April 15, 2021

GOD OF THE LIVING

Matthew 22:31-32

But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

Encouraging Words

When we say that we love God and put our hope in Him, what are we really doing? We are proclaiming that our God is a living God that is going to keep us alive forever. It is taught by many fathers of the Orthodox church that we sin because we fear death. We fear the fact that our lives will end so we do whatever we can to get the most out of this life. During our Pascha (Easter) celebration, we proclaim over and over again, "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death and on those in the tombs bestowing life!" This is where we put our hope when we choose to follow Him. He has promised us that He is victorious over the death of us all that was ushered in by Adam and Eve and that He will give us life. Glory be to God!

April 14, 2021

BELIEVING

Matthew 21:21-22

So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

Personal Challenge

Being a follower of Christ must take over our entire lives if we are to experience the fullness of what He has to offer us. Our relationship with Him does not get all wrapped up in just one prayer where we profess Him as Lord. If our lives have not been permanently changed by that profession then we are no different than the demons who also profess that He is the Lord. Our journey through life with Christ as our Lord should change us. We should be growing in our faith and our belief as we draw closer to Him. It's through this growing relationship that we will be able to move the mountains in our lives. Glory be to God!

April 13, 2021

GIVE IT AWAY

Matthew 19:21

Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

Personal Challenge

It always amazes me how those who proclaim the prosperity gospel skip past all the teachings of Christ that tell us just the opposite. Here He clearly tells the rich young man to give away all of his wealth in order to gain the treasure awaiting him in heaven. He tells us elsewhere not to put our faith in the wealth of this world because we cannot serve two masters, wealth and God. It is not that He is against having wealth here on earth. He is against putting it above the needs of others. He is against making it our God. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

April 12, 2021

IN HIS NAME

Matthew 18:20

For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.

Personal challenge

As followers of Christ, we should be doing all things in His name. He should be the center of every thought, word, action, or desire. This is a hard thing to accomplish, but is a worthy goal for all of us to pursue. Jesus promises us that when more than one of us gets together, people who are pursuing Christ in this manor, then He will be there with us. Just as the two men who were walking on the road to Emmaus, talking about Jesus, mourning His death, cherishing their memories, He appeared and spent time with them. So too, can we have Him with us. Glory be to God!

April 11, 2021

RECONCILIATION

Matthew 18:15-18

“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.”

“Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Encouraging Words

I have heard from well-meaning people that they wished the Bible was more of an instruction book so that they would know how to live their lives. My first thought when I hear that is, "Are you kidding me?" There is so much instruction and guidance on how to live a godly life. We just need to be willing to look for it and to practice it. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

April 10, 2021

Saint of the Week

St. Ambrose of Optina

April 9, 2021

LOST AND FOUND

Matthew 18:12-14

What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

Encouraging Words

Have you ever been separated from the group that you were with? It can be very disconcerting to feel like you are all alone and the rest of the group has moved on without you. Then all of a sudden they show up explaining that they stopped what they were doing to find you. What a sense of joy that produces. We will never be totally lost and separated from Jesus. He will always come for us because He loves us and wants us to be back in the fold. He will rescue us and bring us back home. Glory be to God!