November 29, 2024

WHO ARE WE TO BE?

Colossians 3:12-17

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Personal Challenge

It is so frustrating that so many people claim to be Christians and yet they ignore all the teachings in the scriptures about how to live a Christlike life. It is no wonder that so many people today do not want to have anything to do with Christianity. Lord, have mercy! So, what is this passage telling us to do to be able to demonstrate to the world that we are really followers of Christ? Here is the list parsed out from this passage so that it is easy to see...

• put on...
• tender mercies
• kindness
• humility
• meekness
• long suffering
• bear with one another
• forgive one another, as Christ forgave us
• above all, put on love, the bond of perfection
• let the peace of God rule in our hearts
• be thankful
• let the word of Christ dwell in us
• teach and admonish one another with grace
• do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God

There are those of us out here in the world who desire to become like Christ in our journey to our theosis. We try our best to live this way, sometimes stumbling along the way, but always getting back up by the grace of Christ. Glory be to God!

November 28, 2024

AVOIDING WRONGDOING

Sirach 7:1-3

Do no evil things,
And evil will never overtake you.
Stay away from wrongdoing,
And it will turn away from you.
My son, do not sow on the furrows of wrongdoing,
And you will not reap the same things sevenfold.

Personal Challenge

If you do evil things (lie, cheat, steal, etc.) often enough and long enough, then you begin to believe that it is good and acceptable. We definitely see this in our culture today. Sirach teaches that if we strive to avoid doing evil things and wrongdoing, then we will not be overrun by both their consequences and the acceptance that they are okay. A great lesson for us all. Glory be to God!

November 27, 2024

BEING THE NEW PERSON

Colossians 3:8-10

But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.

Personal Challenge

Paul does not pull any punches to the Christians in Colosse. He is addressing the issues that have made their way into this early church. It is interesting to see how many of these same issues have made their way into so many churches of today. If we desire to truly be followers of Christ, then it is incumbent upon us to take these same guidelines to heart in our daily lives. If I am a real follower of Christ and not just a person that has donned the moniker of "Christian", then I will be putting off these human traits: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language, lying to one another, and mistreating others in categories different than myself. If I am indeed a new person in Christ, then I will love my God and my neighbor in ways that are clearly obvious and uniquely different than the rest of the world. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

November 26, 2024

CHOOSE INSTRUCTION

Sirach 6:18-19

My son, from your youth up, choose instruction,
And you will find wisdom also into old age.
Come to her as one who plows and sows,
And wait expectantly for her good fruits;
For in her work you will labor a little while,
Then you will quickly eat of her fruit.

Personal Challenge

We live in a time where so many people believe that they are the expert and no longer need any additional instruction. We can always use more teaching and guidance in our lives. Sirach reminds us how important it is to seek that instruction from Wisdom (an image of Christ in the Old Testament). If we seek Wisdom, we will find it, even in our old age. We must come to Wisdom as a farmer, one who plows and sows the furrows of our minds and intellect, to secure the best fruits. Through our labor and hard work in Wisdom, we will be rewarded and feed at the banquet, Glory be to God!

November 25, 2024

PUT TO DEATH

Colossians 3:5

Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

Personal Challenge

As I navigate through various social media sites, I have become very aware of how many people have been hurt by people who proclaim that they are Christians. How sad it will be for them. when they stand before their proclaimed Lord and are reminded that they did not love their neighbor as He expected them to. Our responsibility as followers of Christ is to love God and our neighbor. Who is our neighbor? Every human being, especially the widow, the orphan, the naked, the poor, and the alien amongst us. This is what we will be judged on, not now many nasty posts we made in the virtual world or saintly hymns that we sang all the while verbally abusing those who don't think the way that we do. This is why Paul instructed the Colossians, and us, to put to death the ways of the world and to embrace a kingdom way of being. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me the sinner and help me to show that mercy to my fellow neighbor!

November 24, 2024

A FAITHFUL FRIEND

Sirach 6:14-17

A faithful friend is a strong shelter,
And he who finds one finds a treasure.
There is nothing that can take the place of a faithful friend,
And there is no way to measure his worth.
A faithful friend is a medicine of life,
And those who fear the Lord will find him.
He who fears the Lord guides his friendship rightly,
Because as he is, so also is his neighbor.

Personal Challenge

Sirach reminds us how valuable it is to have a faithful friend in our lives. It is important to remember that to have a faithful friend, we must be a faithful friend. As an introvert who has learned to live in an extroverted world, it has been difficult to find this kind of friend. I do have some friends that I am close to and trust deeply, but this depth of friendship has eluded me. My hope, and prayer is that God will help us all find a person like this in our lives. Glory be to God!

November 23, 2024

Saint of the Week

St. Maximus the Confessor

November 22, 2024

IF...

Colossians 3:1-2

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

Personal Challenge

It is one thing to claim to be a Christian and an entirely different thing to actually be a follower of Christ. "What do you mean?" you might ask. This passage helps to clarify this. Am I truly seeking those things which are above, or heavenly? Am I loving my neighbor, no matter what their color, age, sex, race, sexual preference, religious preference, political party, or any other standard of measurement used in this broken world? Am I humbly trying to be like Jesus, the Jesus of 2,000 years ago and not the Jesus of this modern age. Is my mind set on things above and not on things on earth, for as a follower of Christ my citizenship is in heaven? If I am not doing these things as best as I can then labeling myself as a Christian is besmirching the name of Christ: Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

November 21, 2024

BE CONSISTENT

Sirach 5:10-11

Be established in your understanding
And let your word be consistent.
Be quick to listen
And give your answer with patience.

Personal Challenge

One thing that I have learnt, and try to adhere to, is to be consistent in my word. This applies both to what I say and what I write, especially on social media. If we are truly established in our understanding of who we are in Christ and because of that who we should be in the world, then we can work on the consistency of our word. The best place to start with this is to be quick to listen and slow to speak Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

November 20, 2024

WALK IN HIM

Colossians 2:6-7

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

Personal Challenge

We live in on age where the true nature and characteristics of Jesus Christ are no longer taught. This does not mean that we need to fix our schools and teach about Him there. Our schools are secular institutions and should be where we teach the truths of reading, writing, arithmetic, science, etc. Where we need to start teaching the true nature and characteristics of Jesus Christ is in our churches and Christian homes. We have lost our way and in that have lost our relationship with our God. Heaven forbid! Jesus is fully God who became fully man. In His incarnation He left His place in heaven to be humbly born of a virgin in one of the harshest times in history. He lived the life of a wandering immigrant, without sin, and showed us how to love God and love our neighbor, without compromise. He taught His disciples the truth of God and sent them forth to spread His good news throughout the world. We, the modern-day people that claim to be Christians, must go back to His basics, confess our sins and abuses of his truths, repent and follow Him in His ways. If not, we will be accountable for blasphemous and heretical actions. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God have mercy on me, the sinner!

November 19, 2024

BE HUMBLE TO BE GREAT

Sirach 3:18-19

The greater you are, the more humble you must be,
And you will find grace before the Lord;
Because great is the power of the Lord,
And He is honored by the humble.

Personal Challenge

This teaching is showing the true spiritual contrast of what God expects in leaders and what man expects, especially in today's world. Humility is looked down upon· It is perceived as a weakness. However, true humility, a humility based on love for God and love for our neighbor, is the strongest force in the world. It cannot be overcome by brute force. If we want to find grace before our God, to have peace in our lives, to be truly righteous followers of Christ, then we must be humble and continually strive to love God and love our neighbor. This will be the only thing that will prevail against the tyrants of the day. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

November 18, 2024

RECONCILED

Colossians 1:19-20

For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

Encouraging Words

At the beginning of mankind, having been created with free will, we chose to reject God. This propensity to sin is in our DNA and we continue to reject Him by our choices. Jesus Christ chose to incarnate as one of us so that he could live a sinless human life in order to provide a way for us all to be reconciled to God. By doing this He not only reconciled all mankind, but all of creation. Glory be to God!

November 17, 2014

SO, YOU WANT TO SERVE GOD?

Sirach 2:1-6

My son, if you draw near to serve the Lord,

Prepare your soul for temptation.
Set your heart right and be steadfast,

And do not strive anxiously in distress.
Cleave to Him and do not fall away,
That you may be honored at the end of your life.
Accept whatever is brought upon you,
And in exchange for your humiliation, be patient;
Because gold is tested in fire
And acceptable men in the furnace of abasement.
Believe in Him, and He will help you;
Make your ways straight and hope in Him.

Personal Challenge

This passage, hidden in one of our Old Testament apocryphal books, gives us clear guidance on what we must expect if we desire follow and serve our God. This guidance is so counter to the modern Christian way of thinking. First of all, we must be prepared for temptation that will swell up to prevent us from serving God properly. We must be willing to set our hearts right on His precepts of loving others and remain steadfast in that. We cannot strive anxiously in distress that comes our way. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus and loving God and our neighbor. We cleave to Him at all times and in all circumstances and do not fall away from Him and His promises. We must be willing to accept whatever is brought upon us, whether good or bad. Finally, we must be humble in our lives and accept humiliation in exchange, or response, to our patience. All of this reminds us that gold is refined in fire and that if we are to truly be followers of Christ, then we must be ready for fiery refinement: He is worth it. A righteous life is worth it. The sharing of the gospel, or good news of Christ, is worth it. Glory be to God!

November 16, 2024

Saint of the Week

St. Paisios the Athonite

November 15, 2024

DO NOT CEASE TO PRAY

Colossians 1:9-12

For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.

Personal Challenge

Paul shares with us here in Colossians how much he cares for the church that he has planted. His prayer is one that continues over us, the Church, even today, and is one that we can pray as well. He asks that we be filled with knowledge of God's will in wisdom and spiritual understanding. He desires that we walk worthy of our Lord, fully pleasing Him and to be fruitful in every good work as well as increasing in our knowledge of God. He petitions that we are strengthened with all might, according to God's glorious power, that we have patience and longsuffering with joy and continually give thanks to our Father. Glory be to God!

November 13, 2024

A PATIENT PERSON

Sirach 1:20-21

A patient man will hold fast until the proper time,
Then afterwards gladness shall burst forth for him.
He shall conceal his words until the proper time,
And the lips of many will tell of his understanding.

Personal Challenge

We live in such a fast paced, instant gratification world that we have forgotten of the benefits of being patient. Part of be patient is holding fast on to our expectations, desires, and promises given to us. It is not patience if we are not waiting for something. One of the rewards of this patience is the gladness that bursts forth within us when what we have been waiting for comes into fruition. Another part of being patient is holding onto or concealing our words until the proper time. The result of doing this is that the lips of others will tell of our understanding. Glory be to God!

November 11, 2024

GOD WILL SUPPLY

Philippians 4:19

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Personal Challenge

We, our nation, as a people proclaiming to be a Christian nation, have followed in the footsteps of so many nations and people groups that have come before us. We have put our trust in princes, kings, presidents, and sons of men to "save" us. Our Lord has made it clear that there is only one that we should put our trust in. The Lord God Almighty. This verse reminds us about that only God will supply our needs, and only then through Christ Jesus, not some elevated and worshipped man or group Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy? Lord, have mercy!

November 10, 2024

CROWN OF WISDOM

Sirach 1:16

The fear of the Lord is the crown of wisdom,
Making peace and soundness of health to flourish.

Personal Challenge

It is so easy to proclaim that you are a Christian. This is the same with all professions of how we label ourselves. The truth is that labels mean absolutely nothing to God. Do we have a true fear of God. Not a cowering, He will punish me kind of fear, which is a clear demonstration of not knowing Him, but a deep trust, or faith, a committed conviction to follow in the footsteps of our Rabbi and to do as He does and speaks. If we truly desire a crown of wisdom in the godly things that lead to peace and soundness of health, then we must do as Jesus would have us to do. What are these things. To love God and to love our neighbor. To do as Paul says in his letter to the Ephesians: Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:31-32) Living a Christian life is a life focused on Him and not the ways of this world. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

November 9, 2024

Saint of the Week

St. Joseph the Hesychast

November 8, 2024

TO BE CONTENT

Philippians 4:11-13

Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Personal Challenge

This life on this earth is temporary. It is also filled with many things that can beat us down, if we let them. As followers of Christ, we know that we can count on Him to meet our every need. He can give us peace and contentment to carry us through every event. He strengthens us to fight the good fight. Glory be to God!

November 7, 2024

FEAR OF THE LORD

Sirach 1:10-11

The fear of the Lord will cheer the heart
And will give gladness, joy, and long life.
For those who fear the Lord, it shall be well to the utmost,
And on the day of his death, he will be blessed.

Personal Challenge

There is no person, organization, or thing in this earth that we need to fear. If we put our trust, our faith, a godly fear and respect in our Lord, then He will cheer our heart, give us gladness, joy, and long life, and our lives will be blessed. However, this also means that we will strive to do His will and live His ways, which may cause earthly hardships for us, for we are no longer of this world, but in it as his ambassadors. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me the sinner!

November 6, 2024

MEDIATE ON THESE THINGS

Philippians 4:8-9

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

Personal Challenge

So often in our lives, things do not go the way that we would like them to. Sometimes, it even looks like things do not go the way that God wants them to. We must remember that we still live in a fallen world and a world where free will can still take us in directions away from God. Paul reminds that if we want the peace of God in our lives then we must think on the good things of God. Glory be to God!

November 4, 2024

EXALTED AND GLORIFIED

Wisdom of Solomon 19:22

For in everything, O Lord, You have exalted and glorified Your people,
And have not neglected to be present with them in every time and place.

Encouraging Words

Throughout the history of mankind, God has honored the people of His covenants. He has continually exalted and glorified them in His heavenly realm, and He will continue to do so throughout eternity. If we are His followers, we need to look for His rewards in His kingdom and not the kingdom of this earth. Glory be to God!

November 3, 2024

REJOICE AND BE AT PEACE

Philippians 4:4-7

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Command with a Promise

We are told to rejoice in our Lord always, let our gentleness be known to all people, be anxious about nothing, pray in thanksgiving, and let our requests be made known to God. This is almost in the form of command, a directive. What happens when we do this? The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. That is the promise that comes with this command. Glory be to God!

November 2, 2024

Saint of the Week

St. Hilary of Poitiers

November 1, 2024

KNOWING GOD

Wisdom of Solomon 15:1-3

But You, our God, are kind, true, patient,
And govern all things in mercy.
For even if we sin, we belong to You and know Your might;
But we will not sin,
Because we know that we are counted as belonging to You.
For to know You is complete righteousness,
And to know Your might is the root of immortality.

Personal Challenge

Our God is so good. He is kind, true, patient, and merciful. He knows us better than we even know ourselves and yet He still loves us. If we truly believe this, we will strive to not sin and offend Him. But once again, He loves us so much, He will forgive those sins and count us as belonging to Him. Glory be to God!

October 31,2024

PRESS ON

Philippians 3:12-14

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Personal Challenge

As long as we reside here on earth in our temporal bodies, our journey of theosis will never be done. We must continually press on to the goal of being like Christ, following closely in His footsteps. Part of doing this is forgetting that which we have left behind and reaching forward to that which is ahead. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!