Posts Tagged ‘heaven’
Thanks for What?
We are told as Christians to be thankful. Even the act of communing with God is called Divine Thanksgiving, or Holy Eucharist. We know that God has come to save us, but our lives on earth are filled with temptations and struggles. What exactly are we supposed to be thankful for? Brethren, whatever you do,…
Read MoreEpisode 436 – Allowing God to Use our Good Things for His Glory
We have all been given many good things from God. What have we done with them? Have we used the good things that God has given to us for others or kept them for ourselves. In the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazaros found the in Luke 16.19-31, the rich man who kept everything…
Read MoreBe Happy for Others
When those closest to us are successful we celebrate with them. Our love for them is poured out in banquets and honors. We tell our neighbors about the honor and success that our friends and family experience. We live through their success. We are happy for their joy. When those we do not know are…
Read MoreEternal Union
It is easy to talk about forgiveness when it doesn’t matter. Too often I hear, “Sure I forgive them. God will take get them. I don’t have to.” I’m sorry to tell you, this is not forgiveness. This is vengeance. The problem isn’t now. The problem comes later when we are eternally together. There are…
Read MoreFork in the Road
Life is full of choices. Do we wake up or sleep in? Do we eat healthy or binge on junk food? Do we ‘give it our all’ at work or settle for ‘just enough’ to get by? With every choice we face our options include some sort of benefit. Good eating and hard work pay…
Read MoreNever Good Enough
Here is one saying nobody ever wants to hear, but always needs to hear. You can never be good enough to ‘get in’ to heaven. You are never good enough isn’t a judgment. It is an honest expression of the truth. Even the saints knew it about themselves. We need to know it too. Brethren,…
Read MoreHidden Blessing
We live in a society based heavily on rewards. When we excel at work, we get a raise or promotion. When we excel in sports, a trophy adorns our house. When we excel in the spiritual life, things are different. God knows our achievement but rewards us secretly. Brethren, “What no eye has seen, nor…
Read MoreWhat Makes You Happy?
We all need a little encouragement to ‘keep us going’ each day! For some it is a paycheck. For others it is knowing we are making a difference in the world. Still others keep going by watching their children grow into adulthood. These are all great accomplishments, but all fall short. The Lord said to…
Read MoreMercy is God’s Choice
Two people can hear the same words and understand something totally different. Each person will hear what they want to hear, regardless of accuracy. I find that true almost every day in the Church. We all hear God’s word through Holy Scriptures, but we don’t all understand the same. Brethren, it is not as though…
Read MoreEveryone’s Savior
Are you saved? Orthodox Christians have been struggling over this question for years. We struggle not because we fear judgment. We struggle because confuse judgment with salvation. We are all saved and yet we are all judged. Before you get upset that I am teaching ‘universal salvation’ take a moment and read what Saint Paul…
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