Posts Tagged ‘Gospel of Matthew’
Judge Yourself
I hear it all the time. Don’t judge! Under most circumstances I hear this as a defense of someone’s behavior. We cling to God’s warning against judgment not for salvation sake, but for our self-interest. We think if we are not judged by those around us, then our behavior is given the ‘green light’ to…
Read MoreRun to God
It never ceases to amaze me how many people outright ignore God until they need Him. We go through life ‘minding our own business’ until suddenly something takes place that we cannot control. It can be a natural event like a hurricane. It can also be the actions of other people. Either way, because we…
Read MoreFalse Prophets
Intuitively we understand the idea of false prophets. It is those who lead us stray from God through their words of warning. In the biblical sense prophets are not future tellers per se. True prophets are allowed by God to see what might happen if and when certain behaviors take place. False prophets use this…
Read MoreTrust and Betrayal
There are so many examples of human betrayal it can be difficult to trust anyone. Some parents abandon their families. Some adults abuse the people in their care. Even the ‘system’ can betray us when corrupt leaders take control. It is no surprise then that so many Christians do not trust the Church. I get…
Read MoreEpisode 399 – Living as Saints
When we accept the invitation to become saints, we must also accept the challenge of a life willing to give it all up for God. We must live the life of the Church which has been guided by the Holy Spirit since Pentecost. A life of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving is meant to help us…
Read MoreThe Divine Standard
One of the things I’ve noticed recently about keyboard warriors is that they rarely live the message they proclaim. This is not limited to Christians. It seems lately that everyone is ready and willing to offer advice and demand behavior shifts to anyone and everyone who is ‘lucky enough’ to read the comment section. It…
Read MoreOrthodox State of Mind
We begin our new season in the Church by reading from the Gospel of Matthew and Saints Paul’s letter to the Romans. Now that we have celebrated Pentecost, the Church turns our attention immediately to our state of mind. At that time, Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel…
Read MoreForeknowledge of God
We like to say that God knows everything. Yet, we still try to hide from Him. We like to say that God already knows what we are going to do. Yet, we still act as if our sins are secret. We like to say that God is all knowable. Yet, we still live as if…
Read MoreSeek the Kingdom
Christ is Risen! When we think of our resources and income, we think about investing for the future. We think about vacations in the Alps. We think about leaving a legacy for our children. It is well known that most Americans live ‘paycheck to paycheck’ thinking only about getting through today. The two concepts, focusing…
Read More2023 Daily Lenten Journey – Day 14
When one paralyzed man was brought by his four friends to Jesus Christ for healing, it was THEIR faith that Jesus noticed. We hear in the Gospel of Mark, “When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” (Mark 2.5) In this encounter, Jesus is reminding us that…
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