“The Holy Spirit, out of compassion for our weakness, comes to us even when we are impure. And if He finds our intellect truly praying to Him, He enters it and puts to flight the whole array of thoughts and ideas circling within it, and He arouses it to a longing for spiritual prayer.” IfsIdeasWholeChristianSpiritualSpiritPrayerCompassionPrayingHolyWeaknessLongingIntellectFlightHoly SpiritOrthodoxOrthodox ChristianThoughts And Ideas Author:Evagrius Ponticus
“... we should not worry about clothes or food? Such anxiety is a mark of? unbelievers, who reject the providence of the Lord and deny the Creator. An attitude of this kind is entirely wrong for Christians who believe that even? sparrows? are under the care of the holy angels (cf. Mt. 10:29). The demons, however? suggest worries of this kind? The divine word can bear no fruit, being choked out by our cares. Let us, then, renounce these cares, and throw them down before the Lord, being content with what we have at the moment?” ShouldBelieveKindMomentsCareChristianAttitudeLordWorryDivineBearsHolyAnxietyClothesAngelMarkFruitCreatorDenyDemonRejectsOrthodoxProvidenceOrthodox ChristianRenounceSparrowsCfsUnbelieversBeing Content Author:Evagrius Ponticus
“How can it be other than right to worship the Body of the Lord, all-holy and all-reverend as it is, announced as it was by the archangel Gabriel, formed by the Holy Spirit, and made the Vesture of the Word? It was at any rate a bodily hand that the Word stretched out to raise her that was sick of a fever (Mk. 1:31): a human voice that He uttered to raise Lazarus - the dead (Jn. 11:43); and, once again, stretching out His hands upon the Cross, He overthrew the prince of the power of the air, that now works (Eph. 2:2) in the sons of disobedience, and made the way clear for us into the heavens.” WayHumansMadeBodyHandsChristianSpiritHeavenVoiceLordClearAirSonHolyWorshipCrossesSickRaisesRateHoly SpiritOrthodoxDisobedienceFeverOrthodox ChristianStretchingGabrielArchangelHuman VoiceReverendsLazarus Author:John of Kronstadt
“Our Savior was crucified for our sakes that by His death He might give us life and train and attract us all to endurance. To Him I press on, and to the Father and to the Holy Spirit. I strive to be found true, judging myself unworthy of this world's goods; and yet not I because of the world, but the world because of me. Think of all these things in your heart; follow them with zeal; fight, as you have been commanded, for the truth to the death: For Christ was made 'obedient' even 'to death'” ThinkingWorldGivingHeartHas BeensMadeMightChristianSpiritFightingFoundFatherChristThis WorldJudgingHolyPressesTrainStriveSakeHoly SpiritEnduranceOrthodoxGoodsSaviorZealOrthodox ChristianUnworthyObedientJudging Myself Author:Saint Basil
“Sacred Scripture, since it has no science above itself, can dispute with one who denies its principles only if the opponent admits some at least of the truths obtained through divine revelation; thus we can argue with heretics from texts in Holy Writ, and against those who deny one article of faith we can argue from another. If our opponent believes nothing of divine revelation, there is no longer any means of proving the articles of faith by reasoning, but only of answering his objections - if he has any - against faith.” IfsBelieveMeanChristianPrinciplesDivineHolyProveSacredDenyArguingScriptureOpponentsReasoningRevelationsOrthodoxArticlesDisputesObjectionsHereticDivine RevelationSacred Scripture Book:On Faith and Reason Source: On Faith and Reason
“A certain monk told me that when he was very sick, his mother said to his father, "How our little boy is suffering. I would gladly give myself to be cut up into pieces if that would ease his suffering." Such is the love of God for people. He pitied people so much that he wanted to suffer for them, like their own mother, and even more. But no one can understand this great love without the grace of the Holy Spirit.” PeopleIfsInspirationalGivingLittlesSaidWantedChristianSpiritMotherCertainSufferingFatherReligiousBoysGracePiecesCuttingHolySickGod LoveEaseHoly SpiritOrthodoxMonkGreat LoveLittle Boys Author:Silouan the Athonite
“No matter how much we may study, it is not possible to come to know God unless we live according to His commandments, for God is not know by science, but by the Holy Spirit. Many philosophers and learned men came to the belief that God exists, but they did not know God. It is one thing to belief that God exists and another to know Him. If someone has come to know God by the Holy Spirit, his soul will burn with love for God day and night, and his soul cannot be bound to any earthly thing.” IfsKnowsMenInspirationalMaySoulMatterChristianSpiritNightBeliefReligiousStudyOne ThingHolyBoundsPhilosopherGod LoveHoly SpiritOrthodoxCommandmentsKnowing GodDay And NightGod ExistsEarthly Things Author:Silouan the Athonite
“When the soul knows the love of God by the Holy Spirit, then he clearly feels that the Lord is our own Father, the closest, dearest Father, the best. And there is not greater happiness that to love God with all the mind and heart, and our neighbor as ourself. And when this love is in the soul, then all things bring joy to the soul.” KnowsInspirationalFeelsMindHeartSoulChristianJoySpiritFatherReligiousLove IsLordGreaterHolyAll ThingsNeighborGod LoveHoly SpiritOrthodoxClosestHeart And Mind Author:Silouan the Athonite
“The Lord does not show Himself to a proud soul. The proud soul, no matter how many books it reads, will never know God, since by its pride it does not give place for the grace of the Holy Spirit, while God is known only by the humble soul.” KnowsInspirationalGivingDoeBookSoulMatterShowsChristianSpiritReligiousKnownLordGracePrideProudHolyHumbleHoly SpiritOrthodoxKnowing God Author:Silouan the Athonite
“Each of us can discuss God inasmuch as he has known the grace of the Holy Spirit; for how can we think of or discuss what we haven't seen, or haven't head of, or don't know? The saints say that they have seen God, but there are people who say that there is no God. Clearly, they say this because they haven't known God, but this does not at all mean that He is not. The saints speak of that which they have truly seen and know.” PeopleThinkingKnowsInspirationalMeanDoeChristianSpiritSpeakReligiousKnownGraceHavensHolySaintHoly SpiritOrthodoxThere Is No God Author:Silouan the Athonite
“"I love them that love me, and glorify them that glorify me." (Proverbs 8:17, I Kings 2:30,) says the Lord of His saints. The lord gave the Holy Spirit to the saints, and they love us in the Holy Spirit. The saints hear our prayers and have the power from God to help us. The entire Christian race knows this.” KnowsInspirationalHelpingChristianSpiritReligiousPrayerRaceLordKingsHolySaintHoly SpiritOrthodoxOur PrayersGlorify Author:Silouan the Athonite
“When the soul by the Holy Spirit comes to know the Mother of God; when in the Holy Spirit the soul becomes kin to the Apostles, the Prophets, and all the Saints and Righteous Ones, then she is irresistibly drawn to that world, and cannot remain, but is bothered, and thirsts, and cannot cease from prayer, and although the body becomes exhausted and wants to lie down on a bed, even while lying in bed the soul longs for the Lord and the Kingdom of the Saints.” KnowsWorldWantInspirationalSoulBodyChristianSpiritLyingMotherReligiousPrayerLordHolyBedSaintCeaseKingdomsHoly SpiritProphetOrthodoxRighteousThirstExhaustedBotheredApostles Author:Silouan the Athonite
“The Holy Scriptures lead us to God and open the path to the knowledge of God.” InspirationalChristianReligiousPathHolyScriptureOrthodoxHoly ScripturesKnowledge Of God Author:Saint John Chrysostom
“Of all the afflictions that burden the human race, there is not one, whether spiritual or bodily, that cannot be healed by the Holy Scriptures.” InspirationalHumansChristianSpiritualReligiousRaceHolyBurdenScriptureHuman RaceOrthodoxAfflictionHealedHoly Scriptures Author:Saint John Chrysostom
“Just as those who are deprived of light cannot walk straight, so also those who do not behold the ray of the Holy Scriptures must necessarily sin, since they walk in the deepest darkness.” InspirationalLightChristianReligiousSinWalksDarknessHolyScriptureOrthodoxRaysDeprivedHoly Scriptures Author:Saint John Chrysostom
“In all things that you find in the Holy Scriptures, seek out the purpose of the words, that you may enter into the depth of the thoughts of the saints and understand them with greater exactness. Do not approach the reading of the Divine Scriptures without prayer and asking the help of God. Consider prayer to be the key to the true understanding of that which is said in the Holy Scriptures.” InspirationalMaySaidHelpingChristianPurposeReadingUnderstandingReligiousPrayerGreaterDivineKeysHolyApproachAll ThingsAskingDepthSaintScriptureOrthodoxHoly ScripturesExactnessTrue Understanding Author:Isaac of Nineveh
“When you begin to read or listen to the Holy Scriptures, pray to God thus: "Lord Jesus Christ, open the ears and eyes of my heart so that I may hear Thy words and understand them, and may fulfill Thy will." Always pray to God like this, that He might illumine your mind and open to you the power of His words. Many, having trusted in their own reason, have turned away into deception.” InspirationalMindHeartMayReasonMightEyeChristianJesusChristReligiousLordPrayingMy HeartHolyJesus ChristEarsScriptureDeceptionOrthodoxTrustedPraying To GodLord Jesus ChristHoly Scriptures Author:Ephrem the Syrian
“Consider that the Holy Spirit lives in the spiritual father, and He will tell you what to do. But if you think that the spiritual father live negligently, and that the Holy Spirit can't live in him, you will suffer mightily for such a thought, and the Lord will humble you, and you will straightway fall into delusion.” IfsThinkingInspirationalChristianSpiritualSpiritSufferingFallFatherReligiousLordHolyHumbleHoly SpiritDelusionOrthodox Author:Silouan the Athonite
“The Holy Spirit acts mystically through the spiritual father, and then when you go out from your spiritual father, the soul feels her renewal. But if you leave your spiritual father in a state of confusion, this means that you did not confess purely and did not forgive your brother all of his sins from your heart.” IfsInspirationalFeelsHeartMeanSoulStatesChristianSpiritualSpiritFatherReligiousSinBrotherHolyForgivingConfusionHoly SpiritOrthodoxRenewalYour Brother Author:Silouan the Athonite
“Whoever will not love his enemies cannot know the Lord and the sweetness of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit teaches us to love our enemies in such way that we pity their souls as if they were our own children.” IfsKnowsWayInspirationalChildrenSoulChristianSpiritReligiousLordEnemyTeachHolyPityHoly SpiritOrthodoxSweetness Author:Silouan the Athonite
“The Lord has given the Holy Spirit upon the earth, and in whomsoever He dwells, that one feels paradise within himself. You might say: why hasn't this happened to me? Because you have not given yourself over to the will of God, but you live according to yourself. Look at the one who loves his own will. He never has peace in himself and is always displeased with something. But whoever has given himself over to God's will perfectly has pure prayer. His soul loves the Lord, and everything is acceptable and good to him.” InspirationalFeelsLooksSoulMightEarthChristianSpiritGivenReligiousPrayerLordHappenedHolyPureGods WillHoly SpiritParadiseOrthodoxAcceptable Author:Silouan the Athonite
“The Holy Apostle John the Theologian says that the commandments of God are not difficult, but easy (I John, 5:3). But they are only easy because of love, while they are all difficult if there is no love.” IfsInspirationalChristianEasyDifficultReligiousHolyOrthodoxCommandmentsTheologianApostlesNo LoveChristian LoveCommandments Of God Author:Silouan the Athonite
“By obedience a man is guarded against pride. Prayer is given for the sake of obedience. The grace of the Holy Spirit is also given for obedience. This is why obedience is higher than prayer and fasting.” MenInspirationalChristianSpiritGivenReligiousPrayerGracePrideHigherHolySakeObedienceHoly SpiritOrthodoxFastingGuardedPrayer And Fasting Author:Silouan the Athonite
“Obedience is necessary not only for monks, but for all people. Even the Lord was obedient. The proud and self-regarding do not allow grace to live in them, and therefore they never have spiritual peace, while in the obedient soul the grace of the Holy Spirit enters easily and gives joy and peace. Whoever bears even a little grace in himself joyfully submits himself to all direction. He knows that God directs even the heavens and the netherworld, and himself, and his business, and everything in the world, and therefore he is always at peace.” PeopleKnowsWorldInspirationalGivingLittlesSoulSelfChristianSpiritualJoySpiritHeavenReligiousLordGraceBearsProudHolyObedienceHoly SpiritOrthodoxSubmitMonkObedientSpiritual Peace Author:Silouan the Athonite
“We suffer because we have no humility and we do not love our brother. From love of our brother comes the love of God. People do not learn humility, and because of their pride cannot receive the grace of the Holy Spirit, and therefor the whole world suffers.” PeopleWorldInspirationalWholeChristianSpiritSufferingReligiousGraceHumilityBrotherPrideHolyWhole WorldGod LoveHoly SpiritOrthodox Author:Silouan the Athonite
“If you want to attain salvation, learn and keep in your heart all that the holy Church teaches and, receiving heavenly power from the mysteries of the Church, walk the path of Christ's commandments, under the direction of lawful pastors, and you will undoubtedly attain the Heavenly Kingdom and be saved. All of this is naturally necessary in the matter of salvation, necessary in it entirety and for all. Whoever rejects or neglects any part of it has no salvation.” IfsWantInspirationalHeartMatterChristianChristChurchReligiousWalksTeachPathMysteryHolySalvationSavedKingdomsHeavenlyRejectsOrthodoxNeglectReceivingCommandmentsPastorEntirety Author:Theophan the Recluse
“A Christian receives divine wisdom in three ways: by the commandments, teachings, and faith. The commandments free the mind from passions. Teachings lead it to true knowledge of nature. Faith leads to the contemplation of the Holy Trinity.” WayInspirationalMindChristianPassionThreeReligiousTeachingDivineHolyContemplationOrthodoxCommandmentsTrinityTrue KnowledgeThree WaysDivine WisdomHoly Trinity Author:Maximus the Confessor
“In truth there is only one freedom - the holy freedom of Christ, whereby He freed us from sin, from evil, from the devil. It binds us to God. All other freedoms are illusory, false, that is to say, they are all, in fact, slavery.” InspirationalFactsChristianEvilChristReligiousSinHolyDevilSlaveryOrthodoxIllusory Author:Justin Popovic
“God abides in each commandment by His gracious power. "God is hidden in His commandments", says St. Mark the Ascetic. God helps everyone who strives to keep His commandments. That God abides in us we know by the Spirit, which He has given us. This means that a Christian is never alone, but that he lives and works together with the Thrice-Holy God.” KnowsInspirationalMeanHelpingChristianTogetherSpiritGivenReligiousHolyMarkStriveWorking TogetherOrthodoxCommandmentsStrifeGraciousGod HelpThriceHoly God Author:Justin Popovic
“The Holy Ghost carries on the whole Christian system in this earth. Not a Baptism, not a Marriage, not a Sacrament can be administered but by the Holy Ghost... There is no Authority civil or religious: there can be no legitimate Government but what is administered by this Holy Ghost. There can be no salvation without it. All, without it is Rebellion and Perdition, or in more orthodox words Damnation.” WholeGovernmentEarthChristianReligiousHolyAuthoritySalvationGhostCarrieRebellionOrthodoxSacramentsHoly GhostBaptismDamnationPerditionLegitimate Government Author:John Adams
“The true aim of our Christian life consists in the acquisition of the Holy Spirit of God.” ChristianSpiritHolyAimChristian LifeHoly SpiritOrthodoxAcquisitionSpirit Of GodAlmsgiving Author:Seraphim of Sarov
“Only the Holy Spirit can purify the intellect, for unless a greater power comes and overthrows the despoiler, what he has taken captive will never be set free (cf. Lk. 11:21-22). In every way, therefore, and especially through peace of soul, we must make ourselves a dwelling-place for the Holy Spirit.” WaySoulChristianSpiritTakenGreaterHolyIntellectHoly SpiritOrthodoxDwellingOrthodox ChristianCaptivesCfsGreater PowerDwelling PlacePeace Of Soul Author:Diadochos of Photiki
“At the beginning of the struggle the holy commandments of God must be fulfilled with a certain forcefulness of will (cf. Mt. 11:12); then the Lord, seeing our intention and labour, will grant us readiness of will and gladness in obeying His purposes. For 'it is the Lord who makes ready the will' (Prov. 8:35 LXX), so that we always do what is right joyfully. Then shall we truly feel that 'it is God who energizes in you both the willing and the doing of His purpose' (Phil. 2:13).” FeelsChristianPurposeCertainLordStruggleSeeingWillingReadyHolyIntentionLabourOrthodoxGrantsFulfilledCommandmentsReadinessGladnessObeyingCfsCommandments Of God Author:Diadochos of Photiki
“Every Christian should find for himself the imperative and incentive to become holy. If you live without struggle and without hope of becoming holy, then you are Christians only in name and not in essence. But without holiness, no one shall see the Lord, that is to say they will not attain eternal blessedness. It is a trustworthy saying that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners (I Tim. 1:15). But we deceive ourselves if we think that we are saved while remaining sinners. Christ saves those sinners by giving them the means to become saints.” IfsThinkingWorldInspirationalGivingShouldMeanChristianJesusNamesChristReligiousLordStruggleBecomingHolyEternalJesus ChristEssenceSaintSavedHolinessSinnerOrthodoxDeceivingIncentivesImperativesTrustworthyWithout HopeBlessedness Author:Patriarch Philaret of Moscow
“The Church is holy, although there are sinners within her. Those who sin, but who cleanse themselves with true repentance, do not keep the Church from being holy. But unrepentant sinners are cut off, whether visibly by Church authority, or invisible by the judgement of God, from the body of the Church. And so in this regard the Church remains holy.” InspirationalBodyChristianChurchReligiousSinCuttingHolyAuthorityRegardRemainsInvisibleJudgementSinnerOrthodoxRepentanceTrue Repentance Author:Patriarch Philaret of Moscow
“To square the records, however, it should be said that if the Calvinist does not rise as high, he usually stays up longer. He places more emphasis on the Holy Scriptures which never change, while his opposite number (as the newspapers say) tends to judge his spiritual condition by the state of his feelings, which change constantly. This may be the reason that so many Calvinistic churches remain orthodox for centuries, at least in doctrine, while many churches of the Arminian persuasion often go liberal in one generation.” IfsShouldMayDoeSaidStatesReasonFeelingsSpiritualChurchNumbersRecordsGenerationsConditionsCenturyJudgingHolyOppositesScriptureNewspapersDoctrineOrthodoxSquaresPersuasionEmphasisNever ChangeHoly Scriptures Author:Aiden Wilson Tozer
“Between the scribe who has read and the prophet who has seen there is a difference as wide as the sea. We are today overrun with orthodox scribes, but the prophets, where are they? The hard voice of the scribe sounds over evangelicalism, but the Church waits for the tender voice of the saint who has penetrated the veil and has gazed with inward eye upon the Wonder that is God. And yet, thus to penetrate, to push in sensitive living experience into the holy Presence, is a privilege open to every child of God.” ChildrenHardEyeTodayWaitingSoundVoiceDifferencesChurchWonderSeaHolySaintPrivilegeWideSensitiveProphetOrthodoxInwardVeilsPenetrateChild Of GodScribes Author:Aiden Wilson Tozer
“A humble man who lives a spiritual life, when he reads the Holy Scriptures, while relate all things to himself and not to others.” MenInspirationalChristianSpiritualReligiousHumilityHolyAll ThingsHumbleScriptureRelateOrthodoxSpiritual LifeHoly ScripturesHumble Man Author:Mark the Evangelist