June 30, 2024

WE KNOW

2 Corinthians 5:1

For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Encouraging Words

The Christian life is founded upon faith. Faith in our Father whom we recognize as the eternal source of · life and light. Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God and co-creator of all, who became man, lived a sinless life, died on the cross, and destroyed death by His resurrection. Faith in the Holy Spirit who proceeds from the Father and dwells amongst us to guide us through our earthly life. This faith goes beyond hope and brings as to the point where we know this is true and that through our God, the Trinity, we will never die. Glory be to God!

June 29, 2024

Saint of the Week

St. Silouan the Athonite

June 28, 2024

DISCREET LIPS

Proverbs 10:19 (10:20)

You will not escape sin by a multitude of words, But you of discreet lips will be forbearing.

Personal Challenge

It is imperative that we learn the art of keeping our mouth shut. The scriptures speak often about controlling our tongue. The more we speak, the more we open up the opportunity for foot-in-mouth disease. The advantage of having discreet lips is that it creates a time and space for us to listen to what others are saying. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

June 26, 2024

WE DO NOT LOSE HEART

2 Corinthians 4:16

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.

Encouraging Words

One thing that sets a committed follower of Christ apart from others is their perspective on death. We do not lose heart as we see our earthly bodies perishing a little bit more each day as we grow older. We know that physical death is inevitable, but we also know that in Christ, our inner being, our soul is being renewed each day in Christ and that we will live forever with Him. We recognize the struggle of remaining in our physical body and absent from Christ versus being absent from our physical body, separated from our loved ones, and in the presence of Christ. Either way, we know that we are in his hands. Glory be to God!

June 25, 2024

WISDOM AND RIGHTEOUSNESS

Proverbs 9:9-12

Give the opportunity to a wise man, and he will be wiser;
Instruct a righteous man, and he shall continue to receive it.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the counsel of saints is understanding;
For to know the law is characteristic of a good mind.
For in this manner you will live a long time,
And the years of your life shall be increased.
My son, if you become wise in yourself,
you shall also be wise toward your neighbor;
But if you prove to be evil, you alone will go through troubles.

Personal Challenge

Let's face it, we can do nothing on our own that will give us wisdom and righteousness. These can only come from our Lord and the place to begin the process of receiving this is to put our trust and faith in Him, and Him alone. God will make his laws and precepts known to us. He will provide the opportunities for us to grow in Wisdom. He will give us the instruction we need and bring saintly counsel into our lives. He will show us how to treat our neighbor. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

June 24, 2024

EARTHEN VESSELS

2 Corinthians 4:7-10

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

Personal challenge

Once again, we see what appears to be the folly of God. He chooses us, common human beings, to build His kingdom and bring about the unity of His church. We are broken, unclean, and yet His vessels that He chooses to live in. He does this so that only through his power and grace can we overcome the powers of this earthly domain. That way He is glorified, and we have Jesus manifested within us. Glory be to God!

June 23, 2024

BLESSED

Proverbs 8:32-33 (8:32-34)

Now therefore, my son, hear me:
Blessed is the man who shall hearken to me
And the man who shall guard my ways;
Who watches daily at my doors,
Who keeps watch at the doors of my entryways;
For my issues are the issues of life,
And grace is prepared from the Lord.

Personal Challenge

We all desire to be blessed, especially by God. Many times, we have this desire but are unwilling to do the things highlighted here that will help us to fully receive God's blessings. It all starts from hearkening to Him, listening for His guidance. We guard His ways. We watch daily at His doors, keeping watch for Him. We cannot be lax in these duties. His issues will become our issues and He will prepare us to take them on. Glory be to God!

June 22, 2024

Saint of the Week

St. Augustine

June 20, 2024

LIGHT OF GOD

2 Corinthians 4:6

For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Encouraging Words

In the beginning of creation, God started it off by saying, "Let there be light! "God is the uncreated light and shines His light where He chooses to. For us to truly know Jesus, He shines His light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Jesus is our window that let's God's light into our lives to break the bondage of darkness. Glory be to God!

June 19, 2024

LOVING AND SEEKING

Proverbs 8:17

I love those who love me,
And those who seek me shall find me.

Encouraging Words

Jesus made it clear in John 3:16 that God loved the world, and all that is within it so deeply. Here in Proverbs, we are reminded that we fully experience the love of God when we choose to love Him. If we seek Him and desire Him, He promises that we will surely find Him. Glory be to God!

June 18, 2024

WE DO NOT LOSE HEART

2 Corinthians 4:1

Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.

Personal Challenge

For each one of us who have chosen to follow Christ, we are called into a ministry for Him. Through that very calling we are given the mercy, grace, and ability to answer, and live up to that calling. With this power from our Lord, we do not lose heart. We are able to stand strong in Him and do His work. Glory be to God!

June 17, 2024

HOLD FAST

Proverbs 5:1-2

My son, hold fast to wisdom
And incline your ear to my words,
That you may guard good thinking;
And I command you with the perception of my lips.

Personal Challenge

A godly, righteous life is not a one and done deal. We must be consciously focused on doing those things that result in godliness and righteousness. We must hold fast to wisdom, which is Jesus. We must incline our ears to His words, which again is Jesus, the living Logos. We must guard our thinking and focus on the good. It is by these behaviors that we remain close to Him. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

June 16, 2024

EPISTLES OF CHRIST

2 Corinthians 3:1-3

Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you? You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.

Encouraging Words

We are much more than just followers of Christ. We are God's adopted children. We are the living epistles, or letters, written by our forefathers of the church. We are the carriers of Christ to the next generation by living for Him and sharing His gospel by loving our neighbor. Glory be to God!

June 15, 2024

Saint of the Week

St. Augustine

June 13, 2024

KEEP YOUR HEART

Proverbs 4:23 (4:22)

Keep your heart with all watchfulness,
For from these words are the issues of life.

Personal Challenge

We live in a world filled with so much stimulation. Whether it be audio, video, visual, or touch, our senses are often confronted with things that can drew is away from God. It is our responsibility to exercise our free will and protect our heart with great watchfulness. By doing this we can stay close to our Lord and His path of righteousness. Glory be to God!

June 12, 2024

DELIVERANCE

2 Corinthians 1:10

who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us,

Encouraging Words

God is our deliverer. He delivers us from eternal death. He delivers us from our earthly trials and tribulations. He even delivers us from ourselves and our sinful desires. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

June 11, 2024

FOR THE LORD...

Proverbs 3:23-26 (3:26-29)

That you may walk confidently in peace in all your ways,
And your foot may not stumble.
For if you sit down, you will be without fear,
And if you lie down, your sleep will be pleasant.
And do not be afraid of intimidation when it comes upon you,
Nor of the attack of the ungodly when it comes at you;
For the Lord will be over all your ways,

And He will plant your feet firmly, that you may not be shaken.

Encouraging Words

This is an awesome passage to remind us of all that our God will do for us if we keep our trust in Him. I will let it speak for itself. Praise be to God!

June 10, 2024

NOTHING WASTED

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Personal Challenge

I have cherished this passage many times throughout my life. We all have those times that are challenging and painful. Times when we need real comfort. For those of us who sincerely strive to follow in the footsteps of Christ, we have felt the comfort of the Father during those times. That comfort usually comes from another follower. We learn through this process that there is nothing wasted in this tribulation and the healing process that follows. We can also be used by God to be a comfort to those in our lives who go through similar experiences. We can give them the comfort that God gave us. Glory be to God!

June 8, 2024

Saint of the Week

St. Origen

June 7, 2024

INSTRUCTION AND REPROOF

Proverbs 3:11-12

My son, do not despise the instruction of the Lord,
Neither grow weary under His reproof.
For whom the Lord loves He instructs,
And chastises every son He receives.

Personal Challenge

We, the entire human race, are a stiff-necked people. We love the benefits of life that our God gives us freely, yet we resist when He tries to teach us His ways. We despise His instruction. We grow weary under His reproof, even though it is us who have gone astray. Because of His love for us, He instructs us. Because He cares for us and desires the best for us. He will sometimes chastise us. He cares for us that much. Glory be to God!

June 6, 2024

IN LOVE

1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love.

Personal Challenge

Once again, we are reminded that a godly, Christ-like life is not a passive life. We are called to be on the watch for the coming of our Lord as well as for opportunities to serve and glorify Him. We are to stand fast in the faith that the Holy Spirit has given to us. We must be brave and strong in Him. And above all we do everything out of love. This is an active life for our Lord. We must also be careful that we don't slip into the mindset that attending a lot of services qualifies as living this way. This way of living has to happen every moment of every day and be directed toward others. Glory be to God!

June 5, 2024

HEALING AND CARE

Proverbs 3:7-8

Do not rely on your own discernment,
But fear God, and turn away from every evil.
Then there shall be healing for your body
And care for your bones.

Personal Challenge

This chapter in Proverbs continues to teach us that we can find true healing for our bodies and care for our bones by fearing God and turning away from the evil in this world that surrounds us. The only way to do this effectively and consistently is to not rely on our own discernment or understanding, but to rely on God's. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

June 4, 2024

NOT IN VAIN

1 Corinthians 15:58

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Personal Challenge

The life of a follower of Christ is not a sedentary, passive life. We are called to be steadfast, immovable, and always abounding in the work of the Lord. Our focus is not on the works that we want to do, but on His works. We do not do these works in order to earn our salvation. Our salvation is a gift given to us through the work of Jesus Christ. We do these works out of gratitude and love for our God, knowing that the work we do for Him, and through Him, will never be in vain. Glory be to God!

June 3, 2024

TRUST

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in God with all your heart,
And do not exalt your own wisdom.
In all your ways know wisdom,
That she may cut a straight path for you;
And your foot will not stumble.

Encouraging Words

We are encouraged by the writer of this Proverb to trust in God with all of our heart. Part of doing this is to not exalt in our own, perceived, wisdom. We do this by knowing Wisdom, Jesus Christ, knowing that He will give us straight paths to follow. He will not let our foot stumble, if we keep our trust in Him. Glory be to God!

June 2, 2024

PEACE

1 Corinthians 14:33

For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

Personal Challenge

God does not support disunity. He does not create it either. We are reminded in this verse that ALL the Christian churches of Paul's time were of one accord, unified. Contrary to many popular beliefs and claims, this early church was not Catholic, Protestant, or Orthodox. As our creed proclaims, it was "one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church". We were unified and not divisive as we are today. That is why you will hear me proclaim that I am a follower of Christ before you will hear me proclaim what my Christian faith practice is. We must stop being divisive in our Christian expressions if we ever desire to see God's kingdom come. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

June 1, 2024

Saint of the Week

St. Ignatius of Antioch

May 31, 2024

FINDING GRACE

Proverbs 3:3-4

Do not let almsgiving and faithfulness forsake you,
But hang them upon your neck;
And you will find grace
And provide good things before the Lord and men.

Personal Challenge

This section of Proverbs started out by reminding us to not forget the precepts of our Lord, if we want to live a full and peaceful life. It continues here with the next step in that journey to theosis, being in the image of Christ. We are called to a life of almsgiving and faithfulness. This is a call to give above and beyond our tithing and regular giving. It goes far beyond giving money. Are we giving to those in need our time, prayers, our love. Are we giving to God the spiritual gifts that He has given to us. If we want to find grace in our lives, then we must give it through almsgiving and faithfulness to God. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!