Tag: salvation

The Helmet of Salvation

The Armour of God: Part 4

By Faisal Dean

 A life ever so changing with uncertainty, regret, anxiety and unanswered questions. While seemingly negative, this brings about the basic moral ingredients taught from birth, manifested through maturity and ultimately, in preparation for tribulation.

Just as no soldier would go into battle without a helmet, we must always enter into tribulation with salvation protecting our minds. Those that wear the helmet of salvation remain steadfast in their ways and dwell within the fountain of salvation.

These compelling words of, “Take the helmet of salvation,” leave us with a great challenge. Where do we attain this helmet? If it is so essential to life, how could I have walked into tribulations without it?

 Let us start by reflecting upon the author. A life of complete surrender towards Christ saw St. Paul’s faithfulness toward Christ as he spoke to the Ephesians, “Put on the whole Armour of God.” Be bold! For in the final days, I would love that God could look upon me and say, “you have fought the good fight, you have finished the race, you have kept the faith.”

During this time of uncertainty, anxiety and imbalance, we can only hope that we walk with the helmet of salvation. If I wear the helmet of salvation then I reject the vanities of this world and “thirst” for Christ. Is the Lord, the source of purity, balance and chastity, the source of my vision?

Pope Shenouda teaches us about persistence by begging the Lord for His blessings. For us to receive the blessings of Christ we must obtain the virtues of purity and humility: “I shall not get up from here unless I have received Your special blessing and feel that You have taken me back and counted me among your children. I do not just want You to forgive my sin, I want You to remove from my heart any love of sin, once and for all.”

When I wear the helmet of salvation, the lusts of the flesh are repelled from my thoughts. In Christ, I have power. King David writes “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow”. (Ps. 51:7).

We cannot leave Christ’s presence unless we leave armed with the helmet of salvation that protects our minds and our thoughts through faith in our Lord Christ.

When you spend time with Christ, make sure you are enterring into the greatest love story ever told. Make sure you do not leave until it seems that Christ could not possibly love anyone more than He loves you. Do not deprive yourself of this love that is freely given to the one that accepts it.

Just as any relationship, we endure times of dryness and uncertainty, but this should not cause us to walk without the helmet of salvation. Even in these times, we must remember that salvation is more than mere feelings, but is as important as oxygen is to breathe.

The remembrance of Christ helps us remains steadfast in the faith. At each remembrance, we slowly build our relationship with Christ. If I recall that Christ is the pathway to salvation and stop doubting, nothing can stand against me and I will rest in the “Shadow of the Almighty.” We are called to walk with Christ, we are called to walk by faith, we are called to be like Christ, we are called to wear the “Helmet of Salvation.”

A Love Like No Other

A Love like No Other

By Marianne Wilson

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 5:8

The scene opens to a hill, high up and with a view of the entire wall of Jerusalem. It really is the perfect location for a marriage. A place where all can see the most sacred, holy, intimate and beautiful relationship known to man about to unfold. The Bridegroom laying His life down for His bride, promising His unfailing love. As the view becomes clearer though, I become acutely aware of something extremely unusual; shocking even.

This marriage is different.

Markedly different.

Rather than holding His bride’s hands; the Bridegroom’s arms are outstretched.

Rather than being clothed in the finest robes; He is naked.

And rather than standing; He is hung.

Confused, I look around to find the bride but she is nowhere to be seen. Concerned, I turn back and head towards the city, my pace slowing only for me to catch my breath. I search the streets, frantically asking everyone if they have seen the bride- certain that there has been a mistake.

Most ignore me, some ward me away angrily while others stare at me blankly, completely oblivious to what I am talking about. The sky turns from blue to a dark eerie grey, the rain begins to beat down cutting through me like knives and the lightning explodes lighting up the evening sky. The streets quickly become silent and barren. Soaked, freezing and helpless I am convinced that all hope is lost. As I tread along, head down, feet barely lifting up off the ground, I notice something out of the corner of my eye, something that catches my attention. It is a man, he looks familiar. As I move closer I realise that he is a friend of the Bridegroom. But he is kneeling oddly in a hidden corner, seemingly unaware of the raging storm around him. As I approach I notice that he is shaking, ‘weeping bitterly’ and mumbling words I cannot make out. Embarrassed but desperate, I move closer and almost whisper the question I had spent the last hour asking.

Wearily he raises his head. Even in the darkness I can see his bloodshot eyes and dampened face. With a shaky voice and trembling hand he directs me to an alleyway just a mile down the road. Filled with a new sense of optimism I quicken my pace, the rain no longer bothering me and the cold almost unnoticeable.

Arriving, I look down the pitch black alleyway and notice the poorly concealed shadows lurking in the darkness, the smell of cheap perfume and the sound of coins tinkling.

Immediately. I know where I am.

Frightened of what I might see, I turn, ready to run; positive the man had made a mistake.

But then I see her.

I see the bride.

Rather than holding her Bridegroom’s hands; she is wrapped around the waist of a strange man.

Rather than a pure white dress, she wears an article; stained with the stench of sin.

And rather than a virgin bride she is a soiled dove.

Enraged, confused and hurt I turn and run. Not even stopping to catch my breath. I stumble up the hill, desperate. Desperate to get to the Bridegroom in time. He needed to know. He needed to know the truth about His bride. Even from a distance I can hear His laboured breathing. I drag my feet, every part of my body aching.

Finally, I make it, its not too late. I look at Him, hanging, beaten, bruised and bleeding. Desperate, so desperate, I tell Him the truth. The truth about His bride. I tell Him she’s not worth it. That she loves another man. That she may never return to Him. That the price was too high. That all this was a mistake. That I, was the bride.

But it doesn’t phase Him, not at all! Rather, with a knowing smile and a sweetness in His eyes, He looks at me with a love unfathomable. A love unfailing, intimate and unrelenting. A love so full of mercy and forgiveness it pierces through my very soul. A love reserved only for a Bridegroom and His bride.

And softly, oh so softly, between bruised lips, utters three simple words- “It is finished!”

And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

“And it shall be, in that day, Says the Lord, That you will call Me ‘My Husband,’ And no longer call Me ‘My Master’… I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me In righteousness and justice, In lovingkindness and mercy;I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, And you shall know the Lord.”

Hosea 2:14-20

He Did it For You

He Did it For You

By Marc Eskander

When you think of sinning, remember the Lord’s suffering. 

When your life takes you away from the path of Christ, remember the path of Calvary.

When your feet begin to wander into sin, remember the nails driven into the feet of Christ.

When your actions take a sinful turn, remember the actions of the Jews against Christ.

When your hands are used for evil instead of good, remember the nails in both Christ’s wrists. 

When your thoughts become sinful, remember the excruciating pain radiating from the thorns piercing the scalp of Christ. 

When you’re thinking of humiliating someone, remember the humiliation and mockery Christ endured innocently for you. 

When you’re about to betray someone, remember the pain Christ felt at his closest friend betraying him to die, for you. 

When your integrity and faith is shaken, remember Peter’s denial of his master because of the shame of crucifixion, for you.

When your actions and words leave scourges on the back of your neighbor, remember the flesh being ripped from the body of Christ over and over again. For you. 

When your cross becomes heavy, when you start to tire, remember Christ dragging his cross, the one He would be killed on, through the streets of Jerusalem, while being mocked and spat on, bleeding from His open wounds, sleepless…facing his impending crucifixion. For you. 

When your life becomes difficult, exhausting, painful, sorrowful. When it has stripped everything away from you. When it has stretched you to your limit. When your friends have become your enemies. When you feel alone, outside Jerusalem, crucified to your cross.  Think of Christ on the cross. His thoughts were for his executioners. For the criminals. For his mother and disciples. 

Pray. Pray for God’s will in your life to be done. Pray that God strengthens you. Pray for others. Pray for your enemies, the ones that hate you speak evil of you. Mock you, spit on you. Think of others, suffer with others and allow your pain to help others carry theirs.

When you’re in the depths of sin. When you don’t feel like there’s a way out, when you feel like you’re too far gone for Christ. Remember the Resurrection. Remember that moment the disciples hopes and dreams were made alive when they saw Christ Risen. Remember the redemption of Peter from his denial and the love Christ showed, remember the rescue of Adam and Eve from Hades, remember the triumph of Christ over death and sin. That His arms are outstretched just for you. For you to return.

Are You Sure You’re On The Right Road?

Are You Sure You’re On The Right Road?

“If you’re wrong about being right with God, then it really doesn’t matter what else you might be right about.”

By: Fr Anthony Messeh

Original post by Fr. Anthony Messeh blog site

About 15 years ago, a friend of mine and I set out on a road trip to visit another friend who lived about three hours away. The route to get there was fairly simple; it was one highway the entire way. Neither of us owned a GPS at the time, but we didn’t need one. We had something just as good… MAPQUEST!

The directions were clear and straightforward: take Route 50 for 140 miles, then once you hit a city called Westover, MD, the destination will be on your right after ½ mile.

Simple. Straightforward. A piece of cake. What could go wrong?

Well… to make a long story short…SOMETHING WENT WRONG!

Unbeknownst to us at the time, we somehow managed to exit off of Route 50 and onto Route 301 mistakenly. Route 301 goes NORTH and we need to be going EAST. So instead of being in Westover, Maryland, we found ourselves in Glasgow, Delaware!

(I say “we” but really it was HIM; my friend was the one driving, not me. I was actually asleep in the passenger seat at the time and had I been awake, surely we wouldn’t have gotten lost 🙂 )

We drove for almost an hour on Route 301 – the whole time clueless to the fact that we were on the wrong road. But the real problem wasn’t that we were on the wrong road; the real problem was that we were on the wrong road THINKING that we were on the right road.

Let me repeat: the real problem wasn’t that we were on the wrong road; the real problem was that we were on the wrong road THINKING that we were on the right road.

Because we thought we were on the right road, we didn’t stop and ask for directions… we didn’t check a map… we weren’t worried or concerned in the least. As far as we were concerned, everything was fine. The sun was shining… the birds were singing… we were cruising with the windows down in my 1999 Mitsubishi Galant.

Everything seemed fine.

But it wasn’t. We were on the wrong road. And every minute we were on that wrong road was taking us one step further away from our destination.

One of the earliest writings in Christianity is a book called the Didache, also known as “The Lord’s Teaching through the Twelve Apostles to the Nations.” It was written in the first century by the 12 guys who knew Jesus best and its purpose was to convey to the world His teachings.

Listen to what the first sentence in the book says:

“There are two ways, one of life and one of death; but a great difference between the two ways.” Didache 1:1

Simple and to the point. There are only two roads in life; if you’re not on one then you’re on the other. They may look similar in the beginning, but they are as different as can be. One road leads to life; the other to death.

SO MAKE SURE YOU’RE ON THE RIGHT ROAD!

“Ok, thanks for the public service announcement Fr. Anthony, but you don’t have to worry about me. I’m ok. I’m definitely on the right road. I mean, I’m a “good” person. I go to church almost every Sunday… I help old ladies across the street when I can… and I read YOUR BLOG faithfully every day! So surely I’m on the right road, aren’t I?”

Look… I’m not saying that you’re not on the right road, but I’m saying that you need to check. My friend and I spent an hour driving down the wrong road thinking that we were on the right road. And during that entire time, we didn’t have a clue we were lost. We thought everything was fine. But in reality, we were lost. We were so lost that we didn’t even know we were lost. And every passing second that went by just made us more and more lost…

…UNTIL WE REALISED IT! Once we realised it, everything was fine. We turned around and retraced our steps and got back onto Route 50. Getting back on the right road isn’t the problem; the problem is REALIZING that I’m not currently on it.

So which road are you on? Be honest. Are you walking on the path of life? Are you deepening your relationship with God daily? Are you growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ? Are you becoming more like Him?

Don’t just say “I’m not doing anything bad.” That isn’t the question. The question is “are you growing closer to God and closer to His image within you?”

Please don’t think that I’m judging you or trying to scare you; I’m not. I’m just asking questions. One of the things that I learned from that road trip is that it never hurts to stop and ask for directions every now and then – especially when you’re headed to a destination that you’ve never been to before.

Why? Because you don’t want any surprises at the end of the road.

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Matthew 7:21-23

Original blog found at-  http://www.franthony.com/blog/are-you-sure-youre-on-the-right-road