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orthodoxadventure · 6 months

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Morning prayer of Archimandrite Sophrony: "Prayer at Daybreak"

O Lord Eternal and Creator of all things, Who of Thine inscrutable goodness called me to this life; Who bestowed on me the grace of Baptism and the Seal of the Holy Spirit; Who imbued me with the desire to seek Thee, the one true God: Hear my prayer. I have no life, no light, no joy or wisdom, no strength except in Thee, O God. Because of my unrighteousness, I dare not raise my eyes to Thee. But Thou said to Thy disciples, 'Whatsoever you shall ask in prayer believing, you shall receive.' and 'Whatsoever you shall ask in my name, that will I do.' Wherefore I dare to invoke Thee. Purify me from all taint of flesh and spirit. Teach me to pray aright. Bless this day which Thou givest unto me, Thine unworthy servant. By the power of Thy blessing enable me at all times to speak and act to Thy glory with a pure spirit, with humility, patience, love, gentleness, peace, courage and wisdom, aware always of Thy presence. Of Thine immense goodness, O Lord God, show me the path of Thy will, and grant me to walk in Thy sight without sin. O Lord, unto Whom all hearts be open, Thou knowest what things I have need of. Thou art acquainted with my blindness and my ignorance, Thou knowest mine infirmity and my soul's corruption; But neither are my pain and anguish hid from Thee. Wherefore I beseech Thee, hear my prayer and by Thy Holy Spirit, teach me the way wherein I should walk; and when my perverted will would lead me down other paths, spare me not, O Lord, but force me back to Thee. By the power of Thy love, grant me to hold fast to that which is good. Preserve me from every word or deed that corrupts the soul; from every impulse unpleasing in Thy sight and hurtful to my brother-man. Teach me what I should say and how I should speak. If it be Thy will that I make no answer, inspire me to keep silent in a spirit of peace that causes neither sorrow nor hurt to my fellow man. Establish me in the path of Thy commandments and to my last breath let me not stray from the light of Thine ordinances, that Thy commandments may become the sole law of my being on this earth and all eternity. Yea, Lord, I pray to Thee, have pity on me. Spare me in my affliction and my misery and hide not the way of salvation from me. In my foolishness, O God, I plead with Thee for many and great things. Yet am I ever mindful of my wickedness, my baseness, my vileness. Have mercy upon me. Cast me not away from your presence because of my presumption. Do Thou, rather, increase in me this presumption, and grant unto me, the worst of men, to love Thee as Thou hast commanded, with all my heart, and with all my soul, and with all my mind, and with all my strength: With my whole being. Yea, O Lord, by Thy Holy Spirit, teach me good judgment and knowledge. Grant me to know Thy truth before I go down into the grave. Maintain my life in this world until I may offer unto Thee worthy repentance. Take me not away in the midst of my days, nor while my mind is still blind. When Thou shalt be pleased to bring my life to an end, forewarn me that I may prepare my soul to come before Thee. Be with me, O Lord, at that dread hour and grant me the joy of salvation. Cleanse me from secret faults, from all iniquity that is hidden in me; and give me a right answer before Thy judgment-seat— Yea, Lord, of Thy great mercy and immeasurable love for mankind.

#Christianity #Orthodox Christianity #Jesus #God #Prayer

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cassianus · 2 years

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PRAYER OF PAUL THE CENOBITE TO THE MOST HOLY THEOTOKOS

O Lady, Bride of God, spotless, blameless, pure and immaculate Virgin, thou who without corruption, by thy glorious birth-giving, has united God the Word to man and joined the fallen nature of our race to heavenly things; who alone art the hope of the hopeless, the help of those who are under attack; the ready help of those who flee unto thee and the refuge of all Christians: Despise me not, an accursed sinner, though I have rendered myself unworthy by my shameful thoughts, words and deeds, and through indolence have become a slave to the pleasures of life; but as the Mother of God, who lovest mankind, mercifully have compassion upon me, a sinner and a prodigal, and receive my prayer, though it be offered unto thee by unworthy lips; and using Thy boldness as a mother, importune Thy Son, our Lord and Master, that He may open to me also the tender compassions of His goodness so as to overlook my numberless transgressions and turn me to repentance and show me forth as a zealous doer of His commandments. And because thou art merciful, compassionate and benevolent, be thou ever near me in this present life as an ardent help and protection, defending me from the assaults of adversaries and leading me to salvation. And at the time of my departure from this life, care for my miserable soul, and drive far from it the dark visions of evil demons; and in the awesome Day of Judgment, deliver me from eternal punishment, and present me as an inheritor of the ineffable glory of Thy Son, our God. May this be my lot, O Lady, most holy Theotokos, through thy mediation and help, through the grace and love toward mankind of thine only-begotten Son, our Lord, and God, and Savior, Jesus Christ, to Whom are due all glory, honor and worship, with his unoriginate Father, and His All-Holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

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gatekeeperwatchman · 1 year

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Daily Devotionals for January 12, 2023

Proverbs: God's Wisdom for the Day Devotional Scripture: Proverbs 2:9(KJV): 9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.

Thought for the Day

To understand verse 9, we must look back to Proverbs 2:1: "My son, if thou wilt receives my words, and hide my commandments with thee…" Today's verse rests upon this condition. If we receive and treasure God's words, then we can understand righteousness, judgment, and equity and know the right path in which to walk. Let us consider the words righteousness, judgment, and equity: The Biblical definition of righteousness is "to be in right standing with God." There is only one way for us to be in the right standing with God - we must accept Jesus as our Savior, repent of our sins and receive God's pardon for them through what Jesus did on the cross. The moment we yield our lives to Christ, we become righteous, and we come into right standing with God. In God's sight, we are as pure as His own Son, Jesus. This is a gift of God and has nothing to do with what we have or have not done. The only requirement to maintain this righteousness is staying in the right relationship with Christ by faith. We are not saved by works, but by grace. Good works are the fruit of salvation but do not attain eternal life for us.

"But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:4-7, NIV).

Judgment, simply put, is a legal decree or sentence given by a judge. One day, God will judge every man by his deeds. Herein lies the most wonderful truth of Christianity. Anyone who accepts Jesus as Savior is judged to be righteous and will not be sentenced to hell, because the penalty for his sin was paid by Jesus. If we belong to God, we can boldly approach the Father through Jesus and ask for the things we need. We are accepted as righteous and our prayers are heard because of Him (Hebrews 4:16).

To practice equity means to be "fair, straight, or right." When we trust God and obey His commandments, we will reap good from what we sow. However, because it is evil in the world, we will endure injustices. Although we may not always be treated fairly in this life, we can be sure that God will see that we receive fair and just rewards in the world to come. Prayer for the Day Dearest Father, thank you for sending Jesus to die for our sins. We all were sinners and not worthy. Thank you as we confess, You are faithful to forgive and to consider us righteous in Your eyes. Since You have forgiven us, help us to forgive those who wrong us, as You taught us to do. We ask You to forgive our national sins of racism, greed, abortion, pornography, idolatry, and others. Be merciful to us. We deserve judgment, but we ask that You send revival so that we might turn from our wickedness and our land be spared. Help us to do our part to bring change. Although my life may only represent one drop of rain, many others are raindrops too. Add each Christian's life and their godly influence to this sound of rain, until Your love and Your Word covers our dry and thirsty earth. In Your precious name, I pray. Amen.

From: Steven P. Miller

Founder of Gatekeeper-Watchman International Groups Jacksonville, Florida., Duval County, USA. Instagram: steven_parker_miller_1956, Twitter: @GatekeeperWatchman1, @ParkermillerQ, Parker Miller Stevens (Gatekeeper1) …@StevenPMiller6 Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/gatekeeperwatchman URL: linkedin.com/in/steven-miller-b1ab21259 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElderStevenMiller; #GWIG, #GWIN, #GWINGO, #Ephraim1, #IAM, #Sparkermiller, #Eldermiller1981

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for-me-to-live-is-christ · 8 months

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The Great Prayer for Sunday

O Lord Eternal and Creator of all things,Who of Thy inscrutable goodness called me to this life; Who bestowed on me the grace of Baptism and the Seal of the Holy Spirit; Who imbued me with the desire to seek Thee, the one true God: hear my prayer.

I have no life, no light, no joy or wisdom; no strength except in Thee, O God. Because of my unrighteousness I dare not raise my eyes to Thee. But Thou said to Thy disciples, ‘Whatsoever you shall ask in prayer believing, you shall receive.’ and ‘Whatsoever you shall ask in my name, that will I do.’

Wherefore I dare to invoke Thee. Purify me from all taint of flesh and spirit. Teach me to pray aright. Bless this day which Thee give unto me, Thy unworthy servant. By the power of Thy blessing enable me at all times to speak and act to Thy glory with a pure spirit, with humility, patience, love, gentleness, peace, courage and wisdom: aware always of Thy presence. Of Thy immense goodness, O Lord God, show me the path of Thy will, and grant me to walk in Thy sight without sin.

O Lord, unto Whom all hearts be open, Thee know what things I have need of. Thee are acquainted with my blindness and my ignorance, Thee know my infirmity and my soul’s corruption; but neither are my pain and anguish hid from Thee. Wherefore I beseech Thee, hear my prayer and by Thy Holy Spirit teach me the way wherein I should walk; and when my perverted will would lead me down other paths spare me not O Lord, but force me back to Thee. By the power of Thy love, grant me to hold fast to that which is good.

Preserve me from every word or deed that corrupts the soul; from every impulse unpleasing in Thy sight and hurtful to my brother-man. Teach me what I should say and how I should speak. If it be Thy will that I make no answer, inspire me to keep silent in a spirit of peace that causes neither sorrow nor hurt to my fellow man. Establish me in the path of Thy commandments and to my last breath let me not stray from the light of Thy ordinances, that Thy commandments may become the sole law of my being on this earth and all eternity. Yea, Lord, I pray to Thee, have pity on me. Spare me in my affliction and my misery and hide not the way of salvation from me. In my foolishness, O God, I plead with Thee for many and great things. Yet am I ever mindful of my wickedness, my baseness, my vileness. Have mercy upon me. Cast me not away from your presence because of my presumption. Do Thee rather increase in me this presumption, and grant unto me, the worst of men, to love Thee as Thee have commanded, with all my heart, and with all my soul, and with all my mind, and with all my strength: with my whole being. Yea, O Lord, by Thy Holy Spirit, teach me good judgment and knowledge. Grant me to know Thy truth before I go down into the grave. Maintain my life in this world until I may offer unto Thee worthy repentance. Take me not away in the midst of my days, nor while my mind is still blind. When Thee shall be pleased to bring my life to an end, forewarn me that I may prepare my soul to come before Thee. Be with me, O Lord, at that dread hour and grant me the joy of salvation. Cleanse me from secret faults, from all iniquity that is hidden in me; and give me a right answer before Thy judgment-seat. Yea, Lord, of Thy great mercy and immeasurable love for mankind.

Amen.

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urbanchristiannews · 1 year

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The SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION LOST OVER HALF A MILLION MEMBERS IN ONE YEAR -- 2022 -- MORE MEMBERS LOST WITHIN A ONE-YEAR PERIOD EVER. Why is This? Daniel Whyte III, President of Gospel Light Society International, Says Contrary to Many Reports That it is Only Due to the "Sex Abuse Scandal"; Whyte Says While That is a Part of it, the Southern Baptist Convention Has Had Even Bigger Problems Than That, and That is a Backsliding From the Gains of the Bible-based Resurgency Led by Such Men as Adrian Rogers, Charles Stanley, Paige Patterson, and Others With Many in the Southern Baptist Convention Criticising and Blaming the Conservative Resurgence For the Problems in the Southern Baptist Convention, Including the Sex Abuse Scandal. The True Pure Biblical Resurgence Should Not be Blamed For the SBC Sex Abuse Scandal. Be That as it May, in addition to the Backsliding From the Bible-based Resurgence, the Last Three Presidents of the Southern Baptist Convention, Including the Present President, Bart Barber, Were Sodomite/Homosexual "LGBTQQIPF2SAA+" LEANING, and Two, J.D. Greear and Ed Litton, Were Directly Connected to and Were Preaching the Pro-Sodomite/Homosexual Sermons and Talking Points of the FALSE PROPHET ANDY STANLEY, Who Announced This Year With Much Evidence That he is a Sodomite/Homosexual "LGBTQQIPF2SAA+" Affirming Pastor and Is Hosting a Sodomite/Homosexual "LGBTQQIPF2SAA+" Conference For Parents in Atlanta in a Few Months. Thankfully, J.D. Greear Has Since Repented and Has Publicly Rebuked Andy Stanley For Supporting the Sin and Abomination of Homosexuality. Whyte Says Further, That the Southern Baptist Convention is "Slouching towards SODOM AND GOMORRAH," and is Becoming More and More, Along With Other Apostate Protestant and Evangelical Churches and Denominations, a Judas-Laodicean Church Convention That Has Joined With the Government to Endorse and Sanction the Abomination of Sodomy/Homosexuality, Which Signals the End of the Bible-believing Church in This Country as we Know it Besides God's "7,000," "Remnant," "Faithful Few" Church and the End of America Itself. Jesus Christ said in the Word of God: "So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked" (Revelation 3:16-17). The Only Hope For the Southern Baptist Convention and Other Churches and Denominations is For Them to Humble Themselves, Pray, Seek God's Face, Turn From Their Wicked Ways, Repent of Their Sins, and Get Back to Their First Love, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Emptier pews in SBC churches. Pictured: Sugar Camp Baptist Church pastor Tim Charlton preaches in Booneville, Kentucky The SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION LOST OVER HALF A MILLION MEMBERS IN ONE YEAR — 2022 — MORE MEMBERS LOST WITHIN A ONE-YEAR PERIOD EVER. Why is This? Daniel Whyte III, President of Gospel Light Society International, Says Contrary to Many Reports That it is Only Due to the “Sex…

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rucbarthatbowtiesarecooldw · 3 years

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Saturday Morning Session

Conducting: Henry B. Eyring

Come Ye Children of the Lord

Jesus The Very Thought of Thee

Russell M. Nelson

Time of revelation and reflection

Messages are focused on the Savior, His Mercy and His infinite redeeming power

Listen for Pure Truth, The Pure Doctrine of Christ, and Pure Revelation.

Jeffrey R. Holland

Wholehearted unreserved and uncompromising commitment to the gospel.

Loyalty to the Cause of Christ is to be the supreme devotion of our lives.

The key to the breakthrough to happy contented living: The love of God dwelling in the hearts of the people

The first great Truth of the Universe is that God loves us wholeheartedly, without reserve or compromise, fully committed.

Determined steadfast devotion

Being “all in” etc

Come Thou Fount

Bonnie H. Cordon

Nothing can separate us from the love of God

When we do His work together with Him we get to know Him more

As we come unto Christ, we see others through His eyes.

No one should be missed by Christ’s love.

Ulisses Soares

How should we interact with our neighbors (meaning everyone everywhere)? Follow the example of Jesus Christ.

Compassionate attitude is rooted in Charity.

Many people within our circle of influence need compassion and love.

Following rules as expressions of love for God

Never make harsh and cruel judgement of our neighbors – are you looking for the mite in another while dismissing the beam in your own?

Let Us All Press On

D. Todd Christofferson

His is a Fathers pure love – universal to all, yet personal to each.

Can call upon God even when we feel unworthy – because of grace and mercy of Christ

Savior loves us just as we are – but cannot accept us into His kingdom just as we are. Our sins must first be addressed.

Christ forgives but does not condone sin.

Repentance and divine grace

Redemption comes only through the blood of the Lamb

Ours is not a religion of perfectionism but redemption through Jesus Christ

Freely given with hope and expectation – because they desire for us to reach our greatest potential

It is your choice – they honor your agency

Their principal expectation of us is that we love one another.

Clark G Gilbert

In the Lords timing it is not where we start but where we are heading that matters most.

The world focuses on our intercept while God focuses on our slope

1 Focus on where you are headed not where you began

Do not ignore your circumstances, but also do not obsess over them

2 Involve the Lord in the process of lifting your slope

He can do more than you can by yourself – so let him help you in this process

1 show some humility for the circumstances of the things we did not give ourselves.

2 focusing on a high starting point can trap us

Most successful people are humble because they accept correction

Realizing our full potential will only happen when we make God our partner – but Jesus Christ sees divine potential no matter where we start

The greatest miracle is that we can become greater people when we involve Jesus Christ

Let us keep our sights and our slopes heavenward

Patricio M Giuffra

God listens to all His children’s sincere prayers

There is joy and power in having faith in Christ

Many things begin with Faith

I Will Follow God’s Plan

Dallin H. Oaks

When we leave a church for any reason we lessen our spiritual learning

At churches we can learn from one another

Can be strengthened together

Personal disappointments should never keep us from the Doctrine of Christ, which taught us to serve, not be served.

Do I go to church for myself or to help uplift others?

“But we do not go to Sabbath meetings to be entertained or even solely to be instructed. We go to worship the Lord. It is an individual responsibility, and regardless of what is said from the pulpit, if one wishes to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth, he may do so by attending his meetings, partaking of the sacrament, and contemplating the beauties of the gospel.” – Spencer W. Kimball “The Sabbath – A Delight”

Those who chose to stop going miss out on these “the power and blessings of the priesthood, the fullness of the restored gospel, and the opportunities to apply that gospel.” It is also harder to find and organize service opportunities?

A persuasive example is more powerful than a sermon

How can I benefit the larger community of the church?

Our worship and application of eternal principals draw us closer to God

Good cannot only be accomplished through a church – the Spirit giveth light to every man

The fullness of doctrine, with its saving ordinances comes only through the restored church.

My Redeemer Lives

#genconf #general conference #tumblrstake #ldsconf

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whumpshaped · 2 years

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Hi, angel training anon here! Sorry for the wait, my classes were a bit busy. So, the concept: angels training “good souls” to become angels… so angel whumpers and angel-in-training whumpees. I like to think angels-in-training would each be given to a proper angel, so the angels can guide them. Just think about the potential,, a whumpee not being allowed to preen their new wings until they “learn not to be prideful about their opinion.” A whumpee being made to serve their angel to practice serving god. A whumpee having punishments and begging for forgiveness regularly to repent for their mistakes and become holy again. Whumper punishing whumpee for greed when whumpee asks for things. And, if I may: hell is made to seem like a scary, awful place worse than heaven for whumpees. Whumpers will use stories of what demons do to whumpees to keep them in line. But but but, here’s a fun little secret: a lot of demons rebelled against this program and ran away, and they sometimes try to raid heaven to save whumpees. But whumpers tell whumpees that demons steal them to hurt them and make them sinful. So if a demon tries to save and caretake a whumpee, whumpee is fucking terrified and begs to go back and to not be hurt and made into a demon and…. demon caretaker, awkwardly but carefully soothing them. This will not leave my brain.

trigger warnings: religious themes, angel whumper and whumpee, demon caretaker, winged whumpee, forced to repent, lies, manipulation, gaslighting, burns

"Please forgive me, for I have sinned," Whumpee repeated for the hundredth time, their voice shaky and weak. They were on their knees, already bruised from keeping the position, new wings outstretched and aching, hands bound in a prayer with the pure magic of their holy tutor. "Please forgive me..." Their hands burned, blistering and sizzling under the magical bond, and there was no sign of relief anytime soon.

"Magic only burns the sinful," Whumper reminded them, as if reacting to their thoughts.

"Yes, Whumper."

"So why do you feel so resentful?" Whumpee could feel their hands burning even more, and they assumed it really was because their resentment was constantly building. How could they have known that Whumper could control the intensity however they pleased? "Are you not grateful for the chance to repent? Do you not want to be pure, holy and deserving of a life of servitude to God?"

"I do, Whumper. Please forgive me."

Whumper's face held no emotion. There was nothing for Whumpee to go off of, and they wondered whether one day they too would be able to control all their sinful emotions like that.

"Humility is one of the most important lessons you have to learn. You're merely asking for forgiveness, not demanding or expecting it. The fact that not getting it right away makes you so resentful is proof of your sinful entitlement."

"Yes, Whumper. Please forgive me."

Whumper turned away from them, their attention suddenly divided. Whumpee could feel it too - the presence that made their mentor so uneasy. It felt dirty and intrusive.

Demons.

"Don't stop praying," Whumper ordered, binding Whumpee to the ground with even more magic. "If your faith is strong enough, it will protect you. If not, then you have no place in Heaven anyway."

"Wait, Whumper-"

The angel rose from the ground, beautiful white wings carrying their weightless body like it was nothing. Whumpee reminded themself that one day they would be able to fly like that. Once the sins weren't weighing them down anymore.

They squeezed their eyes shut and prayed, begging for forgiveness and divine protection. Even as the demons surrounded them, even when they grabbed their arms and tried to drag them away despite the magical bonds, they prayed.

"We're here to help!" one of them hissed. "We're here to set you free!"

Whumpee's eyes burned with unshed tears, but their lips never stopped moving. "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me," they muttered through chattering teeth. "Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."

"Can't you see that it's all lies? You're suffering, you're being tortured-"

"Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over," they cried, all the more desperate. "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever!"

#i hope u like it👉👈#im not too good at religious whump but #i have some religious trauma to draw from!#i went to a lutheran highschool for 2 years😌#the bad scribbles

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alliluyevas · 3 years

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(deeply disturbing) mormon primary source adventures continue...I have been reading the 1843 diary of William Clayton, Joseph Smith’s official church secretary and close personal friend, which is a really invaluable source for contemporary details regarding when Smith married various women (he did not record anything about his own marriages in his journal, but Clayton did).

What I was specifically tracking in Clayton’s journal was the (much more extensive) documentation of Clayton’s own plural marriage, to his first wife Ruth’s younger sister, 23-year-old Margaret Moon. I have bolded a few lines for emphasis.

27 April 1843, Thursday

At the Temple A.M. went to prests. [Church President Joseph Smith’s] who rode with me to bro. H.C. Kimballs where sister Margt. Moon was sealed up [married] by the priesthood, by the president--and M to me.

11 June 1843, Sunday

Margaret received a letter from Aaron [Farr, her fiance, who had left on a mission trip before she married Clayton] which made her feel bad. It also gave me unaccountable sorrow.

13 June 1843, Tuesday

I have had some conversation with M. she promised she would not marry A if she can possibly avoid it. And if she ever feels disposed to marry she will tell me as soon as she thinks of it. She will seek my Council & says she will abide it.

8 July 1843, Saturday

Margt. wrote a letter to Aaron which I dictated informing him that she should not marry.

22 July 1843, Saturday

Mt. and A [Aaron Farr, now returned from his mission] had a long conversation together. She has stood true to her covenant with CW. [William Clayton’s initials backwards] I also had some talk with him & although the shock is severe he endures it patiently. And I pray the Great Eloheem to make up the loss to him an hundred fold and enable him to rejoice in all things. My heart aches with grief on his & M's account and could almost say O that I had never known her. But Thou O God knowest the integrity of thy servant. Thou knowest that I have done that which I have understood to be thy will & am still determined to do so and I ask thee in the name of Jesus Christ either to absolutely wean my affections from M. or give me hers entire and then I am content. But to live in this state of feeling I cannot.

If I have done wrong in this thing, show it me that thy servant may repent of it and obtain forgiveness. But O Lord have mercy on me and by some means release me from this grievous bondage of feeling & thy servant will praise thee. Prest. Joseph came to see me & pronounced a sealing blessing upon Ruth [Clayton’s first and legal wife] and me. And we mutually entered into an everlasting covenant with each other.

23 July 1843, Sunday

M. appears dissatisfied with her situation & is miserable O that the Lord will bless my house and deliver us from every evil principle & feeling that we may be saved. For I desire to do right. O Lord make my heart and my affections right and pure as it shall please thee that I may enjoy the blessing of peace and happiness even so Amen. Hyrum preached A.M and Joseph P.M. Evening I had some more talk with M. & find she is miserable which makes me doubly so. I offered to her to try to have her covenant released if she desired it but she said she was not willing. [Margaret was pregnant by this time, which is probably why she did not feel she could be released from her marriage to Clayton.]

24 July 1843, Monday

M. is still miserable and unhappy and it does seem that my heart must burst. What shall I do? How shall I recompense? And how long must I thus suffer worse than death for that which I have always regarded as being the will of the Lord. By the help of the Lord I will do right. I have repeatedly offered to M. to try to get a release from the covenant and I have done all I know to make things comfortable but to no effect. She appears almost to hate me and cannot bear to come near me.

O God if thou wilt give me M's affections, and cause things to be pleasant and happy between us, If thou will bless her & comfort her by thy spirit & cause her to rejoice in what she has done, and bring it to pass that I may secure her truly with all her affections for time & for eternity. I feel to covenant to try to serve thee with more diligence if possible and to do all that thou shalt require at mine hands, wilt thou not grant me this blessing, and relieve my aching heart from this worst of all troubles which ever befel me in the course of my life? O God plead my cause and give me thine everlasting blessing, and do remember M. for good that she may be comforted even so amen amen and amen

25 July 1843, Tuesday.

M. much as usual.

26 July 1843, Wednesday

M. seems quite embittered against me in consequence of which I called her to me and asked her if she desired the covenant to be revoked if it were possible To this she would not give me a satisfactory answer only saying if it had not been done it should not be. (meaning our union) I then asked if she would consent if A would take her under all circumstances; but she would not consent to have it revoked--saying she did it not for her sake but for the sake of the peace of my family.

Under these circumstances I could not rest until I had ascertained wether the c[ovenant] could be revoked & although contrary to her wish I went to see Prest. J. I took A to talk with him & asked him some questions whereby I ascertained that he would be willing to take her under all circumstances, I reasoned considerable with him to prove that I had done right in all these matters so far as I knew it, I called the Prest. out and briefly stated the situation of things and then asked him if the C. could be revoked. He shook his head and answered no. At this conclusion my mind seemed for the moment to get relief for the two fold reason that I had done all I could and I did not want the C. revoked.

I came back & M & A. were together in Farrs garden. I told them the answer I had got & advised them to take the best measures to make all things right between them. I cannot help thinking that M. has treated me not only unkindly but meanly & cruelly, but I forgive her before the Lord for I sympathize with her in her grief, but cant console her for she will not speak to me. My earnest prayer to God is that all things may soon become right & pleasant & that the Lord may bless her & save her from sinning against him. And if I have done wrong in asking if the C. could be revoked & seeking to have it done O Lord forgive me for I desire to do right in all things that I may he saved, I feel that I have done right in the sight of God and that he has abundantly blessed me for which I thank him and something tells me that the time will come when M. will love those whom she ought & when she will feel perfectly satisfied with her situation & rejoice that things remain as they are. And now O God bless thy servant and handmaid & stamp the peace upon us and fill us with the spirit of truth for Jesus Christs sake Amen--

11 August 1843, Friday

J. told me to day that ``Walker'' had been speaking to him concerning my having taken M away from A. & intimated that I had done wrong. I told him to be quiet and say no more about it. He also told me Emma was considerably displeased with it but says he she will soon get over it. In the agony of mind which I have endured on this subject I said I was sorry I had done it, at which J told me not to say so. I finally asked him if I had done wrong in what I had done he answered no you have a right to get all you can.

The little snippets of Margaret’s feelings and the way they are sort of bracketed by Clayton’s commentary are really telling and disturbing. Poor Margaret :( Also the way that Joseph Smith is encouraging Clayton not to feel guilty about any of this and justifying it to him. Woof.

#mormonposting tag

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officialyourdailyinspiration · 3 years

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The Love Without Measure or End

a Prayer by Charles Spurgeon

Lord, we would come to Thee, but do Thou come to us. Draw us and we will run after Thee. Blessed Spirit, help our infirmities, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought. Come, Holy Spirit, and give right thoughts and right utterance that we may all be able to pray in the common prayer, the whole company feeling that for each one there is a portion. We are grateful as we remember that if the minister in the sanctuary should not be able to pray for any one of us there is One who bears the names of all His redeemed upon His breast and upon His shoulder, who will take care with the love of His heart and the power of His hand to maintain the cause of all His own.

Dear Savior, we put ourselves under Thy sacred patronage. Advocate with the Father, plead for us this day, yea, make intercession for the transgressors. We desire to praise the name of the Lord with our whole heart, so many of us as have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Truly Thou hast delivered us from the gulf of dark despair, wherein we wretched sinners lay. Thou hast brought us up also out of the horrible pit and out of the miry clay. Thou hast set our feet upon a rock and the new song which Thou hast put into our mouths we would not stifle, but we would bless the Lord whose mercy endureth forever.

We thank Thee, Lord, for the love without beginning which chose us or ever the earth was, for the love without measure which entered into covenant for our redemption, for the love without failure which in due time appeared in the person of Christ and wrought out our redemption, for that love which has never changed, though we have wandered, that love which abideth faithful even when we are unfaithful.

O God, we praise Thee for keeping us till this day and for the full assurance that Thou wilt never let us go. Some can say, “He restoreth my soul,” they had wandered, wandered sadly, but Thou hast brought them back again. Lord, keep us from wandering, then will we sing, “Unto Him that is able to keep us from stumbling and to present us faultless before His presence with exceeding joy.” Bless the Lord, our inmost soul blesses the Lord. Blessed be the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the Triune. Blessed be the Lord forever office sustained by each divine person and for the divine blessing which has come streaming down to us through each one of those, condescending titles worn by the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.

We feel like singing all the time. We would take down our harp from the willows, if we had hung it there, and we would waken every string to the sweetest melody of praise unto the Lord our God. Yet, Lord, we cannot close with praise, for we are obliged to come before Thee with humble confession of sin. We are not worthy of the least of all these favors. We cannot say, “He is worthy for whom Thou shouldst do this thing,” nay, but we are altogether unworthy and Thy gifts are according to the riches of Thy grace, for which again we praise Thee.

Lord, forgive us all our sin. May Thy pardoned ones have a renewed sense of their acceptance in the Beloved. If any cloud has arisen to hide Thee from any believing eye, take that cloud away. If in our march through this world, so full of mire as it is, we have any spot on us, dear Savior, wash our feet with that blessed foot-bath and then say to us, “Ye are clean every whit.” May we know it so, that there is no condemnation, no separation, sin is removed as to its separating as well as its destroying power, and may we enter into full fellowship with God. May we walk in the light as God is in the light and have fellowship with Him, while the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin. Let no child of Thine have any dead work upon his conscience and may our conscience be purged from dead works to serve the living and true God.

And oh! if there are any that after having made the profession of religion have gone astray by any form of sin, Lord, restore them. If they have fallen by strong drink, if they have fallen by unchastity, if they have fallen by dishonesty, if, in any way, they have stained their garments, oh! that Thy mighty grace might bring them back and put them yet among the children. But give them not up, set them not as Admah, make them not as Zeboim, but let Thy repentings be kindled and Thy bowels of compassion be moved for them, and let them also be moved, and may they return with weeping and with supplication and find Thee a God ready to pardon.

Furthermore, we ask of Thee, our Father, this day to perfect Thy work within our hearts. We are saved, but we would be saved from sin of every form and degree—from sins that lie within and we are scarcely aware that they are there. If we have any pride of which we are not conscious, any unbelief of which we are not aware, if there is a clinging to the creature, a form of idolatry which we have not yet perceived, we pray Thee, Lord, to search us as with candles till Thou dost spy out the evil and then put it away. We are not satisfied with pardoned sin, “We pray, create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Help us in our daily life, in our families, in our relations as husbands or wives, parents or children, masters or servants, in our business transactions with our fellow men, in our dealings with the Church of God, may we be true, upright, pure, kept from the great transgression because we are kept from the minor.

Oh! that we may be such as glorify Christ. Save us, we pray Thee, from the common religion. Give us the peculiar grace of a peculiar people. May we abide in Christ. May we live near to God. Let not the frivolities of the world have any power over us whatever. May we be too full grown in grace to be bewitched with the toys which are only becoming in children. Oh! give us to serve Thee and especially, and this prayer we have already prayed but we pray it again, make us useful in the salvation of our fellow man. O Lord, have we lived so long in the world and yet are our children unconverted? May we never rest until they are truly saved. Have we been going up and down in business and are those round about us as yet unaware of our Christian character? Have we never spoken to them the Word of Life? Lord, arouse us to a deep concern for all with whom we come in contact from day to day. Make us all missionaries at home or in the street, or in our workshop, wherever Providence has cast our lot, may we there shine as lights in the world.

Lord, keep us right, true in doctrine, true in experience, true in life, true in word, true in deed. Let us have an intense agony of spirit concerning the many who are going down to the everlasting fire of which our Master spoke. Lord, save them! LORD, SAVE THEM! Stay, we pray Thee, the torrents of sin that run down the streets of London, purge the dead sea of sin, in which so many of the heathen are lying asoak. Oh! that the day were come when the name of Jesus shall be a household word, when everybody knew of His love, and of His death, and of His blood, and of its cleansing power. Lord, save men, gather out the company of the redeemed people. Let those whom the Father gave to Christ be brought out from among the ruins of the fall to be His joy and crown. “Let the people praise Thee, O God, yea, let all the people praise Thee.” Let the ends of the earth fear Him who died to save them. Let the whole earth be filled with the glory of God.

This is our great prayer and we crown it with this, Come, Lord Jesus, come Lord and tarry not. Come in the fulness of Thy power and the splendour of Thy glory! Come quickly, even so come quickly, Lord Jesus. Amen.

#Charles Spurgeon #The Love Without Measure or End #prayer

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bookofmormonmemes · 3 years

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I don't think comp het would be strong enough to lead Corianton to seek out a female harlot when he could have easily Not Done That and spared himself and his family and his church the embarrassment. What else could he possibly have hoped to gain from that decision besides satisfying the lusts of his eyes? I mean, Alma clearly thought that Corianton's horniness was the main problem and there's no evidence to the contrary. Why out of Alma's sons would you think Corianton is gay?

honestly? projection. like not to get personal but comp het was strong enough scare the hell out of my parents with how quickly and intensely physical my relationship with my boyfriend got in my freshman year of college. I’m an afab person and I am not attracted to boys, but for a while I thought maybe it was just because I wasn’t trying hard enough--wasn’t opening up enough, wasn’t letting myself enjoy his affection. At this time, I was still operating under the viewpoint that marrying a man was the only way for me to ever be happy, in this life or the next. If I could endure my discomfort long enough to eventually accept and actually enjoy our physical relationship, that meant that i Could have a happy heterosexual marriage in the future

and i tried to speedrun it! i went way outside my comfort zone, definitely way outside the For the Strength of Youth guidelines--because the alternative was, if I couldn’t force myself to feel something for him, then i would Never have that happiness. If I Could eventually become attracted to him, then I had a future. I could repent of this unchastity and try again. if i Couldn’t, that was it--I was fully a lesbian and my only choices were either celibacy or apostasy.

(i don’t feel that way anymore. this boy and I broke up after like 4 months. im v happy with the girlfriend I have now and I think our relationship and the affection between us has progressed much more naturally and comfortably and im very grateful for that.)

I think it’s entirely possible Corianton could have had those same (or similar) feelings. Alma specifies that Corianton is in his youth, so I think he might have been just starting to realize he’s different, and didn’t know what to do when confronted with the possibility that he might not like women. So he goes after a harlot, someone who’s already stolen away the hearts of many, someone with enough celebrity for Alma to call her out by name. It’s like when you ask a closeted lesbian her celebrity crush and she just says Chris (Chris Evans? Chris Pine? Just whoever’s most popular, whoever everybody else has a crush on!). Because if he can really feel that lust for Isabel, then afterwards he can repent and find a Good Mormon Nephite Girl to actually fall in love with. If he can’t manage any attraction to Siron’s Top Sexiest Bachelorette, he’s done for. It’s a last-ditch effort to fit the mold.

And it doesn’t work. He comes home, having embarrassed his family and his church, and he sits down for a lecture and he is Not Having A Good Time. Which...I think may be the reason Alma perceives that Corianton’s so worried about mortality and the afterlife. After falling so far and failing so bad, Corianton may have very well been suicidal at this point. If he doesn’t have any hope of Hetero Happiness in this life, maybe his only shot is in the next.

So in the end of chapter 41, Alma talks about resurrection and restoration in a way that I think is pretty key to this interpretation. Every queer member of the Church has heard that they’ll be “fixed” (i.e. made straight/cis) in the Resurrection, but Alma refutes that in this section so hard and so explicitly. In verse 12-13: “Is the meaning of the word restoration to take a thing of a natural state and put it in an unnatural state, or to place it in a state opposite to its nature? O, my son, this is not the case; but the meaning of the word restoration is to bring back again evil for evil...good for that which is good.” Whether good or bad, Corianton isn’t gonna be changed in the Resurrection; he’s not gonna be a different person, he’s not gonna be rid of what he perceives as being wrong with him. That might be a comfort. It might not. But it’s the truth.

In the next chapter Alma goes on to specify that this life is the time to fix what we’ve done wrong. And specifically, that we can fix what we’ve done wrong. And also that that’s not necessarily a get-out-of-jail-free card! Corianton should NOT have abandoned his mission to go after Isabel, regardless of his reasons. And he’s not gonna change his nature in the next life. So right now, he needs to repent. He needs to accept his nature. He does have hope, and he has that hope of happiness in goodness, in treating others with truth and mercy and service.

Alma closes chapter 41 not with a call to be more virtuous or pure, but to be merciful and just with his brethren and to do good--focusing not on how righteous we are in our own selves, but how we treat one another. Finally, he closes chapter 42 (and his talk to corianton in general) similarly: “Go thy way, declare the word with truth and soberness, that thou mayest bring souls unto repentance, that the great plan of mercy my have claim upon them.” Basically: you screwed up, kiddo, but I love you and I believe in you and you’ve got good work to do. Don’t worry. Be kind. Keep determined. Find joy in community. You have hope.

also when all is said and done corianton goes on the cool sailing pilgrimage with hagoth & co. which is Very Gay if i may say

So. Do I think Corianton was gay, and do I think I have good reason for that? Yes. Do I think he was out to his dad, or that Alma would have been supportive, or that Nephite society would have the same homophobia and heteronormativity as the Church today? I don’t know. I’m more of an artist than a scholar--I interpret based on how I feel. I liken the scriptures to myself. This is the evidence I see, this is the story I feel is behind it, this is the eisegesis I’m choosing to take from it. Because it speaks to me, and I relate to it!

I hope this has been a thoughtful adequate answer, but to really tl;dr it basically he’s gay cus im gay and i said so, and that’s really all there needs to be to it! Thank you for sending me this ask and thereby allowing me the space to really study and wax long-winded about this jsdfghjdjfg. gay sailor rights and i hope u have a lovely sunday

#led #ask #anonymous #THIS IS A LONG ONE FOLKS #alma 39-42 #and also a brief mention of #alma 63:5-10 #gay sailor RIGHTS #lemme know if i need to put any warnings on this cus its a little heavy but #also lemme know if i should split it into a keep readin sdfgdhfgj #stead of just. fillin ur dash #im leaving it as is for now but yeah #yeah.#also if anyone tries to call me out for saying im not attracted to boys while thirsting over podcast and anime boys on my main #fictional characters don't count #and i will die by that sword

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inspirelive · 3 years

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Always seeking the Lord.

"Blessed are they who keep his testimonies and seek him with the whole heart."

Psalm 119:2

On True Blessedness

"And it came to pass, as he spake these things, that a certain woman of the company lifted her voice, and said unto him, 'blessed is the womb that bare thee and the paps which thou hast sucked. But he said Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it." Luke 11:27-28

There is nothing which I may say of myself or do of myself that will give me anymore than the Lord has already willed me to receive. All that I have I must humbly give. These words are for those who desire context or a connection from Spirit to heart.

Daily I seek the Lord, for personally I have known what it means to be full of myself. To be full of myself, meaning, to feel empty. To always feel empty led me to seek wisdom. I found it in many places. Taoism, Buddhism, Plato, Aristotle, Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius and so on I blazed through the philosophies of many brilliant men.

I would feel quite alright when I'd study the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey, or the 5 Elements of Effective Thinking by Edward Burger and Michael Starbird. I was equipped with knowledge, but not with what I soon came to realize I was lacking. What I lacked was life in its own true light with wisdom.

I lacked THE Truth. The Truth that is eternal and fulfilling. Once you find THE Truth, you feel it's comfort. Once you learn of the Truth you hunger for it and are only satisfied reading the written word of God. For God is THE Truth.

I was called to repentance in my spirit. I began my journey exactly as described by Christ through the Beatitudes (unintentionally and only seen in hindsight).

I was poor in spirit. I saw my sins and I mourned. I felt meekness become my burden before it became my blessing. I hungered to live right by God. I learned of his mercy. I seek a pure heart now by seeking the Lord each day. I am seeking new ways to use all resources at my disposal to make peace. I welcome your criticism and if persecution comes you can find me praising the Lord in my spirit always.

To be blessed is to obtain everlasting peace. The peace that I have is a treasure bestowed upon me by faith in God and his Son Jesus Christ. I heard his inspiration to repent and I did. I knelt down and begged forgiveness.

I journeyed long to get to this point and yet still am a pilgrim seeking him in my heart always. Humbly I am just a man walking in spirit with my head bowed in the yoke of God's will.

I've become his by living prayer and submitting myself to the yoke of kindness. Denying myself and carrying a cross of humility. I share all that I may for the glory that is God's. My treasure is in the one who formed me. The Truth. The bread of life. The light of all mankind. Always and forever to learn of him for he is meek and lowly in heart. And so each day I deny myself and carry my cross and follow him for I keep his word in my heart. I will abide in Christ. "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can you, except you abide in me." John 15:4

I follow with the Beatitudes he spoke during his sermon on the mount (Matthew Chapter 5).

If you struggle to ascertain portions of this in some forlorn emotion of disbelief or self righteousness; may I illustrate that Jesus Christ spoke this sermon before any kind of mass media existed and it is written upon a plethora of ancient documents that support one another before networking was like it is now, simple and easy to transmit information. Only scribes or those imbued with the Holy Spirit could write these accounts. Now these texts exist to the extent of an entire building worth of texts with this message. The mere number of accounts are so high and yet it reaches us today. The message was quite simple. Meekness alone will allow one to inherit his words in truth, peace, and mercy.

When I felt most empty I did not pray to Buddha, I did not pray to Bertrand Russell, I didn't pray to Tolstoy or Dostoyevsky, I did not pray to Caesar, or Marcus Aurelius… I could not for there is only One True Living God and his first Commandment is written upon my heart and those were only men who died and only lived but so long. Brilliant as those men may have been; who gave them such abilities and gifts to think as they had? Who gives even the smallest of amenities expects us to have faith in the least of things. I have read the works of many but only one truly fed my spirit. It was not a work of mankind, but of the One True Living Spirit of God.

"He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in that which is least is unjust also in much" Luke 16:10

Glory be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

#jesus christ #faith in jesus #christianity #apostate #agnostics #atheism #spirituality #spiritualawareness #hope #faith rambles #i love you #the gospel truth

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orthodoxadventure · 7 months

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Prayer of Saint Basil the Great in preparation before Holy Communion

O Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, our God, Fountain of Life and immortality, Creator of all things visible and invisible; Consubstantial and Co-eternal Son of the eternal Father, who in Thine exceeding great love didst become incarnate in the latter days, and was crucified for us ungrateful and wicked children, and by Thine own Blood didst renew our nature corrupted by sin:

Do Thou, O Immortal King, receive me, a repentant sinner; incline Thine ear unto me and hear my prayer. I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned against heaven and before Thee, and I am not worthy to lift up my eyes to the majesty of Thy glory, for I have affronted Thy goodness, and broken Thy commandments, and disobeyed Thy laws. But Thou, O Lord most loving, long-suffering and merciful, hast not given me over to perish in my sins, but dost ever await my return. For, O Thou who lovest mankind, Thou hast said, by Thy Prophet, rather that he should turn from his wickedness and live. Thou dost not desire, O Master, to destroy the works of Thy hands or that they should perish, but willest that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth.

Wherefore I, although unworthy both of heaven and of earth and of this temporary life, even I, a wretched sinner who had given myself over to every evil desire, despair not of salvation, though I have been wholly subject to sin, a slave to passion, and have defiled Thine image within me, who am Thy creation and Thy work; but trusting in Thine infinite compassion, draw nigh unto Thee. Receive me, O Lord, Thou that lovest mankind, as Thou didst receive the sinful woman, the thief, the publican and the prodigal son. Take away the heavy burden of my sins, O Thou that takest away the sins of the world, and healest the infirmites of men, and callest all that are weary and heavy-laden to Thyself and givest them rest; Thou that earnest not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance, cleanse Thou me from all stain of body and soul and teach me to fulfil holiness in Thy fear, that with the witness of my conscience pure, I may receive a portion of Thy Holy Gifts, and be united to Thy Holy Body and Precious Blood, and my have Thee, with Thy Father and Thy Holy Spirit, dwelling and abiding in me. And grant, O Lord Jesus Christ, my God, that the partaking of Thy precious and Life-giving mysteries may not be to my condemnation, nor may not through the weakness of my soul and body be received unworthily; but grant that even unto my last breath, I may partake of a portion of Thy Holy Gifts without condemnation, unto the Communion of Thy Holy Spirit, as a preparation for eternal Life and for a good defense at Thy dread judgment Seat; so that I, together with all Thine elect, may also receive those incorruptible good things which Thou hast prepared for them that love Thee, O Lord; in whom Thou art glorified forever. Amen.

#christianity #orthodox christianity #eastern orthodoxy #prayer #Holy Communion

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cassianus · 3 years

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Lord Jesus Christ, my God: Thou didst weep for Lazarus and shed tears of sorrow and compassion for him. Accept my bitter tears also.

Heal my passions through the suffering of Thine holy Passion. Heal the wounds of my soul through the wounds which Thou didst suffer. Cleanse my blood with Thine holy blood and unite my body with the fragrance of Thy life-giving body. May the gall which Thou wast given to drink by Thine enemies sweeten my soul from the bitterness that the devil has given me to taste. May Thy most-holy body that was stretched upon the Cross elevate my mind, which has been lowered unto the earth by the demons. May Thy most-holy head, which Thou didst bow upon the Cross raise my head, which has been humiliated by the opposing demonic powers. May Thy most-holy hands which were nailed to the Cross by the transgressors raise me to Thee from the depth of destruction, just as Thy most-holy mouth hast promised. May Thy face which received blows and spitting by the impious Jews illumine my face which has been defiled by sin. May Thy soul, which was upon the Cross and which Thou didst hand to the Father, lead me to Thee through Thy Grace.

A contrite heart that is required to seek Thee have I not. I have no repentance. Neither have I compunction nor the tears that return children to their own homeland. O Master, I have no tears with which to beseech Thee. My heart has become cold from the multitude of temptations, incapable of being warmed with the tears of Thy love.

But Thou, O Lord Jesus Christ my God, the treasure of all good things: Grant Thou me perfect repentance and a fervent heart that I may wholeheartedly come forth to seek Thee. Without Thee, I will become estranged from all good things. Therefore, grant Thou me Thy Grace, O Good One. May the Father Who didst beget Thee from His bosom recreate in me the image of Thine icon. I have abandoned Thee; do not forsake me. I have separated myself from Thee; come forth to find me. And when Thou findest me, lead me into Thy pastures, and number me amongst the sheep of Thy select flock, and nurture me with Thy divine mysteries, which dwell within a pure heart, wherein the brilliance of Thy revelations are made manifest. This brilliance serves as consolation and refreshment for them who toil in sorrows and various dishonors on account of Thee. May we all be worthy of receiving this illumination, through Thy grace and compassion, O Jesus Christ our Savior, unto the ages of ages.

Amen.

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gatekeeperwatchman · 1 year

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Daily Devotionals for January 12, 2023

Proverbs: God's Wisdom for Daily Living Devotional Scripture: Proverbs 2:9(KJV): 9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. Thought for the Day

To understand verse 9, we must look back to Proverbs 2:1: "My son, if thou wilt receives my words, and hide my commandments with thee…" Today's verse rests upon this condition. If we receive and treasure God's words, then we can understand righteousness, judgment, and equity and know the right path in which to walk. Let us consider the words righteousness, judgment, and equity: The Biblical definition of righteousness is "to be in right standing with God." There is only one way for us to be in the right standing with God - we must accept Jesus as our Savior, and repent of our sins and receive God's pardon for them through what Jesus did on the cross. The moment we yield our lives to Christ, we become righteous, and we come into right standing with God. In God's sight, we are as pure as His own Son, Jesus. This is a gift of God and has nothing to do with what we have or have not done. The only requirement to maintain this righteousness is staying in the right relationship with Christ by faith. We are not saved by works, but by grace. Good works are the fruit of salvation but do not attain eternal life for us.

To practice equity means to be "fair, straight, or right." When we trust God and obey His commandments, we will reap good from what we sow. However, because it is evil in the world, we will endure injustices. Although we may not always be treated fairly in this life, we can be sure that God will see that we receive fair and just rewards in the world to come. Prayer Devotional for the Day Dearest Father, thank you for sending Jesus to die for my sins. I was a sinner and not worthy. Thank you that as I confess my sins, You are faithful to forgive and to consider me righteous in Your eyes. Since You have forgiven me, help me to forgive those who wrong me, as You taught us to do. I ask You to forgive our national sins of racism, greed, abortion, pornography, idolatry, and others. Be merciful to us. We deserve judgment, but I ask that You send revival that we might turn from our wickedness and our land be spared. Help me to do my part to bring change. Although my life may only represent one drop of rain, many others are raindrops too. Add each Christian's life and their godly influence to this sound of rain, until Your love and Your Word covers our dry and thirsty earth. In Your precious name, I pray. Amen.

From: Steven P. Miller

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pamphletstoinspire · 3 years

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Third Sunday After Epiphany by Father Francis Xavier Weninger, 1876

“Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean.”–Matt. 8: 2.

The leper of whom we read in today’s Gospel believes that Christ has the power to heal him, and he is not mistaken; Christ, stretching forth His hand, said: “I will, be thou made clean!”

What leprosy is to the body, that sin is to the soul. Many of the children of the Church, many who call upon Jesus, are covered with this leprosy. They believe in His Power and Will to cleanse them from sin, and yet they are not cleansed, and why not? Because they do not earnestly will it.

It often happens that the sinner, while apparently desirous of conversion, has in reality not the will. And why? That is the question we shall answer today. O Mary, thou purest of the pure, pray that we may be filled with a true desire to be cleansed from the leprosy of sin, through Jesus Christ our Lord! I speak in the most holy name of Jesus, to the greater glory of God!

“Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean,” cried the leper. How much more natural it is for us children of the Church to address Christ in these words, since we know so much better than the leper in the Gospel who Jesus is, and why He came into the world.

The leper did not doubt that Christ possessed the power to heal him, but he was not certain of Christ’s willingness to perform a miracle. In regard to the leprosy of sin, we have no reason to doubt Christ’s willingness to cleanse us. For this He came into the world, for this He sacrificed Himself on the cross, for this He gave His blood and life, for this He established His Church. Do not the Apostles teach us to say: “I believe in the forgiveness of sins?” To give us a remedy against sin, Christ called us to His holy Church, freed us in baptism from the inherited leprosy of our nature, and gave us access to all the Sacraments, those fountains of grace for the purification of souls.

Verily then Jesus is willing. If we are not cleansed, in whom lies the fault? In ourselves. The sinner is wanting in real sincerity and in the earnest desire of being cleansed. And why? Because he feels his own misery too imperfectly. He is not sufficiently disgusted with sin; he is not thoroughly penetrated with fear at the consequences of sin.

The leper was disgusted with himself. Leprosy is, as is well known, a revolting disease, and everyone is careful to avoid those who are stricken with it. But what is such a disease compared to the disfigurement of sin, which makes us resemble Satan in repulsiveness? Not only mortal, but even venial sin is leprosy. Not a moral fault but is more disgusting to God than all the ulcers and sores in the whole world.

Could the sinner but see himself, were he aware of how his soul is deformed by sin, how intense would be his desire, how great his haste to go to Jesus and beg of Him to be cleansed. Unfortunately, the sinner is seldom thoroughly conscious of his deplorable state. He generally believes that his moral condition is not so bad, and, regarding his sins as human weaknesses, consoles himself with the thought that there are others who are worse. He fails to consider God’s horror of sin, the disgust of the angels and saints, who have reason to be ashamed of him if he regards himself in communion with them, or perhaps even calls them his brothers and his sisters. He does not realize that the sight of his sins drives away his guardian angel, all angels, in fact, and saints. He never thinks of the misfortune into which sin has precipitated him, robbing his good works of all merit, and rendering him unable to earn anything for heaven; how sin has opened the gates of hell, so that he is liable at any moment to fall into the abyss, where he must bewail in eternal torments those sins which he here committed with so little concern.

He who stains his soul with many venial sins can not consider how these prevent him from lessening the flow of divine grace, diminish his merits, how they augment the debt that is to be paid in purgatory. Moreover, he can not reflect on the danger his waywardness exposes him to of falling into grievous sin. The consequence of this thoughtlessness is that the sinner hastens not to seek Jesus, and to approach Him in the person of His minister to receive, after sincere repentance, the forgiveness of his transgressions.

Secondly.–The sinner goes to confession and apparently is desirous of being cleansed from the leprosy of his sin, but in reality he is very indifferent. How few of those to whom sin has become a habit–a class of sinners who especially resemble the leper–examine themselves conscientiously before confession on the number of their mortal sins and the circumstances that affect the nature of their transgressions. The leper feels day and night the misery of his disease, and knows every place where it has settled. The habitual sinner does not take the trouble to consider the evil of sin on his soul, and hardly deems it necessary to examine his conscience. Why? He is not really in earnest to be converted.

If it were a bodily illness he would immediately send for a physician, and explain minutely all the symptoms of his disease; but as the condition of his soul is a matter of little concern to him, he gives but a superficial account of its state, and not unfrequently makes a bad confession. It but seldom happens that a habitual sinner accuses himself fully and freely without aid from the priest. Jesus stretched out his hand and touched the leper. The priest should spiritually do the same to the sinner by his words, but as the sinner has not thoroughly opened his heart, the priest is not able to touch the affected parts and heal them by words of advice.

The sinner confesses, but he has not the earnest desire to make a frank and open declaration of his faults. He is satisfied with a lame, cursory accusation, hoping that the confessor will impart a speedy absolution, and not trouble him with many questions. He is not anxious about the future, how he may avoid relapses, anticipate temptations or combat them, when they do assault him, with effectual weapons.

The sinner, moreover, has not the determination to use the proper means to obtain grace and to advance in the ways of virtue, namely, prayer, spiritual reading, the reception of the Sacraments.

Happy are you, O sinner, if you are conscious that you are, earnest in your desire to be converted, to avoid all occasions of committing sin, and to resist temptations, so that you can truthfully say before Jesus and his minister: I will. Christ will say the same to you. And if you unite your will with His, do not doubt that you will be cleansed from the leprosy of your sin through Jesus Christ our Lord! Amen!

THE LEPER–THE FAITH OF THE CENTURION

Once when Our Lord was coming down from a mountain, followed by a great crowd of people, He entered the city of Capharnaum. At the city gates there was a poor leper, who, bowing down profoundly, addressed Jesus and cried out: “Lord! if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean.”

Leprosy is a very filthy, disgusting disease. The whole body is covered with a false dry skin like scales, so that the person becomes a most hideous and loathsome object. In the East and in this country, too, leprosy is considered contagious, and the laws of sanitary boards separate people afflicted with it from those that are well, and will not allow lepers to come into the cities. This picture is but a very insignificant description of leprosy. You must see it to know how loathsome it really is.

When you read the description of leprosy think of that other kind of leprosy of the soul, for sin is the leprosy of the soul, and is as filthy and more so than the leprosy of the body. Yes, it is the leprosy of sin that makes the soul a horrible sight before God and the angels. The leprous souls that live in so many human bodies in cities and villages are not subject to any laws. They can remain where they please, and still we know that nothing is more contagious than the leprosy of sin. Thus it is that sin is continually growing and spreading, until we find it in every nook and corner of the world. How rare it is to find youths not infected with some vice or other! How few are untouched by this contagion, or who have preserved their baptismal innocence!

If you are already covered with the leprosy of sin, ah, then cry out: “Lord, you see how miserable my condition is! Heal me–cleanse me. You see that my mouth is infected because such bad words, blasphemies, and curses are continually flowing from it. You see, O Lord, that my body and my senses are infected with this terrible disease, for it induces the soul to commit the sins of impurity.” If you pray in this manner, humbly and confidently, you will hear in your soul the consoling words, “Yes, I will help you to overcome that vice. I will forgive you and give you the grace of remaining good.”

But Our Lord adds: “Go and show yourselves to the priest.” The priest is the minister of God. He will extend his hands over you, and you will be made whiter than snow. You will start up into a new life, in which you will acquire again the merits of your good actions, which would never have been any benefit to you unless you had thus repented. From slaves of Satan you will become adopted sons of God, co-heirs with Jesus Christ.

But remember well, my beloved children, that you must have a good will. St. Augustine says that God cures all evils, but only those which we really want to be cured.

The unhappy leper really wished to be healed, for he realized the sad condition he was in, and Jesus immediately extended His hand and touched him. We admire the power of Christ, for at once the whole body was healed. It was again full of vigor and health. Jesus did not give him time to burst out in sentiments of wonder, exultation or gratitude, but said: “See thou tell no man, but go, show thyself to the priest.” The man obeyed, and as he went he could not help letting people know what Jesus had done for him. The fame of this miracle spread about the country and drew many to look for help from Our Lord.

There was in Capharnaum a centurion, a soldier and a heathen, whose servant lay at the point of death. He came to Our Lord and laid his trouble before Him: “My servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, and is grievously tormented.” “I will come and heal him,” said Our Lord. But the centurion did not expect so great a favor; he repeated those admirable words: “Lord I am not worthy that Thou shouldst enter under my roof, but only say the word and my servant shall be healed.”

These words are so applicable to all poor sinners who are about to receive the visit of the Lord, that the Church has borrowed them and uses them three times when communion is to be given. “We should repeat them with a heart full of confusion, because even though we possessed the purity of an angel and the sanctity of John the Baptist, we would not be worthy to receive in our heart Our Lord Jesus. Therefore ought we do all in our power to be free from sin, that we might be the less unworthy to receive Jesus in the great Sacrament of His love.

There are few young people who are so impressed with the sublimity of this holy Sacrament that they approach it with sentiments of respect and veneration. On the contrary they generally go without proper dispositions. They do not endeavor to excite in themselves the sentiments of devotion and love of God which are required to make a good communion.

But there are many, too, who are unworthy to receive Jesus in their heart because their souls are blackened with crime. They defile their tongues with impure conversations, and they dare to receive on them the body of Christ. They defile their bodies with impurities and into these they dare to introduce the Holy of holies. They give scandal and they wish to receive Jesus.

They go to confession and if the priest refuse them absolution because he sees no signs of amendment, they go to another, who is easier, so that they may get through. How blind such young people are! They do not comprehend that they are making a bad communion.

Go, of course, frequently to communion, but do so with a pure heart, and free from sin, full of humility, reverence, and love. When the time approaches for communion, call on the angels, the archangels and all the holy spirits, and beg of them to accompany you to the banquet of Our Lord.

When Our Lord heard the humble words of the centurion He was struck with astonishment and said, “Amen, I say to you, I have not found so great a faith in Israel.” It was certainly a great act of faith, and that was the reason it drew on the centurion that commendation which the Lord seldom gave. The centurion trusted in the power and goodness of Our Lord. He knew, too, that it was not necessary for Our Lord to come to his house. He knew He was God, or at least had the power of God at His command. For this faith and trust Our Lord broke forth into unusual praise.

Even among faithful Christians it is rare to find those who really trust in God. They put trust in their friends, in their own smartness and strength, but they do not remember that they have a God at their command to whom they may go with all confidence. We trust too much to our friends in many things and even prefer them to God. Here is a young man who, meeting his companions, goes with them to lunch. It is Friday. The young man refuses to eat meat, but his companions persuade him. “Oh, eat it! What wrong can there be?” He yields, and the sin is committed.

Another meets a companion on the street. “Where are you going?” “To hear a sermon,” is the reply. “Oh, don’t be so foolish as to sit there to listen to such an insignificant preacher. That is good enough for doting old people or pious women. Come, let us go to the theatre. You will see nice things; you will laugh and be happier there than in church.” He goes out of friendship for his companion. He witnesses the derision of his religion, or immoral scenes; he sees many things that please the eye and stir his sensuality. He hears many improper things; his mind is filled with loose sayings and bad thoughts, and all this has happened simply to please a friend. You see then how obsequious you are to your friends, but of God and Christ you make no account.

When Our Lord had said the words of commendation to the centurion He added: “Many shall come from the east and the west and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, but the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into the exterior darkness.” God is merciful to all; He calls all; but they must have the faith of the centurion. Then He turned again to the centurion and said, “Go, and as thou hast believed so be it done to thee.” That same moment the servant was healed, and when the centurion arrived home he found the man perfectly restored to health. Just reflect a moment on these words of Our Lord. “The children of the kingdom shall be cast out into the exterior darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Terrible words; but which will prove as true to many Christians as they were to many of the Jews. Not a day passes but many infidels and idolaters come to the faith, are converted, and enter the kingdom of God, while many Christians born in the faith, brought up and educated in it, perish miserably in eternal damnation. A damned soul once returned to the earth and asked whether there were any good people still on earth, for he had seen such innumerable multitudes going to hell that he thought there could not be one left.

St. Bernard understood so well the misery of those who went to hell that he used to say, “If out of all the human race, who number thousands of millions of souls, it were known that only one was to go to hell, I would tremble with fear lest I should be that miserable one.” O, my dear young people, let us make up our minds that we will not be of the number of the wicked Christians who will lose their places in heaven which were marked out for them from all eternity had they remained faithful. Are we, the sons of the kingdom, we, the adopted sons of God, to be excluded from our future heritage in heaven and thrown out into darkness? Oh, since the Lord has been so good to us that we have received the grace of being born in a Christian family, let us beg also the grace to remain faithful to Christ and love Him so dearly that we may enter the heavenly kingdom which is ours by right. At the same time knowing that many places are left vacant in heaven by bad Christians, let us beg Our Lord to send His light to the east and west and bring many to occupy these seats of glory.

#3rd sunday after epiphany

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