Scripture: Ephesians 5:18-20 Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thought for the Day: Have you ever had
Scripture: Ephesians 4:11-13 The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.
Scripture: Romans 8:35-36 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.” Thought for the Day: This passage almost sounds as if it is a contradiction as Paul claims that nothing can
Scripture: Isaiah 55:6 Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near… Thought for the Day: How hard is it to find God? According to St. Patrick, who preached in the 5th century, God is found everywhere for those who are looking. It was Patrick who wrote, “Christ beside me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ within me, Christ beneath me,
Scripture: 1st Corinthians 6:1 When any of you has a grievance against another, do you dare to take it to court before the unrighteous, instead of taking it before the saints? Thought for the Day: What if all Christians chose to take their disagreements to the great witnesses of the faith instead of the court system? We tend to like lawsuits in this country, yet Paul encourages the
Scripture: 1st Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Thought for the Day: It all started with someone else. St. Augustine referred to God as the first mover, the One whose actions put our actions into motion. On this All Saints’ Day, I realize that I am moved to actions of compassion and love only
Scripture: Isaiah 29:24 (the Message) Those who got off-track will get back on-track, and complainers and whiners learn gratitude. Thought for the Day: The comedian Seth Meyers said, “A new study shows that kids who eat a lot of candy are more likely to be arrested for violent behavior as adults, said that weird old lady who gives out apples on Halloween.” There were always the people who
Scripture: Matthew 10:7 As you go, proclaim the good news, “The kingdom of heaven has come near.” Thought for the Day: I’ve spent the last few days with some amazing pastors who are currently starting new churches or are in the process of discerning a call to start new churches. It is a courageous crazy bunch, and I must confess a great sense of humility as I listened
Scripture: 1st Timothy 3:14-15 I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you so that, if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth. Thought for the Day: It is so important that if, by chance, the author cannot
Scripture: Proverb 23:18 Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off. Thought for the Day: The writer and poet, Oscar Wilde, gives us a perspective so often forgotten. He wrote, “We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.” The words are powerful, but they feel a bit too idealistic for the person sitting in the gutter.