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We are what you once were.
We believe what you once believed.
We worship as you once worshiped.
If you were right
then, we are right now.
If we are wrong now, you were wrong
then.
A Canonical Orthodox Church of World
Wide Orthodox
 A Monk's Wisdom!
Monastic Library † Teachings of the Fathers, Monks, and Saints
Psalm 57
A Psalm of David, A Prophet chosen by God to be King, a singer of song
to the Lord, a writer of praise to Almighty God
1 Unto the end, destroy not, for David, for an inscription of a title.
2 IF in very deed you speak justice: judge right things, ye sons of men.
3 For in your heart you work iniquity: your hands forge injustice in the
earth. 4 The wicked are alienated from the womb; they have gone astray
from the womb: they have spoken false things. 5 Their madness is according
to the likeness of a serpent: like the deaf asp that stoppeth her ears:
6 Which will not hear the voice of the charmers; nor of the wizard that
charmeth wisely. 7 God shall break in pieces their teeth in their mouth:
the Lord shall break the grinders of the lions. 8 They shall come to nothing,
like water running down; he hath bent his bow till they be weakened. 9 Like
wax that melteth they shall be taken away: fire hath fallen on them, and
they shall not see the sun. 10 Before your thorns could know the brier;
he swalloweth them up, as alive, in his wrath. 11 The just shall rejoice
when he shall see the revenge: he shall wash his hands in the blood of
the sinner. 12 And man shall say: If indeed there be fruit to the just:
there is indeed a God that judgeth them on the earth.
Early Church
Fathers
The Seven Oecumenical Councils.
Important Links:
Daily Scripture Reading
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Some personal thoughts from the heart of Monk Michael.
Am I then become your enemy, because I tell you the truth? Galatians 4:16
Right Worship! (continued)
So, after the newsletter in August, different things happened as they usually
do. Every decision that is made is a choice, people are choosing sides,
without realizing it they are choosing Christ or a make believe Christ,
one of their own making, or they are choosing no Christ at all. This is
a truth. It was the schedule of this newsletter to begin an online catechism
to the readers to help them in their indoctrination or actually help them
to understand better and make a more informed decision pro or con.
However, with the varied responses that I have received it seems that I
need, by request, one more letter of attempted reasoning on the things
of Christ. After this the catechism will begin.
ST. John 17: 11 And now I am not in the world, and these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name whom thou has given me; that they may be one, as we also are. 12 While I was with them, I kept them in thy name. Those whom thou gavest me have I kept; and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition, that the scripture may be fulfilled. 13 And now I come to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy filled in themselves. 14 I have given them thy word, and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world; as I also am not of the world.
21 That they all may be one, as thou, Father, in me, and I in thee; that they
also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou hast given me, I have given to them; that they may be one, as we also are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me; that they may be made perfect in one: and the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast also loved me.
Did the Christ Jesus utter these words or did he not? If he didn't then
you have no further need to read this letter. If he did then what part
are you playing in them? If you are content in your own little group in
your neighborhood and could care less about the church being one because
you alone have the truth then you are in a precarious situation whether
you like it or not.
Do you see the words that say 'that they be one so the world knows that
the Father has sent the Son? Do you have the ability to read and comprehend
them? Do you still believe that the state of Christianity is acceptable?
It is not acceptable to be divided in doctrine and teaching and with all
of the petty politics, how will the world believe? Again, if you do not
care for anyone else other than yourself, I will tell you that the love
of God is not in you. If it is, it is a very dim light and it is flickering.
St. John 11: 25 Jesus said to her: I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, although
he be dead, shall live:
Many people and groups read these words and stop here, they go no farther
into the teaching of Jesus Christ, why? These words are true but there
is more to it;
ST. John 14:6 Jesus saith to him: I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me.
This verse above appears to be the same to a lot of people but notice the
words in bold print, Jesus has added another dimension, what does he say?
He is the way, and the truth, and the life. We know this, but what is he
the way to? He is the way to the Father, in his own words He has told us
that he is the opening to the Father, many people stop at the door and
never step through. What happened at the crucifixion? When the spirit left
Jesus the veil in the temple was rent was it not? What did this do? It
allowed us access to the Father in the Holy of Holies, what happens in the presence of God? We worship, the priest went into the Holy of Holies and worshipped behind
the veil, now we can come into the presence of the Father through Jesus
Christ His only-Begotten Son, our Lord and Savior to worship the Father,
our Creator.
Why do you stop short of the worship of Almighty God? Jesus Christ gave
up His life so that we could be re-joined to the Father, why do you stop
short of the worship?
St. John 3: 5 Jesus answered: Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
St. John 4:21 Jesus saith to her: Woman, believe me, that the hour cometh, when you shall neither on this
mountain, nor in Jerusalem, adore the Father. 22 You adore that which you know not: we adore that which we know; for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true adorers shall adore the Father in spirit and in truth. For the Father also seeketh such to adore him. 24 God is a spirit; and they that adore him, must adore him in spirit and
in truth. 25 The woman saith to him: I know
that the Messias cometh (who is called Christ). Therefore, when he is come, he
will tell us all things.
So, I'm confused, who is it that is to be adored? The passage above from
the mouth of Jesus Christ Himself doesn't seem to be clear somehow. People
go to a church on a Sunday, or a Saturday night, and they say things like
'Amen', 'praise Jesus', thank you Jesus', 'I hear you Jesus', and they
sing nice songs and they preach long sermons and while these things in
and of themselves might be good, what happened to the words that Jesus
Himself spoke about who was to be adored? But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true adorers shall adore the Father in spirit and in truth. For the Father also seeketh such to adore him. 24 God is a spirit; and they that adore him, must adore him in spirit and
in truth So what exactly is the issue? Does no one actually care for the truth
of Jesus Christ's own words that we just do whatever we want and who cares
anyway? Is this loving Jesus Christ and following His teaching?
ver. 48: Jesus therefore said to him: Unless you see signs and wonders, you believe not. Is this where your head and spirit is at?
St. John 6: 53 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying: How can this man
give us his flesh to eat? 54 Then Jesus said to them: Amen, amen I say unto you: Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man,
and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you. 55 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath everlasting life: and I will raise him up in the last day. 56 For my flesh is meat indeed: and my blood is drink indeed. 57 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, abideth in me, and I in
him. 58 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father; so he that eateth me, the same also shall live by me.
St. Matthew 26: And whilst they were at supper, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke:
and gave to his disciples, and said: Take ye, and eat. This is my body. 27 And taking the chalice, he gave thanks, and gave to them, saying: Drink ye all of this. 28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many
unto remission of sins.
I apologize, once again I am confused, what did Jesus say about His body
and blood being necessary to eternal life with Him? Is this a part of your gathering?
St. John 13: 34 A new commandment I give unto you: That you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another.
There is another misconception regarding the way of salvation;The Bible says that we are saved by grace and that it is a free gift, also:Jesus saith unto him, I am the way the
truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me . So, what is he saying, no man cometh unto him? or unto the Father? Do
you pray with all suppplication and prayer for the kings and the whole
of mankind to the father when you are in your church? Many do not, they
stop at Jesus worship and they proclaim the worship of the Bible and many
do not worship the Father. But is that all, we all know that we are saved
by grace and Jesus is the only way but did he stop at those words? Many
claim that he did and there is nothing else to it but this is a subtle
lie that is propagated and spread throughout the church.
This gift of salvation, how do we receive it, is it there so no matter
what we do we are saved because Jesus died and we believe that, remember
even the demons believe and tremble. Do we not have to accept this gift?
By accepting this gift are we not playing a role in our own salvation?
If we do not accept the gift we do not have it. Do you recognize free will?
What else did Jesus Christ say?
If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept
my Father's commandments, and abide in his love, Wherefore by their fruits
ye shall know them. So many people quote Paul for the saved by grace and forget about the
words of Jesus Christ as well as these words also by Paul who said that
we are saved by grace;To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour
and immortality, eternal life,(For not the hearers of the law [are] just
before God, but the doers of the law shall be
justified.
And again our Lord says; Jesus answered: Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Again, to go back to Paul and the idea of saved by grace alone, grace is
the necessary part of salvation, it is not by works according to Paul and
many stop there, they do not see that Paul is referring to those who the
Jews were requiring to be circumcised according to the law, this is what
Paul was referring to when he said by grace alone and not according to
the law.
How can I say that? Because Paul said more that is ignored, what does he mean by this statement? Phillipians 2:12 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, (as you have always obeyed, not as in my
presence only, but much more now in my absence,) with fear and
trembling work out your salvation. What does this mean? If we do not participate
in our salvation then what is Paul saying?
The idea is not only that God calls us and the grace is irresistible, if
that were the case then everyone who goes to hell is on God alone for not
calling them, if He calls and it is irresistible then everyone he calls
goes to heaven because they cannot resist. In these scenarios where is
free will? Consider these words above carefully. We have a choice, grace
is a free gift for all but we have to accept it and we will work out our
salvation as Paul stated or the Bible as well as Paul and all of the Apostles
and writers are contradictory and there is a major flaw in the teaching.
We must forget about our philosophies, read the scriptures completely through
ourselves without the aid of some denominational guide through it's philosophy.
Just read the scriptures. There is a one year reading guide on the website,
if you don't like it there are others available as well as two and three
year guides. But you must do the reading, not a book of teaching from some
group that gives references that defend the philosophy they espouse, read
the scriptures and see for yourself, I am not telling you any lies.
Furthermore this is not about you becoming a member of my church as nice
as that would be, it is about cutting the crap and getting to the basic
truth without political or philosophical non-sense being involved. I work
with my hands for a living, I do not live off of donations, I do not need
to compromise what I say in order to keep enough people around to pay my
bills. Read the scriptures completely through every year and see for yourself
what is being taught.
I really do not know what else to say, I am by request adding to the last
month's newsletter these additional notes. For those who do not choose
to obey Holy Scripture, these letters are meaningless, I give no opinion
of my own, these letters are filled with the written word of God. I thank
each and everyone of you from all parts of Christianity, many different
denominations of Protestant, and many different groups from Catholicism
who read and understand the word and begin to act on it.
For the rest who just go away, you are hurting yourself if you think that
by ignoring the written word of God and doing whatever you please is going
to be of any value. For the rest, it matters nothing, your hatred will
kill you ultimately, Almighty God Himself will not have to do anything,
hatred will consume you in time.
I have only one last thing for this month and it is this; we know that
Jesus Christ is the Living Word of God, born of a virgin, in the flesh.
He is worshipped and glorified as God. With this in mind I want you to
think on this and then give an answer, what did Jesus mean when he said;
John 14: 28 You have heard that I said to you: I go away, and I come unto you. If you loved me, you would indeed be glad, because I go to the Father: for the Father is greater than I.
What does he mean 'the Father is greater than I?' Meditate on this.
I don't know how much plainer Jesus Christ can say it, I hope that this
will help you in your understanding, there is much work to be done while
we are yet still here and we as Christians need to be doing it together
as one mind.
May the Lord Bless you and keep you, may the Lord make His face to shine
upon you and be gracious unto you, may the Lord make His face to look upon
you and bring you peace: today, tomorrow and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Important Links:
Daily Scripture Reading
Write to us if you want to know more at;
monkmichael@newwarriorministries.com
or to the Metropolitan Archbishop Joseph Thaddeus who will take the time to help you for the sake of your soul, reach him at; thaddeus@apostle1.com
or Bishop Gregori of the St. John Maximovitch Theological Institute at: abouna@orthodox.com
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