Author: David Short

Saint of the Week
St. Anthony the Great

I have posted it before, but today it seems appropriate to post it again.

DELIGHT IN GOOD THINGS

Isaiah 55:1-2

“You who are thirsty, go to the water, and all who have no money, go and buy wine and fat, and eat and drink without money and price. Why do you value at the price of money, and give your toil for what does not satisfy? Listen to Me and eat good things, and your soul will delight in good things.”

Personal Challenge

The ways of the world almost always seem to revolve around the accumulation of wealth. The more that I have, the happier I will be, is so often the mantra that is professed and played out. However, wealth is fleeting, It can come and go without care about those who hold it. True, eternal wealth can only be found in the truths of our Lord and are eternal. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

HUMILITY

James 4:10

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

Personal Challenge

One characteristic to look for in determining a follower of Christ that is real versus a pseudo-Christian is where they are on the humility scale. If we want God to lift us up then we must be humble before Him and our fellow mankind. If I am flaunting my Christianity whether it be with parphenalia, such as a cross around my neck, slogan brandishing t-shirts, or bumper stickers, then the odds are that I am not being very humble. If I am proclaiming Jesus as my Lord and yet encouraging or supporting things that hurt or harm others, especially those who cannot defend themselves, then the odds are that I am not humbling myself in the sight of the Lord. We are not to judge one another, but we are called to be discerning in who we believe and who we put our trust in. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

GLORIFIED IN GOD

Isaiah 45:25

All the seed of the children of Israel shall be made righteous by the Lord, and glorified in God.

Encouraging Words

The original recording of this verse was targeted at the children of Israel, but with Isaiah being a prophet, the full intent was the seed of the children of Israel. This would be every man, woman, and child that would follow in the footstep of Christ over the last 2,000 years and on until He returns to take us all home. The promise here is that we will be made righteous by the Lord, and glorified in God. Definitely encouraging words. Glory be to God!

NEARNESS TO GOD

James 4:8-9

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.

Personal Challenge

Our God is always present and available for us to run to. We spend so much of our time distancing ourselves from Him. As this passage says, if we more closer to Him, He will move even closer to us. It also reminds us that part of drawing closer to Him involves cleaning up our act eliminating obstacles that can come between us. We do this by cleaning ourselves of the sins, the passions, that we hold on to. It involves lamenting and mourning over our sins, repenting, and seeking His forgiveness. Sounds gloomy but the sunshine on the other end is blinding. Glory be to God!

DON’T LOOK BACK

Isaiah 43:18

Do not remember the former things, nor reason about the things of old.

Personal Challenge

A trend that is growing stronger throughout our society is focusing on times from the past and trying to create the present to be that way again. It ia happening in the church as much as it is in secular society. In the Catholic Church there are the radical traditionalist (RadTrads) who want the church to back to the way it was in the 50’s. In the Orthodox Church it is the zealots that believe old style Orthodoxy is the only correct way to be. This would be women in long dresses and head coverings, no pews, etc. It is happening in protestant Churches as well. In society it is our current regime trying to roll back everything to the “Leave it to Beaver” era, which by the way only existed on TV. Isaiah was prophesying to his fellow country men and women to abandon the former things and to move forward with God’s new plans for them. Good advice, even today. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

FRIENDSHIP WITH THE WORLD

James 4:1-7

Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:

“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Personal Challenge

As we see a rise in our country of Christian nationalism and pseudo-Christians, this passage from James articulates those things that followers of Christ must focus on keeping out of their lives. Read this passage multiple times and identify what needs to be addressed, repented of, and eliminated from your life, even if it appears to be really minor. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

Saint of the Week
St. John of Kronstadt

CALLED BY NAME

Isaiah 43:1-2

And now, thus says the Lord God who made you, O Jacob, and who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I redeemed you. I called you by your name, for you are Mine. If you pass through water, I am with you; and the rivers shall not overflow you. If you pass through fire, you shall not be burned up, nor shall the flame consume you.

Encouraging Words

Life can be tough. We are not alone in our journey through this life. Whether we choose to be followers of Christ or not, God still calls us by our name to follow Him. He created us to be His. He has redeemed us. Even as we pass through the floods and fires of life, He is still there, calling our names and waiting for us to turn to Him. Glory be to God!

WISDOM FROM ABOVE

James 3:17-18

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Personal Challenge

We live in a time where so many people feel that they have all the knowledge and wisdom to rule the world. They pride themselves on their positions and/or wealth as if these things contribute to true wisdom. James highlights for us some of the characteristics of true, godly wisdom. To be this kind of wisdom, it is pure in its actions, peaciable in its intentions, gentle in its relationships, willing to yield to the needs of others, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality to those to whom it is imparted, and without hypocrisy. We must measure all earthly proclamations of wisdom against these measurements before accepting them as true and right. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!