Armor is for Battle

A metal helmet kept on a ground

A dangerous trend exists among many Christians, too many. Many mistakenly think that if we believe in Jesus Christ as God, then we will forever be comforted. The so-called ‘prosperity gospel’ goes so far as to suggest that God wants all believers to be rich. Rich or poor, the idea that Christians don’t have to…

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Count the Cost

A bundle of 100 dollars on a table

Our society is infatuated with debt. We borrow money to purchase ‘what we want, when we want it’ no matter how much it costs. With Christmas still on our minds, many are dreading the coming credit card bill to discover just how much they spent this year on the holidays. Many will never know. They…

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Time Change

It has become a normal part of life twice per year for the clock to change between Daylight Savings and Standard Time. Suddenly it is dark when it was light and light when it was dark. We eventually get accustomed to the time change, but not without it first affecting our bodies. The same is…

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You Can’t Get There by Yourself

A cross sign in the middle of a sunset

We live in a society that prides itself on independence. The very fabric of our great Nation is woven by the threads of self-government and self-accomplishments. Awards are given for “Person of the Year”, not “Group of the Year.” But we all know there are just sometimes we need help. There are just some things…

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Christian Progress

The word Progress written on the blackboard

Politicians enjoy throwing around the term ‘progressive’ as a banner of respect. I always find myself asking, “What are they progressing towards?” Progress implies a goal. Don’t skip today’s post. It isn’t about politics. It is about progress, but not the sort that politicians praise. Christian progress is moving toward God. Christian progress won’t get…

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Just Hold on and Climb!

A group of men raising their hands together in the air

I believe it is part of the ‘fallen’ human condition. Generally speaking, we do not like to take blame for our shortcomings, let alone our mistakes. Take any young child caught eating something forbidden. With total confidence in the ‘blame,’ a typical child with either blame the dog, claim that what was eaten was not…

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Being Saved is Hard Work

A group of people exercising at a park

The idea of working out our salvation is foreign to most Protestant Christians. We have been taught that salvation is a free gift from God. Nothing we can do can ‘earn’ our salvation, so there is ‘nothing’ to work out. That would be nice if it were true. Yes, salvation is a gift from God,…

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Be a child of faith, not a check box

children putting hands on each other shoulder

We all know that living the Orthodox Christian lifestyle is difficult. I won’t say it can be difficult. I will say it is difficult, if done properly. Between prayer schedules, fasting schedules, bible reading schedules, and services schedules, and not to mention the intricate system of sacraments and blessings, we have inherited a very complex…

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A Single Book is Never Enough

The Bible with praying beads on a table

As I wrote in “Our Own Church” yesterday, there are many other things that are not included in the Scriptures. We simply cannot limit our experience of God to one book, even if that book is the Bible. It doesn’t make everything true. In the same token it doesn’t make everything false. There must some…

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