Posts Tagged ‘Temptation’
Orthros Prayer Seven
Something we struggle to embrace is that we don’t inherently know how to pray. The disciples asked Christ, Who taught us the Lord’s Prayer. Still, we stand daily at our home altar struggling how to pray. Lucky for us, the Holy Spirit is on our side. O God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,…
Read MoreOrthros Prayer Six
No matter what we may think, God is never the source of bad things in our lives. Questions like, “Why is God punishing me?” only reveal our temptation instead of God’s actions. Everything God does for us and to us is for our benefit. If we think otherwise, we need to change our minds. We…
Read MoreOrthros Prayer Five
We all know that ‘one person’ who is always over-the-top in everything. Is there something nice to say? That one person never stops at just one good thing. Need a comforting hug? That one person let us ‘melt’ into their loving arms. Nothing is done without excess. This is the image that comes to my…
Read MoreOrthros Prayer One
We are two weeks into our Daily Lenten Journey and we have discussed our personal prayers throughout the day. As Orthodox Christians our prayers are not only personal. We also gather as a family in Church for Church services. These communal prayers are our next series. Even if you attend the Orthros service, which admittedly…
Read MoreEvening Prayer for Forgiveness
I see it all the time. Nobody confesses the ‘small sins’ since we can’t avoid them, but these are the sins the ‘add up’ to a life distant from the love of God. So today our Daily Lenten Journey will focus on an Evening Prayer for Forgiveness, something we all need but rarely ask from…
Read MorePrayers Before Sleep
We’re going to change gears with our Daily Lenten Journey today. We return to ‘personal’ prayer as we prepare for bed. We finish our day the same way we began, with prayer. After we pray the Trisagion Prayer, there are a few ‘extensions’ prayers like we had in the morning. We will spend the remainder…
Read MoreSin and Betrayal is Born in Weakness
Nobody who calls himself a Christian, sins ‘on purpose’ but out of weakness. We are tempted constantly. It is when we let our guard down that sin comes. Just when we think everything is ‘ok’ and we can take a break, temptation returns, and we sin. BRETHREN, no one born of God commits sin; for…
Read MoreNobody is Safe from Temptation
As Christians we are told that God will protect us from evil. We grow up knowing that God is watching over us. So then, why do so many leave the Church and walk in sin? Temptation is the great equalizer. The stronger our faith, the stronger the temptation. The Lord said to his disciples, “When…
Read MoreNothing Can Separate You from God
It is too easy to feel alone in a world filled with billions of people. It is all too common. In the middle of struggle, we look around and feel alone. We feel nobody ‘has our back’ or that nobody understands what we are going through. We even wonder if God has forgotten us. Brethren,…
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…
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