Psalm 146:1-2 (145:1-2 LXX)
Encouraging Words…
Psalm 111:10 (110:10 LXX)
Personal Challenge…
This verse reminds me of the homes that we built in Haiti after the earthquake of 2010. The foundation for the concrete that we mixed, the mortar that we used to tie them together, and even the key element of the blocks themselves was the sand that we used. Those who used the cheapest, most readily available sand, which was powdery and non-binding built structures that fell apart in the tempest. Those built of the right foundational material, the harder to find material, the more costly material, will stand through the tempests thrown their way.
Colossians 1:9-12
For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.
Encouraging Words…
One of the traditions/teachings of the Orthodox church is that when we fall asleep in the Lord we enter into His presence in eternity. We are henceforth living in eternity with Him and this is the reason we can reach out to those whom have gone before us to petition our Lord on our behalf. I can see Paul lifting up this prayer on behalf of all Christians yesterday, today, and tomorrow asking our glorious God to quide us and protect us as we draw closer to Him.
This passage provides us a summary of progress in a truly spiritual life: from discernment of God’s will (v. 9) to doing God’s will (v. 10) with divine energy and virtue (v. 11), within the Church, the baptized and eucharistic assembly. In the apostolic tradition, this life is open to all the saints, not just to a few. (Orthodox Study Bible)
Philippians 4:11-13
Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Personal Challenge…
Contentment: that long sought after prize of every man, woman, and child. We have advertisers, politicians, preachers, and everyone else that you can think of selling us the latest gadget, program, or concept of what will provide us contentment. And here we find Paul giving is the ultimate true answer to contentment. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Contentment is not found in the stuff we accumulate, or the status and achievements that we acquire. It is not found is what I can do or what others can do for me. It is found in trusting Christ, loving God and loving our neighbor, making a choice to let go of how the world does things and letting God be our source…of everything.
Philippians 1:2
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Encouraging Words…
Throughout the scriptures we, the readers, the faithful, are offered greetings such as this. Should I not follow this example and offer up prayers and blessings to those whom God has placed in my life. Grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ to all whom I know, love, and care for.
Proverbs 16:1
All the works of the humble are evident before the Lord,
But the ungodly will be destroyed in the evil day.
Personal Challenge…
Throughout the scriptures we are reminded that we are to be about God’s work. What is critical in this is our thoughts and actions. When we go about our Christian lives with a sincerely humble spirit it pleases our Lord and points others to Him. However, if we do our work, even the work of the Lord, with a prideful attitude then the works become ungodly. Something to ponder and a reminder to keep checking the state of my heart.
Colossians 4:6
Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
Personal Challenge…
Laura and I have often labeled this age that we live in the “Seinfeld Age”. Sarcasm, putdown’s, criticisms offered followed by “Just Kidding!” and snarky remarks are the normative way of speaking. But here we are commanded to always speak with grace to be loving and caring and building up in our speaking. If being a dedicated Christian means living a life that is “Set apart”, different and conforming to the likeness of Christ then it must go beyond the fasts, or reading the Scriptures, or attending church regularly, and encapsulate both what comes out of my mouth and how it is delivered; with grace and love!
Luke 9:23-24
Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.”
Personal Challenge…
I am either all in or I am all out…there is no in between. If I choose to receive the salvation of Christ then my life must constantly be changing into His likeness. If it is not, then I am just basking in the glory of His work and am not one of His. This means that I am continually taking up my cross, which God has made unique to me, and bearing it for Him. Why? Because in so doing I am following in the footsteps of Christ, being refined, purified, sanctified by Him and for Him. And I do not just bear my cross for myself, but for those around me so that they may see Christ, just as when Christ was lifted up on His cross it was so that all would see God.
Philippians 3:8-11
Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Personal Challenge…
Paul gave up so much in order to be a disciple of Christ. He was of the religious elite, from a wealthy background, a figurehead in his community. And yet he cast that all aside to follow and pursue his Christ. Am I willing to do the same? Throughout the history of the church we have had so many who have stood firm in their commitment to Christ, martyred, persecuted, and minimalized. Am I willing to do the same? Am I willing to count all that I have, all that I am, all that I desire as loss so that I can gain the excellence of the knowledge of Christ? When I can truly begin to answer “Yes!” to these questions then I will be on the path of truly knowing Christ.
Proverbs 17:1
Personal Challenge…
Verse of the Day 