In the Alps in Switzerland nestles an obscure village, with a castle and a church of rough, hewn stone, reached by worn steps up the mountainside. The peculiar thing about this church is that it has no lighting system nor has ever had one.

A traveler there heard a church bell ringing and saw folks coming out of the narrow streets, each bearing a quaint little ronze lamp filled with oil and having a wick. She approached a worshiper and said, "Please, I am a stranger here, will you tell me why you carry a lamp to church?"

The woman replied, "Why, yes, I would be happy to. Years ago a duke lived in that castle. He built the church, endowed it
and asked that each worshiper bring his own lamp." The traveler replied, " I should think that would keep folks from attending the evening services."

"Oh, no, it works just the other way. It is called the Church of Lighted Lamps. Everybody that goes makes it a little brighter and when anybody is tempted to stay at home or go somewhere else, he just remembers the dear old church needs everybody's lamp, and if your lamp isn't there, there is so much less light."

Dead Battery
Psalm 25:5 - Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. (NIV)

We grow so used to things always being in place and ready to go. The other morning, my husband said goodbye, went out to open the garage door and to start the car, only to re-trace his footsteps back into the house. "Dead battery."

It so happened that it was one of those frigid days, and of course he was not the only one with a dead battery. It would be a three- or four-hour wait until the car could be serviced. That put a halt for the day to all the things he was going to do.

I thought over how often we take for granted that things will work properly, and how helpless we feel when something like a dead battery comes along unexpectedly.

When we are in a situation, feeling helpless, we have two alternatives, just like a battery has two terminals. We can look at the positive side and accept things for the way they are. That gives us God's power to make something good out of the situation. Alternatively, we can look at the negative side, and be frustrated and angry. That not only achieves nothing, just like the dead battery in the car, but it is usually destructive.

Though we are sometimes prevented from doing something or going somewhere, I often find myself with the positive thought that perhaps God doesn't want us to go anywhere at this particular time, for a reason not known to us.

Let's learn to give thanks to God, remembering that when we are frustrated, God still has a good plan for us. We need to have trust in God and to be patient, waiting for His guidance, and for His will to be done.

John 14:1 - Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. (NIV)

Prayer: O Lord, bless us who come to You this day seeking Your guidance in all we attempt to do. Help us to be positive and not be negative, for negative thoughts achieve nothing. Teach us patience and trust in You as we strive to do Your will. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

"These, then, are the four rich sources of prayer. Out of contrition for sin is supplication born. Prayer comes of the fidelity to promises and the fulfillment of what we have undertaken for the sake of a pure conscience. Pleading comes forth from the warmth of our love. Thanksgiving is generated by the contemplation of God's goodness and greatness and faithfulness. And all this, as we know, often evokes the most fervent and fiery prayers. Hence all of these types of prayer of which I have been speaking are valuable for all men, and indeed quite necessary. And so one man will now offer supplication, prayer then, later the purest and most zealous pleas."

St. John Cassian.

---------------------------------------------------------------

"No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you." Joshua 1:5

There are many reasons why God would not want you. But don't worry. You're in good company.

- Moses stuttered.

-- David's armor didn't fit.

--- John Mark was rejected by Paul.

---- Hosea's wife was a prostitute.

----- Amos' only training was in the school of fig-tree pruning.

------ Jacob was a liar.

------- David had an affair.

-------- Solomon was too rich.

--------- Abraham was too old.

---------- David was too young.

----------- Timothy had ulcers.

------------ Peter was afraid of death.

------------- Lazarus was dead.

-------------- John was self-righteous.

--------------- Jesus was too poor.

-------------- Naomi was a widow.

------------- Paul was a murderer. So was Moses.

------------ Jonah ran from God.

----------- Miriam was a gossip.

---------- Gideon and Thomas both doubted.

--------- Jeremiah was depressed and suicidal.

-------- Elijah was burned out.

------- John the Baptist was a loudmouth.

------ Martha was a worry-wart.

----- Mary was lazy.

---- Samson had long hair.

--- Noah got drunk.

-- Did I mention that Moses had a short fuse?

- So did Peter, Paul - well, lots of folks did.

-- But God doesn't require a job interview.

-- He doesn't hire and fire like most bosses,

-- Because He's more our Dad than our Boss.

-- He doesn't look at financial gain or loss.

-- He's not prejudiced or partial,

-- Not judging, grudging, sassy, or brassy,

-- Not deaf to our cry,

-- Not blind to our need.

Comment from one of our readers I think is in place and worse reading, with my apologies.

In today's e-mail about the reasons for which God would not want us, there are some mistakes that may confuse young readers. Some of them are:

Solomon was too rich; and Mary was lazy.

God was upset against Solomon, not becasue he was rich, but becasue he married a lot of foregin women (like the pharoh's daughter) whom brought their gods with them in Jerusalem, and therefore perverted the jews by making them worship these idols. If the people of God were not to adore YHWH alone, they were breaking the covenant with God. Zakariah, in the new testement was rich, and Jesus went to his house. The difference between them is that Solomon did not want at the begining to give up all the wordly pleasures.

For Mary, she was not lazy. Christ Himself defended her infront of her sister Martha. She wanted to sit at the feet of Jesus in order to hear God's word, and that is not a bad thing.

Some other things were not accurate in that last e-mail, however, believe me, I understand that the point of the e-mail is deep and beautiful. I liked it, but by fear that it could be misunderstood, I sent this e-mail.

Have a blessed Holy week.

God Bless

There are many reasons why God would not want you. But don't worry. You're in good company.

- Moses stuttered.

-- David's armor didn't fit.

--- John Mark was rejected by Paul.

---- Hosea's wife was a prostitute.

----- Amos' only training was in the school of fig-tree pruning.

------ Jacob was a liar.

------- David had an affair.

-------- Solomon was too rich.

--------- Abraham was too old.

---------- David was too young.

----------- Timothy had ulcers.

------------ Peter was afraid of death.

------------- Lazarus was dead.

-------------- John was self-righteous.

--------------- Jesus was too poor.

-------------- Naomi was a widow.

------------- Paul was a murderer. So was Moses.

------------ Jonah ran from God.

----------- Miriam was a gossip.

---------- Gideon and Thomas both doubted.

--------- Jeremiah was depressed and suicidal.

-------- Elijah was burned out.

------- John the Baptist was a loudmouth.

------ Martha was a worry-wart.

----- Mary was lazy.

---- Samson had long hair.

--- Noah got drunk.

-- Did I mention that Moses had a short fuse?

- So did Peter, Paul - well, lots of folks did.

-- But God doesn't require a job interview.

-- He doesn't hire and fire like most bosses,

-- Because He's more our Dad than our Boss.

-- He doesn't look at financial gain or loss.

-- He's not prejudiced or partial,

-- Not judging, grudging, sassy, or brassy,

-- Not deaf to our cry,

-- Not blind to our need.

The Holy Great Fast and Spiritual Discipline ( Part 1)

"The true fast is that in which sins, anger, tongue, and instincts are under control." (St Basil the Great)

The Holy Great Fast is often referred to as "The Spring of Our Spiritual Life." Spring being the most beautiful season of the year and a time of spiritual renewal.

The 55 days of the Holy Great Fast are considered the most Holy days of fasting of the Coptic Church. Fifty days include the forty days, which were fasted by the Lord Himself, the Passion Week, and the first initial week to prepare us spiritually before this great season of renewal. We fast to commemorate His sufferings on the Holy Cross, for spiritual discipline and our salvation.

Much has been written regarding fasting associated with foods. Yet, fasting is not only abstaining from certain foods. It is a time for us to have our hearts filled with the Holy Spirit. How can our hearts be filled with the Holy Spirit and guarded against all sin?

When we fast we exercise self-control. Fasting provides an occasion to enrich the soul and elevate it to a higher level of spiritual discipline. St Isaac said, "Having control of what we say is better than having control over our bodies, and guarding our hearts against sin is best of all."

St. John Cassian wrote, "We should not be confident that the outside fasting of food is enough alone for the purity of the heart and body, unless it is accompanied by the fasting of the soul." He further said that, "Fasting is an important means which leads to purity of heart and not as a goal in itself."

Fasting of the soul is spiritual discipline. The importance of spiritual discipline can be found in the Holy Book of Proverbs 25:28, "Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control." This tells us that a man without self-control and discipline is defenseless and disgraced.


His Grace Bishop Youssef
Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States

The Holy Great Fast and Spiritual Discipline ( Part 2 continued)


St. Paul believed that spiritual discipline prepared a Christian to exercise faith and enter the Kingdom of God:

"Do you know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus not with uncertainty. Thus I fight not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it under subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should not become disqualified." (I Corinthians 9: 24-27)

Self-control incorporates dominance over desires including the physical desires of food and sex. Psychological desires of fame and love of praise must also be quenched.

Periodic ascetic practices are good within marriage. This includes temporary abstinence from sexual relations for the sake of prayer during fasting. The Holy Book of I Corinthians states, "Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control."

It has often been said that one has reached the pinnacle of spiritual success as soon as one becomes uninterested in money, compliments, or publicity and fame. "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility considers others better than yourselves." (Philippians 2:3)

Spiritual discipline must always be accompanied with spiritual knowledge. This type of knowledge is not primarily mental but spiritual in nature and personal. It is experienced with faith, exercise, control, and will bear good fruits in the Lord Jesus Christ.

"But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ." (II Peter 1: 5-8)

His Grace Bishop Youssef
Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States

The Holy Great Fast and Spiritual Discipline ( last Part continued)

During this Great Holy Fast let us all further develop our need for spiritual discipline. The Holy Book of Wisdom of Solomon 8:7 tell us, "Do you love justice? All the virtues are a result of Wisdom's work: justice and courage, self-control and understanding. Life can offer us nothing more valuable than these."

To develop self-control during this Holy Great Fast it is recommended that one begin with:

A) Love of Godliness and Righteousness (St Felix says, "When any person sets on the way of righteous, he starts with fasting, for without asceticism all other virtues like prayer, thoughts, and mind are not pure, and the inner man cannot be renewed.")

B) Clear Goals (Our Lord Jesus Christ warns us, "Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and cares of this life." Luke 21:34)

C) Brotherly Kindness ("And herein do I exercise myself to have always a conscience void of offense toward God and toward men." Acts 24:16)

D) Desire for diligent practice of spiritual exercises (St Paul said, "I keep under my body and bring it into subjection." I Corinthians 9:27. Spiritual exercises capture our bodies and senses by not giving into the things desired. Spiritual discipline is training to the body and senses, which leads to purity of the soul.)

"I would have you learn this great fact: that a life of doing right is the wisest life there is. If you live that kind of life, you'll not limp or stumble as you run." (Proverbs 4:11-12)

His Grace Bishop Youssef
Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States
 

Tomorrow Is Not Promised

Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there, they serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson or help figure out who you are and who you want to become.

You never know who these people may be: your neighbor, child, long lost friend, lover, or even a complete stranger who, when you lock eyes with them, you know at that very moment that they will affect your life in some profound way. And sometimes things happen to you and at the time they seem painful and unfair, but in reflection you realize that without overcoming those obstacles you would have never realized your potential strength, will power, or heart.

Everything happens for a reason. Nothing happens by chance or by means of good or bad luck. Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness and sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of your soul. Without these small tests, whether they be events, illnesses or relationships, life would be like a smoothly paved straight flat road to nowhere, safe and comfortable, but dull and utterly pointless. The people you meet who affect your life and the successes and downfalls you experience create who you are, and even the bad experiences can be learned from, In fact, they are probably the poignant and important ones.

If someone hurts you, betrays you or breaks your heart, forgive them, for they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious to whom you open your heart...

If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they love you, but because they are teaching you to love and opening your heart and eyes to things you would have never seen or felt without them.

Make every day count. Appreciate every moment and take from it everything that you possibly can, for you may never be able to experience it again...

Talk to people you have never talked to before, and actually listen, let yourself fall in love, break free and set your sights high...

Hold your head up because you have every right to. Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself... for if you don't believe in yourself, no one else will believe in you either.

You can make of your life anything you wish. Create your own life and then go out and live in it!

"Live Each Day As If It Were Your Last...Tomorrow is Not Promised"

Think of what Jesus did for us. He suffered every step of the cross with us in mind. He loved us and willingly took every stripe for us. He shed His precious blood for us. May this week be a time of constant reflection in your heart and soul as you remember the incredible gift of God — His Son's sacrifice for our salvation.

He Saw You

What an incredible journey Jesus made; what an overwhelming expression of love He undertook; what an awesome purpose He had in mind. You were on His heart. When He left His home in heaven, He saw you; When He became a man on earth, He was seeking you; When he stretched out His hands upon the cross, He was reaching out to you; When He returned to His Father, He was preparing a place for you. You are the sheep He has come to shepherd, to guide, to feed, to protect, to shelter, and to carry. You are the one He calls His own.

- Roy Lessin
 

A boy once approached his father, ‘Old man, why do you fast?’ The father stood silent, bringing heart and mind together, and then:

‘Beloved boy, I fast to know what it is I lack.
For day by day I sit in abundance, and
all is well before me;
I want not, I suffer not, and I
lack but that for which I invent a need.
But my heart is empty of true joy,
filled, yet overflowing with dry waters.
There is no room left for love.
I have no needs, and so my needs are never met,
no longings, and so my desires are never fulfilled.
Where all the fruits of the earth could dwell, I have
filled the house with dust and clouds;
It is full, so I am content—
But it is empty, and so I weep.

‘Thus I fast, beloved, to know the
dust in which I dwell.
I take not from that which I might take,
for in its absence I am left empty,
and what is empty stands ready to be illed.
I turn from what I love, for my love is barren,
and by it I curse the earth.
I turn from what I love, that I may purify my loving,
and move from curse to blessing.

‘From my abundance I turn to want,
as the soldier leaves the comfort of home,
of family and love,
to know the barrenness of war.
For it is only amongst the fight, in the
torture of loss, in the fire of battle,
that lies are lost and the blind man
clearly sees.
In hunger of body and mind, I see
the vanity of food,
for I have loved food as food,
and have never been fed.
In weary, waking vigil I see
the vanity of sleep,
for I have embraced sleep as desire,
and have never found rest.
In sorrow, with eyes of tears I see
the vanity of pleasure,
for I have treasured happiness above all,
and have never known joy.

‘I fast, beloved child, to crush the wall
that is my self;
For I am not who I am, just as these passions
are not treasures of gold but of clay.
I fast to die, for it is not the living who are
raised, but the dead.
I fast to crucify my desires, for He who was
crucified was He who lived,
and He who conquered,
and He who lives forever.’

Happy Easter everybody. Sorry, the story is long but hope it will touch your heart as it did to mine.

A Different Way to Look at Easter

This is a true story, one that I promise you will never forget, and one that will cause you to think of Easter in a totally different light.

The Lady's name was Edith Burns. She was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas. She was the patient of a fine Christian doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns. One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns. When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap. She was earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her.Dr. Phillips knew why Edith was there and what she was doing. You see, Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way
"Hello, my name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved. Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse Beverly.

Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying, "My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?"
Beverly said, "Why yes I do." Edith said, "Well, what do you believe about Easter?"
Beverly said, "Well, it's all about egg hunts, going to church, and dressing up."

Well, Edith kept pressing her about the real meaning of Easter, and finally led her to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Dr. Phillips said, "Beverly, don't call Edith into the office quite yet. I believe there is another delivery taking place in the waiting room."

After being called back in the doctor's office, Edith sat down and when she took a look at the doctor she said, "Dr. Will, why are you so sad?
Are you reading your Bible? Are you praying?"

Dr. Phillips said, "Now Edith, I'm the doctor and you're the patient." With a heavy heart he said, "Your lab report came back and it says you have cancer, and Edith, you're not going to live very long."

Edith said, "Why Will Phillips, shame on you. Why are you so sad? Do you think God makes mistakes? You have just told me I'm going to see my precious Lord Jesus, my husband, and my friends. You have just told me that I am going to celebrate Easter forever, and here you are having difficulty giving me my ticket!"
Dr. Phillips thought to himself, "What a magnificent woman this Edith Burns is!"

Edith continued coming to Dr. Phillips every day. Christmas came and the office was closed through January 3rd. On the day the office opened, Edith did not show up. Later that afternoon, Edith called Dr. Phillips and said she would have to be moving her story to the hospital and said, "Will, I'm very near home, so would you make sure that they put women in here next to me in my room who need to know about Easter."

Well, they did just that and women began to come in and share that room with Edith. Many women were gloriously saved. Everybody on that floor from staff to patients were so excited about Edith, that they started calling her Edith Easter; everyone except Phyllis Cross, the head nurse.

She made it plain that she wanted nothing to do with Edith because she was a "religious nut". She had been a nurse in an army hospital. She had seen it all and heard it all. She was the original G.I. Jane. She had been married three times, she was hard, cold, and did everything by the book. Well, one morning the two nurses who were to attend to Edith were sick. Edith had the flu and Phyllis Cross had to go in and give her a shot.

When she walked in, Edith had a big smile on her face and said, "Phyllis, God loves you and I love you, and I have been praying for you."

Phyllis Cross said, "Well, you can quit praying for me, you religious nut, it won't work. I'm not interested." Edith said, "Well, I will pray and I have asked God not to let me go home until you come into the family."

Phyllis Cross said, "Then you will never die because that will never happen." She walked out of the room. Every day Phyllis Cross would walk into that room and Edith would say, "God loves you Phyllis and I love you, and I'm praying for you."

One day Phyllis Cross said she was literally drawn to Edith's room like a magnet would draw iron. She sat down on the bed and Edith said, "I'm so glad you have come, because God told me that today is your special day."

Phyllis Cross said, "Edith, you have asked everybody here the question, 'Do you believe in Easter?' but you have never asked me."
Edith said, "Phyllis, I wanted to many times, but God told me to wait until you asked, and now that you have asked..."
Edith Burns took her Bible and shared with Phyllis Cross the Easter Story of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Edith said, "Phyllis, do you believe in Easter? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is alive and that He wants to live in your heart?" Phyllis Cross said, "Oh I want to believe that with all of my heart, and I do want Jesus in my life." Right there, Phyllis Cross prayed and invited Jesus Christ into her heart. For the first time Phyllis Cross did not walk out of a hospital room, she was carried out on the wings of angels. Two days later, Phyllis Cross came in and Edith said, "Do you know what
day it is?" Phyllis Cross said, "Why Edith, it's Good Friday." Edith said, "Oh, no, for you every day is Easter. Happy, Easter Phyllis!"
Well, two days later, on Easter Sunday, Phyllis Cross came into work, did some of her duties and then went down to the flower shop and got some Easter lilies, because she wanted to go up to see Edith and give her some Easter lilies and wish her a Happy Easter. When she walked into Edith's room, Edith was in bed. That big black Bible was on her lap. Her hands were in that Bible. There was a sweet smile on her face. When Phyllis Cross went to pick up Edith's hand, she realized Edith was dead.

Her left hand was on John 14 "In my Father's house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also." Her right hand was on Revelation 21:4, "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." Phyllis Cross took one look at that dead body, and then lifted her face
toward heaven, and with tears streaming down here cheeks, said, "Happy Easter, Edith - Happy Easter!"

Well, Phyllis Cross left Edith's body, walked out of the room, and over to a table where two student nurses were sitting. She said, "My name is Phyllis Cross. Do you believe in Easter?"

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: ( Matthew 28 : 18-19 ) “

THE BEE'S STINGER

We can say that death holds no terror for those who trust in the Lord Jesus. It is not a dark and fearful journey into the unknown: Instead, it is a loving, nurturing relationship with Jesus in this life - followed by a glorious, face to face reunion with him in the heavens.

In his letter to the Corinthian church, the Apostle Paul reflects at length on the resurrection, and what it means for the Christian. And he concludes by saying this:
"When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?'

A little boy and his father went for a drive together on a beautiful summer afternoon. Suddenly a bumblebee flew in the car window and began to buzz around inside the car. The little boy was deathly allergic to bee stings, and so he became very upset.

But his father quickly reached over, and grabbed the bee in his hand. He squeezed the bee and then let it go. When he saw that the bee was loose once again, the young son became agitated and upset once more. But his father, who saw his panic-stricken face, reached out his hand and said to his son: "Do you see that
little black thing there in my hand? You don't need to be afraid anymore, son. That's the stinger. I have taken the sting for you -- now that bumblebee is as harmless as a fly."

Jesus has taken the sting of death, so that we can experience the victory of the resurrection!...Jesus has gone ahead -- to prepare a place for us.

Easter is a day - above all other days - when we are filled with great hope that in Christ; there is life. Fullness of life on earth: and then, after death, there is life again!

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