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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Pray for the People

A torn piece of paper that says Prayer

After tragedies like the recent floods in Texas which caused many deaths, it is common to hear people talk about ‘thoughts and prayers’ for those who are suffering. Other times, on just a normal day someone might approach you and ask you to pray for them. Do you pray? One of the reasons clergy dress…

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Inheritance is More than Money

Wooden letters spelling 'Inheritance' on brown background.

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…

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Fear and War

Newspaper headline: "It's War!" on table.

The past few weeks have been anxious times for sure. As war rages in various parts of the earth we wonder if war will affect us, here at home. We are emotionally manipulated by politicians and the media to be in a constant state of fear of war. I am not afraid of war. The…

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Some People Just Hate God

Person screaming in frustration, pulling hair.

It is harsh to hear. It is even more harsh to say, but it is true. No matter what we say or do; no matter what God says or does, some people just hate Him. Some people just refuse to listen to His love and grace. Some people are just too much into themselves to…

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Works of Faith

Work Zone sign under blue sky.

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…

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Are You Prefect Yet?

Perfection" text over question mark cards.

I hear it all the time. Quite frankly, it bothers me. “I’m not perfect!” These are the words of someone not even trying to live a life without sin. These are the words of someone who has given up the fight. The Lord said, “Give to him who begs from you, and do not refuse…

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Christ is in Our Midst

Checkbox with "Found" selected, "Lost" unchecked.

The traditional greeting among Orthodox Christians is much more than a greeting. To be able to say, “Christ is in our midst,” is only possible because the Holy Spirit has revealed the truth of God to us. We cannot see Christ among us, but through the Holy Spirit we know He is here. The Lord…

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Who is Your Father?

Child holding adult's hand in trust.

Of the many accusations against Christ was the claim to know what where He came from. Of course, this was a ruse because they didn’t want to admit that He was Christ. So, they kept asking Him questions. They ask us all sorts of questions too, but we never properly answer. The Lord said to…

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