Posts Tagged ‘worship’
The Awesome God
As human beings we are constantly surrounded by examples of power and authority. Just turn on the TV for any brief moment and you will find countless examples of earthly power. Politicians and celebrities are all vying for your attention. The one thing missing in every example of earthly authority is lasting power. Every example…
Read MoreAutomatic Christianity
I just don’t get it. Why is it I meet so many people that think ‘just because’ they were baptized that means they are Christians and will be saved. It is as if baptism is some sort of magic pill that guarantees entrance to heaven. Others think, “I believe in Jesus. That’s enough.” Then there…
Read MoreChristmas Has Begun
The Church has a wonderful tradition of ramping up a celebration ‘in anticipation’ of a feast. This tradition is called the Forefeast, and begins to offer hymns and readings that reflect the coming feast. The greater the feast, the greater the forefeast. In the case of Christmas the Forefeast began on December 20th, but we’ve…
Read MoreEpisode 411 – Desire to be with God
When God invites you, He wants you to attend by choice. He won’t force us to attend Church. His desire is that we want to be with Him in Church and in Heaven. Attending Church is not about checking off a box of obligation. We can ‘find time’ for anything we desire. God invites us…
Read MoreStand in front of God
You may not know that I have two ruptured discs in my back and a ‘bit’ of arthritis in my knee. I know how difficult it can be to stand for services in the Church. I know how difficult it can be to concentrate on the words of Liturgy when you’re in pain. Nonetheless, the…
Read MoreChristian Relationships
Long before you and I were born God said, “It is not good for man to be alone.” (Genesis 2.18) He wasn’t talking about needing someone for housework or to work the fields. He was talking about our salvation. Since we are created in the image of God, Who is a community of love in…
Read MoreOrder VS Chaos
I hear it often. The Orthodox Church is accused of worrying more about ritual than ‘The Word’ when it comes to worship. True, our Liturgy is filled with ritual elements. The same can be said for our protestant brothers and sisters who indict us. Just because something has ritual doesn’t mean it isn’t based on…
Read MoreMotives for Change
Humanity has benefited a great deal from innovation. In just about every sector of life, innovation has improved upon what was before. Medical, scientific, technological, and even food production have all been improved by innovation. There is one place, though, where innovation is not necessarily making things better. Religious and moral innovation has continually brought…
Read MoreThe Battle Over Language
It isn’t enough that the various Orthodox jurisdictions in America argue over their ‘native’ language vs English in worship. In America we even argue over which English is best. I’ve heard it all my life. Do we call God, You or Thee? It might be hard to believe, but the fight over language is not…
Read More2023 Daily Lenten Journey – Day 26
This week finishes with another ‘fast forward’ of the ancestry of Noah through Shem. Allow me to recap for a moment. Adam and Eve had Cain and Abel. After Cain killed Abel, they had Seth. From Seth we learned the descendants through Noah, and then on to Shem’s descendants. Today we land on the doorstep…
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