Category: Uncategorized

Mark 2:5

When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”

Encouraging Words

Throughout the ministry of Jesus during His time here on earth, we see Him connecting sin to physical maladies. There is much to be said about how the sins in our lives do not only affect our spiritual state, but they also affect or physical, emotional, and mental states as well. More and more scientific evidence is being gathered that shows this as well. When Jesus forgives us of our sins, He also sets us on a path of healing, holistically. Glory be to God!

Mark 1:35

Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.

Personal Challenge

So, if Jesus was fully God and fully man, why did He take time out of His day to pray? He shows us here that He needed to be in fellowship with the rest of the Godhead. He demonstrates the need to stay connected to His Father and the Spirit: He also shows that being fully human, His humanness is complete by being in fellowship with the Father of all. His example shows us what we need to do in order to grow in our lives in the likeness of Him. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Matthew 28:19-20

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Personal Challenge

Being a true follower of Christ does not mean living a static Christian life. He wants us to be active in our relationship with Him. Sometimes this may mean writing a check so that someone else can go, but in reality, it means going and doing. We can be goers within our own churches and families. We may be called to go into our neighborhoods or even somewhere half way around the world. In all cases, we are to be goers and doers so that God’s kingdom can be taken to the ends of the earth. Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

Matthew 26:41

Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Personal Challenge

I know, that for myself, I usually go through life just living and taking care of things as they come up. This way will often set me up for failing when a temptation arises and then I end up sinning. Jesus reminds His disciples, and consequently us, that we must live our lives in constant awareness that the enemy will be throwing temptations at us all of the time, especially when we least expect it. We protect ourselves against this by constantly being on the watch for the attacks and praying for God to guide us through the maze of life. He knows that our spirits are willing to know Him, but that our flesh is weak. One way to be in constant prayer is to use the Jesus prayer. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner! Glory be to God!

Matthew 25:34-40

Matthew 24:35

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

Encouraging Words

Jesus taught many things to His disciples while He was with them. He continued His teaching after He returned from the tomb. He also taught much through the Old Testament fathers as the pre-incarnate Christ. These are the words that will never pass away. These are the words that are eternal. They started in the beginning of time. May we hold on to them and embrace them as His truth. Glory be to God!

Matthew 22:37-40

Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Personal Challenge

My former, retired priest used to often tell me that one of this challenges with his flock was their constant request for a set of rules to live their lives by. As humans we are constantly looking for that perfect checklist to use so that we can earn our way Into heaven. First of all, there is no earning our way into God’s grace. It is a free gift that only He can give. Secondly, a checklist becomes a shortcut, a crutch, and often a measuring stick used to lord it over our brothers and sisters. How are you doing keeping the fast? How many prayers did you say today? How many services have you come to (regardless of how many people you have cut in front of to get there? Our Old Testament Jewish forefathers were given 10 commandments, which later evolved into over 600 rules and laws. We are doing the same with the teachings of our Lord, the Apostles, and the early church fathers, with our many traditions that are viewed as sacraments. Jesus gave us two commandments to live our lives by. Yes? Only two! If we live by these two commandments, we will be godly, righteous people. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind and love your neighbor as yourself. There is nothing more needed than these two commandments. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner, and teach me to love your way?

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!