Posts Tagged ‘Galatians’
Bearing Fruit
I enjoy gardening as a hobby. I admit I am not the greatest gardener, but I love spending time in my garden. I love watching things grow. I love eating the fruit of my garden. The only problem is, I don’t get much fruit because I am not a good gardener. I have a few…
Read MoreGod’s Calming Presence
In more than thirty years of ministry I have had the distinct blessing to be present with families during grief and tragedy. I will never forget the first time I experienced this blessing. I was called to a hospital after a serious motorcycle accident. I was blessed more than the family that day. About an…
Read MoreThe New Covenant
Our attention has been on the Holy Cross this week. Just a few days ago we were blessed to gaze upon the Cross of Christ, hear the story of His crucifixion, and hope for a better future with Him in heaven. We cannot ignore that everything that happened on the Cross was new. The Cross…
Read MoreSubmit to the Church
It may sound strange, but the Church teaches us to ‘submit’ ourselves to the teachings of the Church. As Orthodox Christians we are not ‘free’ to choose what is true and not true about God. God gave us the Church not only as a gathering place, but to protect His truth. Paul, an apostle –…
Read MoreInheritance is More than Money
Visiting my ancestral home brings many opportunities for reunion and shared stories with old friends and family. One of my favorite interactions is to meet the children of those with whom I grew up. I am always amazed at the strength of the gene pool. We inherit all sorts of things from our parents besides…
Read MoreWhom do you serve?
In my Homage to Freedom yesterday I wrote about the freedom from sin and temptation. As much as we are thankful for the freedom we celebrated yesterday in the Unites States, we should thank God for the freedom He has granted us, but with freedom comes choices. The greatest choice we make is to join…
Read MoreGod’s Plan for Your Life
It is a regular conversation among Christians with statements like, “God has a plan for you.” In my experience this is often associated with major life changes or even avoided tragedy. It is very true. God does have a plan for each of, but it may not be the plan we had in mind. The…
Read MoreNo Law Against Kindness
I hear it all the time. Be kind. What does it mean to be kind? Is it kind to allow people to think they are something they are not? Is it kind to tell someone they are going to hell if they don’t change? Some say yes. Some say no. Brethren, the fruit of the…
Read MoreThe Yoke of Christ
We all know how difficult it can be to follow Christ. Throughout Christian history many have tried and failed, only to return to their sinful past. Many more have succeeded despite the struggle of choosing Christ over the worldly agenda. How can Christ even claim His ‘yoke’ is easy? The Lord said to his disciples,…
Read MoreTwo Faced Christians
For years I have witnessed with frustration Christians welcome visitors, even invite visitors, only to reject visitors who may want to join the Church. Its one thing to visit. Its another thing to join. So long as visitors keep a safe distance, we’re happy to welcome them. Just keep a distance. Brethren, when Peter came…
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