Be Transfigured Ministries

In the Parable of the Great Banquet found in Luke 14.16-24, Christ describes how entrance into heaven will take place. For many of those who have been invited, heaven will be refused using a variety of excuses. Instead of the banquet being empty, the master Who is God, commands His servants to go and find everyone else in town to fill His House saying, “For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.” (Luke 14.24) Those who will enjoy the banquet didn’t do anything other than accept the invitation from God. Those who were locked outside did nothing more than make a bunch of excuses. We have all been invited into Heaven by God. It would be a shame if we refuse the invitation.

Once on a Sabbath Day, Christ reached out and healed a woman from eighteen years of suffering as He said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” (Luke 13.12) The Jewish leaders were furious that Christ would dare “work” on the Sabbath, a day while work was not allowed by God. As we continue preparing ourselves to receive Christ for Christmas, it is time for us to have compassion and mercy for others as more important than following the exact rules of the Church.

Faith is a free gift from God that we must choose to accept. From the moment we awake until the moment we go to bed, we are faced with constant opportunities to choose faith and live with Christ. Do we choose to pray and give thanks to God for a new day the moment we awake, or do we rush to be ready for work? Do we choose to thank God for our food and pray? Do we choose to prepare to be in Church on Sunday morning, or do we wait to see if we will wake up on time? The crowd of temptations are constantly trying to hush our soul as it cries out for Christ. Don’t let the crowd quiet you and allow your soul to call out to God. It is your choice.

A Bible Study on the Book of Romans based upon the homilies of St John Chrysostom in Tarpon Springs, Florida. This session originally LIVE STREAMED on Tuesday, November 26, 2019.

https://www.LiveANewLifeInChrist.org/romans

In the Gospel of Luke 18.18-27, we hear the popular reminder about wealth and heaven. “How hard is it for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (Luke 18.24-25) If we are waiting to see a camel get through the needle, we are missing the point of the lesson. We are the camel, and until we are willing to leave the burden of wealth and prestige behind, we will never follow Christ into heaven. Sound impossible? Don’t worry. “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” (Luke 18.27)

A Bible Study on the Book of Romans based upon the homilies of St John Chrysostom in Tarpon Springs, Florida. This session originally LIVE STREAMED on Tuesday, November 19, 2019.

https://www.LiveANewLifeInChrist.org/romans

When it comes to preparing to celebrate Christmas, it can be a daunting task. Weeks of Christmas parties and shopping days can lead to serious anxiety, and for what? What happens if tonight our soul is required of us? Those things which we have been preparing, whose will they be? The story of the rich man who tore down his barns to building larger ones, can teach us a lesson. The gifts, resources, talents, and blessings that God has given to us, are not for us to focus on ourselves. They are given to us to serve others.

Many times when we hear the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus in Luke 16.19-31, we get confused about the great chasm between heaven and hell. Most think this is a physical separation, but the Fathers teach us that the chasm is the time of our death. We have until NOW, before we die, to prepare our heart to experience heaven as joy. If we live our life like the rich man, totally self-absorbed and ignoring the needs of others, we will experience heaven as torment and fire. If we can train our hearts to think of the needs of others before ourselves, we will experience heaven as joy and comfort rather than torment and fire. Our chance is NOW!

When it comes to living a New Life In Christ, it requires more than just asking God for blessings. When Jairus asked Christ to heal his daughter, he had to show obedience and patience, even knowing his daughter died, before he experienced God’s blessings. When the woman with the flow of blood wanted to be healed, even though the flow of blood stopped when she touched Christ’s garments, she needed to show obedience and patience before Christ said, “Your faith has saved you.” If we want to be blessed and saved by God, we will need to show obedience to Him and have patience for His timing rather than always demanding instant gratification.

A Bible Study on the Book of Romans based upon the homilies of St John Chrysostom in Tarpon Springs, Florida. This session originally LIVE STREAMED on Tuesday, October 23, 2019.

https://www.LiveANewLifeInChrist.org/romans