Verse of the Day

Category: Uncategorized

  • April 14, 2021

    BELIEVING

    Matthew 21:21-22

    So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

    Personal Challenge

    Being a follower of Christ must take over our entire lives if we are to experience the fullness of what He has to offer us. Our relationship with Him does not get all wrapped up in just one prayer where we profess Him as Lord. If our lives have not been permanently changed by that profession then we are no different than the demons who also profess that He is the Lord. Our journey through life with Christ as our Lord should change us. We should be growing in our faith and our belief as we draw closer to Him. It’s through this growing relationship that we will be able to move the mountains in our lives. Glory be to God!

  • April 13, 2021

    GIVE IT AWAY

    Matthew 19:21

    Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

    Personal Challenge

    It always amazes me how those who proclaim the prosperity gospel skip past all the teachings of Christ that tell us just the opposite. Here He clearly tells the rich young man to give away all of his wealth in order to gain the treasure awaiting him in heaven. He tells us elsewhere not to put our faith in the wealth of this world because we cannot serve two masters, wealth and God. It is not that He is against having wealth here on earth. He is against putting it above the needs of others. He is against making it our God. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

  • April 12, 2021

    IN HIS NAME

    Matthew 18:20

    For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.

    Personal challenge

    As followers of Christ, we should be doing all things in His name. He should be the center of every thought, word, action, or desire. This is a hard thing to accomplish, but is a worthy goal for all of us to pursue. Jesus promises us that when more than one of us gets together, people who are pursuing Christ in this manor, then He will be there with us. Just as the two men who were walking on the road to Emmaus, talking about Jesus, mourning His death, cherishing their memories, He appeared and spent time with them. So too, can we have Him with us. Glory be to God!

  • April 11, 2021

    RECONCILIATION

    Matthew 18:15-18

    “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.”

    “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

    Encouraging Words

    I have heard from well-meaning people that they wished the Bible was more of an instruction book so that they would know how to live their lives. My first thought when I hear that is, “Are you kidding me?” There is so much instruction and guidance on how to live a godly life. We just need to be willing to look for it and to practice it. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

  • April 10, 2021

    Saint of the Week

    St. Ambrose of Optina

  • April 9, 2021

    LOST AND FOUND

    Matthew 18:12-14

    What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

    Encouraging Words

    Have you ever been separated from the group that you were with? It can be very disconcerting to feel like you are all alone and the rest of the group has moved on without you. Then all of a sudden they show up explaining that they stopped what they were doing to find you. What a sense of joy that produces. We will never be totally lost and separated from Jesus. He will always come for us because He loves us and wants us to be back in the fold. He will rescue us and bring us back home. Glory be to God!

  • April 8, 2021

    AS LITTLE CHILDREN


    Matthew 18:1-6

    At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.

    “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”

    Encouraging Words

    It is encouraging to know that the standard by which we are measured regarding our potential greatness in the kingdom of heaven is that of a child. Children are humble by nature. They are loving. They are transparent. The are sponges, taking in so much information and learning as they grow. These characteristics are what we should be pursing in our lives. This is why Jesus answered the question about greatness by pointing to the children. Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

  • April 7, 2021

    FOLLOWING CHRIST

    Matthew 16:24-28

    Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

    Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

    Personal Challenge

    Following Christ is not just a once a week thing. Jesus expects His followers to give their entire lives to Him by denying ourselves, taking up our cross, and following Him. Yes, He loves us all, and He will still redeem those who choose to follow Him in a cavalier manner. If, however, we desire to not only see His Kingdom here on earth, but to the be in the midst of it every day of our lives, then we need to follow Him on His terms. Glory be to God!

  • April 6, 2021

    HYPOCRITES!

    Matthew 15:7-9

    Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

    ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
    And honor Me with their lips,
    But their heart is far from Me.
    And in vain they worship Me,
    Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

    Personal Challenge

    Jesus had no problem challenging the religious elite of His day who had added all sorts of restrictions and expectations on top of the teachings of the fathers of the church. They could not leave it alone and added all kinds of rules, traditions, and rubrics to make it hard for the common person to practice their faith. Jesus called them hypocrites. Have we started doing the same thing in our lives and churches? Do we do the same things with our practices of worship God? We need to stay true to the teachings of our fathers and practice the simple truths of our Lord. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

  • April 5, 2021

    DO NOT BE AFRAID

    Matthew 14:27

    But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”

    Encouraging Words

    In many of the Old Testament teachings we are told to be fearful of God for what He could do to us because of our sinfulness. This often developed into a cowering in the corner form of fear. If we study how David and many of the other saints in the Old Testament lived their lives in relationship to God, they had developed a fear that was more about a respect for who God was and what He could do to them, but with a hope that God’s mercy would always prevail. Jesus ushered in a new covenant with us where all of us can have this latter form of fear of our God and not be afraid at the same time. He is our intercessor and our source of hope for the mercy of God. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!