Posts Tagged ‘freedom’
Converting Our Will
At the beginning of His public ministry Jesus challenged us to deny our will to follow Him The entire Christian journey rests in giving our will over to God’s will. We simply cannot follow Christ into heaven so long as we focus on our will over His. Being obedient to God saves us. Being obedient…
Read MoreThe Power of Discernment
Life is a series of choices. Some choices are more benign like what shall I eat for dinner tonight. Other choices are more consequential like whom I shall marry. Every choice, big or small, requires a certain level of discernment. Make the wrong choice and life turns upside down. And now, my sons, listen to…
Read MoreThe Protection of God
Today is the first Saturday of the Great Fast. It is the day the Church commemorates the Miracle of the Koliva by Saint Theodore. When the world is ‘out to get you’ but God has your back, miracles happen for your protection. Christians were in danger of being poisoned by the pagan leaders. Through God’s…
Read MoreJudgment is Inevitable
We hope to avoid it. We pray to escape it. The last thing we look forward to is Judgment Day. Alas, everything we know about God, from the Old Testament, New Testament and Church Fathers, tells us that Judgment is something we cannot avoid. Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To…
Read MoreObedience Requires Love
Yesterday I said we needed to serve God with free will and love, not out of duty. Today I want to discuss obedience as a fruit of love. There is a difference between duty and obedience. Many people do not see the difference. How can we be obedient and still use free will? Peter, an…
Read MoreFree Will is Greater than Duty
When I was young my family had a dog which we all loved. What I didn’t love was waking up early to take him for a walk. One day my father asked me if I wanted to take the dog for a walk. My answer was a lesson I will never forget. I said no,…
Read MoreCome to Jesus
It doesn’t matter how much we struggle. Our hearts are drawn to Christ. It doesn’t matter how little recognize God. His love still penetrates our heart. The only thing that stands between us and spiritual healing is us. At that time, Jesus came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the…
Read MoreShare the Secret
There is a saying that really disturbs me. People say, “The Orthodox Church is the best kept secret.” If this is true, it is quite unfortunate. A secret is something that should be kept private. The Church is the Body of Christ and has come for all. It is time to share the secret. The…
Read MoreFreedom is a Gift from God
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” These famous words from the Declaration of Independence set in motion a national consciousness committed to defend and promulgate the…
Read MoreBe Known for Something Good
Today is the Fourth of July, Independence Day in America. It is the day we remember the founders and principles of our nation. These great men are remembered for their courage and faithfulness to freedom. They weren’t perfect, but they stood for the ideal of perfect freedom. Brethren, to this end Christ died and lived…
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