Pleasing to God

Hands reaching towards a cross at sunset.

It can be difficult going through life always trying to please other people. Most of our time is spent trying to please those in authority. Our boss at work, our teacher in school, even our spouse, are all the object of our devotion to please them. It isn’t bad, but it isn’t good either. At…

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Bind Sin to Destroy Sin

Hands tied with rope against brick background.

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…

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O God Save Your People

Crucifixion scene with religious figures background.

The Church teaches that everything in life is about our salvation. Our job, our free time, even the food we place in our stomachs are about our salvation. It isn’t because God cares what we eat, but because God wants to save us from ourselves. So, today we begin the fast. Today is also one…

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What is Your Plan?

Chalkboard with "What's Your Plan?" message.

As the saying goes, ‘If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.’ Nothing is truer when we speak about our spiritual life. We simply will not make much progress in our journey to God if we wake up every morning and just ‘do life’ as it comes. We need a plan if we want…

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Honor God with Your Heart

Silhouette of person reaching towards sunset sky.

It is a longstanding tradition for people to accuse the Church of hypocrisy. I can’t say I blame them. Just look around the Church and you will be hard-pressed to find many people living the words they preach. It is much easier to talk about God than to love Him in your heart. One of…

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Spiritual Burnout

Person overwhelmed, holding "Help" sign at desk.

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…

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Homage to Freedom

Hands breaking free from handcuffs against sky.

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…

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It’s Not You; It’s Me

Woman looking upset, man talking behind her.

Made popular by a famous TV character, this saying has deep truth. It isn’t about breaking up or cancelling a date. What makes this saying true is the relationship between me and the Church. We like to blame the Church for being too strict and chasing me away, but that isn’t true. Brethren, I am…

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Sin and Grace

By the Grace of God" sign display.

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,…

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