Posts Tagged ‘Acts of the Apostles’
Violence Does Not Serve God
The world is a violent place and violent people are constantly searching for ways to defend themselves. Throughout the centuries violent leaders have twisted the Church’s teachings to support violence, carrying out so-called holy wars. No war is holy. IN THOSE DAYS, Paul took the men, and the next day he purified himself with them…
Read MoreSaved by Grace
Do you believe? Do you have to ‘do works’ to be saved? Why do we have to go to Church? Why do we have to fast? Why are there so many rules in the Orthodox Church? Aren’t we supposed to be saved by grace? What’s the deal? IN THOSE DAYS, some believers who belonged to…
Read MoreSpiritual Warfare
I’m sure you’ve heard about spiritual warfare. The devil has been at war with the Church since the beginning. Throughout the centuries just when everything seems to be going well for the Church, something disrupts our progress. Peace doesn’t seem to last long in the Church. IN THOSE DAYS, Paul went on with Barnabas to…
Read MoreCaution VS Fear
Growing up on the playground our courage is often tested by our friends. Jump over this. Throw that. Stand there. These are all challenges to our courage. They also establish our ‘pecking order’ among friends. We naturally strive for the top tier, so we regularly risk danger in the name of courage. In those days,…
Read MoreInspired by God
People often talk about ‘God’s plan’ for their lives. We sometimes think God ‘placed’ someone in our life as ‘a sign’ from God. With this in mind, many believe that if we submit our life to God He will make everything better. He does make everything better, but rarely in the way we think. About…
Read MoreHow Dare You Reach Out
There is an expectation of Christians in general, but especially clergy, that we associate only with believers. If we are seen talking, let alone eating, with nonbelievers our faith is called into question. How could we let ourselves be dragged so low, and hang out with ‘those’ people? In those days, while Peter was still…
Read MoreNaming Rights
Drive through any town and you wonder who ‘all those people’ were. Every street has a name. Every town building has a name. Parks have names. Airports and even schools have names. Lately our society has argued intensely about these names, even removing some. What is it about a name? In those days, Peter opened…
Read MoreWhat Would You Say?
In every aspect of our lives, we interact with others. It may be family or coworkers, or just a few friends we know from down the street. Our interactions with these differ only in the subjects we discuss. How often do your conversations turn to Christ? In those days, Peter went down to the men…
Read MoreNobody is Beyond Hope
We all sin, some more than others, but we all fall short of the glory of God. There are those who seem to be committed to sin. They wake up scheming how to sin. Some even work diligently to make others suffer. Jesus Christ didn’t just come for us, He came for ‘those people’ also.…
Read MoreThe Fight from Within
We know from the Scriptures and Christian history that many fight the Church from outside the Church. The Pagan persecution, the Islamic influence, and even secularism have all been fighting the Church. We know how to defeat them, but how do we defeat those who from the Church from within? In those days, Stephen, full…
Read More