REPENTANCE - Spiritual Sweat II, Part 4

March 20, 2017

"For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore TURN and LIVE!” (Ezekiel 18:32)

We're halfway through the Spiritual Sweat journey (and Lent) and now it's time for the rubber to meet the road. It's time to put our humility and honesty into action through the practice of REPENTANCE.

What is repentance? It's more than a feeling... more than just confessing my sins. Repentance = CHANGE and if you want to know what that change looks like, check out Part 4 in Spiritual Sweat II above.

On the Contrary

March 17, 2017

This is a guest post from Shereen Marcus - a proud member of St. Timothy & St. Athanasius church who has guest posted before. In today's post, Shereen speaks candidly about her experience with the children's program at STSA - a program she has been instrumental in creating and managing since the start. And if you too are interested in guest posting on my blog, please visit my Guest Post guidelines for more info.

Several years ago, I was entrusted with heading up the Youth Ministry program at my church. Then, a short time later, I was asked to take a step away. I thought I was doing a good job, and my priest didn’t disagree, but yet he still asked me to step away from it. But… I wasn’t done yet.

“You don’t have to agree,” he said, “But you do have to obey.”

I was devastated. Re-vamping the Orthodox Church model for Sunday School had become a passion of mine. And to be honest – I really thought I was doing a good job. Kids were having fun – and parents were telling me how it was their kids who dragged them to Church instead of the other way around.

HONESTY - Spiritual Sweat II, Part 3

March 13, 2017

"GOD WON'T HEAL WHAT YOU DON'T ADMIT."

It's Week 3 in Spiritual Sweat II and this week we're talking about HONESTY - not honesty of the mouth, but honesty of the heart. We need to be honest about our true spiritual condition because - as Jacob saw when he wrestled with God - that's the only way to see God and revive our hearts.

So get ready. This week's message was a bit of a tough one and it isn't for the spiritually faint of heart. But if you're looking for revival, it might be just what the doctor ordered.

From Rock Bottom to Sky High

March 8, 2017

“Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.” Luke 15:15-16

This Sunday – the third Sunday of Lent – we read one of the most well-known and beloved stories of the entire Bible: the parable of the Prodigal Son (see Luke 15:11-32 if you need a refresher).

Why do we love this story so much? What is it that makes this particular parable melt our hearts the way that it does?

It’s more than just the love of the father or the forgiveness he shows to his son; there’s more to it than that. There’s something in this story that stirs the heart of everyone who hears it or reads it.

What makes this story so touching? What jumps out to me is how LOW the boy had fallen and how HIGH he was lifted after that.

It’s the discrepancy or change from start to finish. At one point, he had sunk to the lowest of lows – the textbook definition of “rock bottom” – but by the end of the story, he had ascended to the highest of highs – the receipt of amazing grace and an incredible deliverance.

How deep had he sunk?

HUMILITY - Spiritual Sweat II, Part 2

March 6, 2017

"It's my anger that gets me in trouble; but it's my pride that keeps me there." Mark Twain

Humility is the foundation of our Christian life. It's knowing who we are and who we are NOT. Without humility, there is no connection with God. The problem though is understanding what is humility is (and what it isn't).

That's our topic in this week in Spiritual Sweat II. We're talking about humility - the mother of all virtues. What is humility? How can we measure humility? And what can we do to increase our humility?

“For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” Isaiah 57:15

What I’m Focusing on this Lent

March 1, 2017

It’s here. It's now officially here. Put away those hamburgers and get that ice cream out of sight. It’s time to break out the veggie burgers and soy milk. Why? Because LENT IS HERE!

Every year at the start of Lent, I like to set a goal or focus. Instead of fasting aimlessly, I like to have a target that I'm aiming for. And this year, God convicted me that my focus is very similar to what it was two years ago. (I'm even going back and rereading the same book I was reading back then).

So I decided to dig up the old blog post from 2015 - which is equally applicable for me - and hopefully for you as well. Happy Lent everyone!

TIME TO WAKE UP - Spiritual Sweat II, Part 1

February 27, 2017

"Break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the LORD till He comes and rains righteousness on you." Hosea 10:12

After a week off, I am BACK in action for the start of the highly anticipated Lent series - SPIRITUAL SWEAT II.

For those who don't remember, Spiritual Sweat I was a series we did in 2013 about getting "in shape" spiritually. The sequel is all about getting BACK in shape and reviving our hearts to the place where they once were. We're digging deep to shake up the "fallow ground" and the complacency that plagues so many of us.

There’s Nothing Sexy about Sexual Addiction

February 24, 2017

This guest post comes from Danielle Adams - a freelance writer who works with Lifestar Therapy and has guest posted here before. Danielle is committed to helping people practice open communication and build healthy relationships. If you too are interested in guest posting on my blog, please visit my Guest Post guidelines for more info.

Mainstream media has long been pushing to normalize and romanticize pornography and sexual addiction and make it a part of everyday life. The media regularly promotes characters who indulge in sexual behaviors such as BDSM, pornography use, and visits to strip clubs as if there’s no harm in these practices.

The Power of MOMENTUM

February 15, 2017

Two days away from Momentum 2017: WE ARE and I am PUMPED UP! But in order to make sure that I'm not just excited for this year's conference but also that I'm PREPARED, I am offline this entire week. So no blog post and no Periscope today.

But to help get you (and me) in the mood for the conference, I am reposting what I wrote after the first Momentum back in 2013. And boy did that do the trick! God was glorified back then and I got a good feeling that He will be glorified again... AND I CAN'T WAIT!!!

And for those who aren't gonna be there, be sure to follow The HOPE Association on social media for highlights and updates throughout the weekend.

APPROVAL ADDICTION - I Thought It Was Just Me, Part 5

February 13, 2017

"Being obsessed with what PEOPLE think is the fastest way to forget what GOD thinks."

And that's why this week's message - the finale in I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST ME - is such an important topic. Too many of us are living based on the expectations of others and that is a recipe for disaster.

The solution? Don't make people smaller; make God bigger. Check out the message above on APPROVAL ADDICTION and see for yourself.

Are You a Pillow or a Sword?

February 8, 2017

No new post again this week as I'm in crunch time prepping for Momentum. But in the meantime, I thought I'd repost one of my most famous blog posts ever, from back in 2012. Understanding this concept has made the biggest difference in my life and I hope it can do the same for you. And I'll still be on Periscope today at 12:30 pm EST for another ASK ME ANYTHING scope.

“Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another.” Acts 15:39

In the book of Acts, chapter 15, we have the story of one of the great disputes in church history. The great apostle Paul got into a disagreement with his fellow worker Barnabas – who just happened to be his mentor as well. The disagreement occurred as the two of them were about to set sail on a pastoral journey to visit the churches which they had already established.

The dispute was over the presence of another apostle on the trip – St. Mark, the writer of the second gospel. At the time, Mark was still young and not quite ready for some of the rigors of the mission field. He was still a work in progress at the time the story takes place.

EASILY OFFENDED - I Thought It Was Just Me, Part 4

February 7, 2017

“For me to be right, someone else has to be wrong.”
~ Somebody who is easily offended

Sorry for the delay; we were unable to get this sermon uploaded on Sunday (which seems to happen every year on Super Bowl Sunday), but we're good now. Part 4 of I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST ME is up and this week's topic is THE EASILY-OFFENDED.

Of all the insecurities, this is something that's a lot harder to see in the mirror than it is through a window. No one would label themselves as easily-offended or overly sensitive; it's always easier to say the problem is out there.

But maybe if we take a slightly deeper look, we'll see differently.

How to Be Happy with Your Age

February 3, 2017

This is a guest post by Uwe Bower, a dear friend of mine and integral member of the STSA church family. Uwe is also a recent fellow inductee into the 40-year-old club and today he shares his thoughts about "getting older." Couldn't have said it better myself! If you too are interested in guest posting on my blog, please visit my Guest Post guideline for more info.

"You know you're getting old when the candles cost more than the cake."

Recently, I turned 40. Many people asked me how it feels like. Some joke if I can still walk a straight line without help. Most seem to be thinking there is a problem about getting older. Why?

Usually, people get freaked out when they pass a milestone. Already 30! Oh no, life is over at 40! 50 - are you kidding me? Most of us want to be younger than we are. Look younger, be more active, independent, free. The result can be quite funny. 30-year-olds dress like college kids. 40-year-olds are as uncommitted as twenty-somethings. 50-year-olds undergo plastic surgery to make sure nobody discovers their real age.

ASK ME ANYTHING!

February 1, 2017

We're two weeks out from Momentum 2017: WE ARE and that means I'm in prime prayer/panic/prepare mode; so no blog post today.

But I'll still be online at 12:30 pm EST for my weekly scope and I'll be opening it up for another "ASK ME ANYTHING" scope. This is your chance to ask whatever question you want and hear my thoughts on the subject. Nothing is off limits!

You can submit questions LIVE during the broadcast, or by tweeting me (@FrAnthony), or by leaving a comment on this post. Questions submitted via twitter and the comments section will be given priority, and I'll get to the live ones as time allows.

So go ahead and submit your question now and then join me at 12:30 pm EST to hear my thoughts. Be sure to download the app and follow me at FrAnthony to join the fun.

MY NEED FOR CONTROL - I Thought It Was Just Me, Part 3

January 30, 2017

"The area you are trying to control the most is the area you are trusting God the least."

You may not consider yourself a "control freak" but I'll bet you that if you look closely enough you'll find at least one or two areas where you struggle to truly let go... where you believe that you need to take matters into your own hands.

How do we let go of our need to control? Believe it or not, the answer lies in having LESS control, not MORE.

Wanna know more? Check out Part 3 in our I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST ME series and see for yourself.

Weakness is Strength

January 27, 2017

Today's guest post comes from Youssef Iskander - a high school student living just outside Toronto, who has guest posted before. Despite being young in age, Youssef displays quite a bit of maturity as he writes about our need to embrace not just our strengths in life, but also our weaknesses. If you too are interested in guest posting on my blog, please visit my Guest Post guidelines for more info.

"And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10

I find that we constantly lament our weaknesses when we compare ourselves to others. "I wish I was that good at…." "I wish I was as smart as…."

In short, we despise our weaknesses.

Why You Need to Find a Mentor in 2017

January 25, 2017

What’s the fastest way to learn how to tie your shoes?

Let’s assume we’re back in the pre-YouTube Stone Ages of the 1990s. You just got a new pair of shoes and you need to figure out how to tie the laces. You’ve never done this before but you know others who have.

What’s the fastest and simplest way to learn how to tie your shoes?

Option 1: keep trying till you figure it out on your own
Option 2: find someone who knows and watch how they do it

Which would you choose?

Escaping the Comparison Trap - I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST ME, Part 2

January 23, 2017

"There's no win, in comparison."

We all wish we didn't do it, but we do. We look around, see what other people have and what are other people are doing and we automatically compare ourselves with them. We look around at others and determine if "we're ok/good enough" based on where everybody else is.

That is the comparison trap. That is what we need to escape. And that is what we discussed in yesterday's message, Part 2 of I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST ME.

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