Godwin Osung’s Post

Physical acts of violence are almost always regrettable actions in the sight of the Lord. Simon Peter's actions in these verses are also done with seemingly good intentions: he draws his sword, cutting off the high priest's servant's ear in defense of Jesus. If you were Peter, how would you have reacted? As a reader of the story, do you think his actions are good? Remember to consider the next verse and also the many instances that Christ tells his followers to turn the other cheek. After cutting off the servant's ear, Jesus tells Peter to sheath his sword for his destiny has been decided. As was the case with my story, no good came from the violent action of Peter. A man was injured badly, and there are no benefits. Consider these verses the next time you lose your temper or consider physical action.

SABBATH  Feast of Saint Luke, Evangelist The Blessing of Peace and a Welcoming Spirit Whenever we priests get invited to bless homes, among the typical intentions are to dispel evil spirits and to bring in good fortune. This is why sometimes we get called to houses that look gloomy and creepy—your typical haunted house in movies. (Good thing they don’t invite us at night!) Or sometimes, as we sprinkle holy water around the house, we see Catholic images along with buddhas of different sizes and shades, frogs chomping on coins, and the perennially waving golden cat.  But is this what house blessings should be about? In today’s Gospel (which is often used during blessings), we see what God desires for every household: peace. He wants His peace to enter and remain in the home and in all who live in it. But this only happens when we accept His message, His Gospel, as well as the messengers that bear them.  Jesus further instructs that these messengers are to be entertained and welcomed, their rightful needs provided to support their mission. This support is important, especially because of the many challenges that obstruct God’s work. We see an example in the First Reading wherein Saint Paul stands in trial, alone and deserted. Good thing, his trust is firmly set in the Lord regardless of his circumstances. But this should not always be the case. While individual faith is ever essential, the design of our mission is communal. It must be sustained by the common good of the people and not dependent on the heroic virtue of a few. Ours is a mission where everyone does their part and generously looks out for each other. Being free of bad luck or evil entities are poor substitutes for what God wants to build in us. So let us not settle for less but seek His true peace. Sometimes this is as simple as being a welcoming home and a willing spirit to help. Fr. Albert Garong, SSP Reflection Question: In what concrete ways is God calling you to support the Church’s mission today? Lord, may I be generous in supporting Your mission in whatever way You call me to. Amen. Today, I pray for: _________________________________

Need a daily dose of inspiration? Check out "Your Message Minute with Pastor Chris" for heartfelt devotions and spiritual guidance. Let's walk in Christ's love and reflect His peace every day. 🌟🙏 #DailyDevotion #FaithJourney #SpiritualGrowth

Prayer for our Country We lament a divided country where fear and confusion and oppression seem to be winning. Lord, how can we accept such a sinful and broken world? Yet we take comfort in the fact that you sent your Son into the heart of darkness of this world, to live the life we couldn’t, to die the death we deserved, to rise to make us new creations, to ascend to the highest place of rule and intercession; and to come again to make every wrong thing right. Father, we remind ourselves of Paul’s admonition that we should not be conformed to this age, but that we should be transformed by the renewing of our minds. We ask that you use today’s event to renew our minds, to transform our citizens into a more loving, mindful, Christ-like body. We fear that the alternative is Babylon. Satan reigns not only in the fringes of our society, but in academia and other central structures as well. We thank you that because of Christ’s incarnation, he understands the defect of this age; he sympathizes; he understands our temptation to cringe in fear, to lash out in anger, and to escape into false refuge. We now draw near to Him who was humanly tempted in every way, yet still remained without sin. How we need Jesus! How we need him to give rest and peace to our weary souls and hurting bodies. How we need him to save us, if only from ourselves.

Jesus' heart aches for His people. Just as a mother hen protects her chicks, Jesus longs to shield us, nourish us, and help us grow in His love. But we must be willing to come to Him. Are you experiencing God's protection and nourishment in your life? Share this truth with someone today and extend the invitation of His love. #Faith #Protection #JesusCares Read full Devotion:

1 Kefa (1 Pe) 1:3-9 CJB [3] Praised be God, Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, who, in keeping with his great mercy, has caused us, through the resurrection of Yeshua the Messiah from the dead, to be born again to a living hope, [4] to an inheritance that cannot decay, spoil or fade, kept safe for you in heaven. [5] Meanwhile, through trusting, you are being protected by God’s power for a deliverance ready to be revealed at the Last Time. [6] Rejoice in this, even though for a little while you may have to experience grief in various trials. [7] Even gold is tested for genuineness by fire. The purpose of these trials is so that your trust’s genuineness, which is far more valuable than perishable gold, will be judged worthy of praise, glory and honor at the revealing of Yeshua the Messiah. [8] Without having seen him, you love him. Without seeing him now, but trusting in him, you continue to be full of joy that is glorious beyond words. [9] And you are receiving what your trust is aiming at, namely, your deliverance. https://lnkd.in/e_bpbDVf

Pure. Basic. T R U T H...

"1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. 3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For [a]this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them. Walk in Light 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the [b]Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather [c]expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things that are [d]exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. 14 Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.”" Ephesians 5:1-14

What does grieving the holy spirit mean Grieving the Holy Spirit is a serious matter, as it can severely limit the transformative work of the Spirit in our individual lives and in the life of the church. Read all here: https://lnkd.in/dBqTe3mE

Committed Christians are difficult to find these days, they've become scarce. Let's forget the routine of Sunday services and midweek programs. If you examine the hearts of men, only a few percentage of men in the church are committed to the precepts of God's ways. The challenges of the present time is weighing people down, it's making people digress from the ultimate goal. As Christians we should make visible impacts in the lives of men and women. Being committed is a complete devotion of one to a task, affair or motive, business or goal; its when your affair and interest is fixed and unmoved. Our commitment to God is the skeleton to every other fleshy desires or wants we crave. If God is going to intervene for us, we have to be committed to His own principles, ways, structure, systems and motives. 2 Tim 2:19. God knows us all, individually, as we differ in skin color, hair strands and genes. For Him to bless us, He has to know us. Those who are sanctified, committed, devoted to Him, those are the ones He holds dearly. We can't say we are committed to God but at the side we go in to the world and commit atrocious acts. 1Pet 2:1. If God is going to redefine us, bless us we have to play our part of commitment. The things of God are the major commitment a man should have. Commitment is a thing of the heart, it is a sacrifice that takes all of our efforts, all of our possessions, all of us in general. It entails sacrifices of personal wants at the altar of dedication. PASTOR YEMMY ADEPETUN