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“I Reasoned Like a Child”


"He who desires to worship God must harbor no childish illusions about the matter but bravely renounce his liberty and humanity."  This comes from a Russian anarchist named Mikhail Bakunin who died in 1876. But does the worship of God require a renunciation of liberty and humanity? Well, yes...

The Church, The Whole Church, The Body of Christ


The old saying is “You can pick your friends, but you’re stuck with your relatives.” Oh, the volumes that have been written about dysfunctional families! Family dynamics is one of the most interesting aspects of psychology to me because when I look at my own family I see a...

Made Perfect BY Suffering


Our American nation is suffering a time of chaos, fear, anger, and, yes, even the scourge of hatred. And this suffering can lead us to despair. But the message of the Orthodox Christian Faith is that suffering can actually form and shape us into Christ-like persons IF only we...

Garbage In; Garbage Out!


The old computer coder adage is "Garbage in - Garbage out." It meant that if the computer programmer got his code wrong, then it just stands to reason that the program wouldn't work properly. What is true for computer programming is true for all of life. That's why the Faith...

Mamma Mia!


I have that song from "Mamma Mia!" stuck in my head today! But the story is so fun. Amazing how family always ends up affecting us more than we realize! One of the strongest memories that I have as a boy growing up is my own mother reminding me that...

I Saw Satan Fall Like a Star


John Kennedy once said "It is an unfortunate fact that we can secure peace only by preparing for war." The context of his statement was in the heart of the "Cold War" between the United States and the Soviet Union, but the sentiment actually applies very well to the...

Placebo Religion


Have you ever thought about all those people Jesus healed during His ministry here on earth? They were so happy, grateful, and changed. In some cases (the illness of leprosy) they were now free to rejoin society, be reunited with their families, and finally, get their life back. They...

Is It Lawful to Do Good on the Sabbath?


What is the purpose of rules? Is it for control? Or maybe for a set order of things or behaviors? Why does every society formed have rules for conduct, behavior, and actions? Well, I know that sounds a little silly to ask. But is it really? If there are rules...

A Prayer and An Encouraging Word


Even though there are bumps along the road in life, our destination is still towards Christ. Don't give up! https://www.facebook.com/barnabas.powell/videos/10158753374023217/