Tagged: memory verse

“Now it is your turn: fill up the vessel measured out by your forefathers.” –Matthew 23:32 Jesus faulted the religious leaders of His time for being so concerned about their outside but not their inside. Jesus said: “You present to view a holy exterior while hypocrisy and evil fill you within” (Mt 23:28). This is a perennial, deep-seated problem. For example, many more people go to the beauty parlor than to Confession. Many plan for decades for the few years of their retirement but give much less consideration to the state of their soul and to eternity following retirement. Human...

“Let no one seduce you, no matter how.” –2 Thessalonians 2:3 Many kinds of lies deceive people into believing the wrong thing or not believing the right thing. Some believe “an oracular utterance, or rumor, or a letter” (2 Thes 2:2) without testing the Spirit (1 Jn 4:1). Some don’t hold fast to the traditions we’ve received in the Bible (2 Thes 2:15). Others don’t hold fast to the traditions we’ve received by word or letter through the Church (2 Thes 2:15). If we don’t go by the Bible, we’ll be deceived, for “ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of...

“The wall of the city had twelve courses of stones as its foundation, on which were written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” –Revelation 21:14 The holy city, the Church in glory, is founded on the apostles (see also Eph 2:20). This gives us an objective criterion for recognizing the Church founded by Jesus. The Church founded by Jesus can historically trace herself back to the apostles through the ordination of its bishops. By recognizing Jesus’ Church, we know who to believe on such critical matters of faith and morals as: • Do we receive the Body...

“For from Him and through Him and for Him all things are. To Him be glory forever. Amen.” —Romans 11:36 The most important question in life is: “Who do you say” Jesus is? (Mt 16:15) If we confess with our lips that Jesus is the Messiah, Lord, and Son of God (Mt 16:16; Rm 10:9) and if we live for Jesus and not for ourselves (2 Cor 5:15), we will be saved from death, self-deception, slavery, damnation, and hell, and we will be saved for freedom, purity, holiness, love, peace, joy, and eternal life. Moreover, when we accept the grace...

“They are fond of places of honor.” —Matthew 23:6 Our American society is “fond of places of honor.” We have honor rolls, radio and TV interviews, Halls of Fame, autograph sessions, awards banquets, and numerous other ways to honor others. While the Lord does call us to honor our parents (Dt 5:16; Sir 3:2ff) and all people (1 Pt 2:17), He is adamant that we do not seek honor for ourselves. “Let another praise you — not your own mouth; someone else — not your own lips” (Prv 27:2). Yet though we don’t praise ourselves directly, we are not to...