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How fitting as we walk through our Holy Week on our way to Pascha.

Colossians 3:5

Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

Personal Challenge

Growing up reading the scriptures I was always taught to ask the question, “What is the “therefore” there for?” when it comes to reading Paul’s letters. In verses 1-4, he describes for us the true mysticism of Christians having received Christ’s exalted resurrection life in our baptism. Through Christ and His work, death in our lives has been put to death. Therefore, since Christ has put to death death in our lives, this means He has also put to death sin. This means that I too must focus my energies, my desires, on putting to death sin in my life as well. This is the act of asceticism that I am called to participate in throughout the remainder of my life…killing old sinful desires and passions before I act upon them. I can only do this through the power of the Holy Spirt whom I received within me during my baptism and chrismation. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!

Matthew 2:18

“A voice was heard in Ramah,
Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children,
Refusing to be comforted,
Because they are no more.”

Personal Challenge

I wonder what kind of burden Jesus carried on His heart throughout His life knowing that Herod slaughtered many innocent children in an attempt to kill Him as well. I am sure that He wept often for these innocents just as Rachel did in Jeremiah’s prophecy. We have in our generation many innocents that have been slain through abortion and being slain through ongoing abortions and child trafficking. Do we weep for them? I know that I do not and that is shameful. Let us weep and mourn for them and strive to be there for those who are at risk of following in their footsteps. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Titus 2:6-8

Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded, in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.

Personal Challenge

What kind of life does God want me to live? One whereby no one around me can call out anything evil in my life and where my enemies would feel ashamed to be my enemy. This is both a high expectation and an honor to strive for. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

1 Maccabees 3:18-19 (LXX)

Then Judas said, “It is easy to hem in many at the hands of a few, and it makes no difference before heaven to save with many or with few. For victory in battle does not come from the size of the army, but from the might of heaven.”

Encouraging Words

Life is filled with battles, both temporal and spiritual. It is so easy to set our focus on the size of our army as well as the enemy’s, or the strength that we do not have, and get discouraged about the overwhelming size of the enemy. But this is not what matters. What matters is that we have the hosts of heaven on our side and if we fight our battles under our Lord’s guidance then the enemy is defeated. Glory be to God!

Psalm 46:11 (45:12 LXX)

The Lord of hosts is with us,
The God of Jacob is our protector.

Encouraging Words

Life is filled with battles, both temporal and spiritual. It is so easy to set our focus on the size of our army, or the strength that we do not have, and get discouraged about the overwhelming size of the enemy. But this is not what matters. What matters is that we have the hosts of heaven on our side and if we fight our battles under our Lord’s guidance then the enemy is defeated. Glory be to God!

2 Timothy 4:7-8

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

Personal Challenge

I can never hope for, or desire, and easy, cushy life, if I am to live my life as a godly, righteous man. This does not mean that my life will not be filled with joy or rewards. The life of a Christian who is desiring theosis is a life lived as a marathon. Every thought, every action, every breath taken is part of our training for the race of life. Am I thinking rightly? Am I acting righteously and in the image of Christ? Am I breathing in His Spirit and breathing out the distractions, temptations, and sins of this world? And just as in a marathon there is the prize at the end of the race, there are also the waypoints along the race where I am given that bottle of water to sustain me, or that pat on the back and the encouragement to keep pressing on. Praise God for these times, like this past weekend spending time with some of my children and grandchildren. What an awesome reminder that the race is worth it and the prize indeed is good and worth the sacrifices along the journey to get to the end. Glory be to God!

Malachi 1:6a


“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then, I am the Father, where is My honor? And if I am a Master, where is the reverence due to me?” says the Lord Almighty.


Personal Challenge


What a personally convicting verse this is today. The whole first chapter of Malachi challenges the people of God who had gotten sloppy in their liturgical worship services. They had made them more honoring to man and less honoring to God. They are complaining about the length and calling them boring. The liturgical services of the Church are not for me and my desires. They are for worshipping our Lord. Do I give my all as a living sacrifice when I participate in these services or do I check out and just go through the motions? This is my opportunity to focus my entire being on my God in worship and adoration. It is not about me. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Psalm 127:1 (126:1 LXX)

Unless the Lord builds the house,
Those who build it labor in vain;
Unless the Lord guard the city,
Those who guard it stay awake in vain.

Encouraging Words

I have so often heard this verse applied to the raising up of a family and the need to follow this principle. This is so true, but this also applies to how I should live my own life. There is a house of faith, hope, and love that I should be building in my own heart and mind. If I try to build it on my own accord, without letting the Lord be the Masterbuilder then I am building it in vain. If I am trying to protect this house by my own strength then I am I am also doing this in vain. It is encouraging to know hat my Lord is the Masterbuilder and Protector of the house of faith, hope, and love in my heart and mind. Glory be to God!