Good day Templar family
.. . . work with a smile on your face .. . . you’re really serving God— Ephesians 6:5-8
How do you think about work, about your work? Is it awesome? Drudgery? A calling? A means to an end? Separate from your faith? An expression of your faith?
God designed us, built us, for work (Genesis
2:15). Work is His gift, not His punishment, nor even a necessary evil. It’s how we’re brought into how He’s blessing and helping His sons and daughters (Ephesians 4:28). You see, Go... moreGood day Templar family
.. . . work with a smile on your face .. . . you’re really serving God— Ephesians 6:5-8
How do you think about work, about your work? Is it awesome? Drudgery? A calling? A means to an end? Separate from your faith? An expression of your faith?
God designed us, built us, for work (Genesis
2:15). Work is His gift, not His punishment, nor even a necessary evil. It’s how we’re brought into how He’s blessing and helping His sons and daughters (Ephesians 4:28). You see, God provides His blessings and help . . . through people .. .
.. through us.
The blessing of a house, for example, is given by God, but through the people who build it; who assist in its purchase, like the realtor and the banker; who make and sell the furnishings; who maintain it; and even those who insure the house against its loss. All this seemingly secular work becomes sacred when it’s done
(1) to love and serve God and his purposes, and
(2) to love and serve God’s sons and daughters.
It may not seem like it sometimes—especially with supply chains as long and complex as they are today—but it does. There’s no menial or meaningless work as long as it helps someone else in a positive way.
It’s in this, in being part of God’s blessing and helping others, that we find our purpose and meaning (Matthew 20:26-28). It’s also how we find joy. Our King, Jesus Christ, teaches us this: “You’re far happier giving than getting” ( Acts 20:33-35 ; John 15:11-15 MSG). Contrary to what our culture teaches, we’re happier exhausting ourselves for the good of others—putting their needs before our
own.
Who are you serving? Who are you blessing with your work? How might God view it? Spend a few moments in prayer, asking these questions . . . and listening . . . listening for the Holy Spirit
God's blessings
OMSDT. Priory of St.Miltiades
Freedom in Christ
Good day Templar family
It’s in this, in being part of God’s blessing and helping others, that we find our purpose and meaning (Matthew 20:26-28). It’s also how we find joy. Our King, Jesus Christ, teaches us this: “You’re far happier giving than getting” (Acts 20:33-35; John 15:11-15 MSG). Contrary to what our culture teaches, we’re happier exhausting ourselves for the good of others—putting their needs before our own.
Who are you serving? Who are you blessing with your work? How might God v... moreGood day Templar family
It’s in this, in being part of God’s blessing and helping others, that we find our purpose and meaning (Matthew 20:26-28). It’s also how we find joy. Our King, Jesus Christ, teaches us this: “You’re far happier giving than getting” (Acts 20:33-35; John 15:11-15 MSG). Contrary to what our culture teaches, we’re happier exhausting ourselves for the good of others—putting their needs before our own.
Who are you serving? Who are you blessing with your work? How might God view it? Spend a few moments in prayer, asking these questions . . . and listening . . . listening for the Holy Spirit.
Have a blessed Monday and week ahead
God's blessings
OMSDT. Priory of St.Miltiades
Freedom in Christ
Good day Templar family
The night is about over, dawn is about to break—
Romans 13:11-14
No question, a lot of us are living in “I know, I know” mode . . . in “I’m gonna do it, but just not right now” mode. You see, we know what’s
important; we’ve just convinced ourselves we’ve got all kinds of time. And, because life is crazy busy right now, we’ve resolved to get around to doing what we know we should be doing, later—when things slow a bit. We’ll change our ways, later. We’ll get around to... moreGood day Templar family
The night is about over, dawn is about to break—
Romans 13:11-14
No question, a lot of us are living in “I know, I know” mode . . . in “I’m gonna do it, but just not right now” mode. You see, we know what’s
important; we’ve just convinced ourselves we’ve got all kinds of time. And, because life is crazy busy right now, we’ve resolved to get around to doing what we know we should be doing, later—when things slow a bit. We’ll change our ways, later. We’ll get around to actually living out our faith, later.
But, what if there’s no later? What if this day, today, was our last day?
It couldn’t possibly be. Waking up this morning was just like waking up yesterday. Tomorrow’s sure to be the same. There’ll always be plenty of time .. . . right? Well, the Apostle Peter wrote that God’s right now “restraining himself,” because he loves you and me ( 2 Peter 3:8-9 MSG ). He’s “holding back the End because he doesn’t want anyone lost.
He’s giving everyone space and time to change” (2 Peter 3:8-9 MSG). But, warned Peter, it won’t last forever: “. .. . when the Day of God’s Judgment does come, it will be unannounced, like a thief” ( 2 Peter 3:8-10 MSG ). When the last day comes, the “space and time” God’s been giving us will vanish. So Peter made his appeal: “Since everything here
today might well be gone tomorrow, do you see how essential it is to live a holy life?” (2 Peter 3:11-13 MSG). So Peter made his appeal: live with urgency.
Take a look at your life. Where are you spending money and talent? Where, and with whom, are you spending time? What’s being neglected? What needs to change? Are you willing,? It’s time—time to shift into “I’m on it” mode.
Have a blessed Saturday
OMSDT. Priory of St.Miltiades
Freedom in Christ
Good day Templars family
Let us then with confidence draw near
to the throne of grace—Hebrews 4:16
Have you gotten to where you stay at a “minimum safe distance” from God, for fear of what he might ask—what assignment he might put on your heart, what calling he might put on your life? Do you ever worry, if you allow yourself to get too close, he might leverage his position to press you to become . . . say . . . a monk in the mountains; or missionary to Africa; or evangelist at your work; or ... moreGood day Templars family
Let us then with confidence draw near
to the throne of grace—Hebrews 4:16
Have you gotten to where you stay at a “minimum safe distance” from God, for fear of what he might ask—what assignment he might put on your heart, what calling he might put on your life? Do you ever worry, if you allow yourself to get too close, he might leverage his position to press you to become . . . say . . . a monk in the mountains; or missionary to Africa; or evangelist at your work; or confessor to your friends; or something else, equally disrupting to your plans?
For many of us, fears like these characterize our relationships with God. You see, we know the plans we have for ourselves—plans for good things ahead—and we trust ourselves to know what’s “good.” So, we’re wary of potential disruptions, even from the God we love.
King David wrote, though, it’s precisely when we close the distance to God that we actually discover what we’ve been looking for, all along:
“Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).
Not the “boredom of your heart” or “annoyance of your heart” or “frustration of your heart”—the “desires of your heart”—what you’ve always wanted, but haven’t found. The key, brother and sister , is trust (Psalm 37:5). We must trust that the God of the universe might know better what is, in fact, “good” for us. And we must trust that he wills our good and knows how to bring it about (Psalm 37:5-6).
What's been on your heart, or in your mind, to do that you've not yet done . . . reading Scripture regularly, joining some brothers in community, confessing something to a friend? God's put that thing on your heart to bring you closer to him. Go ahead, move closer.
Have a blessed Thursday
OMSDT. Priory of St.Miltiades
Freedom in Christ
Good day Templar family
Jeremiah 8:4 Jeremiah, say this to the people of Judah: This is what the Lord says: You know if a man falls down, he gets up again. And if a man goes the wrong way, he turns around and comes back.
We all will fail at some point in our life. Failing is a learning experience so we can do better next time. There were many Biblical leaders who failed, but did they dwell on them? No they learned from their mistakes and kept on moving forward. Determination and failure leads... moreGood day Templar family
Jeremiah 8:4 Jeremiah, say this to the people of Judah: This is what the Lord says: You know if a man falls down, he gets up again. And if a man goes the wrong way, he turns around and comes back.
We all will fail at some point in our life. Failing is a learning experience so we can do better next time. There were many Biblical leaders who failed, but did they dwell on them? No they learned from their mistakes and kept on moving forward. Determination and failure leads to success. You fail and you get up and you try again. Eventually you will get it right. Just ask Thomas Edison. When you give up that is failure.
True failure is not even trying to get back up, but just quitting. You could have been so close, but you say it’s not going to work. God is always near and if you fall He’ll pick you up and dust you off.
Keep on pursuing righteousness and use God’s strength. We must have faith in the Lord. Stop trusting in the arms of the flesh and the things that are seen.
Put your trust in God. If God told you to do something and if something is God’s will then it will never fail.
Have a blessed Wednesday
OMSDT. Priory of St.Miltiades
Freedom in Christ
Good day Templar family
The resurrection proves God keeps His promises and gives us a way out of our sin. As sin keeps us separate from God, this means He provided a way for us to spend eternity with Him without forcing us to choose Him. Jesus’s death and resurrection provide the justification we need to stand before God and be found righteous despite our human nature.
By doing so, Jesus defeated death which no man had ever done before, and confirmed the truth of scripture and of Jesus as th... moreGood day Templar family
The resurrection proves God keeps His promises and gives us a way out of our sin. As sin keeps us separate from God, this means He provided a way for us to spend eternity with Him without forcing us to choose Him. Jesus’s death and resurrection provide the justification we need to stand before God and be found righteous despite our human nature.
By doing so, Jesus defeated death which no man had ever done before, and confirmed the truth of scripture and of Jesus as the Son of God. Furthermore, Jesus returning from the dead gives everyone the option to hope that we too will be resurrected and live eternally with God in heaven (1 Corinthians 15:20-22). We know when we stand before God, we will not be judged for our sins but by Jesus’s love for us, which is a much better deal (Acts 17:30-31).
1 Corinthians 15:14 “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is worthless, and so is your faith.”
Jesus died on the cross to bear our sins and then came back to life, proving he was the Son of God. We no longer need to take the punishment for our sins as Jesus did this for us and will stand before God, proclaiming we are righteous through the shedding of his blood. Accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior today to accept this incredible gift given to you freely from the love of God.
Have a blessed resurrection Sunday
God's blessings
OMSDT. Priory of St.Miltiades
Freedom in Christ
Good day Templar family
Some Christians recognize Holy Saturday, the seventh day of Holy Week, as the day on which Jesus “rested” from His work of providing salvation. As Jesus died, He called out, “It is finished!” There was no further price to pay; sin had been atoned for.
After His crucifixion, Jesus was laid in a nearby tomb, and His body remained there the entirety of Holy Saturday (Matthew 27:59-60; Mark 15:46; Luke 23:53-54; John 19:39-42).
Holy Saturday marking the solemn time when J... moreGood day Templar family
Some Christians recognize Holy Saturday, the seventh day of Holy Week, as the day on which Jesus “rested” from His work of providing salvation. As Jesus died, He called out, “It is finished!” There was no further price to pay; sin had been atoned for.
After His crucifixion, Jesus was laid in a nearby tomb, and His body remained there the entirety of Holy Saturday (Matthew 27:59-60; Mark 15:46; Luke 23:53-54; John 19:39-42).
Holy Saturday marking the solemn time when Jesus was in the tomb after his crucifixion. It is a day of quiet reflection, when Christians pause to contemplate the waiting and uncertainty that preceded the joy of His resurrection.
Without the resurrection of Christ, we would be in dire straits. If Christ had never been raised, “your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17). The disciples had scattered when Jesus was arrested (Mark 14:50), and they spent the first Holy Saturday hiding for fear of also being arrested (John 20:19). The day between Christ’s crucifixion and His resurrection would have been a time of grief and shock as the stunned disciples tried to understand the murder of Jesus, the betrayal of Judas, and the dashing of their hopes.
The only biblical reference to what happened on Holy Saturday is found in Matthew 27:62-66. After sundown on Friday—the day of Preparation—the chief priests and Pharisees visited Pontius Pilate. This visit was on the Sabbath, since the Jews reckoned a day as starting at sundown. They asked Pilate for a guard for Jesus’ tomb. They remembered Jesus saying that He would rise again in three days (John 2:19-21) and wanted to do everything they could to prevent that. As we know, the Roman guards were inadequate to prevent the resurrection, and the women who returned to the tomb Sunday morning found it empty. The Lord had risen.
Have a blessed Holy Saturday
OMSDT. Priory of St.Miltiades
Freedom in Christ
Good day Templar family
Jesus went through so much for each of us to become heirs of heaven. He became the bridge when there was no bridge. Good Friday is celebrated because deep down, we know the darkness within ourselves. We’re aware of the sins we’ve committed, and we know just how dark our actions and thoughts can be. As we think about the things that have stained our hands, we know deep down, the things we’ve done are worthy of punishment. Especially when we understand God’s holy standard... moreGood day Templar family
Jesus went through so much for each of us to become heirs of heaven. He became the bridge when there was no bridge. Good Friday is celebrated because deep down, we know the darkness within ourselves. We’re aware of the sins we’ve committed, and we know just how dark our actions and thoughts can be. As we think about the things that have stained our hands, we know deep down, the things we’ve done are worthy of punishment. Especially when we understand God’s holy standards.
The difficulty for us is that living for God requires sinless perfection, and none of us is perfect. Not one, until Jesus came, not until he came and took our place on that Friday so long ago! That is why we need a Savior—and Scripture identifies Him as Jesus Christ (Luke 2:11; Titus 2:13–14). We need the Savior, Jesus, because we need to be made holy: “without holiness no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). We need a Savior because we cannot save ourselves. We need a Savior because, without Christ, we are described as “having no hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12).
Have a blessed Easter Friday and weekend
OMSDT. Priory of St.Miltiades
Freedom in Christ
Good day Templar family
. . . he would withdraw to desolate places and pray—Luke 5:16
Why are we so bad at solitude? Our king did it quite well. As a man, Jesus knew His limitations. He understood His need to connect with his father—to His guidance and power. He knew how good that connection was. He wants us to know too.
If it’s so good, though, why do we struggle? Well, it’s a little because we’re busy. Solitude is hard when you’re working and/or married and/or have kids and/or have friends... moreGood day Templar family
. . . he would withdraw to desolate places and pray—Luke 5:16
Why are we so bad at solitude? Our king did it quite well. As a man, Jesus knew His limitations. He understood His need to connect with his father—to His guidance and power. He knew how good that connection was. He wants us to know too.
If it’s so good, though, why do we struggle? Well, it’s a little because we’re busy. Solitude is hard when you’re working and/or married and/or have kids and/or have friends. And, it’s a little because we’re not well practiced. Our culture trains us for motion and multitasking—not for slowing and simplifying. And it’s a little because, deep down, we know solitude means confrontation. You see, solitude removes distractions and leaves us, for a few minutes, alone with God the Holy Spirit. Solitude is sometimes defined as being alone, but we aren’t. The Spirit dwells within us (1 Corinthians 3:16). God’s right there. And we never know what might happen when we’re alone with God. He might ask us to stop something we don’t want to stop or start something we don’t want to start. He might. He does that (Hebrews 12:5). But if we avoid his confrontation, we’ll miss his companionship, counsel, comfort, restoration, and rescue. So, we must take courage. We must not worry that we don’t yet do it well. And, we must make solitude a priority, just as Jesus did.
Start small. Find something that works for you. Turn off devices and take a walk at work—at lunchtime or during a break. Get some air in your neighborhood after dinner. Slip outside just before bed and sit quietly in the dark. And, if you’re ready for more, take a half-day or full-day or overnight solo trip into the outdoors.
Have a blessed Wednesday
Gods blessings
OMSDT. Priory of St.Miltiades
Freedom in Christ
Good day Templar family
The thing is, many of us men don't know how to come home. We’re each designed to do it uniquely, so it takes some discovery. Few of us do that. If we do discover how, though, and if we begin to come home regularly, we live in a condition of abundance. We get filled up—and are able to overflow onto others, onto spouses, children, friends, people in need. We are able to give, for we’ve first received. We’re able to love and serve as we were meant to. We’re able to be who ... moreGood day Templar family
The thing is, many of us men don't know how to come home. We’re each designed to do it uniquely, so it takes some discovery. Few of us do that. If we do discover how, though, and if we begin to come home regularly, we live in a condition of abundance. We get filled up—and are able to overflow onto others, onto spouses, children, friends, people in need. We are able to give, for we’ve first received. We’re able to love and serve as we were meant to. We’re able to be who we were created to be and to do the work we were created to do.
If we neglect the task of discovery, if we fail to learn how to come home, we operate instead in a condition of depletion. We tend to try to pull what we (think we) need from other people. We tend to try to take from them, rather than overflow onto them.
Have a blessed Tuesday
OMSDT. Priory of St.Miltiades
Freedom in Christ
✠Sir Kurt Nagl, Jr.✠
Turcopolier, Priory of St. Luke
Esto Benignus et Humilis