lord builds the house,
Those who build it labor in vain;
Unless the Lord guard the city,
Those who guard it stay awake in vain.

Personal Challenge

Whether we are talking about building a house, guarding a city, or doing anything in our life, the primary question is about who is leading the effort. Is it God or is it us acting it on our own. We need to give it all over to Him. The wonderful thing is that God always knows what to do. Glory be to God!

April 7, 2024

JOY AND PEACE

Romans 15:13

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Encouraging words

It is always good to know that someone is praying for us. Here we have the Apostle Paul praying that we will be filled with joy and peace in believing by the God of hope. We must note that he is not praying for happiness, but joy and peace. He is also praying that we may abide in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. These are blessings that we can surely hold on to. Glory be to God!

April 6, 2024

Saint of the Week

St. Augustine

April 5, 2024

WHERE SHALL MY HELP COME FROM?

Psalms 121:1-4 (120:1-4)

I lifted my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
Let not your foot be moved;
Neither let Him who keeps you slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

Encouraging Words

As a follower of Christ, we can know without a shadow of a doubt where our help in life comes from. It is our Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth, that helps us through every aspect of life. He never slumbers and is always present in our lives. Glory be to God!

April 4, 2024

FOR OUR LEARNING

Romans 15:4

For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

Encouraging Words

We have been blessed with thousands of years of written Scriptures and teachings to guide us through our lives. They give us patience and comfort as they provide us what we need along the way. Glory be to God!

April 3, 2024

HE HEARD ME

Psalms 120:1-4 (119:1-4)

To the Lord in my affliction
I cried out, and He heard me.
O Lord, deliver my soul from unjust lips
And from a deceitful tongue.
What should be given You, and what added to You,
Against a deceitful tongue?
The arrows of the Mighty One are sharpened
With hot coals from the desert.

Personal Challenge

The psalmist reminds us that God hears us when we cry out to Him. He also hears us when we speak out with unjust lips and deceitful tongues. We must remember that God knows all, sees all, and hears all, not just the good things that we want Him to know about. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

April 2, 2024

LEADING TO EDIFICATION

Romans 15:1-3

We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.”

Personal Challenge

It is imperative for us to remember that if we are choosing to be followers of Christ then His expectation is that we will die to ourselves and live for Him. This passage provides some examples on how this looks. We are to bear with the scruples of the weak and not please ourselves. This gives us the opportunity to encourage them in their weakness and help them to grow stronger. We are to please our neighbor and not look to our own desires for this is what Jesus did for us. Doing these kinds of things lead to the edification of those around us. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

April 1, 2024

I CRIED OUT

Psalms 119:147 (118:147)

I arose at midnight and cried out;
I hoped in Your words.

Personal Challenge

Life is full of challenges and difficulties. Our biggest challenge is to be willing to cry out to God for His help through these challenges. We so often move to the place of doing it ourselves, our way. God is there to hear our cry and to offer us His hand to guide us through. We must, however, cry out to Him and put our hope in Him. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, 
the sinner!

March 30, 2024

Saint of the Week

St. Paisios