June 16, 2020

WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING

Job 28:28

He said to man, ‘behold, the fear of God is wisdom,
And to abstain from evils is understanding.’

Personal Challenge

In our western, self-centered, self-made culture, we have gotten wisdom and understanding all wrong. We believe that if we accumulate knowledge through books, seminars, and degrees, then we are wise. God tells us that wisdom starts by fearing Him, putting Him and His ways at the center of our lives. He goes on to say that understanding then comes from running from evils and practicing them in our lives. Wisdom and understanding come from God and our living lives that are dependent upon Him. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

June 15, 2020

BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD

Job 1:21 

“Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away. As it seemed good to the Lord, so also it came to pass. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Personal Challenge

We so often go through this world living our lives as if we are in control of everything that goes on. I hate to disappoint, but we are actually in control of nothing, except how we choose to respond to the events that transpire. Our response shapes us and equips us for the next event. Job had this figured out and deeply ingrained in who he was. God is in control and the more that we yield our lives and will to Him the more we can joyfully go along for the ride that He has in store for us. It is not that we are some mice in a predetermined maze or a robot that must follow it's programming. God knows what is best for us and is guiding us through our journey of life to form us into the image of Christ that He has specifically designed for each one of us. We can choose to go with His plan, His will, and be shaped into that image, or we can resist and fight and eventually be broken and rebuilt into that image. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

June 14, 2020

HEALED

Psalms 146:3 (147:3)

He heals the brokenhearted
And He binds up all their wounds.

Encouraging Words

Have you ever been brokenhearted, wounded so deeply that you felt like you were going to die? Many, if not all, of us, have been here at one time or another. It may have been the repose of a loved one, the loss of love and family through a divorce, The pain and challenges of a severe illness, or any other event that cuts deeply into our hopes and desires. Our world is still a fallen world and painful things happen to us and to those we love. But we do have a hope in all of this: We have a God that feels our pain with us and who treats our broken hearts. He is the great Physician and binds up our wounds. He pours out His love and healing on us. Glory be to God!

June 13, 2020

Saint of the Week

St. Seraphim of Sarov

June 12, 2020

PRAISE THE LORD

Psalms 145:1-2 (146:1-2)

Praise the Lord, O my soul.
I shall praise the Lord while I live;
I shall sing to my God as long as I exist.

Encouraging Words

We follow and serve a God whom we can praise and sing to every moment of our lives. Not only does He deserve this from us, but He is worthy of it. We owe everything to Him. The least we can do is praise Him with every breath that He gives us and sing to Him every day that gives us to live. Glory be to God!

June 11, 2020

HE IS NEAR

Psalms 144:18 (145:8)

The Lord is near to all who call on Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.

Personal Challenge

The Lord is near to all of us who call upon Him, but with a caveat. We must call upon Him in truth. What truth? Even Pilot asks that question of Jesus. "what is truth?" Jesus is truth. He is the source and completion of truth. So the caveat here is that if we want the Lord to be near to us, or better yet for us to be near to Him, then we must call out to Him in Christ. That means we are living in Christ and being His child as we call out. Glory be to God!

June 10, 2020

THE LORD IS...

Psalms 144:8-9 (145:8-9) 

The Lord is gracious and merciful,
Longsuffering and abundant in mercy.
The Lord is good to all, And His mercies are upon all His works.

Encouraging Words

Sometimes we just need some encouragement in our lives. The Psalmist provides this in his proclamation about our Lord. Our Lord is gracious and merciful, long-suffering, and abundant in mercy. He is good to all, no matter who we are and if we worship Him or not. He pours out His mercy upon His works, His creation. We are blessed by His love, Glory be to God!