Verses

I called out to the Lord, out of my distress, 
and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol 
I cried, and you heard my voice. 

Jonah 2: 2 ESV     

Our Law

Our Law

At present our righteousness comes from faith, it is a beginning which the Spirit gives us.  It starts when we acknowledge our evil deeds when we no longer try to justify our sins, but it will only reach perfection when death is swallowed up in victory. At the moment we are still in the midst of the battle: we fight and are ourselves wounded. Who will win, we ask ourselves. Brethren, the victor is he who when he fights relies on God who is urging him on, not on his own strength.  The devil is skilled in warfare, but if God is with us we shall defeat him.  He fights on his own - if we try to do the same he will win. He is an experienced tactician, so call on the Almighty against him. Let the unconquerable one dwell in you, and you will defeat him who usually conquers. Whom does he conquer? Those whose hearts are empty of God.

Love is the fullness of God's law, and the end of his commandments. We have not been given a law which threatens us from outside, but the law or righteousness written in our hearts.

    DAILY READING WITH
St Augustine --- The Heart at Rest

Cranky Old Man

When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in an Australian country town, it was believed that he had nothing left of any value.

Later, when the nurses were going through his meagre possessions, They found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital.

One nurse took her copy to Melbourne. The old man's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas editions of magazines around the country and appearing in mags for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem.

And this old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this 'anonymous' poem winging across the Internet.

Cranky Old Man

What do you see nurses? . . .. . .What do you see?
What are you thinking .. . when you're looking at me?
A cranky old man, . . . . . .not very wise,
Uncertain of habit .. . . . . . . .. with faraway eyes?
Who dribbles his food .. . ... . . and makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice . .'I do wish you'd try!'
Who seems not to notice . . .the things that you do.
And forever is losing . . . . . .. . . A sock or shoe?
Who, resisting or not . . . ... lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding . . . .The long day to fill?
Is that what you're thinking?. .Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse .you're not looking at me.
I'll tell you who I am . . . . .. As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, .. . . . as I eat at your will.
I'm a small child of Ten . .with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters .. . . .. . who love one another
A young boy of Sixteen . . . .. with wings on his feet
Dreaming that soon now . . .. . . a lover he'll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty . . . ..my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows .. .. .that I promised to keep.
At Twenty-Five, now . . . . .I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide . . . And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty . .. . . . . My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . .. With ties that should last.
At Forty, my young sons .. .have grown and are gone,
But my woman is beside me . . to see I don't mourn.
At Fifty, once more, .. ...Babies play 'round my knee,
Again, we know children . . . . My loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me . . . . My wife is now dead.
I look at the future ... . . . . I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing .. . . young of their own.
And I think of the years . . . And the love that I've known.
I'm now an old man . . . . . . .. and nature is cruel.
It's jest to make old age . . . . . . . look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles .. .. . grace and vigour, depart.
There is now a stone . . . where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass . A young man still dwells,
And now and again . . . . . my battered heart swells
I remember the joys . . . . .. . I remember the pain.
And I'm loving and living . . . . . . . life over again.
I think of the years, all too few . . .. gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact . . . that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people .. . . . .. . . open and see.
Not a cranky old man .
Look closer . . . . see .. .. . .. .... . ME!!

Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within. We will all, one day, be there, too!

THIS POEM (Originally by Phyllis McCormack; adapted by Dave Griffith)

The best and most beautiful things of this world can't be seen or touched. They must be felt by the heart!

Very Respectfully,
Scott Sonnon 

Verses

As for me, I would seek God, and to God would I commit my cause, 

who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number.   

                                                      Job 5: 8 - 9 ESV


Verses

         Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. 

            He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, 

        and your justice as the noonday. Psalm 37: 5 - 6 ESV
    

My Place

My Place

One day, a man went to visit a church.. He got there early, parked his car, and got out.

Another car pulled up and the driver got

out and said, "I always park there!

You took my place!"

The visitor went inside for

Sunday School, found an empty seat and sat down.

A young lady from the church

approached him and stated,

"That's my seat! You took my place!"

The visitor was somewhat distressed

by this rude welcome, but said nothing.

After Sunday School, the visitor went

into the sanctuary and sat down.

Another member walked up to him and said,

"That's where I always sit! You took my place!"

The visitor was even more troubled by this

treatment, but still He said nothing.

Later as the congregation was praying

for Christ to dwell among them,

the visitor stood up, and his appearance began to change.

Horrible scars became visible on

his hands and on his sandaled feet.

Someone from the congregation

noticed him and called out, "What happened to you?"

The visitor replied, as his hat

became a crown of thorns, and a tear fell from his eye,

"I took your place."

Verses

For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity. Ecclesiastes 3: 19 ESV

WALKING IN STRIDE WITH GOD

WALKING IN STRIDE WITH GOD
By Dan Cayaba

The most creative power given to the human spirit is the power to heal 
the wounds of a past it cannot change.

We do our forgiving alone inside our hearts and minds;
what happens to the people we forgive depends on them.
The first person to benefit from forgiving is the one who does it.

Forgiving happens in three stages:
we rediscover the humanity of the person who wronged us;
we surrender our right to get even;
and we wish that person well.

Forgiving is a journey; the deeper the wound, the longer the journey.
Waiting for someone to repent before we forgive
is to surrender our future to the person who wronged us.

Forgiving is not a way to avoid pain but to heal the pain.
Forgiving someone who breaks a trust does not mean that
we give him his job back.

Forgiving is the only way to be fair to ourselves.
Forgivers are not doormats; to forgive a person is not a signal
that we are willing to put up with what he does.
Forgiving is essential; talking about it is optional.

When we forgive, we set a prisoner free and discover
that the prisoner we set free is us.

When we forgive we walk in stride with the forgiving God.

Verses and Fathers Sayings

Verses and Fathers Sayings

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony,
and they did not love their lives to the death.
(Rev. 12: 11)




Peter and Paul, trampled the power of Satan,
and restored the nations, to the faith of the Trinity
Peter and our teacher Paul, with great struggle,
were in the stadium, of the apostles
.......................................................
They received glory form Christ, the King
and they rested with Him, in His eternal
kingdom, in the everlasting life.

(St. Peter & St. Paul Doxology)

Verses and Fathers sayings

Verses and Fathers sayings

"I have swept away your mistakes like a cloud, your sins like a morning mist... Sing for joy... for the Lord has done this." 
 - Isaiah 44:22-23

Spread your cloak over those who fall into sin, each and every one, and shield them. And if you cannot take the fault on yourself and accept punishment in their place, do not destroy their character." 

- Saint Isaac the Syrian
 

May You Proclaim Your Glory In The Midst Of My Sufferings!

May You Proclaim Your Glory
In The Midst Of My Sufferings!


From the inspiration of Daniel (10) 

 
Lord grant me with Daniel the spirit of praying and fasting with humility.
Let me find in You my peace and the joy of my heart.
Let me not ask for a delicious food.
Let me confess with tears my sins and the sins of my people,
For I raise the voice of my cries to the throne of Your grace!

Often I think that you have forgotten me and that You do not hear my prayers and groaning. 
Open my eyes so that I may see You working for my sake.
You hide temporarily Your works from me.
So that I may have a dialogue with You!

I fell down and I am scared.
O Holy One, let Your hand touch me.
Let me hear Your voice full of hope telling me to "Be of good courage."
Your words have dominion over my inner depths!

I see the world attacking the truth and persecuting Your church.
I see Gabriel the Archangel working with Michael the Archangel to defend Your church and Your people!
You gave free will to the evil people, but due to Your great love.

You sent the heavenly host to protect us.
You are amazing in Your justice as well as in Your love.
Declare Your glory amidst Your sufferings!


Fr. Tadros Malaty
From the Inspiration of the Book of Daniel     


 

We Shall See Him As He Is

We Shall See Him As He Is

By the world, brethren, I mean those who love the world, the evil-doers who do not know the righteous as they did not know him who came into the world.

How was this? Because he confronted them with their sins; they revelled in the pleasures of sin and so were unable to see God, for he has said, 'Blessed are they pure of heart, for they shall see God.'

Beloved, we are called to see that which eye has not seen - something far beyond all the beauties of this world, for from that loveliness comes all created beauty. But you may ask, how shall we see him, what shall we be like? Listen: 'We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 'Words can tell us no more, the heart alone can understand.

'As he is.' You know of whom 'he is' was said, he who is unchangeable, eternal. Who is he? 'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God.' God-made-man will come again to judge the world.

The wicked will look on him whom they pierced. The will not see him as the only begotten Son, the Word equal to the Father, but they will see him as the Word made flesh and hear: 'Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire.'

     DAILY READING WITH
St Augustine --- The Heart at Rest

Verses and Fathers Sayings

Verses and fathers Sayings

“But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die.
Ezekiel  18:24

 

"'If the righteous turns away and commits iniquity, I will not remember the righteousness which he did before; in his sin he shall die.'  Learn, then, brother, that it is not he who begins well who is perfect. It is he who ends well who is approved in God's sight. Give then no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids that you may be delivered as a roe from the net and a bird from the snare'. For, behold, you are passing through the midst of snares; you are treading on the top of a high wall whence a fall is perilous to the faller; wherefore do not immediately attempt extreme discipline; above all things beware of confidence in yourself, lest you fall from a height of discipline through want of training." 

--St. Basil the Great

FEED ME WITH YOUR COMMANDMENT O YOU THE DESIRE OF MY HEART

FEED ME WITH YOUR COMMANDMENT  
O YOU THE DESIRE OF MY HEART

From the inspiration of Ezekiel (3)

Feed me with your commandment, O You, the desire of my heart!
Stretch Your hand and offer me Your commandment, a heavenly Bread.
I am a child, even a suckling; I will not accept food from someone else!
You have compassion on me, more than my own parents, O Savior of my soul!

Your commandment is difficult, O Savior of my soul.
You cross is heavy; and Your way is narrow and rough.
Yet, from Your hands, Your commandment would be bread and honey.
Your cross would be glory; and Your way a new heaven!

You sent Your prophet carrying Your word to Your rebellious people.
Grant me to carry Your commandment to every soul, however rebellious it may be!
When Your word was delivered, there was great thunder in the sky.
Let the sky thunder, and let every hardness in my heart and in theirs tremble.
Let their shaky natural earthly nature be taken away.
And let them enjoy an eternal heavenly life.

As your prophet presented Your word to the rebellious people, his soul was embittered.
Was his soul embittered, because he wished to stay on beholding Your chariot?!
Or was his soul embittered, having come to experience the rebellion of mankind.
Grant me, amid the bitterness of my soul, to behold your heavens.
Grant me amid my grief, to experience the repentance of many.
Let my heart rejoice by Your divine work in me and in them, O divine Word.

Your prophet remained seven days among the captives.
Grant me to spend all the days of my sojourn working in Your vine.
I am not counting the days like a laborer.
But, as a son, I yearn to work in my father's vine.

Teach me, O divine Word.
When shall I get alone with You, to know Your mysteries?!
When shall I work in Your vine, to minister to Your people?!
Grant me in my retreat, not to forget Your people;
And in my ministry, not to stop meditating on Your mysteries.

Guide me, O True Word.
I do not know when to keep silent, and when to speak.
How should I keep silent; and how should I speak?!
Here I am in Your hands. Be My Guide working in me.  


Fr. Tadros Malaty
From the Inspiration of The Book of Ezekiel