Be a person of integrity and honor. As you live your life devoted to one another and honoring others, you are actually honoring God. He will repay you for your kindness and reward you in this life and in eternity!

Friday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Jeremiah 3:14-17

Jeremiah 31:10, 11-12abcd, 13

M atthew 13:18-23 "Hear then the parable of the sower. (19) When any one hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in his heart; this is what was sown along the path. (20) As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; (21) yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. (22) As for what was sown among thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the delight in riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. (23) As for what was sown on good soil, this is he who hears the word and understands it; he indeed bears fruit, and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."

Meditation by Tamora Whitney

My job is easy today – Jesus did it for me! I don’t have to explain the gospel, because the explanation is there. But we still have to listen and understand it.  It’s still a lesson we need to learn.  The word of God is here and readily accessible, but how many people think about it seriously?

Lots of people go to church. Lots of people say they are Christian, but how many are living the Christian life and acting on the word of God? Too often the word is like the seed in the first three circumstances.  People go to church, but as soon as they leave, the words are gone. They don’t think about it again until next week. They get too busy with their day to day lives, and religion is choked out. Their good intentions are eaten up by materialism, or choked out by their daily lives, or their intentions don’t have roots and don’t survive in the outside world.

It’s not enough to hear the word of God, we must live it. We can’t let the faith and fervor we feel at church wither up and die outside the church walls. We need to hear the word of God, really listen, think about it, understand it, and live it.  We need to be the rich soil in which God’s word can take root and thrive. It’s easy to let evil or apathy take over. It’s hard to have conviction and live God’s word, but the harvest will be amazing.

Supplementary Reading

Be Devoted

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves – (Romans 12:10, NIV)

W hat are you devoted to in your life? Being devoted to something is simply being loyal by giving of your time, affection and resources. Many people today are devoted to certain restaurants, television programs and even their cell phones! There's nothing wrong with any of that, but we have to examine our own hearts and see if we are being devoted to the people God has placed in our lives. Are we honoring others above ourselves? The world's system says to "look out for number one—yourself," but God's system says "look out for others, and I will look out for you."

Today, as you examine your own heart and life, ask the Lord to show you ways that you can honor others. One way is by simply being faithful to your word. Be a person of integrity and honor. As you live your life devoted to one another and honoring others, you are actually honoring God. He will repay you for your kindness and reward you in this life and in eternity!

Heavenly Father, teach me to be a person of honor. Teach me to be devoted to others the way You desire. Fill me with Your love which is all that matters in eternity. I bless You and thank You for Your goodness. In Jesus' Name. Amen. (Joel & Victoria Osteen) # # #

GOD BLESS US ALL!

O Theos Na Mas Evlogisi!
PRAY as if everything depended on HIM. ACT as if everything depended on YOU.

For past gospel meditations, you may visit the following:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=216458741502#!/home.php?sk=mynotes

http://his-ways-better-than-our-ways.blogspot.com