FOREVER
Isaiah 40:7-8
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God abides forever.
Encouraging Words
Whether a person, or a society, believes in God or not it doesn’t matter. He still exists, always has, and always will. His word, the living Son, also exists, always has, and always will. It is up to us to decide whether or not we will submit to Him, His love for us, His mercy towards us, and His grace. Glory be to God!
Saint of the Week
St. Maximus the Confessor
WHAT DOES IT PROFIT?
James 2:14-16
What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?
Personal Challenge
James makes it very clear that being a Christian is much more than just a proclamation that you are one. A true follower of Christ will be recognized by their actions and not their proclamations. It is also extremely critical to note what those actions are. The Scriptures never praise a person for the number of liturgies, masses, or services that they participate in. Nothing is praised when it comes to how many books one has read or even verses of the Bible have been memorized. We are measured by how we treat people, especially the destitute. Who are these destitute? Everyone around us is lacking in one way or another. We are to invest of ourselves into their need. We are also to be very focused on supporting the naked, the orphan, the widow, the foreigner amongst us, the poor, the hungry, and the list goes on. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!
WITH GLADNESS
Isaiah 35:10
and those gathered by the Lord shall return and come to Zion with gladness, and with everlasting gladness over their head. For praise and exceeding joy will be on their head, and gladness shall possess them. Pain, sorrow, and sighing fled away.
Encouraging Words
Jesus came in order to establish the new “Zion” and open the way for all to make it there. This has nothing to do with any city, state, nation, or kingdom here on earth. It has nothing to do with any single people group. It is for all of mankind for all of time. It will be a kingdom of gladness and joy with no pain, sorrow, or sighing. Glory be to God!
NO PARTIALITY
James 2:1-4
My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
Personal Challenge
One of the things that has become very aparent in the recent events accross our country is the depth and breadth of partiality within the hearts and minds of so many people. It has played out in so many ways. Racisim. Anti-immigrants. Anti-“Woke” attitudes. Hatred between political parties. Animosity between different faith practices. For those who claim to be Christian, none of this is acceptable. We are called, actually commanded, to love our neighbor, no matter who they are. We cannot claim to be followers of Christ and show partiality. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!
WHO WILL TELL?
Isaiah 33:13-16
“Those afar off will hear what I have done; and those near will know My strength.” The lawless in Zion departed; trembling will seize the ungodly. Who will tell you a fire is burning? Who will tell you about the eternal place? He who walks in righteousness and speaks uprightly, he who hates lawlessness and wrongdoing, who gestures with his hands, refusing bribes, he who stops his ears from hearing the judgment of blood, and he who shuts his eyes from seeing wrongdoing. He will dwell in a high cave of a mighty rock. Bread will be given him, and his water will be plentiful.
Personal Challenge
Our temporal world has always been filled with right and wrong. Always has been\, and always will be, until the new kingdom is established. Throughout the history of mankind we have had those who stood up for what is right and rebuke that which was wrong. Jesus was the ultimate human to do that, and as God, He will establish that new kingdom for us to transition to. In the meantime, it is incumbent upon us who remain on this earth to speak up against the wrong around us and to protect that which is right. It means telling others of the eternal world to come. It means walking in righteousness and speaking uprightly. It means hating lawlessness and wrongdoing. It means being physically active in proclaiming these truths, refusing bribes, and shutting our ears and eyes to the lies and falsehoods of the world and seizing hold of truth. Glory be to God!
PROVOKING GOD
Proverbs 17:5
He who laughs at the poor provokes the One who made him,
And he who rejoices in destruction will not be unpunished;
But he who has compassion will be shown mercy.
Encouraging Words
A phrase that I learned early in my spiritual journey is, “Vergence is mine, saith the Lord.”. I have held on to that phrase my entire life and have seen my Father execute it many times. The biggest challenge for followers of Christ is to let go of evils done by others and let God work out the appropriate consequences in His time, which seldom aligns with our time. In this Proverb we are reminded that God cares deeply for the poor, whether they be poor in wealth or health or spirit. They were made in God’s image and He will repay those who take advantage of those who are poor. May God have mercy on those in today’s political climate that are relishing the harm being done to these in need. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord have mercy!
DOERS
James 1:22-25
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
Personal Challenge
Our world is filled with people who have mastered the skill of accumulating information and yet not doing anything constructive or productive with that knowledge. It is also filled with people that are full of their own personal opinions which are driven by pride and arrogance. Neither of these are of any value to the world around us. It is our responsibility to seek out and listen to the truth that is available, to discern it from the lies and fabrications, and most importantly, act upon that truth with conviction and resolve, seeking godly and righteous results. We are to be doers and not just hearers. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!
Saint of the Week
St. Porphyrios
RETURN AND GROAN
Isaiah 30:15
For thus says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel: “When you return and groan, then you will be saved and know where you were. When you trusted in vain things, vain was your strength, and you did not will to listen.”
Personal Challenge
As a country that was founded on Godly principles, we should take a lesson from the early Jewish nation. God blesses those who pursue Him and His righteousness. He does not bless those who build, or follow, false spirituality. Righteousness, and therefore, a Christ-centered mindset, cannot be legislated or forced. It only comes from humbly abandoning our evil ways, returning to God, and groaning (confessing)our sins. This is repentence and it is not only needed individually but corporately as well. When we put our trust in vain things, those things that are apart from God, then all else will be in vain. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!
Verse of the Day 