Category: Daily Prayer

“We thank God unceasingly for you, brothers, because your faith grows apace and your mutual love increases; so much so that in God’s communities we can boast of your constancy and your faith in persecution and trial.” –2 Thessalonians 1:3-4 The Christian community of Thessalonica was famous for its faith. Paul proclaimed: “Throughout every region your faith in God is celebrated” (1 Thes 1:8). The Lord wants us to have famous faith as well. May your faith be celebrated, imitated, and surpassed by your children and their children’s children, until Christ comes again. May your parish church be famous not...

“Lord, are they few in number who are to be saved?” –Luke 13:23 Jesus taught: “The gate that leads to damnation is wide, the road is clear, and many choose to travel it. But how narrow is the gate that leads to life, how rough the road, and how few there are who find it!” (Mt 7:13-14) Jesus seems to have said that only a few people are saved from damnation. If this is a correct interpretation, our future is terrifying. To make sure he was understanding Jesus correctly, “someone asked Him, ‘Lord, are they few in number who are...

“I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east.” –Ezekiel 43:2 Because of the people’s refusal to repent, “the glory of the Lord rose from the city” of Jerusalem (Ez 10:23). However, God promised that one day His glory would return to His people (Ez 43:4, 7). This promise was fulfilled in an unimaginable way when God became a human being. St. John proclaimed: “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us, and we have seen His glory: the glory of an only Son coming from the Father” (Jn 1:14). When Jesus was born,...

“How dry they were!” –Ezekiel 37:2 Are you feeling spiritually dry? Do you feel that God is looking at your life and saying, “How dry you are”? At one time in my life I was constantly surrounded by spirit-filled people, but felt so dry and far from the Spirit that I’d given up hope of ever receiving His fullness (Jn 5:5ff). I was spiritually dry and I desperately needed living water (Jn 4:14). However, my life was fulfilling the saying: “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.” I wanted the Spirit and a few...

“In Christ all will come to life again, but each one in proper order.” –1 Corinthians 15:22-23 The English word “assumption” is perhaps an unfortunate translation of the Latin word “assumptio.” “Assumptio” means to be taken up. The English word “assumption” usually means having an unwarranted expectation. Nevertheless, God can work through this translation. The Bible teaches that all Christians will be assumed to meet Jesus in the air when He comes again at the end of the world (1 Thes 4:17). Very few Christians expect to go to hell; we generally assume that we’ll be assumed to meet Jesus....