2013 “Return, Abide , Rejoice” St Mark Festival Adults - English Speaking
2013Pre-Servants Book
“Return, Abide , Rejoice”
St Mark Festival
Adults - English Speaking
St Mark Festival 2013 Pre-Servants 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Come To Me….Abide In Me…Rejoice In Me 2
2. A King Returned With His People To God 5
3. Faith In The Lord Jesus Christ And abiding in Him 14
4. The Orthodox Identity 23
5. A Servant Is A Fisher Of Souls 36
6. The Servant And A Life Of Joy 42
7. Being Positive Is The Way To Success 49
St Mark Festival 2013 Pre-Servants 2
1. Come To Me......Abide In Me...... Rejoice In Me
This dimensional Slogan was chosen by the Central Committee of St. Mark s Festival because of our current circumstances. Each soul needs Christ in all aspects of life: the spiritual,
the social etc. Christ our Lord is the key to joy and He is the solution to all our problems. He is
our source of hope every circumstance and He is the one of whom our teacher Saint Paul said,
(e is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (ebrews 3:8).
Our Lord Jesus Christ elevates us above time, with all its positives
and negatives, the past, the present and the future. He also
elevates us above location as He is with us every where on earth,
no matter what our circumstances are, Yea, though ) walk
through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For
You are with me. Psalm : . Also our Lord Jesus Christ
elevates us above humans, meaning that He helps us no matter
who is against us, )f God is for us, who can be against us?
(Romans 8:31).
Our triple-slogan then is:
First: Come To Me
1- Come to Christ: for He is the one who calls us saying, Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and ) will give you rest . (Matthew 11:28). The burdens here are our sins, our
daily and future problems, our worries, our anxiety, our restlessness. In all of this our Lord
Jesus is our constant source of comfort.
2- Come to the Saviour: as Christ is the only one who can save from every sin and from every
feeling of guilt that disrupts our lives, and you shall call (is name JESUS, for He will save His
people from their sins. Matthew : . And with His generous blood, forgives us our sins and cleanses us from all unrighteousness . John : .
3- Come to the Lover of Sinners: As, when the Pharisees
started to criticize Him for being surrounded by tax collectors
and sinners, He rebuked them saying, Those who are well have
no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to
call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance. Mark : . He
loves you despite your weaknesses, sins and bad habits so
believe in and enjoy that love.
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4- Come to Him who Comforts the Weary: Our Lord Jesus senses our burdens, feels our
weariness and our hurts: In all their affliction He was afflicted, And the Angel of His Presence
saved them. )saiah : . Let us remember how (e saw (is people s humiliation and sent them Moses the Prophet.
5- Come to the Good Portion: As our Lord Jesus is the good portion, ) shall never be moved. (Psalms 30:6). He is the one whom Mary chose and He commended her because she looked to
Him, the real treasure, and to His heavenly kingdom, the eternal portion, By knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches Proverbs : . But temporary treasures
such as material possessions and status end when the world ends and the world, by nature, is
temporal.
Second: Abide In Me
1- Abide in Christ: through the Eucharist, prayers, continual repentance and the spiritual
readings and meetings.
2- Abide in the Faith: Who is Christ? What is the vocabulary of our faith in Him; the evidence
of His divinity?
3- Abide in Good Deeds: There is a difference in the deeds which are
according to the Law, such as the Jewish rituals, and the deeds which are according to grace meaning the work of the (oly Spirit in us , and the importance of works for salvation according to the orthodox understanding , as St. James says: Faith without works is dead James
: . Show me your faith without works and ) will show you my faith by my works James : .
4- Abide in the Way of Salvation: Looking after your salvation is
essential as we only have one soul. The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved! Jeremiah : . For what will it
profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
(Mark 8:36), and how beautiful is the struggle of saints for the sake
of their salvation!
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5- Abide in the Orthodox Faith: What is the meaning of Orthodoxy? Orthodox Churches are
divided into two groups. What are the most important features of Orthodoxy? There is a
danger in the unorthodox western teachings, like the danger in mixing the teachings with other
teachings, and the fulfilling Church life is a guarantee for abiding in the Orthodox faith. Also
visiting those whom we serve and caring for them in general.
Third: Rejoice In Me
1- Rejoice in Christ: As He is your Saviour, companion, loving you and closer to you than a
brother and He is the never-ending Who satisfies your heart....
2- Rejoice in Love: the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the (oly Spirit who was given to us . Romans : . Love is the way to joy because it is the way to giving. Unlike selfish
centeredness and ego, which are the way to misery.... and there are many examples of practical
love and its applications and how to preserve it.
3- Rejoice in Serving: Serving is an expression of my love for Christ
who loved me and taught me to love and serve others. There are
different types of service and service in different areas. We read about
these in Romans 12. We hope to start missions in which the youth can
serve, such as visiting the sick in hospitals, caring for orphans, visiting
nursing homes and serving the elderly, serving those with special needs
and serving the society in general.
4- Rejoice in Others: Another person could be Christ Himself as in the story of
Saint Bishoy, and someone else could give you the opportunity to practice love
and be given a chance to give, learn, tolerate and gain virtues. So interacting in
the society is a must for Christians. It is important for the Christian person to be
part of the society in which they live, participating in groups, associations,
student unions and having honest, loving relationships with others.
5- Rejoice in the Eternal Portion: Our Lord promised us His kingdom which He would take us
to in the Second Coming. Therefore we must be prepared to before we go to this kingdom. We
can read about this kingdom in Revelation, 1 Thessalonians 4, 1 Corinthians 15.
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2. A King Returned With His People To God
A) WHO IS HE? Josiah is a (ebrew name that means God heals . God used him to heal the apostasy of the nation of Israel in one of the hardest periods of its history.
He was the 16th king of the Kingdom of Judah. He ascended the throne at the
age of 8 and remained there for 31 years.
The young king was enthroned during a time of severe corruption. His people had begun a
period of decline as Amon, his father, had filled the land with dishonesty and evil deeds, And many brought gifts to the Lord at Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he
was exalted in the sight of all nations thereafter Chronicles : and before that, his
grandfather Manasseh, who reigned 55 years, had spread evil throughout the kingdom.
Josiah received the kingdom after 57 years of corruption and apostasy after his father and
grandfather reigned. He inherited a ruined and corrupt Kingdom; however he did not tolerate
this corruption. Instead he turned to the divine promise and moved forward.
B) THE SECRET OF BLESSING IN THE LIFE OF JOSIAH
The secret of blessing and righteousness in the life of Josiah were due to many factors but the
most important were:
1- A Pious Mother:
The author of the book of Kings attributes his righteousness and forthrightness to his mother
and says, Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in
Jerusalem. (is mother s name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. And he did what
was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the ways of his father David; he did not turn
aside to the right hand or to the left. Kings : -2), and Adaiah is a Hebrew name which means beloved . Many commentaries on the book of Kings state that she was like Hannah the mother of Samuel,
Monica the mother of Saint Augustine, Yokabed the mother of Moses and Efneky the mother of
Timothy and other mothers who played a major role in the lives of their blessed children.
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2- The Repentance Of King Manasseh, His Grandfather
Perhaps the second most significant reason for the blessed life of King
Josiah was the repentance of his grandfather King Manasseh. In his final
days he began to correct the path which the nation had taken. He destroyed
the idols and all sorts of sacrifices from the house of God and all the altars which he built on top of God s house and Jerusalem and he removed outside the city. (e then restored God s altar and gave sacrifices of peace and thanksgiving, Now therefore, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or persuade
you like this, and do not believe him; for no god of any nation or kingdom
was able to deliver his people from my hand or the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you from my hand? Furthermore, his servants spoke against the LORD God
and against His servant Hezekiah. He also wrote letters to revile the LORD God of Israel, and to
speak against Him, saying, As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people from my hand, so the God of (ezekiah will not deliver (is people from my hand. Chronicles 32:15-17).
In the final five years of his life Manasseh tried to correct all the mistakes of the past. He
attempted to correct the mistakes of his son Amon but with no avail. Amon had gone beyond reform and was full of corruption from his father s life. So it was Manasseh who began to teach his grandson Josiah the love of God and he instilled in him a spirit of reverence and worship.
Manasseh died when Josiah was only 6 years old but his grandfather s teachings remained with him.
3- The Honest Teachers
Perhaps the third reason was the presence of trustworthy teachers who were surrounding
Josiah during that time. They encouraged him and advised him. They were Jeremiah the
prophet, Halkia the priest, Shafan the author and Khelda the prophetess.
Whoever studies the character and life of Josiah and learn that his father Amon died when he
was just eight years old, may ask why God permitted Josiah be raised as an orphan. Some may
see this as unfair and wonder what he did wrong to lose his father and inherit a ruined
kingdom at the age of eight?
Some said, perhaps it was for the best that his evil father died while he was still young so that
he would not be influenced by his evil ways. However, we thank God in all things and in all
conditions and even if our mother or father abandon us, God remains our best friend and constant companion throughout our life s journey.
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C) JOSIAH AND THE REQUEST TO RETURN TO GOD
Concerning Josiah, the author of the book of Chronicles says, For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David; and in the twelfth year he
began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the wooden images, the carved images,
and the molded images Chronicles : .
Josiah started to have a personal relationship with God at the age of 16 and this was the
turning point in his life, as success starts from within. Each of us has an inner world and an
outer world. The calmer, more organised our inner world is the stronger we are and the more
we will be able to achieve. However, if our inner world is divided and fragmented we lose on all fronts. A world leader once said, we won many battles but we were defeated in front of ourselves . (ow beautiful is the phrase, (e sought the Lord . Most year old young men chase after
gold, silver, money or a wife, but instead he sought God. Here I must say to every young
person, even if you own the whole world and you do not have God, you have nothing. But, if
you have God and nothing else you have everything as you have the King of the Universe.
D) JOSIAH AND COMPREHENDING THE GOAL AND
MESSAGE
When does a person discover the purpose of his existence? One can never truly discover this
until he has connected to his God. Separated from God ones actions become an aimless
struggle with all his achievements ending with his death. By the time Josiah had reached the
age of 20 and had known his God for four years, he had discovered his mission in life. He put
his search for God into practise. In the same way our Christian life is not only the internal, that
is prayers and praising, but an effective, living example addressing societies issues.
So Josiah came to the realisation that he needed to rectify what time had corrupted. His aim
was not only to obtain the throne or to have authority or possess properties but his goal was
that his kingdom be that of God and his Christ and to make God happy through his reign.
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Josiah progressed towards reform. He started by demolishing the
idols and statues, heights, masts, the altar of Baal. He destroyed
them and scattered them over the graves of those who sacrificed to
them. For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he
began to seek the God of his father David; and in the twelfth year he
began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the wooden
images, the carved images, and the molded images. They broke down
the altars of the Baals in his presence, and the incense altars which were above them he cut down;
and the wooden images, the carved images, and the molded images he broke in pieces, and made
dust of them and scattered it on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. He also burned
the bones of the priests on their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.” (2 Chronicles 34: 3-5).
Josiah realised that his reform should not be limited to just Jerusalem and his kingdom but
should include any corrupt region. This is why he also brought reform to the cities of
Manasseh and Ephraim and Simeon and Naphtali, And so he did in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, as far as Naphtali and all around, with axes. Chronicles : . And
they were all the cities of the Northern Kingdom.
Josiah actually personally oversaw the demolition of the altars himself. He also ensured that
these altars would not be rebuilt again by burning the bones of the dead which were on top.
Corruption had entered the holy of holies, so Josiah ordered the mast from the house of God to
be brought out and burnt. He also took out all the vessels that were made for Baal and his mast
from the house of God and also had them burnt at the valley of Kidron. He demolished the
houses of the Moabites and the high places at the gates, And he brought all the priests from the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to
Beersheba; also he broke down the high places at the gates which were at the entrance of the Gate
of Joshua the governor of the city, which were to the left of the city gate. Kings : , they
were the high places which were erected at the city gates and on it was a statue whose upper
half looked like a human and whose bottom half looked like a goat and he demolished the
altars that were on the roof, the upper chamber of Ahaz, The altars that were on the roof, the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had
made in the two courts of the house of the Lord, the king broke down and pulverized there, and
threw their dust into the Brook Kidron. Kings : . These were the altars of worship built
by King Manasseh.
Josiah uprooted idolatry and pursued that everywhere to the extent that the author of the book
of Kings said, Moreover Josiah put away those who consulted mediums and spiritists, the household gods and idols, all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in
Jerusalem, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that
(ilkiah the priest found in the house of the Lord. Kings : . The household gods are said to
have been owned by individuals: compare (Genesis 31:19), (1 Samuel 19:13) and they were
idols used for home worship. This proves that Josiah attempted to uproot the worship of idols
even in the homes of the people.
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E) JOSIAH AND THE RESTORATION OF THE TEMPLE
At the age of 26, after 18 years on the throne, King Josiah began to restore the temple. Not only
did Josiah purify the kingdom from idolatry, evil and corruption but he went to restore the
temple of God and purify it. It had been neglected for 60 years and it needed restoration, not
only due to negligence but it had been damaged during the Assyrian conquest. Some may ask
why Josiah waited this long to restore the temple as he had started his mission at the age of 20.
Perhaps it was that he was so busy purifying the Kingdom of its corruption and, due to its
widespread effects, it took many years to purge it of all the evil. Or perhaps it was costly to restore the temple and the kingdom s treasury did not permit it. Josiah assigned this important mission to a number of secular people. They were Shafan son of
Asliah, and Maseia the head of the city, and Yoakh son of Yoahaz (2 Chronicles 34:8).
Josiah did not want the temple to be just a place of beauty but a place of worship in order to
draw closer to God and to be the centre of light.
F) JOSIAH AND THE BOOK OF THE LAW
During the restoration of the temple, Halkia the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord (2 Chronicles : . Dr Autry says in his book, Progress in the Old Testament , that if Josiah had not been so intent on restoring the temple he would have not found the Book of the Law. This
finding was far more amazing then the restoration itself as the Book of the Law had contained
many blessings hidden for those who are honest to God. In an attempt to accomplish a good
deed they have accomplished an even better thing than the original goal.
How was the Book of the Law first lost from God s nation? (ow can a nation completely neglect its Holy Book? And was there a more important book in the life of the nation that that book? Did the nation forget God s word? (ere the true picture of the state the nation had reached is revealed. We can conclude that spiritual ruin is always followed by national ruins.
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Finding the Book of the Law is proof that the word of God never fails, no matter how corrupt a
nation is or how wicked its priests are. The Book of the Law challenges time and conquers the
doubt and indifference of whom it was sent for.
Some say that the book was buried under a heap of stones when Ahaz burned other copies of
the Law. Or perhaps the book was lost at the time of apostasy during the reign of King
Manasseh. Perhaps it was hidden in the Ark of the Covenant which Manasseh placed in one of
the rooms of the temple and it was forgotten all those years (2 Kings 21:2-16, 2 Chronicles
33:9), or perhaps it was lost when the temple was defiled or it was laid on the fence as was the
custom in the olden days when the temple had first been built.
After Halkia the Priest found the Book of the Law he passed it on to
Shafan who then brought it to the king and read part of it to him. When Josiah heard the words of the law, he tore his garments . There was no mention of Akhikam, Akboor, Halkia, Asaya or Khelda the
Prophetess tearing their garments as King Josiah did. He was the soft
hearted one who was the most affected. Perhaps the Book of the Law
was a discovery on the same level as some of today s archaeological discoveries related to the Bible, but the Book was considered by Josiah
as the book of life and existence.
Josiah sobbed and tore his clothes as a sign of his sadness and repentance as he discovered that
his ancestors did not live their life according to God s laws, Thus it happened, when the king heard the words of the Law, that he tore his clothes. Then the king
commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Abdon the son of Micah,
Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king, saying, Go, inquire of the Lord for me, and for those who are left in Israel and Judah, concerning
the words of the book that is found; for great is the wrath of the Lord that is
poured out on us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord, to
do according to all that is written in this book . Chronicles : -21).
So they went to Khelda the Prophetess. Her response can be divided into two sections:
(i) She warned the king that judgement would not take place during his reign due to his
humility, because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and you humbled yourself before Me, and
you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you, says the Lord. Chronicles 34:27).
(ii) Although the damage did not take place during his reign he was still distressed as he felt that his nation s future was far more important than himself.
Soft hearts are fertile ground for the seeds of progress and God wants to use men where,
through them, He can change the destiny of nations and kingdoms. But God cannot use a
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selfish, self-centred person. Josiah was outside himself and his concern was for his nation and
its problems and how to free his nation from its slavery. This is why he sent for all the elders of
Judah and Jerusalem, and all the people, from the youngest to the eldest, and he read to them,
in the house of God, from the Book of the Law.
Josiah stood on a platform and made a pledge in front of God, saying that they should follow
God and know His commandments, requirements and prayers with all their heart and soul and
to do all that is written in the book (2 Chronicles 34: 19-31). Here we find Josiah setting the
best example to his people of obedience to God. Josiah was not embarrassed to announce his
repentance in front of all the people and to admit that he himself was among them a sinner. Josiah s actions show his great humility, not only in front of God but also in front of His people.
G) JOSIAH AND THE PASSOVER
In the 18th year for King Josiah s reign, that is when he was 26 years of age, he organised the
Passover to be held in Jerusalem before the Lord, But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah this Passover was held before the Lord in Jerusalem. Kings : . The Passover was the most
important of all Jewish Festivals and it carried many beautiful, spiritual symbols. God gave this
feast to the Jewish people just before the last plague, the killing of every first born Egyptian.
Each first born of the Jewish nation, however, was saved (Exodus 12). The Passover signifies
salvation and deliverance from their slavery into freedom and from humiliation to honour.
The Passover indicates the importance of blood, as God told them, Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the
plague shall not be on you to destroy you when ) strike the land of Egypt . Exodus : .
Josiah wanted to deliver these important symbols to the nation one more time to remind them
of their importance. Many years had passed since the Feast of the Passover had been
celebrated and it would have been erased completely from their memories had Josiah not
revived it once more.
The author of the Book of Chronicles said of Josiah, There had been no Passover kept in )srael like that since the days of Samuel the prophet; and none of the kings of Israel had kept such a
Passover as Josiah kept, with the priests and the Levites, all Judah and Israel who were present,
and the inhabitants of Jerusalem Chronicles : .
It was said about the Passover Feast which Ezekiel performed, that one like it had not been
seen since the days of Solomon, however, the Passover Feast performed by Josiah s, had not been seen since the days of Samuel, that is 500 years earlier.
As a king, Josiah did not just issue orders for the organising of the Passover Feast but he
himself participated in the worship. It was said about him, Then Josiah gave the lay people
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lambs and young goats from the flock, all for Passover
offerings for all who were present, to the number of thirty
thousand, as well as three thousand cattle; these were from the
king s possessions Chronicles : . So he was very
generous and he gave donations to the leaders to assist in the
preparations of the Feast.
H) THE DEATH OF JOSIAH
Josiah died at the young age of 39 years. He had reigned 31 years and was
buried in the tomb of the kings. His death was a great loss to his people, (is
servants therefore took him out of that chariot and put him in the second chariot
that he had, and they brought him to Jerusalem. So he died, and was buried in one
of the tombs of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.
Jeremiah also lamented for Josiah. And to this day all the singing men and the
singing women speak of Josiah in their lamentations. They made it a custom in
)srael; and indeed they are written in the Laments. Chronicles : -25).
The question that we are faced with now is: Why did God permit that righteous king to die at
such a young age? Why did God permit his death while the kingdom was in great need of him?
Why did God permit his death when he was a blessing to his nation? We can t answer these questions but we must accept, with joy and submission, the will of God
and understand that it is for the best as we do not know the future and our view is limited and
narrow. Perhaps God permitted his death so he may not see evil during his days. Perhaps God
had compassion on him so that he may not see the temple, which he restored, become ruins or
see the nation which he toiled for over many years be forced into captivity.
God spoke to Josiah 12 years before his death, during the restoration of the temple and after
the discovery of the Book of the Law saying, because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and
you humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard
you, says the Lord. Surely ) will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace; and your eyes shall not see all the calamities which I will bring on this place and
its inhabitants. So they brought back word to the king. Chronicles : -28). And God
followed through with His promise and took him before the difficult days came to pass.
The author of the Book of Kings says about Josiah, Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all
the Law of Moses; nor after him did any arise like him. Nevertheless the Lord did not turn from the
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fierceness of His great wrath, with which His anger was aroused against Judah, because of all the
provocations with which Manasseh had provoked (im. Kings : -26).
Josiah was a great, righteous and virtuous king but his reforms did not reach the whole nation.
The changes did not penetrate deep enough and did not reach all the corners of the nation.
Finally my beloved youth, let us contemplate over what we have read and discover the secret
of blessing in the life of King Josiah. What can we do so the blessings may fill our lives?
Do we, like Josiah, long to return to God, purify our lives and the lives of others from all evil and
defilement? Do we seek to plant within us the word of God, nourish ourselves with the
Eucharist, and give God all our possessions so that we may become a blessing?
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3. Faith In The Lord Jesus Christ And Abiding In Him
First: Faith in Christ
1- Who Is Christ?
(i) He is the Son of humanity: His name according to the law, For the Son of Man will come in the glory of (is Father. Mathew : , For the Son of Man has come to seek
and to save that which was lost. Luke : .
(ii) The last Adam: His name in comparison to the first Adam, The first man Adam became a living being. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. Corinthians : .
(iii) The Son of David: His name from the Jewish perspective, The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David. Mathew : .
(iv) Emanuel: From the incarnation viewpoint, though He became flesh (God with us) and
dwelt among us, And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the
glory as of the only begotten of the Father. John : .
(v) Jesus: Joshua = Jehovah redeems = the name of redemption, And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins. Mathew : . This is the name of salvation, who is our Lord Jesus Christ, Friday s Theotokia , Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever . (ebrews : .
(vi) The Christ: the anointed of God = A royal name, Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Mathew : .
(vii) The son of the living God: God the incarnated = His divine name which appeared in the
flesh, therefore, also, that (oly One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Luke : . For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon (is shoulder.
And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of
Peace. )saiah : . And ) have seen and testified that this is the Son of God. John : .
Faith is not only embracing a group of doctrines which we recite in the Nicene Creed but rather
it is a way of life. Doctrine leads to life, for what is the use of believing in eternity and life after
death with Christ if one is not prepared through repentance and continuous vigilance and
having a love for God and His children?
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2- The Life Of Faith In Christ:
There is a big difference between outer faith which does not redeem the soul and practical faith
whose fruits appear in your life, You will know them by their fruits. Matthew : . The life of
a true believer is connected:
(i) The inner peace and tranquillity: and the absence of fear (Matthew 14:31). Every once in a
while a Christian must exam his faith to assess whether he is a true believer who bears fruits of
faith or not, Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Corinthians : .
(ii) The purity of reputation: The believer feels God s presence before him. (e hears, sees and documents all that he learns and that s why he is always afraid of sin in front of God. So he says with the psalmist: ) have set the Lord always before me; because (e is at my right hand ) shall not be moved. Psalm : , because we speak about to God in front of God.
(iii) Completely surrendering your life to the will of God: God is the maker of all good as we say
at the beginning of each prayer, Let us give thanks to the gracious and merciful God . Everything that God allows to happen is for our own good, All is for good , as (is (oliness Pope Shenouda always taught us. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to (is purpose. Romans : .
(iv) Satisfaction, joy and calmness: The believer is content with God s work in their lives, (is tender hands and (is good Fatherhood, (is holy will, Let it be according to your will on earth as it is in heaven. The Lord s Prayer . (v) Trusting in Christ who performs miracles: I can do all things through Christ who
strengthens me. Philippians : , all things are possible to him who believes. Mark : .
(vi) Is Joyful during tribulations and is not shaken: God has many solutions, My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials. James : , Rejoice in the Lord always. Again ) will say, rejoice. Philippians : .
(vii) Good works: Faith without works is dead. James : , Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. James : .
(viii) Complete trust in God: And in (is true promises. )saiah : , Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (ebrews : , Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him. (ebrews : . So the
believer does not argue with what God does, but he accepts all things from Him with complete trust in God s wisdom and love.
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(ix) The purity of the heart: God is holy, You fear to appear with your sin in front of him. (Isaiah 6:3-4). God exists, (ow then can ) do this great wickedness, and sin against God? (Genesis 39:9). God watches and sees, ) know your deeds. Romans : , Revelations : . God knows what is in your heart, He knows your thoughts, your feelings and emotions, your plans.
Your mind, which lives in faith, is seen by God so that he does not dare to sin, but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. John : .
3- The Simplicity Of Faith In Christ:
Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. Matthew : .
A STORY
Once upon a time there was a country stricken with drought. The
people of this country agreed that they would consecrate a day of
prayer, asking God to allow the rains to come. When the day arrived
they all gathered together for prayer. Among them was a little girl who held
an umbrella in her hands. When she was asked why she brought the umbrella she replied, Aren t we coming here to pray for rain? God will answer our prayers and allow the rains to come. Therefore I must be prepared as I do not
want to get wet . Because of her simple faith God permitted the rains to fall.
Our mind analyses everything and many things it cannot accept. As for faith, it believes in
absolute simplicity without any intellectual complication. Miracles happen to simple people
and not to those who are too intellectual and question everything. That is why they mock its
sincerity which then later condemns them (John 15:22).
The Jews did not believe the miracle which was performed to the man born blind (John 9:24),
as all they were concerned with was that this miracle was performed on the Sabbath (John
9:16).
) thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Matthew : . Children have a simple faith
and the simple faith trusts that the hand of God will always save and solve problems. God is the
lover of mankind and the creator of all righteousness, His promises are always true and His
hand always reaches out to save us. The simple faith: Accepts God s grace without searching for how it works. The simple faith: Trusts that all things are possible and that there is nothing which is
impossible Mark : . Don t let too much thinking take you away from the simple faith.
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The simple faith: Does not only depend on God but also leaves everything in the hands of God:
My life, my thoughts, my ambitions, my service, my children, my wife, my family , my church
etc......
Examples of the simple faith: Joseph the Righteous, David the Prophet, Abraham offering his son )saac and Jesus disciples. 4- The Strength Of The Faith In Christ
Faith is a virtue; it can be made stronger or weaker. What can we do to strengthen our faith? (2
Thessalonians 1:3, 2 Corinthians 8:7).
A) Trusting in God:
- God, the creator of all righteousness: Does everything for the best and all that He permits
must, in the end, be for our good and for our benefit, even if it does not seem so at the
beginning.
For example: What Joseph experienced proves that he trusted in God s protection and care, So now it was not you who sent me here, but God. Genesis : , But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good. Genesis : .
- God is loving: See, ) have inscribed you on the palms of My hands. )saiah : , ) will not forget you. )saiah : . So we, as His children and He, as our Father, provides us with more
than what we need and without asking Him until we say enough...enough.
- God can do anything: No matter how difficult our circumstances, as with Abraham and Isaac,
God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did. (Romans 4:17). And as with Moses, when God parted the sea and the Israelites walked on dry
land (Exodus 15). God also helped Joshua and the people of Israel to cross the Jordan River.
B. Trusting in the promises of God:
- God s promise to Abraham that (e would give him children to number the stars in heavens.
- God s promise to Elijah that He would care for him and provide for him during the famine,
which He did in a miraculous way (1 Kings 17:3-6).
- God s promise to our mother Eve that her seed will bruise the serpent s head Genesis : . - God s promise to pour down (is spirit upon all humanity. (Joel 2:28)
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- God s promise to us that (e would abide in us so that we may become a temple of (is (oly Spirit. (1 Corinthians 3:16).
- God s promise to us that (e will always be with us until the end of the age. Mathew : . - God s promise that we should not worry what to answer because the Holy Spirit will guide us
in what we should say. (Mathew 10: 19-20).
- God s promise that the gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church. Mathew : . C. Looking at God and not our circumstances:
As circumstances lead to despair but God leads to hope.
- Moses the prophet: He called the people to look at God, Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD. Exodus : -14).
- David the Prophet: David looked at the great God and so he killed Goliath, today the Lord will deliver you in my hands. Sam 17).
- The Disciples: If they had looked on the Lord they would have been peaceful and would have
seen His great strength.
- Martha: Didn t ) tell you that if you believe you will see the Glory of God? John : -40).
- Do not look at sin: For she has cast down many wounded, And all who were slain by her were strong men. Proverbs : .
- Look at the Lord Jesus: For He saves His people from every sin (Matthew 1:21).
D. The stories of faith and knowing the faithful: As faith is passed on from generation to
generation.
- Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith
follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. (ebrews : .
E. The humility of the heart and mind: Put yourself in the circle of God:
- A humble person confesses that his mind and abilities are limited and that he cannot comprehend the unlimited or the depth of God s wisdom and features, Your wisdom is above my comprehension and your deeds above my knowledge.
- Rely on God and experience his presence in your life in a practical way so you may
know who He is and you may say. Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is
the man who trusts in (im! Psalms : .
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F. See God in all things: I saw, touched and knew You in every creation....
- Contemplate on God s creation, how creative, wonderful and amazing it is.
- Contemplate on the magical nature: The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Psalms : . Do not
favour the creation over its Creator and giver of life.
G. Take God as your friend so your faith in Him may grow stronger:
- A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a
brother. Proverbs : .
- No longer do ) call you servants . John :
- Elijah the prophet befriended Him and so God took him to heaven in a chariot of fire.
- Enoch also befriended Him and so he was with God and he was not found, as God transported
him.
5- Abiding In Faith
A. Abiding is the divine commandment: God commands us saying:
- And having done all, to stand. Ephesians : .
- Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Corinthians : .
- I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for
without Me you can do nothing. John : . Christ is the vine and we the Christian believers
are the branches.
- As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you
abide in Me. John : .
B. In whom shall I abide?
- Abide in the commandment: As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If
you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as ) have kept My Father s commandments and abide in (is love. John : -10).
- Abide in love: Abide in my love. John : .
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- Abide in the Vine: ) am the vine, you are the branches. (e who abides in Me, and ) in him, bears much fruit. John : .
- Abide in Christ: (e who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in
him. John : . And in the Eucharist, Abide in me and ) in you. John : .
You must notice how the issues are transformed when a person enters into a close, personal,
loving relationship with Christ the Lord: (e who abides in me and ) in him bears much of fruit
When the divine essence penetrates the deep and hidden areas of our lives we become
stronger, wealthier and tougher, as we share in a life with God and become like Him. Therefore
there is no authority for defeat, fear, pessimism or desperation in us as God who lives in us will
oust all of that.
St Paul enjoyed that intimacy with our Lord Jesus Christ, as he was a branch
in Christ the vine, and he used to express this relationship with the words, )n Christ . (e used this phrase times. This expression was the key to everything he wished to say. The victorious life, the sparkling life, the one
full of strength and meaning is the life that we share with Christ.
But what does it mean to be )n Christ ? We know the meaning of a person in Politics , in a job , in law . )f a person is in law it means that law is the centre of his focus and the desire of his life and when he chose to specialise in law, he put aside all other professions, and dedicated
himself, his time, his effort and his whole life for the sake of law. But to be in Christ means that
a person has chosen to follow Christ.
When this happens this person becomes a branch in the vine of Christ, and therefore he finds a
living source to connect with Christ whom he receives live and energy. He lives in Christ just as
a cell lives in the body of which it belongs.
So his closeness to Christ is so strong that he can give praise with St Paul saying, it is no longer
I who live, but Christ lives in me. Galatians : .
But here we note that life with Christ is not just a private, inner relationship between the faithful and Christ, but is based on the believer s membership in the Church, which is considered the visible body of Christ. It is from the Sacrament of Baptism that every Christian
believer takes root like a branch in the vine of Christ, and when we separate ourselves through
sin from Christ the true vine, he provides us with the gift of repentance through which we can
take root in the vine once again. The living energy that runs in our lives from the vine which is
Christ comes from the great Church Sacrament which is the Eucharist where Christ says, (e who eats My body and drinks My blood abides in Me and ) in him. (John 6:56).
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There cannot be fruit on a tree unless the tree forms a strong root in the ground. And this is
how the Book of Psalms describes the righteous man saying, (e shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and
whatever he does shall prosper. Psalms : .
Also the Christian is an integral person, whose roots are fixed in Christ.
But what makes a person fixed in Christ?
The Psalmist says, Yea, though ) walk through the valley of the shadow of
death, ) will fear no evil; for You are with me. Psalm : . So a Christian
does not fear death or evil.
Isaiah the Prophet says, But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their
strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not
be weary, they shall walk and not faint. )saiah : . By this Isaiah the
prophet means that a Christian is always renewing his strength in Christ.
C. Why am I steadfast? The importance of steadfastness in Christ:
- In order to bring forth fruit: I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in
him, bears much fruit. John : .
- )n order to be one of Christ s disciples: By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. John : .
- In order to be purified: You are already clean because of the word which ) have spoken to you. (John 15:3).
- In order to get all I want: )f you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. John : .
- In order to obtain life: As the living Father sent Me, and ) live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. John : . (e who eats this bread will live forever. John 6:58).
-The secret of bearing fruit: Our Lord Jesus Christ continues in explaining the second
sacrament of bearing fruit. The first sacrament was to abide in the vine.
D. What are the factors which help me to abide in Christ?:
- Means of Grace: Fasting, prayer, spiritual readings, Bible reading.
- Eucharist: We take it from the altar to purify us and witness the Lord s death and resurrection.
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- Spiritual meetings: they build the servants and fix them in God s words and promises. - Hope and love: And now let faith, hope and love prevail. Corinthians : .
E. The blessings of abiding in faith in Christ:
- Salvation: We only have one soul which must be saved because, For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Mark : .
- Joy: With Christ, with love, with serving, with others, with eternity.
- Abundant fruit: Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit (e takes away; and every branch that bears fruit (e prunes, that it may bear more fruit. John : .
- Righteous deeds: He who says he abides in (im ought himself also to walk just as (e walked. (1John 2:6).
- Not being ashamed before Him: And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears,
we may have confidence and not be ashamed before (im at (is coming. John 2:28)
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4. The Orthodox Identity Behold, ) am coming quickly! (old fast what you have, that no one may take your crown .
(Revelations 3:11). This commandment rings clear in our Coptic Church s ear. We are keen to get all the crowns
prepared for us in eternity, this is why our glorious Church cherishes what we have from faith,
prayers, praises and deep spiritual struggle, in order to obtain the crowns of grace, which are
not overcome on the last day.
Some may ask, Doesn t every Church adhere to its teachings, fearing this divine warning? What differentiates our Coptic Church from other Churches? Aren t all Churches accepted before God? Why do we hold fast to our Church with such pride?
Our Orthodox Church is a Church with Apostolic Succession. It is steadfast in tradition,
priesthood and liturgical, following the early Church Fathers and doctrines. Our Church unites
the Saints in heaven (the Church Victorious) with the believers on earth (the Church
Struggling).
Succession is the way that our fathers understood and interpreted the Bible and the details of
faith. They passed it on to us as they received it from the Early Church Fathers and from Christ
Himself.
- )t is the passing on , But ) make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by
me is not according to man. (Galatians 1:11). It was not invented by man or the great thinkers
or theologians.
For ) delivered to you first of all that which ) also received: that Christ died for our sins according
to the Scriptures. Corinthians 15:3).
For ) received from the Lord that which ) also delivered to you. Corinthians 11:23).
What Sets Apart Our Orthodox
Faith From Other Churches?
1) What is the Apostolic Succession?
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The Bible commands us to know the traditions by heart and deliver them with honesty to the
generations that follow.
Now ) praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as ) delivered them to you. Corinthians 11:2).
Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle . Thessalonians 2:15)
The Bible itself witnesses that we should understand it through the Apostolic succession. But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every
brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. Thessalonians 3:6).
Part of this Apostolic teaching was recorded in Epistles and part was past down orally, ) did not wish to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, that our
joy may be full. John : and John , , and some of it had practical preparations,
But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest ) will set in order when ) come. Corinthians 11:34).
The Bible commands the Church to continue to transmit these teachings with honesty and
integrity to successive generations.
- And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also . Timothy 2:2)
- For this reason ) left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as ) commanded you . Titus :
- (old fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are
in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 1:13).
Our Fathers understood the Bible in the correct way just as Christ our Lord
intended, and so their faith was pure and also, they lived by the teachings
of the Bible just as Christ our Lord intended, The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be
with you. Philippians : .
If it was not for this careful passing on of the teachings of the Bible there would have been
different schools of interpretation which would have led to serious heresies. These would have
come about by individuals incorrectly interpreting the teachings and introducing different
ways of thinking, perhaps being driven by personal factors which changed the meaning of the verses. (ow dangerous it is to rely on one s own thinking, Lean not on your own understanding. Proverbs : , Do not be wise in your own opinion Romans : .
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But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from
whom you have learned them Timothy : . Therefore, it is important to not only read the Bible, but to also be enlightened by the Church s understanding of the Bible and practicing the commandments. And that is exactly what
happens in our Coptic Church. It adheres to the teachings of the Bible in the way that the Early
Church Fathers understood it. Let us then also hold fast to the faith that was passed on to us
from the Saints.
Another factor which differentiates our Coptic Church from other
Churches is that it holds fast to the Priesthood. We believe that the Priesthood of the New Testament does not negate Aaron s Priesthood but rather transfers to the Priesthood of Melchizedek.
Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for
under it the people received the law), what further need was there that
another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and
not be called according to the order of Aaron? (ebrews : .
- For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of
the law. (ebrews : .
Just as it was in the Old Testament, there were persons consecrated for Priesthood and they
were from the tribe of Levi and were the descendants of Aaron. So also in the New Testament
there are chosen people for the role of the Priesthood, As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the (oly Spirit said, Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which ) have called them. Then, having fasted and prayed and laid hands on them, they sent them away. (Acts 13: 2,3 ).
How can Christ be High Priest?
- Seeing then that we have a great (igh Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. (ebrews : .
- You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek, (Hebrews 5:6).
- Called by God as (igh Priest according to the order of Melchizedek. (ebrews : .
2) Priesthood
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How can Christ be the High
Priest and some claim that
there is no Priesthood in
Christianity?
Priesthood in our Church takes place by laying on of the hands on the person called for
Priesthood so that the Holy Spirit is poured on him and may fill him with grace and the gifts of
serving.
This is supported by the Holy Bible as we read, And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles hands the (oly Spirit was given, he offered them money Acts : .
Placing on of the hands does not mean the hands specifically, as now it takes place by the
anointing of the Holy Myron oil, And when Paul had laid hands on them, the (oly Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied Acts : . What is meant here is
placing hands on those consecrated for the priesthood, Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. Timothy
: . Therefore, ) remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of
my hands. Timothy : .
In our Church Priesthood has been passed on to us from our father St Mark the Apostle who
preached Christ to us and ordained the Bishop in Egypt, St Anianus. This Apostolic succession
has continued through the ages until today in our Pope, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II and all
the Bishops in our Church and also our fathers, the blessed Orthodox priests. This is a
wonderful gift which not many Christian denominations enjoy.
Happy is he who finds a father who promises to take care of him, and unfortunate is the
community which rejects priesthood and the spiritual fatherhood, as it denies itself many great
blessings and grace.
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Our Church is a Church of Rituals. The word Taksia comes from the Greek word which means order . The Bible commands us to organise the worship Let all things be done decently and in order. Corinthians : , and has warned against a disorganised way of worship, Warn those who are unruly. Thessalonians : , But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not
according to the tradition which he received from us. Thessalonians : . For we were not disorderly among you. Thessalonians : .
One of the duties of a Bishop is to organise the Church (Yotakesha), For this reason ) left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I
commanded you. Titus : .
In the Old Testament God commanded Moses to put the system of worship in order and to
organise it in a glorious way. Of course it goes to follow that the system of worship in the New
Testament should be even more deserving of order and glory, For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. Corinthians 3:9). )n the Old Testament the measure of service used to be according to King David s ordinance
(Ezra 3:10). However, in the New Testament it is according to Christ Himself. And this is what
St. Paul the Apostles praised the Colossians for, For though ) am absent in the flesh, yet ) am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. (Colossians 2:5). He had already put everything in order himself in the churches which he
established. And the rest ) will set in order when ) come. Corinthians : .
The Order Of The Church Includes:
-The way of worship, (ow is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation and has
an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. Corinthians : .
- The order and times of Fastings, Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now dangerous because the Fast was already over, Paul advised
them. Acts : .
- Also, it includes the Feasts and their timings, but took leave of them, saying, ) must by all
means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem. Acts : . Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of
sincerity and truth. Corinthians : . Not according to the Jewish order but according the
Christian one, So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths. Colossians : .
3) Church Doctrines
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- The Church order also specifies the tunes, melodies and words which are spoken on every
occasion. In this way we can live together the life of Christ at every stage, throughout the
whole year: The Annunciation, the Birth, the Fast, the miracles, the Cross, the Resurrection, the
Ascension, the Pentecost, the Ministry of the disciples and so on.
- Also the order extends to the life of the Saints in order to celebrate their life and follow their
example of faith.
Our Coptic Church loves and respects the Saints, especially those Saints
who have preceded us to heaven, as they signify the revealing light and
signs along the way, Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the
outcome of their conduct. (ebrews : .
We honour them because God Himself honours them, for those who honour Me I will honour,
and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed. Samuel : .
They honoured God by following His commandments, You shall therefore be holy, for ) am holy. Leviticus : , but as (e who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
Because it is written, Be holy, for ) am holy . Peter : ,
(Footnotes: Hebrews 5:6, Psalm 110:4)
That is why we delight in them, As for the saints who are on the earth, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight. Psalms : . Yes, (e loves the people; All His saints are in Your
hand; They sit down at Your feet; Everyone receives Your words. Deuteronomy : .
God Himself is glorified in His saints, When (e comes, in that Day, to be glorified in (is saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. (2 Thessalonians 1:10). That s why when we honour the Saints we are actually glorifying God in them. Christ our Lord will come in His Second Coming in the presence of all His Saints, So that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ with all (is saints. Thessalonians : , Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of (is saints, Jude : . They will share in the judgement of the world, Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? Corinthians : , So Jesus said to them, Assuredly ) say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of (is glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of
)srael. Mathew : . The Saints showed us God s will, which God has spoken by the mouth of all (is holy prophets since the world began, Acts : ), as He spoke by the mouth of His holy
Prophets, who have been since the world began. Luke : .
4) The Saints
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They are the ones with whom we will share in the eternal glory, Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. Colossians 1:12).
God gave them glory beyond description, And the glory which You gave Me ) have given them, that they may be one just as We are one. John : . He took them as equals, (e who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. Matthew : .
The Saints are with us, sharing in the Body of Christ, and this membership does not end when
the spirit separates from the body but, on the contrary, it continues forever.
The Saints in heaven are alive, ) am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. Matthew : . They continue to pray for us
just as it is commanded in the Holy Bible that we ought to pray for one another, Brethren, pray for us. Thessalonians : . Pray for one another. James : , The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. James : .
We are all the richer for having this glorious group of Saints and their continuous prayers on
our behalf. They are a cloud of witnesses, Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us,
and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. (ebrews : .
(Footnotes: James 5:16 NU-Text reads, Therefore confess your sins . We are proud of this Holy family, consisting of our Saintly fathers, which includes, men,
women, children, youth, elderly, martyrs, monks, priests and laymen. May their intercessions
be with us all. Amen.
Our Coptic Church believes in the value of the spiritual struggle and righteous deeds for the sake of one s salvation, And let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. (ebrews 12:1).
Our Church is committed to the teachings of the Bible concerning the spiritual struggle, You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. (ebrews : . Struggling is needed
throughout our whole life, But he who endures to the end will be saved. Matthew : , ) have fought the good fight, ) have finished the race, ) have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge. Timothy : - 8). The
struggle is needed when serving Christ, Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who
5) The Spiritual Struggle
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competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but
we for an imperishable crown. Corinthians : -25).
The spiritual life is described in the Bible as a war against the devil, For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the
darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12). That s why we must arm ourselves and be prepared, always relying on God s word, Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having
done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the
breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of
peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts
of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word
of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end
with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. Ephesians : - , Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may
devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith. Peter : -9). We must practice the life of virtue,
This being so, ) myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men. (Acts 24:16).
However, all this does not conflict with our belief that it is God s grace that works in us. But the grace does not make the struggle redundant just as faith does not stand without actions, Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. James : .
Our Coptic Church believes in the Holy Sacraments and their importance for our salvation and
it also believes in their effectiveness in our lives.
A) The Sacrament of Baptism:
- There is no salvation without baptism, Most assuredly, ) say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. John : , Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot
enter the kingdom of God. John : , (e who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. Mark : . But
when the kindness and the love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to (is mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the
(oly Spirit. Titus : -5).
6) The Holy Sacraments
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- Our Fathers the Apostles practiced baptism since the day of Pentecost, and until now we
follow in their footsteps. Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the (oly Spirit. Acts : .
- Philip the Apostle did the same thing with the Ethiopian eunuch. Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, See, here is water. What hinders me from
being baptized? Acts : .
- Also what our teacher Paul the Apostle and Silas did with the prison guard of Philippi, Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as
we have? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him
to stay a few days. Acts : -48).
- St Paul also baptised Lidya, And when she and her household were baptized. Acts : .
Baptism results in an inner, invisible grace inside us, For as many of you as were baptized into
Christ have put on Christ. Galatians : . It is the action of being buried with Christ, Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised
from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Romans 6:3-4). Our Church baptises children because Christ commanded us not to forbid them, Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, ) say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it. (Luke 18:16-17). Because we believe that baptism is a free gift of grace we do not preclude
children from it.
B) The Sacrament of Holy Myron:
Our Church believes that the Holy Spirit is poured upon us and abides in us when we are
anointed with the Holy Myron after the Sacrament of Baptism, Repent, and let every one of you
be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of
the (oly Spirit. Acts : .
Without the Holy Spirit a person cannot live a spiritual life or have a share in eternity. This is
why the anointing with the Myron oil is essential, But you have an anointing from the Holy One,
and you know all things. John : , But the anointing which you have received from (im abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you
concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in
(im. John : .
At first, the Holy Spirit was given by the laying on of the hands, Then they laid hands on them,
and they received the (oly Spirit. Acts : . Later the Fathers replaced this with the anointing
of the Myron.
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C) The Sacrament of Eucharist
For us to fully understand the importance of partaking in the Holy Body
and Blood of our Lord we must first contemplate on the following verses:
Then Jesus said to them, Most assuredly, ) say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.
Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise
him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink
indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in
him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he
who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as
your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. (e who eats this bread will live forever. John : -
58).
Our Church teaches that during the Mass the Holy Body and Blood of our Lord gives salvation,
forgiveness of sins and eternal life to those who partake of them. There is no life, or salvation
or forgiveness of sins, without partaking of the Holy Body and Blood of Christ.
Our Church teaches that, that which is on the altar is the Body indeed and the Blood indeed of
our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. (John 6:55).
Let us look at the verse, Do this in remembrance of Me. Luke : . Here we do not believe
that this remembrance is symbolic, but that the Body present on the altar is the actual and
living presence of our Lord Jesus Christ in the bread. Therefore we remember His birth, works,
cross, death, resurrection, ascension, sitting at the right hand of the Father and His second coming for judgement, Today (e is present with us on the altar, Emmanuel our God. Offering in the Feasts of the Angels.) Emmanuel is among us now. Eporo tune . Our Lord Jesus Christ is not absent or dead in order to make a commemoration for Him, but He is alive and present every day on the altar in
the Sacrament of the Eucharist.
D) The Sacrament of Repentance and Confession:
There is no salvation without repentance. Repentance is essential for every
person in every stage of life and in all the different areas of ones relationship
with Christ, )f we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. John : . Confession then follows repentance, )f we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness. John : .
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The Holy Bible and the Church do not contradict each other on the issue of confession, (e who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. (Proverbs 28:13), also in the New Testament, And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. Acts : . This is what those who came to John the Baptist did, and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. Matthew : and this is why was
said, Confess your trespasses to one another. James : . This is why our Lord Jesus Christ
gave the priest the authority to bound or loose the forgiveness of sins, Accept the (oly Spirit. And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, Receive the (oly Spirit. )f you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained. (John 20: 22- , Assuredly, ) say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and
whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Matthew : .
How can a person be saved outside the Church without all these sacraments?
E) The Sacrament of the Unction of the Sick:
Our Church is remarkable as it prays for the sick and anoints them with oil just as God
commanded, )s anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them
pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save
the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. James 5: 14-15).
That is exactly what our Fathers the Apostles did, And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them. Mark : .
There are some Churches which criticise us for our use of oil in anointing the sick, but they
forget that it is a Holy Biblical command and a pure apostolic transmission and an old practice
in the Church since the first century.
F) The Sacrament of Marriage:
Our Church views marriage as a Holy Sacrament in the presence of the Holy Trinity and not
only as a contract being witnessed and signed by many, What God has joined together, let not man separate. Matthew : . In our Orthodox faith God is the One who unites the couple
and abides in them and it is for this reason that in our Church we do not allow divorce except in
the case of adultery as Christ Himself taught saying, ) say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her
who is divorced commits adultery. Matthew : .
G) The Sacrament of Priesthood:
All the sacraments are crowned by the Sacrament of Priesthood through which
all sacraments take place. The priest is the only one permitted to execute the
sacraments. He has been entrusted by our Lord Jesus Christ to do so. It is for
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this reason that only men are permitted to be ordained in the priesthood, unlike some other
Christian Churches.
We know that all other Church communities rely on and respect the Bible, but what
differentiates our Coptic Church is that:
A) It Believes In The Entire Bible:
There are no books which have been omitted, All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. Timothy
: , for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the (oly Spirit. Peter : .
We are committed to obeying the entire Holy Bible, and we do not have the authority to omit
books which are seen to not go according to our desires. The Church is subject to the Bible and
not the Bible to the Church. Our doctrine comes from the Holy Bible and is subject to it and it is
not for us to omit sections which do not suit our doctrine.
B) It Believes In The Old Testament And Respects It:
Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself approved the legitimacy of the Old Testament, Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfil. Matthew : ,
and He often quoted from the Old Testament.
We believe that the Old Testament should not be cancelled but rather it contains many
prophecies which have been fulfilled in the New Testament. One cannot understand the New
Testament without returning to those prophecies in the Old Testament. Also there are many
teachings which have been transformed from being symbolic to be being real, such as:
circumcision, offerings, law of purification and the rituals. Other teachings such as the law of
manners have been elevated to the Christian standards, (revise the Sermon on the Mount in
Matthew 5:6- 7). However, in the eyes of the Church, the Old Testament is still the foundation
on which the New Testament was built and our Lord Jesus Christ is the corner stone.
C) It Is Committed To All The Biblical Texts:
Those who have deviant from sound Biblical teachings are those who rely on one verse alone.
The Church however, sees the Holy Bible not as just one verse or several verses but it is spirit
and life, and its life spreads throughout the entire Book.
Each verse is understood in the light of the general context of the book, in the light of the
circumstances and conditions in which it was written and verses which were written before
and after that particular verse are considered because some verses are understood when they
7) The Holy Bible
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are completed by the other verses, For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we
have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the
things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which
man s wisdom teaches but which the (oly Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with
spiritual. Corinthians : -13).
D) Interpretation:
The Church understands the Bible in the light of how the Fathers understood it, taught it and
transmitted it to us. This has been explained in the section of the Apostolic Succession, But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached
to you, let him be accursed. Galatians :
Finally, we must be proud of our Church and not forget the following verse: Hold fast to what
you have, that no one may take your crown. Revelations :
There are still so many more issues to talk about that make our Church unique such as the
intercession of the saints surrounding us like a cloud, the credibility of the divine inspiration
while writing the books of the Bible, the interpretation of the Fathers and much more.
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5. A Servant Is A Fisher Of Souls
Real success is not having victory over others. This is not strength or bravery. Real success is
winning others over and comforting them, because the winner of souls is wise, And he who wins souls is wise. Proverbs :30).
You may have victory over others but lose them! And with this loss you have not gained
victory. Our Lord Jesus Christ was full of strength whilst on the cross and He was able to win
everyone. There are important rules that one must follow in order to gain the love of others,
and here we will present some of them:
A- LET YOUR GOAL BE THE WINNING AND RESPECT OF OTHERS
As St Paul the Apostle taught us, For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a
servant to all, that I might win the more. Corinthians : .
Put this goal, of winning others, clearly in front of you even if it means you having to make
sacrifices for the sake of this goal. Many people care only about themselves and not others.
They do not consider the feelings or circumstances of those around them. But be careful of the
feelings of others and try to win everyone because, as the Bible tells us, The winner of souls is wise. Proverbs : .
If you discover that someone is not happy with you for whatever reason,
do not rest until you have made them happy. When we win the love of
all those around us we satisfy the words in the Bible, )f it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Romans : . This is why we should offer our love to everyone in order to gain their love and we should consider people s love a precious treasure which you
should look after so as to keep it forever. For the sake of others love everyone, respect
everyone, even those who are younger or less significant than you.
Many people respect those who are older than them or those who have a greater position then
them and give little regard for those who are of less importance. By doing this they lose much.
As for you, you should practice the respect of everyone and give honour to all. Do not use
hurtful or insulting words to anyone, or treat anyone with dishonour or contempt. Do not
neglect anyone but instead, give words of appreciation and respect towards your children,
siblings or those who work for you. With such expressions you will not be forgotten and those
little ones will always remember and you will be helping to raise their self-esteem, making
them feel better about themselves which in turn will make them love you.
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Those who are older than you may not notice your respect for them because it is not out of the
ordinary, but the little ones will never forget. Your respect for them is something that will not
be lost and know that God holds these feelings of love and respect for us although there is a
world of difference between the greatness of God and our weakness. He humbles Himself,
listens to us and seeks our salvation.
B- TREAT PEOPLE WITH HUMILITY
That is why your humility towards others is an important factor in gaining their love towards
you. St Isaac said, A fruitful tree bends its branches for the sake of its fruits and does not move with every wind blow but the unfruitful tree has haughty branches and moves with every wind
blow .
Do not talk to people from above and do not elevate yourself over others, but treat everyone with humility as people love the humble person. Be a son among your brothers but a brother among you children , as humility can open the closed hearts. Do not think that your humble way with people decreases your significance; on the contrary, it elevates you even more. Remember the saying of the spiritual elder, Everywhere you go, be the youngest of your brothers and their servant. And, Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles
himself will be exalted. Mathew 23:12). How beautiful is the advice which the elders gave
King Rehoboam, son of King Solomon the wise, when they told him, If you will be a servant to
these people today, and serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they
will be your servants forever. Kings : .
C- SERVE EVERYONE WITH A SMILE ON YOUR FACE
A smile is a universal language which cannot be mistaken by the eye and it is
a language that does not need translation, but it shines with joy and makes
the heart smile.
If you want others to love you, serve them, help them and sacrifice yourself for them. They will
feel your love through your help, dedication and sacrifice. Those who love themselves always want to take, gain and win. But don t be like that, instead practice giving and sacrificing. Let
the aim of your relationships with others be to benefit them rather than yourself. Look for
ways you can give others comfort, bring joy to their hearts and provide happiness in their lives.
By doing this you will be loved by all.
The most hated people are those who are selfish and those who are the most loved are those
who serve, give and sacrifice.
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Don t think that it is only children who will love you for this, but know also that even those who are older than yourself will love you too. God s relationship with humanity is one of giving and sacrificing as was the life of the Apostles. A mother s love is one of giving and sacrificing, without waiting to receive in return. It is for this reason a mother is loved so much.
If you feel you have nothing to give, at least give a kind smile and a nice
word. Give love, give tenderness, give encouragement, give your heart.
Demonstrate to others that you are willing to sacrifice for their sake.
D- DO NOT REBUKE OR CRITICISE ANYONE
)f you want to gain the love of others don t rebuke them or be too critical. (arsh words hurt. Hurtful words destroy love. Too much criticism makes others feel that you dislike them. So if
you need to give advice do so in a calm, meek manner, avoiding unkind or insensitive words.
Start with a word of appreciation or a compliment. Begin with something positive before you
say something negative. This prepares the way for a constructive criticism, always
remembering to choose your words carefully so as not to offend others. The goal of your
criticism should be to build rather than to destroy.
Do not reproach a person in public, in front of others. This leads to humiliation and
embarrassment. Also, do not be too picky and continuously criticise small, insignificant details
because there is no one without fault. King Solomon says, Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate
you; Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. Proverbs : .
E- PRAISE PEOPLE AND DEFEND THEM
If you want people to love you, praise and defend them. A heart that feels that all are against
him becomes very sensitive. So if he finds a person who defends him he will give him his whole
heart. It is for this reason that you should defend others, especially those who are in trouble,
under a lot of pressure, are oppressed or in need of care.
In your dealings with others, focus on their positives rather than their negatives. Be sure that
any person no matter how many faults they may seem to have will have some good qualities
deserving of praise. Look for these good qualities and praise them, and allow them to feel
appreciated. It is only then that they will love you and be prepared to accept any constructive
criticism from you.
Let your verbal communication be positive and increase words of praise towards those who deserve it. Do not insult, damage or mock others. Laugh with people but don t laugh at them. Let others be aware of your appreciation for them and demonstrate your appreciation in front
of everyone. Look for the good in others rather than the bad. And if you do see something
negative in another person let them know that this is totally out of character for them, and that
you just want to highlight a small error in order to help.
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You must know that everyone has positive and negative qualities in their life. When we focus
too much on the weaknesses of others we lose them, but if we are meek, peacemakers we look
at the strengths in the character of others and, in so doing, we win all people.
F- HAVE REGARD FOR GOOD THINGS IN THE SIGHT OF ALL MEN
(Rom 12:17)
If you want people to love you, be a virtuous person who has what
people like. Do not be a cause for others to stumble. Do not doubt
that people love unconditionally and that they love the person who
possesses the traits they admire. They love a holy person, a
courageous person, a successful and an intelligent person. Let
good qualities be in your personality and people will love you
because of them. And so, if you want others to love you, you must
change yourself first.
Correct the weaknesses in yourself that others may not like. If someone confronts you with
any of your own weaknesses, do not feel angry but instead thoroughly examine yourself, and
consider their criticism. And then, thank the person who brought this weakness to your
attention and do not resent them for it.
G- TOLERATE OTHERS AND BE LOYAL
If you want others to love you, tolerate them. Do not attempt to retaliate and do not take
revenge. Do not be quick to get angry with those who mistreat you, we all have weaknesses so
it is important to bear with others and forgive quickly. Then, when the other person regrets
their actions and remembers your patience towards them they will love you even more. And if
that person does not return the friendship do not be disappointed but remember the words of
St. John Chrysostom, (e who does not suit you as a friend, do not consider him an enemy.
If you want people to love you be loyal to them, treat them with honesty and make sure your
love for them benefits them. Let your love for others be wise and give praise sincerely, use
tenderness but do not spoil or over indulge. God, who loves us, is able to pour His love in our
hearts in order to love each other as He loved us with His abundant heart.
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H- MOVE YOURSELF FROM THE TAKING ZONE TO THE GIVING ZONE
Practice giving to others; give service, give time, give love, give effort and give help. If one
grows up giving he eventually gives himself. This is the highest level of selflessness.
Although stinginess can be one of the outcomes of the ego, its cure is giving. When we practice
generosity, compassion and tenderness we will be content. Helping others will change our
heart which in turn encourages us to give more. St. Paul says, Rejoice with those who rejoice,
and weep with those who weep. Romans : . Here, St. Paul teaches us to be happy when
others are happy and sad when they are sad. This applies in all our relationships whether it be
in marriage, raising children, at school or at work. Sometimes all that is required is a telephone
call or a kind word to convey your sentiments. This can leave a huge impact on the person
receiving your care.
Often we go to visit someone who is sick and we feel that we are visiting Christ Himself as He
said, ) was sick and you visited me. Matthew : . When did we visit you, oh Lord? We find
Him replying, )nasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me. (Matthew 25:40). Visiting a sick person is a wonderful way of winning their heart.
I- BE GOOD NEWS
What a wonderful saying we read in Romans 10:15, How beautiful are the feet of those who
preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!
People are in real need for someone to cheer them up and alleviate their
weariness, to give them hope through a window of light shining among their
burdens, giving them new optimism.
- Be cheerful when meeting others and do everything you can to bring joy to their faces.
Welcome them with a kind smile and with a kind word as people do not appreciate a frowning
face that takes away their peace. This approach makes people look forward to meeting you,
knowing that your presence will bring them happiness.
- The word Bible means Good News , so evangelising with the Bible was bringing good news
to all that heard. When the angel told the shepherds the good news all were joyful, Do not be
afraid, for behold, ) bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. Luke : .
- Our Lord Jesus Christ tells us, Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest. Matthew : . If you are not able to relief people s discomfort, at least do not be the cause of their unrest.
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- Consider the methods photographers use to encourage their clients to smile so that the photo
turns out pleasant! You also can be a face which causes others to smile by your pleasantness.
- Some wrongly think that being spiritual is to have a grim or serious expression. On the
contrary, joy and kindness are the fruits of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22).
J- SPEAK WHEN EARS ARE READY TO LISTEN
If someone is not ready to listen to what you have to say, remain silent. Do not speak too much
to a person who is exhausted, psychologically or physically not well or under pressure or busy,
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold )n settings of silver Proverbs : .
Choose the right time to speak so that your words will reach another at the time when their
heart and mind are prepared and ready to understand and to accept your words. When
speaking to others do not make it your aim to win every conversation.
Consider The Following….
1- When speaking to others do not make it your aim to win every
conversation. We benefit no one this way.
2- Do not interrupt others during conversation as this will close another
persons heart towards you and they will not respond to your words even if
they make sense.
3- Always respect the opinions of others even if you do not agree with
them. Always answer using diplomacy because if you can reach the heart
first be sure that you will be able to reach the mind.
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6. The Servant And A Life Of Joy
In the midst of a changing world, panic, anxiety and worry reigns. A question which nags at us
is: How can I have a stable, happy life that is free of uncertainty and decline?
Why do we, at times, feel miserable and that we are engulfed in
feelings of pain, regret, anxiety or fear?
What is a blessed joy and how can we obtain it?
A) The Keys To A Life Of Happiness
1- The Keys To Repentance:
Have you ever experienced moments in which you fell at Christ s feet, repenting of your sad
and aimless past, determined to follow a more holy path?
- The experience of our wretched fall is the foreign part in the harmony of our beautiful life.
There is not a time in which I fell into sin and I was not torn apart, or fear filled me or guilt
threatened me! If we want to find the correct way of using all this energy of repentance and
regret after we fall (and this increases as a servant), we will discover that it is only in the light
of the Bible that we find direction.
- Christ Jesus enlightens our hearts and calls us, saying: All that the Father gives Me will come
to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. (John 6:37). Christianity
transforms the energy of regret to the energy of repentance, the sadness of sin to the joy of
prayers and being united with God. Christ opens His loving heart to the repentant sinner and
allows him to return home justified.
Dear brother and blessed sister, search and look, lest there be a loved sin which prevents the
pouring out of heavenly joy from filling your life. My dear brother and sister, let us spend a few
moments examining ourselves in order to submit to the Lord in true repentance and with a
holy pledge! One may say, I am a servant and I have sinned so I will leave my service. But it is better to abandon your sin than to abandon your service.
2- The Key Of Discovering The Meaning Of Life
It seems that much of the troubles of this generation occur in the conflict between the feeling of
how insignificant the world is and feeling bored and frustrated with it and the feeling of how
glorious the world is and idolising and worshiping it.
A crucial question arises: Why do I exist? This is a question that is studied by the
philosophers and writers of this generation. If our youth don t find a satisfying answer to this
question they will surely fall into anxiety, breakdown and atheism.
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Life is not wearisome and existence is not a burden, as atheists and some writers of this
generation believe. The presence of pain, suffering and injustice is not evidence of the
meaningless of life. It is in those small moments when we spend time with a sick person and
give them hope and makes them feel loved, the moments when we stand by a person who is in
pain and give them support in tenderness, in prayer and practical brotherhood and the
moments that we seize a friend from the flames of sin or the spiral of depression. All these
feelings of love are the answer to the issues of existence. We have been created from Divine
love, but not only that, when we sinned, the Lord suffered for our sake in order to save us and
He revealed His love for us through that action. Therefore, as a sign of our love for Him, we
should suffer for His name and for the sake of His brethren who are crushed. Let s uncover our mission, service and the meaning of life and existence. When we serve from
all our hearts we gain joy and feel happy. We escape from our selfishness and our self-
centeredness so that we can pour ourselves on the altar of love as sacrifices of holy service that
unites humanity and glorifies it.
Let s offer love to those who are distant, lonely, deprived, deceived or lost, as this is the key to
our happiness and this makes Christ happy with us, For in Him we live and move and have our
being. (Acts 17:28).
3- The Key To Submission:
It is hard for one to be happy in the midst of tribulation but St. Paul the Apostles challenges us
saying, ) now rejoice in my sufferings. Colossians : , Therefore ) take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ s sake. For when ) am weak, then ) am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10).
When God opens our eyes we discover the secret of trusting and surrendering and we leave
behind our crushing troubles and worries!
Our real problem is that we place our problems between us and Christ and so we do not see
Him through them and His loving face and capable hands disappear from before us. What we
should do is put Christ between us and our problems so we may see them through Him.
- Albert Kamy said once: This life deserves committing suicide. (owever, we answer, Welcome pain as long as we are in the arms of God and are encircled by Christ. We welcome the future and life s unknowns and burdens and sufferings because they all shine if we bring them in the presence of Christ.
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4- The Key Of The Eternal Look:
- Vaulter once said, A human being is born, suffers then dies, and Biquit said, A person comes
out of the darkness of his mother s womb and then ends up in the darkness of the tomb, crossing the darkness of life , and Freud said, Let s leave heaven to birds and angels.
- But we, the simple ones, say to them with full trust, Take from Christ s light so that it may
make clear the signs which give direction, as eternity is shining before us with all its joy and
heaven is drawing us to it with all its glories. There is something else beyond the grave as
King Solomon the wise said, Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find
out the work that God does from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes : .
How did St Botamenna the Celibate stand in front of the boiling oil and lose
her life in happiness and trust?! And how did St Perpetua lie down next to
the beasts desiring this frightful destiny?! How did a procession of 30,000
martyrs, going from Damanhur to Alexandria, sing hymns of victory on
their way to their grave?!
There is something beyond the grave?! There is the true life and the true joy!
Our earthly ambitions such as physical needs, materialistic possessions, status and a good
name do not increase our happiness but instead they add to our worries. The few moments
prior to going to sleep, during our silent adoration of God, will pour light into our heart and will
lead us in the right way.
- Is there a sin that needs repentance? Are there things that need complete surrender?
- Is there a misinterpretation of what service is? Is there a deficiency in your mission and your
genuineness?
B) AN INVITATION TO HAPPINESS
A servant is invited to watch the work of God and enjoy seeing another go after salvation. He is
invited to share the happiness with the host of angels over one sinner who repents. The life of
happiness is expressed in the continual presence of God in the life of a servant.
1- Being happy with the Lord and living and sharing with Him in a practical way. We believe
the word of God, His promises and the blessings of the Bible as a personal message to every
servant and the daily work of God in our lives.
2- Enjoying the completeness of the Lord s pain in us. I complete the incompleteness of Christ s burdens in my body for the sake of His body which is the church, pain as a friend to the bride
groom and humiliation for His name s sake, For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are
accounted as sheep for the slaughter. (Romans 8:36). My brethren, count it all joy when you fall
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into various trials, James : , Who is weak, and ) am not weak. (2 Corinthians 11:29), indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. (Romans 8:17).
3- Happiness through the glory of Christ and His proclamation: Through my life and service I
can become a cause of blessing and glory to Jesus Christ so I may not hear Him saying, The
name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you. (Romans 2:24) or, But woe to
that man by whom the offense comes! (Matthew 18:7).
4- Happiness through eternity: Our goal is eternity while we are still in the flesh through
praises and prayers, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. (Philippians 1:23). For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21).
5- Happiness for being members with others: In sharing the body of the one Christ, and calling
everyone to come closer to God and live with Him in trusting faith and to see people and come
to a meeting point with them in the highest goal, which is the salvation of the soul and enjoying
Christ the saviour in the happy eternity.
6- Happiness with others: Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. (Romans 12:15). A sincere servant is the one who shares with other servants their condition,
whether it is a happy or sad one, putting in front of him the principle: Because for this purpose
) have come forth. (Mark 1:38), To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the
broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are
bound. )saiah : .
7- Happiness with the fruit of the service: When the close one is steadfast and the distant one
comes closer to the Lord, There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than
over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. (Luke 15:7). There will be happiness
with the spiritual and practical growth of the servant.
8- Happiness with the repentance of the sinner and the coming back of those who were astray
(the lost sheep): My son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. And they began to be merry, (Luke 15:24), and happiness with the lost coin when it is found once more.
9- Happiness with service and evangelism: Because he is signed up under the banner of the
King of kings and Lord of lords and the Lord uses him to save souls. How many souls were
there who were close to being lost forever and our Lord used a particular servant for their
salvation and accepted their repentance.
10- Happiness with the fulfilment of the commandment: Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will
say, rejoice! (Philippians 4:4). It is a steadfast joy because of our faith in Christ our Saviour,
Maker of all good. We are always happy, trusting in our Lord s care and His love for us, But I
will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. (John
16:22).
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11- Happiness in spite of the pain: Pain doesn t worry us nor the hard road, but with hope we
are elevated to the eternal glory, For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not
worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Romans : , For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. (2 Corinthians
1:5), But rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ s sufferings, that when (is glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. Peter : .
12- Happiness with the house of the Lord: ) was glad when they said to me, Let us go into the house of the LORD. Psalms : .
13 - Happiness in sharing our lives with the Lord: Rejoice in the Lord always. Again ) will say, rejoice! Philippians : .
14 - Happiness in worshipping the Lord: Serve the LORD with gladness;
come before (is presence with singing. Psalm : .
15 - Happiness in meeting with the Lord, the angels and the Saints.
13- Happiness with the eternal reward: Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are
subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven. (Luke 10:20). Then
we will gain the reward in eternity for all that we offered in service.
C) THE SIGNS OF A HAPPY LIFE
1- Inner peace: A happy heart pours out happiness in all areas of life. A smile
on the face which expresses inner joy, the source of this inner peace is the
strong connection to God who is the source of happiness.
2- Being prepared to sacrifice: all the time, in any place and under any
circumstance. Does not get tired, lose hope or be self seeking but only for the
sake of the service, Behold, He who keeps )srael shall neither slumber nor sleep. Psalms : .
3- Trust and steadfastness: Trust and be steadfast in the Lord and is never shaken no matter
how high the storms are and always reciting, One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I
seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the
LORD, And to inquire in His temple. When they said to Athanasius, The world is against you
Athanasius. He replied, And I am against the world. And more recently, our beloved Pope
Shenouda III was never shaken by any problem no matter how hard it was because he relied on
God.
4- Always living with the Lord: Spiritual practices for me are an amazing spring of joy, Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. (John 20:20), which means that seeing the Lord
through living a holy life with Him gives us joy which makes us forget the pain of the cross and
our struggles and pleases us with the joy of the resurrection.
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5- Resurrection in the Lord: in complete submission and surrender to the Holy Spirit through
out life. The leadership of the Lord in our life is the secret to success and true happiness.
6-A call for joy, saying: Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in
Him. (Psalms 34:8). For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me. (Philippians
2:18), finally my brethren, be joyful in the Lord for this is the sign of a true servant, because if
we lack something how can we give it.
D) JOY AS A FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Joy is a spiritual happiness which is a fruit of the work of the Holy Spirit in a person, especially
in a person who is guided by the Holy Spirit. Here we differentiate between three words:
1- Pleasure:
This word is derived from the word Please , which means making someone
happy. Some examples of this are the pleasures of food, money and the flesh. They are all pleasures . Often we try and obtain these pleasures in the wrong
way and sooner or later they turn into feelings of guilt. This is a painful feeling
because the conscience suffers and regret takes over.
This is why Christ our Lord told us: Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again. John : ,
as the water of sin is salty and does not satisfy a human being. When we keep repeating the
same mistake it turns into a habit and the habit becomes part of our personality. It was once said, A character is a group of habits which walk on two feet.
2- Happiness: This word is derived from the word happens , which means taking place . Happiness is a good feeling but it is built on the events which occur around me . If they are happy events I become happy and if they are
sad I in turn become sad. It is happiness which comes from our external
surroundings, therefore, if I enjoy what is happening outside of me then I
am happy, but if I do not like what is happening I am filled with sadness.
3-Joy:
Here lies the big difference between happiness and joy: Happiness is
built on the surrounding events but joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, which
springs up from within and goes out. No matter what our external
surroundings are I continue in my joy with the Lord as I trust that
sadness will be turned into happiness and darkness will be transformed
to light and even curses will be changed to blessings.
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Joy means that I face the world with Christ who is living inside me, and is the Holy Almighty
who can do anything, whose wisdom is eternal, whose might is unlimited and whose love is
unconditional.
It is joy in spite of worry and the surrounding panic; it is the joyous feeling brought about by
the divine care and the complete surrender to the Lord.
Therefore, let us obtain joy.
Joy is from God, with God and in God.
From God meaning that he is the source of Joy.
With God meaning that I am happy with Him personally and not with what He
gives to me.
In God meaning He transforms evil to good and in Him I trust that He is the
maker of all good.
My beloved, Our Christ is yesterday, today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8), so as He was yesterday
with us we trust that He will be with us in the future as He plans it, assures it and authorises
blessings to all who serve Him. So do not be afraid of the future but leave it in His protective
hands.
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7. Being Positive Is the Way To Success Being positive is an action that a person takes with efficiency and vitality for himself and for
people around him. It is the opposite of being negative, which is characterised as being
detached, rigid, hesitant, taking backwards steps, uncertain, lazy and remote. Being positive comes from within and pushes a person to challenge himself and get out of the me to the other . There are special features in a positive personality:
1- FEATURES OF A POSITIVE PERSONALITY:
One of the attributes of a positive person is being self-motivated
towards a worthy goal. A positive person is:
1- Offers their services without being asked.
2- Reliable and responsible.
3- Serving without expecting anything in return.
4- Searches for weaknesses within and does not blame others in order to justify themselves.
5- Participates actively within the group.
6- Feels a sense of belonging in their country, family, Church, school, university and work.
7- Offers help to those in need with a spirit of love and can be depended on to complete the
task without leaving it to others.
8- Acts more, speaks less.
9- Has principles and works with clarity. Has a well-defined goal and plan for life.
10- Is not preoccupied by the weaknesses and faults of others but rather looks at their
strengths.
2- FEATURES OF A NEGATIVE PERSONALITY:
1- How positive are the parents and whether or not they are over
protective.
2- The degree of rigid precautions and how exaggerated they are.
3- Not working on improving self-confidence.
4- Tough moral and spiritual guidance.
5- Suppression of the spirit of contribution.
6- Suppression of self-expression or opinions.
7- Being afraid of failure.
8- Not enhancing the spirit of belonging.
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3- POSITIVE THINKING:
- It is being hopeful with everything this word means and looking at the beauty in everything.
Positive thinking is very important in our lives.
- Positive thinking means examining yourself and discovering the talents and strengths which
God has given you. Unfortunately many of us insist on seeing only the negatives and
weaknesses, whether it be in ourselves or in others.
- No matter what negative events happen in your life, try and look for the positives, even if they
only appear to be small at first. It may turn out that this small thing will light the way towards
healing the negative matters which have occurred and will help you to overcome them. Do not
let negative events effect you.
- Send yourself positive messages for your inner conscious such as: I am successful, I can, I am
capable, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13), I can be as
successful as anyone, God wants me to be successful, God s strength completes my weakness.
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4- POSITIVE THINKING VERSES NEGATIVE THINKING
POSITIVE THINKING NEGATIVE THINKING
- Dwells on the solution rather than the
problem
- Helps self and others
- Looks for a solution to every problem
- Acknowledges the solution may be hard
but achievable
- Has dreams that can be fulfilled
- Treats others the way they would like to
be treated
- Holds fast to morals and lets the trivial
things go
- Finds happiness and satisfaction in
working
- Plans events
- Inspires and motivates others through
creativity in personal and work life
- Enjoys a good relationship with family,
friends, colleagues and managers
- Makes others feel happy and successful
- Dwells on the problem more than the
solution
- Waits for help from others
- Sees a problem in every solution
- Sees that the solution is possible but hard
to achieve
- Has delusions that are tying him down
- Betrays people before they betray him
- Holds on to minor things and lets his
morals go
- Sees work as painful and a struggle
- Events make him
- Brings about laziness, disability and
paralyses effectiveness
- Relationships are accompanied by
mistrust, panic and clashes with all those
around
-Gives the feeling of failure and
disappointment
From the sayings of Pope Shenouda III: From the sayings of Pope Shenouda III:
A positive action is continual building and
he who builds continues to move upward.
A negative action is continual destruction
and he who destroys continues to move
downward.
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5- THE OBSTACLES WHICH PREVENT BEING POSITIVE
Depression – despair – wasting time – routine – surrendering to psychological pressures –
procrastination – panic – feeling guilty – lack of confidence – laziness – constant detachment –
low self-esteem- disappointment – excessive shyness – faithlessness – failure – hopelessness.
6- BE POSITIVE
How Is Being Positive Created And Developed?
a. What a person sees in himself is himself: Someone once asked me, How can I become attractive? ) replied, Stand in front of a mirror and take a look at who is in front of you, face to face. Then I asked if the person in the mirror was attractive? In the beginning they nodded a little hesitantly and replied, I feel that my forehead…, I told them to stop and I said, You feel that
your forehead is flat, your nose is big, your eyes are protruding…all these things have no
connection to being attractive.
Being attractive is directly related to the words that you just said, ) feel . They said, ) don t understand explain more. I said, Being attractive starts with a feeling. When you feel from
within that you are attractive others will see you as attractive and vice versa, meaning that
when you feel unattractive and look at yourself in a negative way others will see you that way.
From this we can conclude that any positive or negative attitudes arise from the feelings which
are produced within us.
Any way you imagine yourself is the way others will see you. For instance, if you see yourself
as strong, weak, useful, talkative, insignificant, important or successful that is how you will be
portrayed, so what a person sees in himself is what he is.
b. How others react towards us:
From the day a person is born until the day he passes away he experiences many different
feelings and psychological pressures most of which are a result of actions from people close to
him. Those feelings and pressures affect the life of a person immensely, especially children
from birth to the age of about 6 years.
For Example: A young girl breaks a glass vase. The feelings of fear and guilt
which follow will leave an effect on her life. The result is that the features of her
character and her feelings about herself will be determined by the reactions of
others, such as her mother, father, brother or sister. Lets take the scenario
where her mother gets angry with her, smacks her, makes her feel guilty and
St Mark Festival 2013 Pre-Servants 53
uses hurtful words such as, you are careless and so on. )f this scenario is repeated over and over, the child s personality becomes crystallised and forms negative characteristics.
If, on the other hand the mother responds in a calm way and uses encouraging words, the
situation will pass and the child will not develop negative feelings.
Let s look at another example: A child draws a tree or fish or anything else and comes to show
it to their dad. Dad looks at the drawing with admiration and uses words of encouragement saying, What a lovely drawing, well done. Such phrases will have a positive effect on the child s life. Repeated cases of this will create a positive character in the child. What would
happen if his father rewarded him or hung the drawing on the wall or showed it to family and
friends? How would that affect in the child s personality?!
My brother and sister the servant, a child is smarter than you think. It is not so much the
words that matter to a child but our reactions, especially facial reactions, the expression in the
eyes and the tone of the voice.
Practical Steps For Living In A Positive Way
1- Wake up early and begin a new and happy day, where morning prayers are full of
enthusiasm and joy. Be happy with the new day that God has given you. Beware of negative
thoughts which might distract you in the morning. Focus on the positive things and say to
yourself, Let s make a good start to the day. 2- Always have a smile on your face and initiate greeting and peace without waiting from
someone else to start.
3- Be a good listener and know that this is not always easy and might take sometime to
develop. Do not interrupt others when they speak and you must show that you care.
4- Address others by name, knowing that others appreciate hearing their name and treat
others as though they are the most important person in the world. Not only will you be happy
and content doing this but you will gain many friends and they will in turn treat you the same
way.
5- Compliment other in all circumstances and all occasions. Remember the birthday s of others, surprise them with a phone call, a kind message or a small present.
6- Bring a smile to the face of others and make them happy.
7- Be generous always; you will find happiness in this because, It is more blessed to give than to
receive. (Acts 20:35).
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8- Forgive others; our negative side is what gets angry, seeks revenge and punishes while our true nature, which is created in God s image, radiates with purity, clearness and forgiveness to
others.
9- Always use the words please and thankyou . They are simple words which bring amazing
results. Your outlook on things is your choice so it is in your hands to choose the right attitude
towards everything.
10- Try to think in a positive way towards others. This will increase self-confidence and will
reduce emotional conflict and negative feelings such as anger, sadness, fear and uncertainty.
11- Being optimistic in life leads to happiness, happiness encourages us to deal positively with
others and in turn increases our self confidence. Finally this leads us towards a greater trust in
God who says, I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly . (John 10:10).
12- Watch your thoughts because they will turn into words and the words will turn into actions
and actions will turn into habits and habits will turn into destiny.
13- When you face negative circumstances in your life endeavour to remember something
positive in your life to help you overcome that negative one. Do it in a simple and calm way.
14- Renew your goals and learn from past mistakes until you become successful as there is no
such thing as continual failure in life. But rather, failure leads to success if you are able to
identify the causes of past mistakes.
Always remember the golden rule in positive communication which Christ our beloved Lord
gave us, And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. Luke : .
This book has been translated by
The Sydney Diocese under the guidance of
His Grace Bishop Moussa and the blessing of His Grace Bishop Daniel
for more information please visit
www.stmarkfestival.com
2013Pre-Servants Book
“Return, Abide , Rejoice”
St Mark Festival