September 8, 2017

FROM OUR HEARTS TO OUR MOUTHS

Proverbs 4:23 (4:22 LXX)

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

Personal Challenge

In this age of abundant access to information, a preponderance of "social" media tools, and a mindset of self-centeredness and open expression, this proverb becomes extremely important to adhere to. It still amazes me how harsh people have become at expressing what they feel they have the right to express. The concept of being gracious to those around us is quickly becoming a relic of the past. The understanding that what proceeds from out of our mouths is what is in our hearts has all but disappeared from society. Even the church and her members have fallen prey to this trend. I am sure this grieves our Lord as He watches His creation devour one another with words, opinions, and sarcasm. It is my own personal responsibility to make sure that I do not go done this path even if I must go against the flow and be rejected for this choice. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

September 5, 2017

UNLIMITED MERCY

Psalms 103:17-18 (102:17-18 LXX)

But the mercy of the Lord is from age to age upon those who fear Him,
And His righteousness upon children's children,
To such as keep His covenant
And remember His commandments, to do them.

Encouraging Words

God's memory is infinite. There is no beginning to it nor end to it. Since He is ever present, throughout all time, He is in the midst of every moment at every instance of time. How does this work? We do not, nor will we ever know, for it is a mystery. But what this means to those of us who choose to put our lives into His hands is that there will never be a moment in our finite lives that God is not lavishly pouring out His mercy upon us. He is also anointing us with His righteousness. He not only does this to us but to the generations that follow us as a reward for our commit­ment to Him. God loves us this much. God loves me this much. So, if I truly believe this and choose to put all of my faith and trust in Him, and Him alone, then why would I not fear and respect Him? Why would I not strive to keep His covenant with His bride, the church? Why would I not try to keep His commandments and live my life His way and not my way? Glory be to God. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

September 3, 2017

LIVING CONFIDENTLY IN OUR LORD

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

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

Continuing with the teaching that the Lord will make our paths straight if we trust in Him, the writer of Proverbs eloquently reminds us of all that God will do in our lives if we keep our minds and hearts focused on Him. He will help us to walk confidently in peace, even if the world around us is in chaos, we will not stumble. We can sit down without fear and lie down in pleasant sleep. We do not need to be afraid of intimidation when the world pours it out upon us or of the attack of the ungodly. Why can we live our lives this way? Because the Lord will be over our ways and He will plant our feet firmly. It is only in Him that our ways will not be shaken. Glory be to God!

September 6, 2017

GIVING THANKS

Luke 17:15-16

And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.

Personal Challenge

This accounting of Jesus healing ten lepers is so telling of the state of so many of our hearts. Jesus encountered ten lepers and standing off in the distance they called out to Him for His Mercy and possibly healing. Jesus told them to go to the local priest and show him that their leprosy was gone. They were not healed immediately, but while on the way to the priest their leprosy was healed. Out of the ten of them, only one felt that it was appropriate, or necessary to run back to Jesus, fall at His feet in humility, and thank Him for His act of kindness and mercy. And on top of it all, he was a Samaritan, an outcast in the society in the day of Jesus. How often has my Lord performed a miraculous event in my life, and I just went on as if it was a given that He would be doing this for me? How often have I neglected to abandon what I am doing, that which is important to me, to run to Him, fall at His feet, and thank Him for His love, kindness, and mercy? Jesus loves me! He cares for me more than even I do. He is constantly performing miracles in my life. I cannot thank Him enough for all of this. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord have mercy!

September 2, 2017

Saint of the Week

St. Maria of Paris

September 1, 2017

BEING FAITHFUL

Luke 16:10

He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.

Personal Challenge

God cares about what we do with what He gives us. Whether it be wealth or health or time or our talents, we are ultimately measured by what we do with them. The more that we do for Him, with what He has given us then the more that He gives us in order to use for Him. It all belongs to Him anyway. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me the sinner and please use my feeble attempts to serve you for your good.

August 31, 2017

AS FAR AS THE EAST IS FROM THE WEST

Psalms 103:10-13 (102:10-13 LXX)

He did not deal with us according to our sins,
Nor reward us according to our transgressions;
For according to the height of heaven from earth,
So the Lord reigns in mercy over those who fear Him;
As far as the east is from the west,
So He removes our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him,

Encouraging Words

I am so thankful and so blessed that my God does not deal with according to who I am and what I have done in my life. If He did, then I would be doomed for sure. As this passage tells us, our God is a God of mercy and love. He pours out that unlimited mercy and love on me every moment of every day. Glory be to God!