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Orthodox Christianity is a way of life, not a religion. Too often we relegate our belief in Christ to a mere mental exercise. Be Transfigured! And Live a New Life in Jesus Christ.
Episodes
Tuesday Dec 15, 2015
Tuesday Dec 15, 2015
In the Parable of the Great Banquet found in the Gospel of Luke 14.16-24, Jesus warns us of the result of excuses. When we continue to come up with excuses why we can’t attend Church, or why we can’t live the life of the Church which is meant to prepare us for heaven, then we will find ourselves left out. The life of the Church has only one purpose, to prepare us for heaven. It doesn’t matter if our name is on the membership list in the Church office, if we make excuses and don’t accept God’s invitation to attend the banquet known as the Divine Liturgy. If we live a life filled with excuses about church when we are alive, the chances are much greater that we will continue to make excuses when God reminds us that heaven is ready and waiting for us. It won’t make any difference when we claim our name is on the invitation list, it will be too late.
Thursday Dec 10, 2015
Thursday Dec 10, 2015
This Bible study was originally LIVE STREAM on Wednesday, December 9, 2015, in Florence, SC
Monday Dec 07, 2015
Monday Dec 07, 2015
It seems like the holiday season is one of the most difficult times to follow the life of the Church. Around every turn our society is urging us to turn away from following the life of the Church in favor of secular parties and materialism. With the burden of Christmas shopping, laying out decorations, attending holiday parties at work or in the neighborhood, most people are just happy Christmas is over, once it finally arrives. Attending Divine Liturgy is nothing more than an obligatory punctuation mark to an over-scheduled, over-hyped and over-worked season. An all the while the Church expects us to prepare for Christmas with fasting, prayer, reading the Scriptures, helping the poor, going for Holy Confession. We have a choice. We can either obey the Church, with her two thousand year history of experience and grace, or we can obey the society and look at the expectations of the Church with ridicule. The choice is yours.
Friday Dec 04, 2015
Friday Dec 04, 2015
This Bible study was originally LIVE STREAM via YouTube on Wednesday, December 2, 2015, from Florence, SC.
Monday Nov 30, 2015
Monday Nov 30, 2015
Look around at any family gathering and you will no doubt see children acting like their parents. Parents often look at their children with pride as they “see themselves” in their children because children often reflect their parents. In fact each of us reflects what is most important in our hearts. Like the rich man in the Gospel (Luke 18.18-27) our heart can also be cold and greedy and turned away from the love of God. A quick look at news coverage during the Thanksgiving Holiday, and we can see the priorities of many in our society. Shopping malls are filled with angry and sometimes violent shoppers grabbing for that discounted product, while their brothers and sisters are living in the streets with nothing to eat. The world can be a dark and lonely place, and for those lost in the darkness, just a glimpse of light can bring hope for a better tomorrow. As Saint Paul said, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” (Ephesians 5.8) As Orthodox Christians we have an opportunity to reflect the Light of Christ for those lost in the darkness, and bring hope that there is Way out of the darkness. We have an opportunity to reflect the Light of Christ so others will see the Light and follow the Light to the Church. If we indeed are children of light, then we should reflect our Father’s Light.
Thursday Nov 19, 2015
Thursday Nov 19, 2015
This Bible Study was originally LIVE STREAM via YouTube on Wednesday, November 18, 2015, from Florence, SC.
Thursday Nov 19, 2015
Thursday Nov 19, 2015
The Church is filled with them; people who live sinful lives and then arrive Sunday morning acting like angels. It turns many people off from “religion” and even more from attending Church on Sunday mornings. It is common to hear the excuse, “I have no intention of changing my behavior, so instead of being a hypocrite I just stay home.” What if everyone in Church wasn’t a hypocrite but an addict? What if instead of enjoying their sinful lives, people in Church on Sunday morning awoke every day committing to the Lord they would change, but by NOON had already fallen into their old habits? What if everyone were addicted to sin? And then.....what if YOU understood YOU weren’t better than anyone else, and addicted to sin just like everyone else. You could finally be a love your neighbor as yourself.
Monday Nov 09, 2015
Monday Nov 09, 2015
Many ask, “If God doesn’t give us more than we can handle, the why do people starve to death?” This very popular question is based upon a misunderstanding about God’s love. God doesn’t give us struggle. He allows things to run their natural course. God does promise, and the Gospel bears witness, that when we remain united to God in faith and humility, we will always be able to endure the pain and suffering. We will be able to handle anything even death itself if we remain united to God in prayer, faith, humility and peace.
Thursday Nov 05, 2015
Monday Nov 02, 2015
Monday Nov 02, 2015
You’ve heard it said that you must learn to love yourself before you can love others. I disagree. Loving yourself in only self-love, and rarely leads to loving others. In the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazaros, we hear of a man who loved himself so much, he never recognized that the poor man outside his door needed compassion. Even in death the rich man couldn’t pass beyond his love for himself as he called, “Father Abraham have mercy on me and send Lazaros that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue.” (Luke 16.24) It is only when we love others that we can finally learn to love ourselves as God desires.