Wednesday, October 26, 2022,

Ephesians 6:1-9
Psalm 145:10-14
Luke 13:22-30
View Readings

THE LORD OF THE WORKS AND THE WORKS OF THE LORD
“Let all Your works give You thanks, O Lord.” —Psalm 145:10

When the Bible uses the word “slaves,” it usually corresponds to our word “employees.” Thus, we may find five commandments for employees in today’s first reading.

1)      “Obey your human masters with the reverence, the awe, and the sincerity you owe to Christ” (Eph 6:5). This applies not only to “the good and reasonable” bosses, “but even those who are harsh” (1 Pt 2:18). This is not possible naturally, but is a “work of grace” (1 Pt 2:19).

2)      “Do not render service for appearance only and to please men” (Eph 6:6). Paul said: “If I were trying to win man’s approval, I would surely not be serving Christ!” (Gal 1:10)

3)      “Do God’s will with your whole heart as slaves of Christ” (Eph 6:6). Because we love Jesus with our whole heart (see Mt 22:37), we work with our whole heart.

4)      “Give your service willingly” (Eph 6:7). “Everyone must give according to what he has inwardly decided; not sadly, not grudgingly, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor 9:7).

5)      Do “it for the Lord rather than men” (Eph 6:7).

The Bible tells us Who to work for, how to work, how not to work, and how to relate to our bosses. If we work accordingly, not “for perishable food but for food that remains unto life eternal” (Jn 6:27), we will receive an inheritance from the Lord as our reward (Col 3:24). Work for love of the Lord.

Prayer: Father, may I put in a good day’s work for You each day.

Promise: “Each one, whether slave or free, will be repaid by the Lord for whatever good he does.” —Eph 6:8

Praise: For many years, Sam and his children went to monthly Confession together.



-----------------------------------------------------------------


You can find One Bread, One Body archives, the letter to readers, OBOB eBook edition, and an online donation form at http://www.presentationministries.com/series/obob

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Tuesday, October 25, 2022,

Ephesians 5:21-33
Psalm 128:1-5
Luke 13:18-21
View Readings

HOW TO CHANGE HUSBANDS AND THE WORLD
“Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.” —Ephesians 5:21, RSV-CE

We all want to change people. We all need to change people before they drive us crazy. We all don’t want people trying to change us. Do you notice the dilemma?

How can people change without us doing the changing? The Lord commands us to be submissive to one another. By submission, wives set the stage for the Lord to change their husbands, and these wives don’t have to try to do it themselves (which is trying to do the impossible) (Eph 5:22, 24). Moreover, submission is the way the Lord changes all people, not just husbands. If we do what other people want, if we obey and serve them as long as they don’t contradict the Lord, we will find ourselves doing a lot of pointless things. Unlike most pointless things, however, the Lord will use these events to teach others a lesson, to change them for the better (see 1 Pt 3:1-2). Also, through our submission, not only will others learn from their mistakes but we ourselves will change. Our faith will be strengthened. Submission usually doesn’t have good effects immediately. Rather, it often has difficult effects at first. To persevere in submission demands that we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Cor 5:7).

Through our submission, the Lord changes the world and strengthens our faith. “Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Eph 5:21, RSV-CE).

Prayer: Father, I give up changing people myself. Teach me the wisdom of submission and make me strong enough to do it.

Promise: God’s kingdom “is like mustard seed which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a large shrub and the birds of the air nested in its branches.” —Lk 13:19

Praise: “O Lord, Your kindness reaches to heaven; Your faithfulness, to the clouds” (Ps 36:6).



-----------------------------------------------------------------

You can find One Bread, One Body archives, the letter to readers, OBOB eBook edition, and an online donation form at http://www.presentationministries.com/series/obob

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Monday, October 24, 2022, St. Anthony Mary Claret

Ephesians 4:32—5:8
Psalm 1:1-4, 6
Luke 13:10-17
View Readings

DOCTOR’S ORDERS
“There are six days for working. Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath.” —Luke 13:14

There is often an excuse for not being healed. The chief of the synagogue said it was the wrong day for Jesus to release the stooped woman from her shackles (Lk 13:14, 16). The real reason was that the religious leaders were jealous of Jesus (Mt 27:18). We may say the place, person, or method is not right for healing, but perhaps we are just making excuses to mask fear, unforgiveness, pride, or sin.

Many people refuse to go to a healing service because they don’t feel comfortable. Many people do not feel open to being prayed for right out on the street, although Jesus healed people on the street more than anywhere else. Also, we may be turned off to the person the Lord has chosen to minister His healing to us.

There’s always something standing in the way of our being healed. Receiving God’s healing means obeying “Doctor’s orders” (Dr. Jesus), although we can think of a hundred excuses why not to obey. God’s healing is for you, for now, and for here. No excuses. Let the Lord love and heal you.

Prayer: Father, “give us today our daily bread” (Mt 6:11), that is, our basic needs, including healing.

Promise: “As for lewd conduct or promiscuousness or lust of any sort, let them not even be mentioned among you; your holiness forbids this.” —Eph 5:3

Praise: St. Anthony Mary Claret began his young adulthood as a weaver. He entered seminary at the age of 22. After much fruitful mission work, he was named Archbishop of Santiago, Cuba.

(For a related teaching on How Jesus Healed, listen to, download or order our CD 11A-1 or DVD 11A on our website.)

-----------------------------------------------------------------
--

You can find One Bread, One Body archives, the letter to readers, OBOB eBook edition, and an online donation form at http://www.presentationministries.com/series/obob

-----------------------------------------------------------------