Posts Tagged ‘charity’
Episode 460 – Do You Desire to be with God
Christ invites us, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow,” Him into heaven. As long we desire to be with God, then we can move the first phase of our journey. We must learn how to deny ourselves before we can ever follow Christ into heaven.…
Read MoreBind Sin to Destroy Sin
A Christian’s duty is to love God more than anything else in creation, but especially more than we love ourselves. When we sin, we turn away from God and toward ourselves. When we sin, we serve something other than God, but we must destroy sin. By ‘definition’, sin means to do something (anything really) that…
Read MoreSpiritual Burnout
It’s more common than you might think. You read a ‘few compelling’ articles online and you’re convinced you must become Orthodox. Next thing you know, you purchased a few dozen icons, three fasting cookbooks, and were baptized. Fast forward to today, and you lost your passion. Your pray but can’t remain focused. You keep forgetting…
Read MoreHomage to Freedom
Today is the celebration of freedom in the United States. It is a day on which all Americans celebrate a ‘system’ dedicated to freedom. The ‘system’ may not be perfect, but commitment to freedom is what keeps us going, day by day, year by year, generation after generation. The Declaration of Independence wasn’t the first…
Read MoreSin and Grace
One thing we can all agree on is that we all sin. Although we don’t like to admit, at least publicly, we all know just how unbearable temptation can be, because we all fall. We all fall every day, and still Jesus forgave us and forgives us. Still, He saves us, despite our sin. Brethren,…
Read MoreWorks of Faith
The relationship between works and faith isn’t a new argument in the Church. We all know that being a Christian requires some sort of effort in life. I have never met a Christian who believes we merely ‘sit back and believe’ without some required impact on our daily lives. Brethren, to one who works, his…
Read MoreEpisode 450 – The Church is Our Mother
On Mothers’ Day we turn to the Church as our mother. Like our earthly mothers, the Church knows what is good for us when we are sick. We may not like cure, but just like our mothers’ cure-all, the Church offers us the sacraments and the life of the Church to heal us. We should…
Read MoreA Day of Love
In the American cultural experience today is Valentine’s Day. Thought to be a celebration of a saint, if we’re honest, is just another secular holiday excuse to boost the economy of florists and candy manufacturers. It isn’t really about love. Brethren, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment which you had…
Read MoreSupplement Your Faith
Is it enough ‘just’ to believe? Why does the Church always ask me to ‘do more’? Why can’t it be enough that I believe in Jesus and was baptized? All the focus on attending church services, fasting, saying my prayers, reading the bible, and the sacraments. When is enough, enough? SIMON PETER, a servant and…
Read MoreLove Bears all Things
Today is the last day of January. It is a good day to evaluate our New Year Resolutions. Looking around your town you will probably notice much of life has reverted back to where it was in December. Fitness center parking lots aren’t full anymore, but neither are Church lots. Evaluating our spiritual progress is…
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