October 6, 2016

ENTERING THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

Matthew 7:21

"Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."

Personal Challenge

Once again, Jesus reminds us that Christianity is not a "name it and claim it" religion or philosophy. I am not necessarily a true follower of Christ just because I know the right vocabulary and proclaim that I am a Christian. Is there true evidence in my life, what is often called fruit, that shows that I am doing the will of God. Am I showing love to my neighbor as well as my enemy? Am I actively reaching out to the hungry, the poor, the widow, and the orphan and giving of myself and of my possessions so that they can be lifted up. God does not want all of us to be martyrs and go to our physical death, but He does want us to be willing to do that for Him and for those whom He has lovingly created in His image. This becomes so much more than just calling out "Lord, Lord?" and expecting God to grant us everything that we want in this life and the life to come. God Wants me to be an active participate and distributor of His love for mankind. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have Mercy on me, the sinner!

October 5, 2016

TRUSTED BY GOD

Psalms 16:3 (15:3 LXX)

To the saints on His earth,
In them He magnified all His will.
Encouraging Words

It is so powerful knowing that the God of all creation has chosen to manifest His will to His saints here on earth. My daily readings recently have been taking me through the writings of Justin Martyr. He is one of our early church fathers that lived in the 2nd century. He was one of our original apologists (defends the faith) and many of his writings were arguments about the fallacy of the teachings and myths of the Greeks. The Greeks, like many other people groups throughout history, put their hope in gods that were very fickle and more like humans than gods. One common thread in all of these types of religions is that the gods never trust mankind. There is no way that they would magnify their wills into the lives of their subjects. This is because they are not truly gods and just myths. Our God, the creator of all, the Lord of Lords and King of Kings, chooses to magnify His will in the lives of His saints. This means that He allows his will to be exercised by His saints here on earth so that He can be magnified. He knows that His saints will use His work in their lives do His work and not to overthrow Him or cause Him injury as so many of the mythical gods had done to them in their legends. Glory be to God!

October 4, 2016

JEALOUS LOVE

Exodus 34:14

(for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord God, a jealous name, is a jealous God),

Encouraging Words

Is it a bad thing that our God is a jealous God? Using today's language to define what jealous is would make it a bad thing because we look at jealousy as a bad thing. But let's look at one of the definitions according to Websters. "Vigilant in guarding a possession." I love my wife! She is very precious to me and I would give my life up for her if the need arose. Out of that deep love for her, I will be vigilant in guarding and protecting her. You mess with her and you will answer to me! In this context, I am a jealous husband. This is how God is towards us as His children. He has given, continues to give, and always will give, all of Himself and His resources to His children. You mess with His beloved, His children, you mess with Him. And as part of that relationship that He has with us, He asks that we love Him and put Him first in our lives. He asks that we not put any substitutes in the form of idols between us and Hin. He knows that when we do that in our lines that we are setting ourselves up to be injured and hurt by those false gods and that breaks His heart. That is a jealousy born in love. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

October 3, 2016

BEWARE!

Matthew 7:15-16

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?"

Personal Challenge

We usually read this verse and apply it to those who would come into our churches teaching heresies and trying to break up the unity of the body of Christ. Granted, this does happen and if the members of the church are not well-grounded in the truths of God, they will be easily lead astray. However, there is another wolf in sheep's clothing that can gain a foothold in our churches. It is those who do a good job as coming across as virtuous or religious and yet have not been willing to adopt and adhere to the teachings of the church that they are in. This outward display of virtue and religiosity can very easily entrap those who are new or young in the church and lead them astray. It is just as important to watch for these people and to counter their attempts to lead others, especially the new believers, astray, If we know the fruit that our Lord is expecting from all of us (love, joy, peace, longsuffering, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) then we will be able to identify these wolves and counter their work. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner.

October 2, 2016

DWELLING IN HIS TABERNACLE

Psalm 15 (14 LXX)

O Lord, who shall dwell in Your tabernacle?
Who shall live in Your holy mountain?
He who walks blamelessly, and works righteousness,
And speaks truth in his heart,
Who does not deceive with his tongue,
Neither does evil to his neighbor;
And does not find fault with those nearest him.
He disdains those who do evil in his presence,
But he holds in honor those who fear the Lord;
He swears an oath to his neighbor and does not set it aside.
He does not lend his money at interest,
And he does not take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be shaken.

Personal Challenge

Who will ever be able to dwell in the presence of our Lord? Based on this Psalm, I know that I would never be able to, for I have never been able to do all of these things. But, by the grace of my Lord, through His mercy, and the work of His Son, Jesus Christ, the doors to this glorious, heavenly tabernacle have been opened to even sinners such as I. And through the work of the Holy Spirit within me, I can strive to live my life this way. Thank You, Jesus!

October 1, 2016

Saint of the Week 

St. John Climacus 

September 30, 2016

A HOLY NATION

Exodus 19:5-6

"'Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you shall be a special people to Me above all nations; for all the earth is Mine. You shall be to Me a royal priesthood and a holy nation.' These are the words you shall speak to the children of Israel."

Encouraging Words

So, if we, the people who obey Gods' voice and keep His covenant, will be set apart as a special nation above all nations, then why is not America, which so many claim to be a Christian nation, a royal people and a holy nation? Have we, as Christians who have keen blessed to live in a nation that has Christian people in it, forgotten what God has been teaching us from the beginning of time? Have we fallen into the same misunderstanding as the Jewish nation and believed that God was referring to a kingdom made by man? The Church, the universal body of Christ, is the special people, the holy nation, the royal priesthood that Exodus is referring to. This holy nation exists in Russia, England, China, Mexico, South America, Africa, America, and every other country in the world, It exists in every physical country that has at least one believer in it. Why is this important to embrace? Because if this is truly my nation, then I am only an ambassador, an alien, in the physical nation that I live in. I exercise my rights and responsibility in that earthly nation but I do not surrender my citizenship to that nation. God is my supreme Leader, not some elected official.