SACRAMENTAL LIVING

Understanding Christianity as a Way of Life

Cleansing

“…the demands of this present life call for action, but God’s Word calls us to acknowledge His claim on our hearts now. We are seek Him now, to cleanse our lives now…In the mystery of baptism, God cleanses His divine image within us as the essential beginning of our life in Christ. Our Christian life consists of a sustained effort to recover our lost likeness to God.” (Dynamis 12/30/2014, 4/30/2018) “The results of forgiveness are a clean heart, a renewed spirit, a restored r

God's Personal Nature

“[there are] three general categories faiths and world views can be divided into: 1) world-affirming faiths consisting of Christianity, Judaism and Islam who share a reality of what he terms an “infinite, personal God;” 2) world-denying eastern family of faiths that include Hinduism, Buddhism and new age thought whose views can be characterized as “the undifferentiated and impersonal;” and 3) secular humanistic worldview that include atheism, naturalism and humanism whose ult

Receiving

“Christ offers light to every person, but the world and even many of His own refuse to receive Him; thus, they can neither know nor recognize Him. Those who accept Him have His light.” (Orthodox Study Bible, John 1:9-11) “Often blessings cannot be received unless we go through the trial of waiting.” (Life Application Study Bible, Psalms 40:1-3) “When we become captivated by material needs in this present life, we lose our freedom to receive the limitless help of the Holy Spir

Withholding

“What are the implications for us of Jesus’ teaching on the heart? First, we may fool ourselves or others, but we can never fool God. Once again, duplicity was certainly known to the Hebrews: "Everyone utters lies to his neighbor; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak." (Ps.11: 2)…God can see if we are holding back in any way, that is to say, as the Native American proverb goes: “If we are speaking with forked tongues.” (Father George Morelli) “…all gifts and ab

Understanding and Living Our Faith: Pascha and the Promise of Life from Death

Understanding and Living Our Faith: Pascha and the Promise of Life from Death

Michael does 1-2 blogs monthly for The Orthodox Christian Network that reach thousands worldwide. His series is titled "Understanding and Living our Faith." April 19 Blog, Understanding and Living Our Faith: Pascha and the Promise of Life from Death. “We must understand that the human person, in reality, does not die. Death is simply a transfer from one life to another.” (St. Paisios of Mt. Athos)

Resurrection

“We’re all going to be resurrected. Sounds good, right? Unfortunately, for many of us it will not be good, but it will be because of our own choice. Christ says on John 5:29 those who have done good will experience the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil will experience the resurrection of condemnation. The disposition of our heart toward God in this life, and how it leads us to love Him and others, or how it leads us to reject Him and others, will be what dete

Formula

“Spirituality is not a formula; it is not a test. It is a relationship. Spirituality is not about competency; it is about intimacy. Spirituality is not about perfection; it is about connection.” (Michael Yaconelli) “There is no secret formula that makes the Spirit’s power operational in our lives. Scripture tells us that the Spirit dwells and operates in us (1 Cor. 6:9). We have to learn by experience through interaction with God to understand how that dynamic works.” (Founda

Praise

"Giving praise, as distinct from asking for something, in prayer, is something I tend to neglect, when I am caught up in my usual concerns...It is a common human tendency, I suppose, to be more aware of what we need, than of what we already have, thanks to the Lord’s abundant mercy and faith in us. So our prayers tend to look like shopping-lists of I need this and I need that, rather than praise-filled gratitude for His undying glory." (Sr. Dr. Vassa Larin) “Dying to self is

Heart (Meditation and Union)

“...the mind and logic are not the same thing; logic functions within the brain, while the mind functions within the heart. Thus, the noetic faculty of the heart is the energy of the mind inside the heart. This important distinction results in the...Church seeing herself not as a religious institution, but rather as a hospital of the soul, where one comes for therapeutic procedures that restore the health of the soul and allow it to progress toward the ultimate goal of union

Crucifixion and Resurrection

“The Resurrection was made possible only because of the crucifixion. An earthly death was required in order for the Resurrection to occur…Through the Resurrection, when we fall through death, we are raised to Paradise by the power and the mercy of Christ.” (Fr. Stavros N. Akrotirianakis) “In the Crucified Christ, God does not remain a distant spectator of the undeserving suffering of the innocent but He participates in their suffering through the Cross and plants hope in the

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