What Do You See When You Look at a Rainbow?

May 23, 2014

And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” (Genesis 9:12-16)

I read this promise and I see grace and mercy. I see kindness and love. I see a Maker so desperate to save His creation. When Noah built an altar and sacrificed burnt offerings to the Lord after the flood the Bible says:

"The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done." (Genesis 8:21)

Read that verse again. Close your eyes and see it. Visualize your Maker smelling the pleasing aroma of your prayer… look at the expression on His face as He looks at you full of pride, compassion and love.

World-Changing SPEAKING

May 19, 2014

We SPEAK BOLDLY about what we BELIEVE DEEPLY.

That was the key thought in Part 3 of the World-Changers series at The Well. The title of this week's message was "World-Changing Speaking" and the main idea is that if something is dear to our hearts, it must find its way to our lips. If we truly believe that God has given us new life through His Son Jesus Christ and we value that gift as we should, then at some point in time, that belief must find its own out of my mouth for others to hear.

I know, I know, you'll say "I witness with my deeds" and "actions speak louder than words" - I've heard (and said) those same excuses. But I invite you to take a look at the video above and see if you still feel that way after listening to the message.

Finding Peace

May 16, 2014

Our generation has witnessed numerous events that have, to some extent, made us aware of how much unrest there appears to be around the world. My first experience or realization of this came when I was around seven years old. My family and I heard on the news that a girl my age in another city had been abducted after school. I didn't quite understand what this meant, but my parents kept telling me to never approach or speak with a stranger. Some years later, “September 11” happened and again, I became exposed to the 'evil' in this world. I heard about the wars against weapons, kidnappings, etc.

I remember a time at school when we had to explain what we wished we could have...and it could be anything at all. Although I was only eight years old, I knew what I wanted. I told my class that I wanted WORLD PEACE.

It seems that now more than ever, the world has become filled with numerous dangers. There is so much crime, war, unrest, anger, and sadness around the world. But we don't have to look far - it actually starts within our own lives. I'm not going to focus on the wars around the world - although they are important, too. I prefer to focus on a different kind of peace; that is, the 'peace' that we may get from this world.

Celebrating One of My Heroes

May 14, 2014

Hero: ‘a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities’

I grew up loving action movies – but not the comic book, superhero kind of movies that are popular now. I grew up watching real heroes, guys without any superhuman powers but who fought with superhuman courage and bravery. Guys like Bruce Willis in Die Hard – who saved the world from terrorists without a weapon or even a pair of shoes. Or like Rambo who could take out an entire city alone and never had to call for backup. Or my personal favorite – this is really going to test your knowledge of the 80s – The Greatest American Hero (listen to the theme song and see if it rings a bell).

Today I want to celebrate one of my real-life heroes – not a fictional character but a real person who really did save the world from evil and without whom only God knows where we’d all be today. And in addition to all that, he’s got a really cool hero name too!

World-Changing PRAYER

May 12, 2014

Week 2 of the World-Changers series and this week's topic is World-Changing Prayer. The key thought for this week's message is this: what you PRAY FOR reveals what you BELIEVE ABOUT God.

Pray for small things? Then you probably believe in a small God.

Pray for selfish things? Then you probably believe that God is here to serve you and make you happy.

Pray for nothing? Then you probably believe that God doesn't really care.

Jesus didn't come back from the dead just for a celebration; He came back on a mission and with marching orders for us to continue that mission. If we're serious about being World-Changers (like Jesus was and like His original followers were) and getting that mission done, it's going to need to start with our prayers.

First Bitter, Then Sweet

May 2, 2014

“…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2

One Saturday night, when I was 18, I went to visit some neighbors who recently moved to our area. I was actually going to apologize for a noisy party we were having at a friend's house next door. I thought they might be upset.

But to my surprise, they weren’t. In fact, when they opened the door, I saw a very thin, shy man and his equally thin, shy wife watching from afar. I was expecting them to be upset; but instead they invited me in for coffee!

Immediately I noticed something different about them. The wife brought out a tray from which the husband handed me what looked like a small bowl full of dark coffee. I didn't want to offend, so I hid my confusion and smiled and drank it all at once.

WHOA! I soon learned that the coffee, like my neighbors themselves, was Arabic in origin. Unlike my neighbors though, the coffee was extremely bitter! Very potent!

Soon after however, the wife brought out another tray – this time full of a sweet, rich pastry that our Lebanese neighbors call ‘baklava’. It wasn’t long before the level of honey in that dessert made me completely forget the bitter aftertaste from the coffee.

In the trials of life, in the confusing times, bitterness creeps up on us like a cup of my neighbor's coffee.

Why Can't I Change?

April 30, 2014

"Dear Fr. Anthony, I was really moved by your message and began to really believe that through the power of the Resurrection I can change and can overcome my old habits. But it seems like every time I believe that and start to move in the right direction, I inevitably fall and end up even worse than when I started. How can I make a change that will last? Is it even possible for me?”

That’s one of the most common questions I get asked: can I really change? Is it really possible for me to overcome my bad habit? Will I ever be able to stop worrying? Is there really any hope that my life can be different?

It’s not that we don’t believe that it’s possible. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. We believe 100% that it’s possible because we know that “with God nothing will be impossible” (Luke 1:37) and “the things which are impossible with men are possible with God” (Luke 18:27) and of course, everyone’s favorite, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

We know the verses. We’ve heard the sermons. We’ve seen Jesus change the lives of so many other people around us.

SO WHY CAN’T WE CHANGE? That’s the million dollar question

World-Changing FAITH

April 28, 2014

"When Jesus came back from the dead, He didn't come for a celebration. He came with marching orders."

One week removed from the Feast of the LORD's Resurrection and the question on everyone's mind is....NOW WHAT? What next? Back to life as normal? Or was that whole Good Friday/Easter Sunday thing supposed to make a real difference in my life somehow?

I believe the answer is YES! Absolutely, positively, 100% yes! If you look back at the guys who lived through the Resurrection the first time, you'll see that this one event ushered in a whole new era of life. The weak became strong, the timid became bold, and the doubts turned to faith! The Resurrection did make a difference...A LIFE-CHANGING AND WORLD-CHANGING DIFFERENCE!

I believe the same is meant to be true today as well - for me and you. Easter may be over and the food may be finished, but the marching orders are still in full effect. Take a look at the video below and see for yourself what happens when we actually believe that that is true.

Do Not Be Afraid (sermon video)

April 22, 2014

Christ is risen!!! WOO-HOO!!!! And by His death, He has defeated death itself and given life and hope and joy to all those who believe Him and walk in His ways.

Because of that, the one expression that should fill the hearts and the mouths of His followers during these blessed days is DO NOT BE AFRAID. But unfortunately, that isn't always the case. Despite the fact that Christ defeated our greatest enemy (death), many still walk in fear today.

That's why I'm posting this sermon video today. The title is simple: DO NOT BE AFRAID. It was a sermon I gave on the first Sunday after Easter several years ago and I think it could speak powerfully to many people today.

Hope you enjoy!

Offline for Holy Week

April 14, 2014

It has officially begun - the most beautiful/sacred time of the year. Pascha Week (aka Holy Week) is upon us. Because of that, I won't be blogging this week. But I didn't want to leave my faithful blog followers high and dry so below is a message I shared one year which talks about HOW TO PREPARE FOR HOLY WEEK.

Have a great week and hopefully I'll see you all back online next week.

How Valuable is This One Week to You?

April 9, 2014

Here we go. It’s that time of year. We’ve been going through Lent for almost 7 weeks and that means that HOLY WEEK is almost here. As soon as I mention the coming of Holy Week (more traditionally known as Pascha Week), there are two responses that might come forth

a) (church people) YES! It’s Holy Week. Services every day. More prayers, more hymns, more readings…MORE CHURCH! YES!!!

b) (non-church people) Oh no! It’s Holy Week. Services every day. More prayers, more hymns, more readings…MORE CHURCH! NO!!!

Same event, completely different responses. Why is that? Why do some people approach Holy Week like a kid on Christmas, while others approach it like a turkey on Thanksgiving? How can that be? How can they be talking about the same thing?

The Guardian of Biblical Truth - YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT Part 6

April 7, 2014

Series finale in the You Are What You Eat series and this week's message is about one of the hottest topics in modern Christians circles. TRADITION...and its role in the Church and in our spiritual lives.

"Tradition? You mean all that man-made stuff that Jesus hated? That stuff's for the Pharisees! I don't believe in Tradition; I believe in the Bible and YOU SHOULD TOO!"

If that's the perspective you're coming from, I invite you to check out the video below and see for yourself. You may be surprised to discover that you're already depending on Tradition a lot more than you realized...

On Noah: Aronofsky, God, and Us

April 4, 2014

“I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asked ‘who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge? Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know…” Job 42:2-3

I BEGIN WITH JOB, as many think this book is the oldest example of a man documenting God’s interaction with humanity through prose and through poetry, but my focus will be on Noah. Specifically, I am concerned with the Biblical account of Noah versus Darren Aronofsky’s recent film.

For me, watching Noah was powerful. Did I have some theological problems with it? Yes. Did the film deviate from Bible? Absolutely. Did I feel like Mr. Aronofsky’s spirit was less than humble or altruistic in producing the film? His own words lead me to say yes. Do I worry that people will see the film directed by a self professed atheist and be misled about the nature of God? A little, but no more than I worry that I may mislead someone through my actions as a self-professed representative of the Kingdom.

Finding Joy in the Bible - YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT Part 5

March 31, 2014

"Your words were found, and I ate them,and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart" Jeremiah 15:16

Do you ENJOY reading the Bible? Be honest. I know that you probably force yourself to do it, but how often do you actually find JOY when you read God's Word?

That's our topic in this week's message in the You Are What You Eat series. The title of the message is FINDING JOY IN THE BIBLE and it's a topic that I'll bet most people don't think applies to them. We know it is "good" to read to Bible and we know it is "beneficial" to read the Bible and we know that we are "supposed" to read the Bible.

But did you ever know that it can be ENJOYABLE to read the Bible?

Well, now you do. Check out the message above and see for yourself.

Are You Strong and Courageous?

March 28, 2014

Life is tough, isn’t it? Everyday we faced multiple challenges and obstacles and at times it seems like it's more than we can handle.

At these times, we don’t feel strong and we certainly don't feel courageous. We are tired and we want help!

We pray to God, asking for strength. “God! Strengthen me! Either make this problem go away or solve it! Please! I am tired and frustrated…”

The Bible is full of verses that can motivate or strengthen us at these times, such as Joshua 1:9. This verse is God speaking to Joshua when he was feeling a little down as well.

The Art of Studying the Bible - YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT Part 4

March 24, 2014

What's the difference between READING the Bible vs STUDYING the Bible? It's the difference between chugging a bottle of water vs sipping a glass of wine. The objectives are different (quantity vs quality) and therefore the methodology needs to be different as well.

This week's message in the You Are What You Eat series is titled THE ART OF STUDYING THE BIBLE. In it, I talk about the method I use to help me go deeper into God's Word and find depth there. It's not as complicated as you think. Like everything in life, you just need a good system to help you achieve your desired results.

Reading for distance is good; but studying for depth is where the richness of the Bible is found.

Working Harder is Not the Answer

March 19, 2014

Take it from me – a recovering workaholic – WORKING HARDER IS NOT THE ANSWER! We all have things in our life that we want to change – bad habits that we want to get rid of, or good habits that we want to incorporate into our lives. And most of us think about those changes in terms of effort – I need to work harder to accomplish _________.

Well, I know this might sound strange but believe it or not sometimes working harder is actually counter-productive and takes us further away from our goal, not closer to it.

The Real Reason We Don't Read the Bible - YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT Part 3

March 17, 2014

Be honest. What's the real reason you don't read the Bible more? Too busy? Not sure if it's true? Don't need to hear God's voice? Nope. None of those are the root. The real reason we don't read the Bible is simple: WE DON'T GET ANYTHING OUT OF IT!

I am fully convinced of that. If you found HOPE in the Bible, you'd read more. If you found COMFORT in the Bible, you'd read more. If you found DIRECTION in the Bible, you'd read more. Our problem is not that we don't want to read the Bible; our problem is that we get nothing out of it when we do.

That's why this Week 3 in the YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT series might be the most important one for you. In it, I talk about what I believe is the most important thing we need to do to find meaning in the Word of God. We know that there's good stuff in the Bible; but it doesn't do me much good unless I know how to find it and understand it.

Check out this week's message - The Real Reason We Don't Read the Bible - below and get ready to discover the one key to unlocking the benefit of God's Word in your life.

Healing the Paralytic at the Pool of Bethesda

Focus on Ability

March 14, 2014

“Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” John 5:5-6

Are you familiar with the account of the disabled man, troubled by illness for 38 years? He’s the guy sitting by a pool of water near the Sheep's Gate in Jerusalem – a story written about in John 5.

Now, I was born with a mild brain injury. It’s called Cerebral Palsy and it has affected my mobility, my vision, and some other 'wiring problems' inside me for over 38 years now. So I can relate to this man very well.

And I'm not exaggerating when I say that if Jesus had walked up to me and asked, "Do you want to be made well?", as He did with the man in the story, I'd of course reply in my holiest voice, "Umm...I'm sorry...Have we met before??"

Shock. Curiosity. Hope.

Why I Need the Bible - YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT Part 2

March 10, 2014

Week 2 of the YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT series at The Well and this week's message is one that we all need. Last week we looked at the question "WHAT is the Bible?" We saw that the Bible is the breath/voice of God coming through the vocal chords of various writers. This week, we discussed the question "WHY do I need the Bible?"

The majority of us know that we SHOULD read the Bible and know that it's important. But the bottom line is that we often don't read the Bible because we don't see the impact of it in our lives. We don't see how it is supposed to make my life/day any better.