Revelation: Removing the VeilThis revelation was given by God to the Apostle John because we needed to know it.
“>Part 1, If Christ Is With Us, Death Is DefeatedThe book of Revelation teaches us a lot, especially when we begin to carefully delve into its words, when we see how Christ holds the world in His hands and acts with wisdom in all things.”>Part 2, Why Did the Lord Leave Man the Book of Revelation?Only the people of God, the saints, can receive revelations from God, and only they can interpret them, because a revelation, words from God, is given from God, from the Holy Spirit.”>Part 3, For the Time Is at Hand…We have to understand that God acts outside of time, and the events of Revelation don’t relate only to the end times.”>Part 4, Blessed Is He That Readeth…Christ sent the revelation through an angel to His servant the Apostle and Evangelist John, who conveyed the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ about what he saw and heard.”>Part 5, He Hath Made Us Kings and PriestsA man who is close to God, my dears, truly feels like a king—he has no need of anything. At the same time, he may have absolutely nothing.”>Part 6, John, Our Companion in Tribulation, and in the Kingdom and Patience of Jesus ChristOne of the most significant and frequent references to the Holy Trinity is in the text of Revelation.”>Part 7, Because Thou Hast Left Thy First Love…The greatest miracle is that the Church exists.”>Part 8, Fear None of Those Things Which Thou Shalt SufferThus, God says the following: He is the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Nothing exists outside of Him; in Him is everything. He is the Beginning and End of all things.”>Part 9, Holding Fast to the Name of ChristTo hold fast the name of God is a blessing; it’s martyrdom, and it’s a confession.”>Part 10, Sin Is Marriage with SatanSin will never lead us to good; it brings only evil, torment, and suffering. It’s the consequence of our deeds, not the punishment of God.”>Part 11, Remember Where You Fell FromWe have to examine ourselves, whether we’re alive or not. And how can we know that someone has died?”>Part 12, Every Obstacle Is for our GoodThe book of Revelation was written to help us trust in Christ, to hope in Christ, and to know that Christ will prevail in the end, and that we’ll all inherit the Kingdom of God—that our goal is the Kingdom of God.”>Part 13
Such a danger awaits us until the very last moment
Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown (Rev. 3:11). The Lord is coming soon. God doesn’t delay, because there’s no What is Time?Good works in the name of the Lord is the means to “redeeming” the time of our life, leading unto eternity, unto knowledge of God.
“>time for God. We might feel like saying: “So long, so many years!” There is no such time for God; He’s always with us. He never leaves us.
We think He’s not there. We say: “And where is God? Why did God leave me alone? I’m trying, but I don’t see or understand anything. I feel alone, abandoned, discarded.” God is near; He hasn’t left you. But He gives you the chance to act like a human being, to do the things that require human effort, and then the Lord will reveal His presence in your soul. The Lord is coming soon. Be careful not to be negligent, to not let your attention scatter here and there—at this time, someone can steal your crown that you’ve been weaving for yourself for so long with your patience. A man can lose everything; such a danger awaits us until the very last moment.
Unfortunately, we can undertake great feats and then lose everything in a moment due to our carelessness, our pride, our passions. May the Lord protect us from this. So we have to be careful.
Make sure to hold tight to what you have. Don’t throw it away; don’t leave it. The Greatest Temptation for Orthodox ChristiansI would say, probably, the main temptation faced by the Orthodox Christians in the West in modernity in general is double-mindedness.
“>Temptation doesn’t happen when satan or someone tells us: “Renounce God!” No, that’s too simple and obvious. Satan has too many ways to lead us into losing God.
“My First Meeting with Elder Paisios”He told me, “You are related to us.” I said to him, “Geronda, are you from Cyprus?” He replied, “You’re slow-witted.”
“>Elder Paisios asked us: “What did Pharaoh do when he wanted to make the Jews forget about God, to lose the desire to serve God?” He gave them work and money. He told the Egyptians: “Give them food, whatever they want, even a little more, so they eat well. “Assign them tasks for the entire day. If they are occupied with work and have no time to rest, they will lose sight of God. This is a tactic that Satan often uses on us. By overwhelming us with work and worries, he distracts us from our spiritual path and goals. He even provides us with material pleasures through our work, leading us further away from our spiritual journey.
How many times have we seen people constantly seeking new activities to keep themselves busy as they age? They seem to think they have endless time to accomplish everything. We must act swiftly and decisively, as we never know what the future holds.
Those who overcome will be like pillars in the temple of God, never to leave His presence. They will bear the name of God and the city of God, New Jerusalem, as a sign of their faithfulness. This faithful individual will be a dwelling place for God, bearing His new name and experiencing the grace of the Holy Trinity.
The message to the Church of Laodicea emphasizes Christ as the faithful and true witness, the beginning of creation. Although some may misunderstand this to mean Christ is the first creation, in reality, it signifies His role as the Creator of all things. He is uncreated and the source of all creation.
The Lord knows our works and sees through our facade. We cannot deceive Him, even if we can deceive others. Let us not be lukewarm in our faith, but be fervent and passionate in our devotion to God.” God cannot be deceived. He sees into the depths of our soul, knowing every detail, even those we cannot see ourselves. He sees beyond what our mind and heart can comprehend.
The Lord speaks sternly, warning against being lukewarm. He rejects those who are neither hot nor cold, spitting them out of His mouth. It is better to be fully committed or completely distant from God than to be lukewarm.
Christ rejects the lukewarm because they do not realize their state and remain complacent. They may think they are doing well, but they lack the fire of the Holy Spirit within them. Lukewarm individuals live formally in Christ but lack true passion and life in their soul.
True holiness is marked by a vibrant soul, not just physical strength. Christ’s words are direct and clear, warning that He will cast aside those who are lukewarm. There is no room for ambiguity in His message.
Do not consider yourself important or self-sufficient. Christ warns against being blind to our own spiritual poverty and need for Him. His words are not to be taken lightly, as He speaks absolute truth as God Himself. The main reason for his suffering was his refusal to acknowledge his true state – pitiable, pathetic, and poor. He was truly poor, blind, and naked. Often, we deceive ourselves into thinking we are wealthy and powerful.
What does the Lord advise him? “I counsel thee to buy from Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see” (Rev. 3:18). The Lord urges him to obtain purified gold from Him, symbolizing grace that enriches and purifies. He offers white garments to cover his nakedness and eye salve for spiritual vision. Christ calls him to receive grace to truly understand himself.
“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent” (Rev. 3:19). Christ affirms his love for him, prompting rebuke and correction out of love. He encourages a return to zeal for God and repentance for past mistakes.
“I stand at the door, and knock” (Rev. 3:20). The Lord stands at the door of our hearts, seeking entry. He knocks through various means, urging us to open willingly for communion with Him.
“To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne” (Rev. 3:21). Those who overcome will share in Christ’s victory and glory.
The seven epistles to the seven bishops of the Churches end with a powerful reminder of our need to open our hearts to Christ, acknowledging our poverty and seeking His presence to renew us.
“To be continued…” Can you rewrite this sentence?
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