October 13, 2023 - Good Morning! It's Friday, October 13.
Are you afraid of Friday the 13th? Well, enough people are that there's a word for it... paraskevidekatriaphobia. Say that three times fast! Every year has at least one Friday the 13th. 2023 has had two. 2026 will have three - Get Ready! And one last little bit of trivia - Friday the 13th only occurs when the first day of the month is on Sunday, the Lord's Day.
Truth be told, millions of people in our modern world still allow their lives to be directed by ancient superstitions. Not surprisingly, this way of living was even more prevalent in the 1st Century. Paul encountered it in Colossae - See to it that no one enslaves you through philosophy and empty deceit according to human traditions, according to the principles of this world, and not according to the Lord Jesus Christ. (Colossians 2:8-10). He saw it also in Rome - Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God for you, the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2)
And in one of the last writings of his life, Paul reminds his spiritual son, Timothy - Have nothing to do with silly myths. Rather, train yourself in godliness. (I Timothy 4:7). And finally - God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and self control. (2 Timothy 1:7)
Have a blessed Friday the 13th!
Meet you back here on Monday,
Bro. David
dmathis@fbccenter.org
