Our beloved Church has set the Morning Prayer to remind us of
the Resurrection of the Lord of Glory, which took place about
dawn of the First Day, as in the Third Psalm. "I lay down and slept;
I awoke." (Ps. 3:5)
(Heguman Pishoy Kamel)

Shower my heart O Lord by your blessings, so that Virtue might
grow in my heart and keep it in Your mercy so that it might give
the fruits of righteousness through Your mercy.
(Ephraim the Syrian)

Beloved brethren, who inherit with the saints, all the virtues
are not far from you, but they are for you and in you. You are
not hidden in this temporary world, but you are apparent to God.
(Anthony the Great)

For great is the honor, of the incorporeal saints, the Twenty
Four Elders.
(See Rev. 4:10-11)

Run to the Lord, all who are wicked; He forgives wickedness
and removes sins.
(Isaac the Syrian)

God's solutions are the strongest and the most successful;
we must therefore seek them and hold on to them.
(Pope Shenonouda III)

Struggle to keep your thoughts within the words of your prayer.
(John Climacus)

But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible,
but not with God; for with God all things are possible.
(Mark 10:7)

We must seek Thee above all else, and not seek anything
else but Thee, for he who seeks Thee finds all in Thee.
(Ephraim the Syrian)

What is man that You are mindful of him, And the Son of Man
that You visit him?
(Psa. 8:4)

REFLECTION:

All the children of the Church are priests. At Baptism they received
the anointing that gives them a share in the priesthood. The sacrifice
that they must offer to God is completely spiritual - it is themselves.

Holy Father, teach us to offer ourselves to You with all our thoughts,
words, and actions. Let us also exercise our "common priesthood" by
faithful participation at the Eucharist.
(St. Ambrose of Milan)

HOMILY:

A Falling Away:

For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to right teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever they want to hear. They will reject the truth and follow strange myths. (2 Tim. 4:3-4) New Living Translation.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but having itching ears, they shall heap to themselves teachers in accordance with their own lusts. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned towards fables. (2 Tim.4:3-4) Third Millennium Bible.

I have given two versions of the Scripture Passage, so you can see the variation. 'For the time is Coming', I am sure that it has now come, as I have seen examples of where people have Preachers who pander to their every whim and will only to tell them what they want to hear. They are not interested in Bible Prophecy. They shy away from such things, they have no interest, they are Laodicean (neither hot or cold), only lukewarm.

A minister should give varied and positive teaching, not monotonous and negative condemnation.

The future prospect described in these verses provides added reason for such preaching. Note how this hearing is wrong both in motive and interest; it is determined by selfish caprice or desire to be entertained; and deliberately diverted away from the truth to cunningly devised fables or myths. We should steer clear of Heretical Teaching.

The vast number of strange teachers to whom people listen to today, is largely the result of the Church's neglect of evangelisation and right teaching. Satan is behind these cunningly devised fables and he jumps for joy at how man can be easily led astray.

We must purge the Church of these free thinkers, repent of our errors and turn back to God and His Christ. Otherwise we will be in uncharted waters, losing our way along life's pathway.

It has been said that there will be a great falling away from the Church near the end of the Age.

Are you part of the falling away group or can you say you are part of the ELECT?

To Thee be glory and praise; now and ever, unto Ages of Ages.

AMEN!

Today's Readings:

Evening: Psalm 18:34&39; Matt. 8:5-13.
Morning: Psalm 66:3&35; Luke 12:4-12.
Liturgy: 2 Cor. 10:1-18; 1 Peter 4:1-11; Acts 12:25-13:12;
Psalm 45:3-4; Gospel Matt. 12:9-23.

|| Bible Study || Biblical topics || Bibles || Orthodox Bible Study || Coptic Bible Study || King James Version || New King James Version || Scripture Nuggets || Index of the Parables and Metaphors of Jesus || Index of the Miracles of Jesus || Index of Doctrines || Index of Charts || Index of Maps || Index of Topical Essays || Index of Word Studies || Colored Maps || Index of Biblical names Notes || Old Testament activities for Sunday School kids || New Testament activities for Sunday School kids || Bible Illustrations || Bible short notes

|| Pope Shenouda || Father Matta || Bishop Mattaous || Fr. Tadros Malaty || Bishop Moussa || Bishop Alexander || Habib Gerguis || Bishop Angealos || Metropolitan Bishoy ||

|| Prayer of the First Hour || Third Hour || Sixth Hour || Ninth Hour || Vespers (Eleventh Hour) || Compline (Twelfth Hour) || The First Watch of the midnight prayers || The Second Watch of the midnight prayers || The Third Watch of the midnight prayers || The Prayer of the Veil || Various Prayers from the Agbia || Synaxarium