The Morning Offering

Two Types

Which Type of Christian are You?

 

There are two types of Christians. There are those who can say with the Apostle Paul, "I have been crucified with Christ: it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me (Galatians 2:20)". And then there are those Christians who believe Christ was crucified so that we do not have to crucify ourselves. The first type are part of a Christianity of sacrifice, and the second are given over to the ego.

The Christian who believes he must be crucified with Christ will constantly call upon the Lord for help, but will be ever willing to take up his own cross and follow Christ. He does not expect to have an easy road, nor is he easy on himself. This type of Christian is ever looking at his own sins, his own fallen nature, and seeing how far he has fallen short of the glory of God.

The second type of Christian expects the road to be easy, sees himself as more spiritual than most, and is constantly looking to see the error in his neighbor and offer correction. He rarely calls upon the Lord for help, for he expects an easy road and only prays for help when facing an unpleasant situation. He does not take up his cross since he sees no value in suffering. This second type of Christian fails to notice that refusing to judge another brings down God's mercy on himself.

The Lord tells both types of Christians, "If a man comes to me and does not bear his cross, he cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:26)". Only the first type of Christian notices those words, and heeds them.

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Thursday August 9, 2012 / July 27, 2012

10^th Week after Pentecost. Tone eight.

Holy Great-martyr and Healer Panteleimon (305).

 
Commemoration of the canonization of Venerable Herman of Alaska (1970).
New Hieromartyrs Ambrose, bishop of Sarapul, priests Plato and Panteleimon (1918).
New Hieromartyr John priest (1941).
Blessed Nicholas Kochanov, fool-for-Christ at Novgorod (1392).
Venerable Anthusa, abbess of Mantinea in Asia Minor and her 90 sisters (759).
St. Clement of Ochrid, bishop of Greater Macedonia (916), and Sts. Angelar (10th c.), Gorazd (896), Nahum of Ochrid (910), and Sabbas (10th c.), disciples of Sts. Cyril and Methodius (Bulgaria).
St. Ioasaph, metropolitan of Moscow (1555).
Martyr Christodulus (1777) (Greek).
The blind man who confessed Christ and was martyred with St. Panteleimon (Greek).
853 Martyrs of Thrace who were drowned (Greek).
St. Manuel, monk (Greek).

You can read the life of the saint in green, by click on the name.

THANK YOU, to all of you who have been able to contribute towards the support of the monastery. These difficult times of economic hardship have impacted the monastery, and those of you who have been able to donate, have been our lifeline. May God bless you for your generosity, and kindness.

With love in Christ,  
Abbot Tryphon

Donations can be made directly to the monastery through PayPal, or you may send donations to:

All-Merciful Saviour Monastery
PO Box 2420
Vashon Island, WA 98070-2420 USA

2 Timothy 2:1-10

Be Strong in Grace

2 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ² 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. ³ You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. ⁴ No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. ⁵ And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. ⁶ The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops. ⁷ Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things.

⁸ Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, ⁹ for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. ¹⁰ Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

John 15:17-16:2

 

¹⁷ These things I command you, that you love one another.

The World’s Hatred

¹⁸ “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. ²¹ But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. ²² If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. ²³ He who hates Me hates My Father also. ²⁴ If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. ²⁵ But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’

The Coming Rejection

²⁶ “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. ²⁷ And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

16 “These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. ² They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.

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