Isaiah 58:4-8

If you fast for condemnations and quarrels, and strike a humble man with your fists, why do you fast to Me as you do today, so your voice may be heard in crying? I did not choose this fast, and such a day for a man to humble his soul; nor if you should bow your neck like a ring and spread sackcloth and ashes under yourself, could you thus call such a fast acceptable. I did not choose such a fast, says the Lord; rather, loose every bond of wrongdoing; untie the knots of violent dealings; cancel the debts of the oppressed; and tear apart every unjust contract. Break your bread for the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house. If you see a naked man, clothe him, nor shall you disregard your offspring in your own household. Then your light shall break forth as the morning, and your healing shall spring forth quickly. Your righteousness shall go before you, and the glory of God shall cover you.

Personal Challenge…

Being a Christian is a verb, not a noun. God does not want me to be a Christian in name only, but to be one in action. He wants me to be active in His world reaching out and helping those in need. And this does not just mean writing a check so that someone else can do it. All the things that I do to practice my Christianity, i.e. studying my Bible, going to church regularly, serving on committees, whatever, are good for nothing if I am not going God’s work in His world. This is a very sobering thought.

Proverbs 21:3

To do righteous things and to speak the truth
Are more pleasing before God than the blood of sacrifices.

Personal Challenge…

God does not want all kinds of worship activities, or Bible studies, or evangelism activities from me. He wants me to live a righteous life and to speak the truth. He wants me to live a life that reflects Him and not one that distracts from Him. My actions and the words coming out of my mouth should be indicative of my heart. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Proverbs 19:21

There are many thoughts in the heart of a man,But the counsel of the Lord abides forever.

Encouraging Words…

God has blessed me along with the rest of mankind to be able to think and to entertain many deep thoughts. What a blessing this is, however, if I live there on my own, without the wise counsel of God I am destined to think errantly. The real blessing here is that the God of all wisdom, our Creator, is there to counsel and guide me in my thoughts and actions.

Mark 10:43-45

“Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Personal Challenge…

It is so easy to forget that the true role of a leader is to server others, especially when our society rewards leaders for whipping their organizations, their subordinates into shape and delivering more for less. It is time that those of us who desire to serve our Lord, to represent Him in our daily lives, to start leading like Christ did, by loving our coworkers, respecting our customers and management, being truthful, and working as if our true boss is Christ…which He is.

Psalm 109:21-22 (LXX 108:21-22)

But You, O Lord, O Lord, deal mercifully with me for Your name’s sake,

Proverbs 17:29 (17:30 LXX)

Wisdom shall be imputed to a man without understanding who asks for wisdom,

Proverbs 16:20 (16:18 LXX)

A man wise in his deeds is a discoverer of good things,But he who trusts in God is the most blessed.

Personal Challenge…

If I try to live a life of wisdom, godly wisdom, I will discover, experience, good things. But if I add to this living a life of trust in God, then I will see His blessings in my life and be a blessing in other’s lives.

Proverbs 16:7 (16:4 LXX)

He who seeks the Lord will find knowledge with righteousness,
And those who seek Him rightly will find peace.

Encouraging Words…

How can I find true peace in my life? By rightly seeking the Lord. The Lord is the Author of the virtues of knowledge and righteousness. I cannot have the Lord in my life without these virtues and since He is the Author of these virtues I cannot have them without Him. If I seek Him, earnestly and rightly (knowing and believing these truths), then I will find Him and receive these virtues as well as the peace that He also Authors.

Isaiah 40:29-31

He gives strength to the hungry, and sorrow to those who do not grieve. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the elect shall be without strength. But those who wait on God shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not hunger.

Encouraging Words…

I love it how God does this…in the midst of the craziness of life, the challenges and difficulties that have begun to wear me down, the weariness…He presents this, my favorite passage, as part of the daily Orthodox readings. Chance…no way! Coincidence…they don’t exist in His realm! Purposed and planned…YES! Thank You, Abba Father, for reminding me that You will renew my strength, that You will mount me up on wings of eagles, that You will sustain me at all times, through all seasons.

1 Peter 2:19-20

For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.

Personal Challenge…

As a Christian I am asked, actually commanded, to endure hardship gracefully and patiently, especially if the hardship is aimed at me for not doing anything wrong. This is another way of saying that I am to love my neighbor even when my neighbor is persecuting me. All I know is that I cannot do this on my own. I do not have the power or the ability to live this way on my own…but I do in Christ.