August 6, 2020

THE NAME OF THE LORD

Proverbs 18:10

The name of the Lord is of great strength,
And when the righteous run to it, they are exalted.

Encouraging Words

We are not alone in this world or in our journey through life. Our Lord is always with us and always available for us to run to. In Him, we will find great strength to make it through any situation. Glory be to God!

August 5, 2020

SILENCE IS GOLDEN

Proverbs 17:30 (17:28)

Wisdom shall be imputed to a man without understanding who asks for wisdom,
And anyone who holds his peace will seem to have discernment.

Personal Challenge

Have you ever received that juicy tidbit of information and have everything within you burn to share it with everyone? In the eyes of our Lord and the saints that have gone before us, it is better to bury that information rather than share it, especially if it will end up hurting someone. This is why holding our peace is showing discernment. We would be in a much better world if we would all hold our opinions and share our love with each other more. Glory be to God!

August 4, 2020

INTELLIGENCE AND DISCERNMENT

Proverbs 17:29 (17:27)

He who refrains from uttering a harsh word is intelligent,
And a longsuffering man has discernment.

Personal Challenge

There is a lot of guidance packed into this short proverb. We live in the information age. Every kind of information is available at our fingertips. The problem is that so much of this information is either false and invalid or without the appropriate ability to do thorough research, incomplete. We have also devolved to the point where opinion is taken as fact and everyone has their opinion about everything. We also live in a time where hatred and anger are rapidly ramping up. This makes it all the more important for those of us who proclaim to be followers of Christ to refrain from uttering harsh words...ever, and to be long-suffering in our listening and reading, being quiet more than engaging so that we can learn to discern the truth. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

August 3, 2020

OUR FOUNDATION

Proverbs 17:15 (17:14)

The foundation of righteousness gives authority to words,
But discord and quarreling precede poverty.

Personal Challenge

What is our foundation as individuals based on? Is it righteousness or ungod­liness? Is it Jesus Christ or ourselves? This can be a hard question for many of us to answer objectively for many believe that they are followers of Christ and yet live contentious, quarrelsome lives. Jesus said that He is the God of peace, unity, and order. You cannot be disruptive, argumentative, dividing, and full of discord and be living a life based on the foundation of our Lord. We all need to examine our hearts, our minds, and the fruit of our lives to determine what our foundation is and then strive to make it based on Jesus. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

August 2, 2020

JUST ENOUGH

Proverbs 17:1

Better is a morsel with enjoyment in peace
Than a house full of many good things and unrighteous sacrifices with quarreling.

Personal Challenge

We have come to be a people where what we have is never enough. We want more or we want the next best thing or we want what someone else has. By living this way, we are never content. When we get to the point in our walk with Christ where we truly believe that God has given us exactly what we need and remain content with that, then we begin to enjoy His peace, a peace that passes all understanding. Help me, oh Lord, to be content with that which you have blessed me with and to be willing to share in my abundance with others so that You might be glorified and my brothers and sisters edified.

August 1, 2020

Saint of the Week

St. Athanasius the Great

July 31, 2020

PATIENCE

Proverbs 16:30 (16:32)

A patient man is better than a strong man,
And he who controls his temper is better than he who captures a city.

Person Challenge

Here we go with another charge to be patient. I want what I want and I want it now. Isn't that how we all behave most of the time? I know that I do, all too often. Instant gratification. Isn't that what being an American all about? Well, not according to the teachings of the scriptures, our Lord, and the saints that have gone before us. Do we want to be strong, then be patient. Do we want to be able to capture a city, or conquer that formidable task that sits before us, then control our temper? So many of these teachings do not make sense because they are so contradictory to our modern way of thinking. But heavenly thinking is not of this earth. Glory be to God!