Good day Templar family
Support and encouragement are crucial for friendship, of course. But by themselves, they aren’t enough—not even close. True friendship requires more. The kind of friendship God intends requires that we look deeper, that we try to see things only friends can see. And it requires that we tell the truth (Ephesians 4:15). So, when friends are stuck or struggling with denial or passivity or sin, true friendship requires that we face awkwardness or embarrassment or fear of re... moreGood day Templar family
Support and encouragement are crucial for friendship, of course. But by themselves, they aren’t enough—not even close. True friendship requires more. The kind of friendship God intends requires that we look deeper, that we try to see things only friends can see. And it requires that we tell the truth (Ephesians 4:15). So, when friends are stuck or struggling with denial or passivity or sin, true friendship requires that we face awkwardness or embarrassment or fear of rejection head-on, and that we name problems honestly (though gently, too) and make every attempt to challenge and push, rescue and restore (Galatians 6:1-2; 1 Thessalonians 5:14). True friendship requires that we go “all in.” It requires that we be willing to initiate tough conversations, when tough conversations are needed.
Have a blessed Thursday
God's blessings
OMSDT. Priory of St.Miltiades
Freedom in Christ
Good day Templar family
. . . for man shall not see me and live—Exodus 33:20
We’re made for fear. We’re made to live with fear, not without it, as we’d like. It’s just, as so often happens, we get preoccupied with things we can see and hear and touch. But these aren’t what we’re supposed to fear—not people, nor circumstances. About such things, our King, Jesus Christ says, “do not fear” (Luke 12:4-5, 22-24). No, we’re meant to fear a fearsome God.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of kn... moreGood day Templar family
. . . for man shall not see me and live—Exodus 33:20
We’re made for fear. We’re made to live with fear, not without it, as we’d like. It’s just, as so often happens, we get preoccupied with things we can see and hear and touch. But these aren’t what we’re supposed to fear—not people, nor circumstances. About such things, our King, Jesus Christ says, “do not fear” (Luke 12:4-5, 22-24). No, we’re meant to fear a fearsome God.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7).
But what does it mean to fear God? Well, mostly it means keeping our thinking straight. It means seeing God, in all his power, in proper relation and proportion to the people and problems in this world. Though we sometimes act as if he were, God isn’t smaller than financial hardship, difficult work situations, difficulties with children. He’s not equal to them. He’s so much bigger, so much more powerful, even comparing doesn’t make sense. He’s Alpha and Omega. He’s the beginning and the end of everything.
What’s astonishing is this fearsome God, for some reason, chooses to love each of us with a fierce love—a love that’s good and will never relent. So, to him, we mustn’t respond as we’ve been conditioned to respond to fear—control, minimize, avoid, numb. We must respond by recognizing, every day, every moment, that He’s the most important, most powerful force in our lives, and that we’re his favored sons.
Name your biggest fears. Write them down. Look at them. Imagine them as God sees them. How frightening are they now? The truth is, things we can see, hear, touch are never our ultimate threats, not when God’s around—and He always is. Our ultimate threat is choosing to live as if these things are bigger than He.
Have a blessed Wednesday
God's blessings
OMSDT. Priory of St.Miltiades
Freedom in Christ
Good day Templar family
You are the light of the world—Matthew 5:14
The strongest evidence that we are where God wants us—in our jobs, in our careers, in our cities—is simply that we’re there. God Almighty knows where we are. He sees us (Luke 12:6-7). He is with us (1 Corinthians 3:16). There is a plan. King David sang to God, “in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them” (Psalm 139:16). So, where we are—right now—is no ac... moreGood day Templar family
You are the light of the world—Matthew 5:14
The strongest evidence that we are where God wants us—in our jobs, in our careers, in our cities—is simply that we’re there. God Almighty knows where we are. He sees us (Luke 12:6-7). He is with us (1 Corinthians 3:16). There is a plan. King David sang to God, “in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them” (Psalm 139:16). So, where we are—right now—is no accident. And until further notice (which may come), we’ve got to assume that where we are is where he wants us to be . . . for specific reasons, for his specific purposes.
High on that list of God’s purposes is that we’re His light in our existing regions of influence and impact (Matthew 5:14). Jesus tells us to not hide the light that radiates from us when we follow Him: “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Our lights dim, however, when we get too comfortable with the cultures of the places where we find ourselves—in our jobs, in our careers, in our cities. We must, therefore, resist adoption, whether conscious or subconscious, of the prevailing beliefs, codes, or values of those places. We follow Christ. We believe him. That’s our code. Our values are his values.
Look around. How would you describe the top two or three most apparent and distinct values/beliefs in your place of work or your city? What is the accepted “code” for someone in your career? Be specific and matter-of-fact. Now, give it some thought . . . what do you think about the answers to those questions
Have a blessed Monday and week ahead
God's blessings
OMSDT Priory of St.Miltiades
Freedom in Christ
Good day Templar family
James 5:20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
Do you sometimes tell yourself, “I can’t do it?” Well, guess what? Yes you can! God has a plan for everyone and as Christians, we are to make differences in the world. Don’t be like other Christians, be like Christ. You might be the only Christian in your family and God can use you to get everyone saved.
You can be the one who infl... moreGood day Templar family
James 5:20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
Do you sometimes tell yourself, “I can’t do it?” Well, guess what? Yes you can! God has a plan for everyone and as Christians, we are to make differences in the world. Don’t be like other Christians, be like Christ. You might be the only Christian in your family and God can use you to get everyone saved.
You can be the one who influences one person and then that person influences two more people, thus getting more people saved. With God’s strength, you can be used to save millions of lives.
Don’t dwell on the situation that you’re in now, but trust in the Lord and do His will. There are so many ways that you can make a change in the world. Just doing something, can do a lot. Let God use you by letting Him in full control because He knows what’s best for you.
Never let anyone tell you that you can’t do it or it’s not going to work. If it’s God’s plan for your life, it can never be stopped. Commit to God’s will and help others. You can volunteer, give, teach, correct, and more.
Be bold because He is always by your side. We must never be self centered. Always remember, someone is going to die today without knowing Christ? You can be the person at your job or school to start a spiritual spark!
Never underestimate the difference YOU can make in the lives of others. Step forward, reach out and help. This week reach to someone that might need a lift
Have a blessed Sunday
God's blessings
OMSDT Priory of St.Miltiades
Freedom in Christ
Good day Templar family
. . . get out there and walk. . . on the road God called you to travel— Ephesians 4:1-3
A steel beam has integrity when its purpose, its design, its manufacture, and its use are aligned. Said another way, to have integrity a beam must be
designed and manufactured for a specific purpose—and it must actually be used toward that purpose. We can count on a beam like that, even to bear a heavy and important load, because all its existence is in alignment.
Though considera... moreGood day Templar family
. . . get out there and walk. . . on the road God called you to travel— Ephesians 4:1-3
A steel beam has integrity when its purpose, its design, its manufacture, and its use are aligned. Said another way, to have integrity a beam must be
designed and manufactured for a specific purpose—and it must actually be used toward that purpose. We can count on a beam like that, even to bear a heavy and important load, because all its existence is in alignment.
Though considerably more complex and wondrous, obviously, than a steel beam, we humans need alignment too, to have that kind of integrity. You see, God designs and builds us for specific purposes:
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” ( Ephesians 2:10).
God gives us natural talents and spiritual gifts and hearts with unique passions. And He shapes us further by our individual journeys. So, for each
of us, our purposes, our design, and the way we’re built are always aligned. God does that. Unlike the beam, however, he allows us to choose our uses. He allows us to choose how we spend our lives. If we ask and search, listen and discover what He had in mind when he dreamt us up and knit us together—and then allow ourselves to be used in the ways he intends—we bring our lives into fullalignment. If we strike out on our own, though, and follow the world’s “oughts” into other uses altogether, we commit ourselves to living lives of misalignment.
Start small and be practical. Come up with a short-term project that requires your unique skills and abilities, your unique spiritual gifts (if you know them), and your unique passions. Choose something with significance —i.e., it helps others. Then, don’t wait. Get going on it.
Have a blessed Saturday
God's blessings
OMSDT Priory of St.Miltiades
Freedom in Christ
Good day Templar family
How can we who died to sin still live in it?—Romans 6:2
Imagine being fast and light when moving through this life. Imagine being free from things that weigh you down, hold you back. Imagine being free to roam, free to rest. Imagine being free from sin and shame and striving and worry and self-doubt. Imagine being free to love, free to slow down, free to go wherever God calls you to go and to do whatever God calls you to do.
Brother and sister, that’s the kind of lif... moreGood day Templar family
How can we who died to sin still live in it?—Romans 6:2
Imagine being fast and light when moving through this life. Imagine being free from things that weigh you down, hold you back. Imagine being free to roam, free to rest. Imagine being free from sin and shame and striving and worry and self-doubt. Imagine being free to love, free to slow down, free to go wherever God calls you to go and to do whatever God calls you to do.
Brother and sister, that’s the kind of life our King, Jesus Christ, has made available—and to which he calls us now. If He hadn’t come, we wouldn’t be able to access it. The things that encumber us would become prisons too strong for us to escape. But our King did come. He kicked open the prison doors. He knocked down the prison walls. He did what we could never do. He set us free (Galatians 5:1). Now we must do our part.
Because we find ourselves without prison walls, we’ve got to stop acting like prisoners and lay down prisoner habits and prisoner beliefs (Hebrews 12:1). We must adopt the practices of free men, men who’re fast and light . . . able to live transparent lives, free from hiding and posing, free to confess struggles and sin openly in community . . . able to make decisions with our lives and our families that align with our King, though probably not with our culture . . . and able to stop and care and help and love people, especially those in need.
What weighs you down? What holds you back? Spend a moment praying and reflecting. Trust that God the Holy Spirit will guide your thoughts. Now, make two lists. On the left, name your top encumbrances—old sin habits, old beliefs. On the right, specify how you’ll commit to laying them down.
Have a blessed Thursday
God's blessings
Priory of St.Miltiades
Freedom in Christ
