August 7, 2013

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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...

It can be so easy to get caught up in the teachings and doctrines of men and totally miss the mark of what God wants of us as Christians. This is what the scribes and pharisees did in the day of Jesus...making their doctrines and commandments more important than God's, and just as damaging, more than God's creation. Are we doing the same today with our myriad of teachings, doctrines  and faith practices? Are we elevating our images, our articulations of who God is and what He wants, above God Himself? God wants our hearts before He wants our worship, teaching  and doctrines. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us, sinners!

August 6, 2013

Zephaniah 3:17

The Lord your God is with you. The Mighty One shall save you. He shall bring gladness upon you and will renew you with His love. He will delight over you with joy as in a day of feasting.

Encouraging Words...

It has always been verses like this one that have made it difficult to accept a doctrine that presents God as a wrathful, judgmental God. I am, we all are, the works of God's love, created in His image. He has always desired to walk with us in the garden. And yes, we do sin and turn our backs upon Him, and someday we will need to account for these sins. But if God loves us so much that He gave up His only Son in order to redeem us, then His love will be what blesses us as this verse so eloquently reminds us. Glory be to God!

August 5, 2013

1 Corinthians 6:11

And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

Encouraging Words...

The verses before this one give a long list of the types of sinful backgrounds that the followers of Christ came (and continue to come) from. I know that I can identify with more than one in the list. And yet God cancels this past all out through the work of His Son. The early church fathers taught, and we continue to teach today, that salvation includes being washed in Holy Baptism, sanctified through the Holy Spirit in the oil of chrismation, and justified through our faith. In Christ we can be set free from the very worst of sins. Glory be to God. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

August 4, 2013

Romans 12:12

rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;

Personal Challenge...

In this passage Paul gives us some very valuable instructions on how to live our lives. In this verse there are three very vivid reminders. We have such a wonderful hope in Christ for a future that will be filled with God's grace and glory; we are to rejoice in this. We will encounter tribulation in our lives; by the hope that we have in Christ we must be patient through this tribulation. All of this is made possible by continuing through our lives being steadfast in prayer. Glory be to God!

August 3, 2013

Matthew 9:24

He said to them, “Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him.

Encouraging Words...

Okay...here we have Jesus, the Son of God, who has been healing people of all forms of diseases, casting out demons, and raising people from the dead being ridiculed by those around Him. Should I expect any less when I stand up for Him and profess Him to those around me?

August 2, 2013

Matthew 13:45

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

Personal Challenge...

The kingdom of heaven, God's gift, is of such great value that I must be willing to sell all, give up all that I have, in this kingdom in order to acquire it. Have I done this? Am I ready to do this every day? Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!

August 1, 2013

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...

There is a fine line between earthly wisdom and godly wisdom and we must constantly be putting to death our earthly focus and desires in order to gain that which is godly. To the world this looks foolish. But this foolishness becomes our starting place to receive God's blessings of true wisdom. All too often I see in today's workplace God's wisdom being abandoned and man's wisdom prevailing. This, however, is producing an environment that is bound to fail, bound to treat people as commodities as opposed to images of God. Man's wisdom will lead to ruin and despair. God's wisdom, even though it looks foolish to the world, will lead to peace, joy, and eternal blessings.