1 00:00:01,840 --> 00:00:04,400 Only a few hours, I'm not sure how many hours we are into the 2 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:08,880 New year, but I take this time to wish each and everyone of you 3 00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:13,960 a blessed and happy and prosperous 2026. 4 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:17,480 I'm sure last night everyone was enjoying themselves and 5 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:21,200 celebrating and counting in the New year. 6 00:00:21,200 --> 00:00:25,400 And I pray that you had a a joyous celebration with your 7 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:28,520 family and friends. And I'm sure there are a lot of 8 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:31,640 people out there that have made their New Year's resolution. 9 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:34,720 Yes, every year we make our resolutions. 10 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:39,080 We set in our minds things that we want to do. 11 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:41,760 And what does the Scripture say in Proverbs? 12 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:46,160 That God determines the footsteps, be it relationship, 13 00:00:46,160 --> 00:00:52,720 financial work, you know what we want to do at work and what, 14 00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:55,800 what paths we want to take for our families. 15 00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:59,000 And and you know what, what entails living in this world, 16 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:00,600 which is great. It's, it's amazing. 17 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:05,200 But I want to talk about and encourage you to and help you if 18 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:09,440 you don't haven't done so already with some spiritual New 19 00:01:09,440 --> 00:01:13,040 Year's resolutions. First and foremost, let us 20 00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:17,760 resolve and let us promise and start working on increasing our 21 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:20,840 faith, Beloved, increasing in faith. 22 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:23,960 Notice I said increase. I'm not saying that we don't 23 00:01:23,960 --> 00:01:26,520 have faith. Those who have faith, those who 24 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:28,760 believe there is a God, let's increase that. 25 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:31,960 How do we increase our faith? Read your scriptures. 26 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:36,240 Read scriptures more regularly. 15 minutes a day. 27 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:42,400 Out of the 24 hours that God has blessed you with, we will keep, 28 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:46,360 we will give God 15. So that means 15 minutes. 29 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:52,440 That means 23 minutes and 45 seconds of the day we keep for 30 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:54,880 ourselves and do what we want to do, what we need to do. 31 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:58,840 We give God 15 minutes to read the Holy Scriptures. 32 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:01,520 Don't worry about not understanding. 33 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:04,000 Don't worry about where do I start? 34 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:06,280 Just open using. You can start from the book of 35 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:10,759 Genesis or in the Gospels, the Gospel of according to Saint 36 00:02:10,759 --> 00:02:13,000 Matthew. Just read the scriptures and 37 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:16,120 before that say a prayer. Lord, this is my resolution. 38 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:19,320 I need help, help me to understand, to fathom, you know, 39 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:22,200 the prayer that we pray before the beginning of the podcast, 40 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:26,040 Recite that prayer and then read your scriptures and make it 41 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:29,560 frequent, beloved, and not for one day if you're going to 42 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:31,840 start. And then there will come a day 43 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:34,720 where you think, you know what, just today I may not do it. 44 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:36,520 Don't do that. When you think you don't want to 45 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:39,320 do it, do it. That's when you should run to 46 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:40,800 the scriptures and open the scriptures. 47 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:44,440 Because the minute you say no, the enemy will continue to say, 48 00:02:44,440 --> 00:02:46,920 OK, then we'll the next day too. You know, let's start Monday. 49 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:49,400 I always start my walking on a Monday. 50 00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:52,160 That means if I haven't done it on a Wednesday, there goes four 51 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:54,240 days no walking. No, let's start on a Monday. 52 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:57,680 No, continue to read the Holy Spirit scriptures. 53 00:02:57,920 --> 00:03:04,320 Pray more frequently, pray more frequently wherever you are at 54 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:09,720 any time at work now, not 15 minutes, 15 seconds. 55 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:14,080 So, so when you're praying and talking to God, a 15 second 56 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:16,760 prayer, you know, the disciples said, Lord, increase our prayer, 57 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:20,480 increase our faith. There's a prayer, Lord, help me, 58 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:24,720 Lord, forgive me if I've sinned or just mention the name of the 59 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:27,800 Lord Jesus Christ. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, 60 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:30,880 have mercy on me on a Sinner. Help me Lord, help me to be 61 00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:35,080 focused on you and pray and especially in particular in the 62 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:39,600 morning when we wake up in the morning when I rise, give me 63 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:41,560 Jesus. How by praying. 64 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:46,640 Designate a place of praying at home and pray at night. 65 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:50,000 Say your prayer before you enter your bed or you can pray in the 66 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:54,200 bed, but I I prefer praying outside of the bed and talk to 67 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:56,200 God. Begin fasting. 68 00:03:56,200 --> 00:04:00,760 If you've never fasted or your fast is mediocre and it's 69 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:02,680 according to how you want to fast. 70 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:06,160 No, no, no, you fast according to how Christ fasted and 71 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:09,800 according to the commands and the method of the Church. 72 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:13,160 There's 45 days till till Great Lent. 73 00:04:13,160 --> 00:04:19,240 We have 45 days till Great Lent. We have 26 days till the 74 00:04:19,240 --> 00:04:21,880 rotation of the Ninevites Mounted Enviro. 75 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:27,360 Prepare yourselves and let's resolve and you know our 76 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:30,760 resolution to be this year. I'm going to fast and when we 77 00:04:30,760 --> 00:04:35,120 get to these days, I'll give you some pointers how to offer your 78 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:37,880 fasting. Attend church more regularly. 79 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:42,320 You know, we laugh at the term CEO or the acronym CEO. 80 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:43,880 Honestly, we shouldn't be laughing. 81 00:04:44,280 --> 00:04:46,200 Honestly, it's not a laughing matter. 82 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:49,320 It's a very grief and dangerous, dangerous matter. 83 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:52,720 If you are ACEO, don't take pride. 84 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:55,920 And if people are laughing with you, they're actually laughing 85 00:04:55,960 --> 00:04:57,640 at you. You know, in the book of 86 00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:00,680 Proverbs, it's it's it's better to go to a House of mourning 87 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:04,680 than a House of celebration. Go to those who always dampen 88 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:10,160 your weather, always rain on your parade, not enjoy your 89 00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:15,000 floors and encourage you attend church more regularly. 90 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:22,360 Come to worship and to offer to Christ what he's, what is his in 91 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:25,280 the Holy mysteries in the form of bread and wine. 92 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:29,720 Worship is not gathering in a place, in a street, in a hall, 93 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:33,040 on a stage, clapping drums, band singing. 94 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:36,680 That's not worship. That is a Christian gathering to 95 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:40,080 sing praise to the Lord. Great, I mean attend that as 96 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:43,160 well. But worship entails offering. 97 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:46,720 The Magi's came, worshiped, and then they opened their gifts. 98 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:51,520 They offered to Jesus Christ. Their gifts come to Raza, come 99 00:05:51,520 --> 00:05:54,960 to church, come to the church services, the Vespers in the 100 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:56,680 morning, the early morning prayers. 101 00:05:57,280 --> 00:06:01,360 You know, let these be your spiritual resolutions. 102 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:05,960 Get involved in charitable activities of the church or just 103 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:08,560 get involved in the church itself in general. 104 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:12,720 Why is it that when we come to church only the elders are 105 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:15,840 working? The Ladies auxiliary are our 106 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:18,680 beloved mothers that are 60 years and over. 107 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:23,680 What a shame to you O beloved young sisters. 108 00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:31,080 Shame, shame to sit there and be served by by a lady of sister 109 00:06:31,080 --> 00:06:36,960 who is 606570 barely making it down the steps but coming to 110 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:40,120 cook you breakfast so that you can enjoy your breakfast and you 111 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:43,840 don't even you know, trouble yourself to to clean the table 112 00:06:43,840 --> 00:06:45,760 that you're sitting. No, no, no get involved now. 113 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:49,040 Get involved in charitable activities and in services in 114 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:53,800 the church. Keep 90% of what God has blessed 115 00:06:53,800 --> 00:07:00,040 you financially and give God at least 10% if not more. 116 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:02,680 That is a scriptural commandment. 117 00:07:02,920 --> 00:07:05,840 It's not churches only asking for money. 118 00:07:05,840 --> 00:07:09,200 No, it is in the scripture Saint Paul writes. 119 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:12,640 I want every person to put in their hearts what they want to 120 00:07:12,640 --> 00:07:14,280 give on the first day of the week. 121 00:07:14,280 --> 00:07:16,520 There it is. It's biblical sola scriptura. 122 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:19,920 It's biblical. Reconcile with your enemies. 123 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:22,960 You're not on good terms with your brother or your sister 124 00:07:22,960 --> 00:07:26,720 biologically or spiritually. That's not a good place to be. 125 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:30,480 You're not you're you have enemies within the family, 126 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:33,480 within relatives or at work. Reconcile. 127 00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:36,240 Pray about this. Lord, help me to reconcile with 128 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:41,800 this brother, for Christ's glory, not sake, for Christ's 129 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:45,120 glory, so that Christ is glorified truly in your heart. 130 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:48,560 Go up to that person, pick up the phone, text that person, 131 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:51,560 send them a message. Hey, how you doing? 132 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:56,720 Let's go out for coffee. And if you get a, a, a, an 133 00:07:57,080 --> 00:08:00,960 unexpected reply that wasn't the reply that you want, that's OK, 134 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:03,160 That's OK. Don't reply back and give it 135 00:08:03,160 --> 00:08:06,560 back to the person you say, all right, I will pray for you. 136 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:09,800 Because remember Jesus, I said, if we do not forgive the sins of 137 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:13,320 those who have sinned against us, our Lord God will not 138 00:08:13,320 --> 00:08:15,840 forgive our sins. So we should not dare and pray 139 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:18,560 forgive our sins as as we have forgiven those who have sinned 140 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:21,320 against us. No, God will say, don't fool me. 141 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:23,400 You can't fool me. You can't. 142 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:27,040 No, you need to go and reconcile before you come and reconcile 143 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:29,040 with me. You reconcile with me. 144 00:08:30,040 --> 00:08:33,159 Increase your trust and patience with God. 145 00:08:33,280 --> 00:08:37,360 Trust in God. Just because the prayer hasn't 146 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:41,120 been answered within 3 seconds, it doesn't mean God is not 147 00:08:41,120 --> 00:08:44,680 listening and not hearing. God is not your servant trusting 148 00:08:44,680 --> 00:08:47,160 God. Know that God hears your praise. 149 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:50,960 God hears the prayers of a Sinner when that Sinner is is 150 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:53,680 crying out to the Lord to forgive him, to receive him. 151 00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:57,560 He hears the prayers of the sinners, beloved, but trust, 152 00:08:57,640 --> 00:09:01,840 wait, be patient with God and know that he is God. 153 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:04,520 Be still, says the scriptures, and know that I am God. 154 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:08,080 God, he's you, God has hurt you, heard you and wait. 155 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:12,120 Wait for God's time and God's action. 156 00:09:12,120 --> 00:09:16,360 How and when he will reply to your to your prayers. 157 00:09:16,560 --> 00:09:22,200 And by the way, no is an answer, so don't be upset and annoyed 158 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:25,200 because God said no because He knows best for you. 159 00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:32,840 Always keep in mind that you are are a child of God, Christians 160 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:35,120 who are listening to this podcast. 161 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:41,480 You are a child of God through your faith in Jesus Christ and 162 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:45,520 your baptism into his death. Galatians chapter 3 non 163 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:49,320 Christians, you are a creation of God. 164 00:09:49,560 --> 00:09:51,880 God loves you. That's why he said Jesus Christ. 165 00:09:52,040 --> 00:09:56,000 Turn to Christ today, today. Now when you finished here 166 00:09:56,120 --> 00:09:57,960 actually, you know you know what, stop listening. 167 00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:01,480 Get on your knees and pray to the Jesus Christ and ask him to 168 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:04,040 come into your heart and into your life and to reveal the 169 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:07,200 truth and you'll see that is Jesus Christ, not because I'm 170 00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:11,880 telling you it's the truth. Don't ever write yourself off, 171 00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:15,200 beloved. Don't ever write yourself. 172 00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:19,280 Write yourself off a fractured Reed. 173 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:24,520 Jesus does not break, and the lamp that flickers, he does not 174 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:29,480 extinguish. That means he will not kick you 175 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:32,360 while you're down. That's not how Christ works. 176 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:37,080 No, no, no, He will lift you when you lift up your eyes from 177 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:41,440 the ground and just cry out. Lord Jesus, He will lift you, 178 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:44,480 just as he did for Simon when he was sinking into the ocean. 179 00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:52,120 And always, always, always times Infinity. 180 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:56,320 Remember the parable of the prodigal son? 181 00:10:58,080 --> 00:11:00,720 He squandered all of his father's wealth. 182 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:08,560 When he returned the father ran out and embraced him and kissed 183 00:11:08,560 --> 00:11:11,480 him and the son asked for forgiveness. 184 00:11:11,480 --> 00:11:15,200 The father didn't even didn't even reply and say I forgive 185 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:17,320 you. It was already forgiven. 186 00:11:17,840 --> 00:11:20,920 We have been forgiven beloved. We just need to come to Christ 187 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:23,880 and receive that forgiven and make good of that forgiveness. 188 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:29,800 If you see yourself unfit for Christ because of your sins, 189 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:35,160 remember Romans 58. God demonstrates his love for us 190 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:41,280 because if when we were sinners the Christ died in our place. 191 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:44,480 So if you call yourself a Sinner, remember there is a 192 00:11:44,480 --> 00:11:49,480 Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Lord that has died for you 193 00:11:49,760 --> 00:11:53,600 and is awaiting your return in the new year. 194 00:11:54,160 --> 00:11:58,920 In this year, disassociate yourself with those who cause 195 00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:02,080 you to sin. Gouge them out, cut them off, 196 00:12:02,480 --> 00:12:06,080 regardless who who they are, family, friends, relatives, 197 00:12:06,120 --> 00:12:10,640 whoever they are. Avoid going to places overfilled 198 00:12:10,640 --> 00:12:14,240 with temptations. Beloved, avoid drunkenness, 199 00:12:15,080 --> 00:12:20,760 insolence, that is rudeness. Avoid sexual immorality within 200 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:24,480 marriages. We have marital problems because 201 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:32,880 one partner and most often the husband wants to enjoy what God 202 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:35,920 has given him because he's seen a few films and you know what 203 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:39,400 I'm talking about. Avoid that in marriage and most 204 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:42,760 definitely outside of marriages. Avoid lust. 205 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:46,280 Avoid envy. Continue to pray that the Lord 206 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:51,120 will deliver you. Avoid all that displeases God. 207 00:12:51,440 --> 00:12:58,400 How we go back as we begin by increasing faith through praying 208 00:12:59,880 --> 00:13:05,360 more frequently, reading the Holy Scriptures, fasting and 209 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:10,080 attending church services. And always gather around you 210 00:13:10,400 --> 00:13:15,160 those who are living in Christ so that they can influence you 211 00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:18,160 in a holy way. God bless you.