May 31, 2016

HEADING FOR THE TOP?

Ecclesiastes 10:6

The senseless man devotes himself to great heights,
And rich men shall sit in a lowly place.

Personal Challenge

Wait! Wait! Aren't we supposed to dedicate our entire life to reaching the top rung of the success ladder and earning as much money as we can? Not so much so! These earthly endeavors and rewards can more easily come between us and God as well as us and our neighbor than anything else. Our life should be dedicated to loving God and loving our neighbor, and if in that process we are blessed with position or wealth, then all the more to pour back into loving God and our neighbor. Glory be to God!

May 29, 2016

DON'T BE CONFOUNDED

Ecclesiastes 7:16

Do not be overly righteous, nor be overly wise, lest you be confounded.

Personal Challenge

Wait a minute! Isn't this contradictory to all the scriptures that encourage me to be righteous and to seek the wisdom of God? Absolutely not! It is a reminder that we must not let the righteousness the we have been blessed with or the wisdom that Gog has given us, go to our heads. We are to live humble lives and the more that God blesses us with in our lives, the more important it is to be humble. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

May 28, 2016

Saint of the Week

St. Seraphim of Sarov

May 27, 2016

HEAD KNOWLEDGE OR HEART ESTABLISHED

Proverbs 22:17-19 (22:20-22 LXX)

Incline your ear to the words of the wise and hear my word,
And establish your heart, that you may know they are good.
And if you apply them to your heart,
They will gladden you and at the same time be upon your lips;
That your hope might be in the Lord,
And His way might be known to you.

Personal Challenge

Why do I read and study God's word? Why do I dig through the teachings of our early church fathers and participate in Bible studies and classes at church? Why do I attend liturgy every week and sometimes multiple times per week? If the reason is to accumulate knowledge, then I have misunderstood everything that I have taken in. We are not to do all of this in order to fill our heads, but it is to bring what we learn into our hearts and to be changed. As our hearts change so does the rest of our lives, and we begin the journey to theosis, or being in the image of Christ. It is not about how much knowledge I gain, but about how much that knowledge changes me!

May 26, 2016

WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING

2 Chronicles 1:10-12

Give me wisdom and understanding, so that I may go out and come in before this people, for who can judge this great people of Yours?”

And God said to Solomon, “Because this was in your heart and you did not ask for riches or wealth or honor or the life of your enemies, nor did you ask for long life, but you asked for wisdom and understanding for yourself, that you might judge My people over whom I made you king, now I will give you this wisdom and understanding. I will also give you riches and wealth and honor, such as none of the kings before you possessed, nor shall any after you possess.”

Personal Challenge

Wisdom and understanding appear to be at the center f the Proverbs. Why is that? It partly because the principal contributor to the Proverbs was Solomon, and as this passage points out, Solomon was blessed by God because he could have asked for anything and what he finally asked for was wisdom and understanding to rule over God's people. It is also so important because, as the early church fathers taught, wisdom in the scriptures is an image of Jesus Christ. So what would be more important to ask for in one's life than Jesus? Glory be to God!

May 25, 2016

DISCERNMENT

Proverbs 14:17

A quick- tempered man acts with recklessness,
But a man with discernment bears many things.

Personal Challenge

It is interesting that this proverb does not contrast quick tempered with patience as one would think, but with discernment. Discernment is on of the highest virtues, for out of it flows patience and the ability to handle any situation that might arise. Discernment should be pursued above wealth and fame for it can guide our lives. Glory be to God!

May 24, 2016

MY STRENGTH AND MY REFUGE

Psalm 31:1-5 (30:2-6 LXX)

In You, O Lord, I hope; may I not be ashamed forever;
In Your righteousness deliver and rescue me.
Incline Your ear to me;
Rescue me speedily;
Be to me a God who protects me,
And a house of refuge to save me.
For You are my strength and my refuge,
And for Your name's sake You will guide and sustain me;
For You will bring me out from the snare they hid for me;
For You are my protector.
Into Your hands I shall entrust my spirit;
You redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.

Encouraging Words

Life has a way of closing in on us and convincing us that there is nothing or no one that can rescue us or protect us. So we often give in to the pressure and let the world take over. But this is not true. God is our deliverer and rescuer. He does protect us. He provides for us a place of refuge. He provides us strength and guidance. It is so much easier to recognise this in the hard times when we have spent the good times under His protective wings. Then when the hard times hit, His place of refuge is familiar and comforting to us. It is never God that distances Himself from us. We are always the ones who walk away from Him and then wonder where He is in our times of need. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!