Author: David Short

The fear of the Lord will cheer the heart
And will give gladness, joy, and long life.
For those who fear the Lord, it shall be well to the utmost,
And on the day of his death, he will be blessed.

Encouraging Words…

The fear, or deep respect and awe, of the Lord is an investment in both the present and the future. Through our faith, our hope, we choose to love the Lord above and beyond all, and through this love, this fear, our hearts are cheered and full of gladness, and joy. Even in times of difficulty we can walk with our heads up and our lives filled with godly joy because of who our God is and what He has done in our lives. Living this way not only guides us through the jungle of life, but also goes before us and with us into eternity even after we depart from this physical body.

For in everything, O Lord, You have exalted and glorified Your people,
And have not neglected to be present with them in every time and place.

Encouraging Words…

Our Lord, Our God, is always present in our lives ready to exalt and glorify those who are His. Then why do we have trials and tribulations? Usually it is because of our choices and these trials and tribulations are the consequences of those behaviors. Sometimes it is His way of refining us and helping us to grow in the image of His Son. And sometimes it is because of the fallen state of the world that we live in. But in all cases He promises to be there with us, lifting us up, and leading us to His glory.

But You, our God, are kind, true, patient,
And govern all things in mercy.
For even if we sin, we belong to You and know Your might;
But we will not sin,
Because we know that we are counted as belonging to You.
For to know You is complete righteousness,
And to know Your might is the root of immortality.

Encouraging Words…

So many religions, and even some Christian faith practices, are based on fear, on believing that God is a vicious, judgmental God. But the truth that we believe is that God is kind, true, patient, and merciful. Whether we sin or not we still belong to Him and through that belonging we are able to flee from sin. Through knowing Him we can live righteous lives and receive immortality.

God breathed a part of His life, His essence, into every person that has ever lived. Because of that He is continually nudging us toward Him, sometimes by blessings, sometimes by corrections. It is His desire that we be freed from evil and death, and believe in Him.

If anyone loves righteousness,
The products of righteousness are the virtues.
For wisdom teaches self-control, discernment, righteousness and courage,
Concerning which things there is nothing more valuable in the life of man.

Personal Challenge…

Our reward for pursuing righteousness is the blessing of receiving the virtues; self-control, discernment, righteousness and courage. How much better our world would be if those of us who claim to be Christians would pursue true righteousness, that which can only come from our Lord.

Now if riches are a possession to be desired in life,
What is richer than wisdom, who works all things?
And if discernment shows itself in action,
Who more than wisdom is its craftsman?

Encouraging Words…

Wisdom is the greatest treasure in life that any one of us could ever seek. And when we find it, and continue to pursue it, it becomes truly manifest in our lives through action. Being a Christian is not a noun but a verb, a verb whose craftsman is wisdom, or Christ.

Wisdom of Solomon 7:22-23 LXX

So in herself, wisdom is a spirit that is rational,
Holy, only- begotten, manifold, subtle, easily moved, clear,
Undefiled, manifest, invulnerable, loving what is good, keen,
Unhindered, beneficent, man- loving, steadfast, unfailing,
Free from worry, all- powerful, all- surveying,
And penetrating all spirits that are rational, pure, and most subtle

Encouraging Words…

And people wonder why we worship and love the risen and living Christ! Glory be to God! The Orthodox Church teaches that through deification or becoming like God, humanity is given the capacity to share in the uncreated energies of God — His power, purity, light, and goodness. (Orthodox Study Bible notes). Again, we choose to worship God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, because through the work of Christ, death has been defeated and we can share in His glory.

Wisdom is radiant and unfading
And is easily perceived by those who love her;
For she is found by those who seek her.
She comes upon those who long to know her beforehand.
He who rises early in the morning to seek her
Will not grow weary,
For he will find her sitting at his gates.
For to think deeply about her
Is the perfection of discernment,
And he who keeps watch for her
Will soon be free from worry;

Encouraging Words…

The early church fathers taught that the wisdom spoken of in the Old Testament is Christ. He is radiant and unfading and easily perceived by those who love Him. He is found by those who seek Him and truly comes to those who long for Him. He gives strength to the weary and renews those who pursue Him. He perfects discernment in those who think deeply on Him and takes away the worries of those who keep watch for Him. Glory be to God!

Wisdom of Solomon 5:15-16 LXX

But the righteous live forever,
And their reward is with the Lord;
And their care is by the Most High.
Therefore they shall receive a kingly dwelling of dignity
And a crown of beauty from the hand of the Lord,
Because He will shelter them with His right hand
And protect them with His arm.

Encouraging Words…

Many people might ask why do we, Christians that are committed to our Lord, spend so much of our time and resources doing things that seem archaic to them. Why? Because we believe in the Lord Most High, His precepts, and His promises. We look forward to our lives that will be continued throughout eternity and the rewards that our God will bestow upon us for following Him and attempting to live righteous lives. We live this way in faith, with a hope in what we have not seen, but has been evidenced to us throughout history. We cherish His care, His shelter, and His protection.

When virtue is present, people imitate it,
And when it goes away, they long for it.
Throughout one’s lifetime,
Virtue leads the struggle for undefiled prizes,
Wearing a crown and conquering.

Encouraging Words…

We were created in the image of God, and in this fragile, earthbound package there has been placed this desire, this yearning for virtue in our lives. It is our responsibility to pursue it, to embrace it in our lives, and to pass it on to those around us…even when many around us do not have it or even appear to desire it. Living a virtuous and godly life may be difficult at times, but it will lead us through the struggles of life and bring us to those prizes that are undefiled. Living this way will also bring us to our place in eternity wearing a crown, the crown placed upon us by our Lord, and being conquerers for Him.