1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,120 In the name of the glorious Trinity, Father and Son and Holy 2 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:06,200 Spirit, forever Amen. Glory be to the. 3 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:09,720 Everlasting mercies which? Sent you to us, O Christ, the 4 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:11,880 light of the world and the life of all. 5 00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:15,920 Give us wisdom by your law and enlighten our impulses by Your 6 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:18,920 knowledge. Sanctify our souls by Your 7 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:22,760 truth, and grant that we may be obedient to Your words and may 8 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:24,760 fulfil Your commandments at every hour. 9 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:28,920 O You who enlightens the rational with the knowledge of 10 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:32,040 Your greatness. Do enlight, O my Lord, our 11 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:35,640 thoughts, that we may meditate upon Your holy and divine 12 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:40,360 Scriptures at all times, O Lord of all, Father and Son and Holy 13 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:41,240 Spirit. Forever. 14 00:00:42,040 --> 00:01:07,040 Amen. Haven't spoken about temptation 15 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:10,040 by now. We know their purpose and why 16 00:01:10,040 --> 00:01:15,200 God allows them. We have discussed Saint John 17 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:18,840 Chrysostom's commentary on temptation or the homilies on 18 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:21,680 temptation. Why God does not prevent 19 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:27,080 temptation from coming? First, to teach us that we are 20 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:31,440 much stronger than the temptations and the tempter in 21 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:37,400 Christ, in Jesus Christ. Secondly, not to be puffed up by 22 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:40,760 the greatness of our power through Christ. 23 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:45,640 So not to brag and be puffed up about the power we have in 24 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:49,880 Christ and take on Satan and put ourselves into some predicaments 25 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:51,920 where we will definitely be tempted. 26 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:57,680 And to teach us also that temptation has the power to 27 00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:01,760 repress us. If we take our mind and our eyes 28 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:06,560 of Christ, and we allow ourselves to be tempted, well, 29 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:12,640 we could be repressed also to assure that tempting demons that 30 00:02:12,640 --> 00:02:18,800 we have utterly forsaken them, fallen from them, when we too 31 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:22,880 demand that they go away to depart from us. 32 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:28,000 So allow God allows us to be tempted to also teach the demons 33 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:33,640 a lesson because when we forsake them and we are totally drawn 34 00:02:33,640 --> 00:02:39,840 away from them and we overcome their temptation and we are 35 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:44,840 victorious just as Jesus Christ, through Jesus Christ, not I, the 36 00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:49,840 I factor has to slowly and surely diminish from our lives 37 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:53,720 in Christendom, In Christianity, it's Christ, it's through 38 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:55,800 Christ. That's why when the priest is 39 00:02:55,800 --> 00:03:00,280 baptizing, the priest says you are baptized, this person is 40 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:04,800 baptized, I baptize, you know, it's the Holy Spirit that 41 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:09,440 baptizes, it's God who baptizes. So everything we do, we do 42 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:16,040 through Christ, and through Christ God allows us to be 43 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:20,560 tempted so that we can show demon that we can utterly 44 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:26,240 forsake him and overcome him. And again, as Christ did, we too 45 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:35,040 being Christians demand, command, rebuke Satan to be away 46 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:38,880 from us. Also, we are allowed to be 47 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:43,360 tempted that we may be aware and and acknowledge the treasures 48 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:46,360 that God has entrusted to us. We are his children. 49 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:49,320 We are heirs and Co heirs with Christ. 50 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:52,640 We are the heirs of the Kingdom of heaven. 51 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:57,640 So when we are tempted to know that, listen, you're being 52 00:03:57,640 --> 00:04:02,080 tempted because you are a child of the Kingdom, you are a child 53 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:05,440 of God. And where does Satan shoot his 54 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:09,320 flaming arrows directs them to the children of God. 55 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:13,840 So while you're being tempted, praise the Lord and, and 56 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:16,480 acknowledge and, and take heart and be encouraged. 57 00:04:17,399 --> 00:04:19,760 You know, be on fire that you are a child of God. 58 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:22,680 That is why you're going through these temptations and that is 59 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:25,680 God, why God is allowing you go to these temptations. 60 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:27,880 That's why the demons are attacking. 61 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:34,240 Now that is all well and good, but the question remains and 62 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:40,880 many have posed this question, many of my beloved youth from 63 00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:46,000 all over the world actually, the question that remains is and is 64 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:51,600 being asked, how do we identify, how do we pinpoint the rabi, the 65 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:56,160 time of temptation? Because you know, there is a 66 00:04:56,160 --> 00:05:00,000 time that Satan, there is a point in your struggle that 67 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:04,160 Satan enters. We can't blame Satan from the 68 00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:05,680 get go. And we're going to talk about 69 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:07,200 that. And we do that. 70 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:10,200 Oh, the devil made me do it. No, no, no, Sit down and think 71 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:11,360 about it. And that's what we're going to 72 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:17,440 do and take it step by step. How do we pinpoint temptation? 73 00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:24,320 How do we pinpoint the moment where Satan has drawn near to 74 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:29,440 begin to play what football with us? 75 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:34,840 All right, the moment we are tempted, in what way we are 76 00:05:34,840 --> 00:05:37,920 tempted, and what point are we tempted? 77 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:40,840 First and foremost, temptation definition. 78 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:45,920 The desire, the urge, the enticement, the luring to do 79 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:49,440 something, especially something wrong or unwise. 80 00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:55,440 And in our Christian lives as children of God and as small 81 00:05:55,440 --> 00:06:01,440 Christ's is the temptation, the lowering, the enticement, the 82 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:06,760 desire, the urge to do something which is in contrary to God's 83 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:11,520 commandment, disobeying God. Now one thing we need to 84 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:16,440 understand and unfortunately this has to be reiterated 85 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:21,920 because at times we see churches which we hear preachers that 86 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:28,240 have got it so wrong when it comes to sin, man of the cloth 87 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:31,920 or the women just doesn't sit right, does it? 88 00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:35,360 The women of the clock. In any case, we need to know and 89 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:42,560 we need to understand with God there is no compromising of sin. 90 00:06:42,880 --> 00:06:45,040 There is no justification of sin. 91 00:06:45,280 --> 00:06:50,400 God justifies the Sinner when the Sinner has confessed, 92 00:06:50,400 --> 00:06:54,560 admitted and repented and returns to Christ and asks for 93 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:58,520 forgiveness. Yes, God justifies, forgives the 94 00:06:58,520 --> 00:07:01,640 Sinner. God will not say I will forgive 95 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:05,640 you and you know what your sin, I understand, you know, no, God 96 00:07:05,640 --> 00:07:08,960 hates sin. God despises sin. 97 00:07:09,840 --> 00:07:11,760 I think sometimes we forget this. 98 00:07:11,760 --> 00:07:13,960 That's why we take sin so lightly. 99 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:18,400 Proverbs chapter 6, verses 16 and 17, the six, six and the 100 00:07:18,400 --> 00:07:21,880 seven, seven things that God hates and they all pertain to 101 00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:24,880 sin. God's not going to say, well, 102 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:27,160 you know, we can view it this way. 103 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:29,800 No, no, no, maybe it's not that way. 104 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:32,600 No, no, I don't feel. No, no, no, it's not about what 105 00:07:32,600 --> 00:07:34,880 we feel. It's God's commandment. 106 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:38,640 God will never come back and, and, and return on his 107 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:41,720 commandments and say, well, I don't feel right now. 108 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:47,480 No, no, the word that has come out of God's mouth, beloved, the 109 00:07:47,480 --> 00:07:53,760 holiness, the righteousness, the commandments, the warnings, the 110 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:59,520 blessings, the callings have not changed because the word that 111 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:04,880 has proceeded from the mouth of God will not return empty, but 112 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:07,520 it will do what it's been sent out to do. 113 00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:14,280 So when God has said that I hate sin, you know in our own words, 114 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:19,200 I hate sin in the history of the world, in the history of the 115 00:08:19,200 --> 00:08:22,720 church, the tradition of the church, which is the life of the 116 00:08:22,720 --> 00:08:27,040 Holy Spirit within the church. We have not read that one day. 117 00:08:27,440 --> 00:08:31,720 God has then said, but I understand well, you know what? 118 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:35,440 Now as far as sin is concerned, no sin is despised. 119 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:41,200 One verse is is quite evident of this Luke chapter 13 verse 3. 120 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:45,840 You know they're asking about the Galileans whose blood pilot 121 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:47,840 had mingled with their sacrifice. 122 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:51,160 They were offering sacrifices. Pilot came and and shed their 123 00:08:51,160 --> 00:09:00,080 blood or the 18 Jews upon whom the the tower of Shiloka Shiloh 124 00:09:00,680 --> 00:09:02,800 fell and killed them. They asked Jesus. 125 00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:06,320 His reply wasn't no, you know what he said no. 126 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:11,040 But I say to you, unless you repent, all you shall be 127 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:14,000 destroyed. All of you Now repent from what? 128 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:18,520 From praying, from fasting, from reading the Holy Scriptures, 129 00:09:18,680 --> 00:09:23,480 from doing good, from producing fruits of repentance, from your 130 00:09:23,560 --> 00:09:29,320 arms, giving, from holiness, no repenting, from everything that 131 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:34,480 is evil, which is sin. Unless you repent, you all shall 132 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:36,800 be destroyed. There's no compromising, 133 00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:39,880 beloved. One thing we need to understand 134 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:44,480 with God is that he doesn't compromise and that we need to 135 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:47,160 understand and always remind ourselves. 136 00:09:47,160 --> 00:09:53,520 Beloved James chapter 2 verse 11 for as the sorry James chapter 2 137 00:09:53,520 --> 00:09:57,280 verse 11 for he who listen to this very carefully. 138 00:09:57,320 --> 00:09:59,600 Oh, I do this, but I don't do that. 139 00:09:59,880 --> 00:10:03,600 Oh, I don't go that far. No, no, that you won't find that 140 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:05,600 in me. But this is my weakness. 141 00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:09,640 So just because I don't do what he does and his is, you know, a 142 00:10:09,640 --> 00:10:11,760 greater deal, while mine is justified. 143 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:17,040 No, sin is not justified. For he who said you shall not 144 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:21,080 commit adultery said also you shall not kill. 145 00:10:21,160 --> 00:10:25,080 Now if you don't commit adultery, but you kill, you have 146 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:28,480 become a transgressor of transgressor of the law. 147 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:33,160 For he who has commanded that we do not hate, that we must love, 148 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:38,800 that we must pray for my, for our enemies, has also commanded 149 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:41,280 that we must feed them when they're hungry. 150 00:10:41,280 --> 00:10:42,720 Oh, no, I'm not going to do that. 151 00:10:42,880 --> 00:10:44,640 But you know, I pray for them. No, no, no. 152 00:10:45,120 --> 00:10:48,600 The minute you say no to what God has commanded, you have 153 00:10:48,600 --> 00:10:57,680 broken God's commandment. So knowing this and more are 154 00:10:57,680 --> 00:11:03,560 God's reaction to sin, and knowing that we are constantly 155 00:11:03,560 --> 00:11:09,640 tempted to fall to sin, we too must be alert and able to 156 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:14,000 pinpoint the temptation, the time of temptation where we are 157 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:19,800 about to fall or we have fallen. We need to know that point, 158 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:24,360 point that time of Satan's interference to tempt us, to 159 00:11:24,360 --> 00:11:28,960 drop us so that we can rebuke Him in the name of our Lord and 160 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:33,360 Savior Jesus Christ. Now, when a thought is brewing 161 00:11:33,360 --> 00:11:37,400 in the mind, the thought comes to mind pertaining to what you 162 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:41,760 are struggling with, to repent from, especially during this 163 00:11:41,760 --> 00:11:46,120 time of fasting. And again, beloved, last 164 00:11:46,120 --> 00:11:51,040 Wednesday was halfway. If you still haven't fasted, you 165 00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:56,320 still have some time. You have now 22 days, I think 166 00:11:57,160 --> 00:12:01,560 you know, 23, whatever, you still have time to fast and to 167 00:12:01,560 --> 00:12:05,480 repent, not only during fasting. We spoke about that you still 168 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:09,560 have time when a thought comes to mind pertaining to what you 169 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:11,840 are struggling with to repent from. 170 00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:14,320 Especially during this time of fasting. 171 00:12:15,240 --> 00:12:18,600 The thoughts begin to brew in your mind. 172 00:12:18,840 --> 00:12:22,800 Why? Because of your desires and 173 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:25,880 lust. James chapter one verse 13. 174 00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:31,280 Your body is longing for it. Your body needs that 175 00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:38,720 satisfaction, that physical, social, immoral satisfaction. 176 00:12:38,960 --> 00:12:42,120 The mind is brewing in the the thought is in your mind. 177 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:46,280 You're trying to quit alcohol. And then there is a thought in 178 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:51,880 your mind, not just one glass. You're trying to quit ecstasy. 179 00:12:51,880 --> 00:12:56,360 You're trying to quit drugs. You're trying to quit sexual 180 00:12:56,440 --> 00:13:01,080 immorality, right? You're trying to quit anything 181 00:13:01,080 --> 00:13:04,920 and to repent from what is immoral in the eye of God. 182 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:09,600 And the thought starts brewing. You have not sinned. 183 00:13:10,640 --> 00:13:16,240 Don't throw in the towel. Don't huff and puff and start 184 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:20,760 murmuring. That is not sin at this point 185 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:24,000 and that is not temptation. Yet Satan has got nothing to do 186 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:28,960 with that right now. Your thought the the the thought 187 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:31,680 brewing in your mind is because of what you're longing for. 188 00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:37,240 You know, it's what I call it Stephen, when, when you know, 189 00:13:37,240 --> 00:13:40,000 those are on drugs and they're trying to withdrawal symptoms. 190 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:43,040 I think I got it myself. Withdrawal symptoms. 191 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:47,760 Your body is starting to. I haven't gossiped for a long 192 00:13:47,760 --> 00:13:49,600 time. I want to pick up the phone and 193 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:52,800 I want to talk. You know, it's that desire that 194 00:13:52,800 --> 00:13:56,800 is not sin at this point. What you need to do is cry out 195 00:13:57,080 --> 00:14:00,600 to the Lord Jesus Christ. Cry out to the Father and to the 196 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:04,280 Son and to the Holy Spirit. Do the sign of the cross and cry 197 00:14:04,280 --> 00:14:07,440 out to Jesus for strength. Strengthen me. 198 00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:09,080 Take these thoughts away from me. 199 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:11,800 Help me to eliminate these thoughts in my mind. 200 00:14:12,320 --> 00:14:19,160 If we neglect and entertain the thought, if you start pondering 201 00:14:19,160 --> 00:14:25,320 on it and giving it the time of the day, then something else 202 00:14:25,480 --> 00:14:29,880 kicks in, which is the Spirit of God, your conscience. 203 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:36,000 The conscience kicks in. The conscience will say, no, 204 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:39,680 don't do this. This is exactly what brought you 205 00:14:39,680 --> 00:14:42,280 down. This is why you are fasting. 206 00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:46,920 This is your repenting point. You've done well thus far. 207 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:51,280 You will grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom you were sealed 208 00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:54,960 for the day of salvation. You will disrespect God. 209 00:14:55,120 --> 00:14:57,640 You will disappoint those around you. 210 00:14:58,080 --> 00:15:01,840 Don't do it now. That too is not seen yet. 211 00:15:02,320 --> 00:15:05,840 That is not seen. That is a a thought in the mind 212 00:15:05,880 --> 00:15:10,440 and the and you're starting to slowly entertain and the the 213 00:15:10,440 --> 00:15:12,960 conscience is kicking in at this point. 214 00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:17,240 We need to cry out in the name of Jesus Christ. 215 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:21,480 Cry out to the Holy Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy 216 00:15:21,480 --> 00:15:25,280 Spirit doing the sign of the cross, that the Lord will help 217 00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:30,040 you to obey your conscience, because that is the voice of 218 00:15:30,040 --> 00:15:34,120 God, that is the Holy Spirit that is dwelling within you 219 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:37,560 where you have received in the waters of baptism. 220 00:15:38,320 --> 00:15:45,640 Cry out now, if we neglect and compromise our conscience, start 221 00:15:45,640 --> 00:15:50,440 speaking to our conscience and to start compromising it, that 222 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:55,520 is when the enemy interferes and begins to deceive, to entice and 223 00:15:55,520 --> 00:16:00,720 to destroy, to tempt. This is the it's our fault. 224 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:04,480 We allowed it because we neglected the signs. 225 00:16:04,920 --> 00:16:12,960 We neglected the signs when I before I catch the cold or I get 226 00:16:12,960 --> 00:16:16,000 the flu, my signs are, and I'm sure everyone else. 227 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:18,560 I don't know, Steven, if they are the same, you get a scratch 228 00:16:18,560 --> 00:16:22,600 in the throat, right? Your throat starts itching, and 229 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:26,120 then you're all constant. And then at night, and then you 230 00:16:26,120 --> 00:16:27,280 know, you're neglected. It's OK. 231 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:29,800 You start. You continue to drink your cold 232 00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:34,080 liquids, right? And then at night there's knives 233 00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:36,640 going through your throat. And then you wake up in the 234 00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:39,640 morning and then you're clogged. And then what do you do? 235 00:16:39,760 --> 00:16:41,600 Oh, no. I'm going to start drinking. 236 00:16:42,120 --> 00:16:45,080 Room temperature, please. Easy on the ice, Right. 237 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:47,760 But you neglected that the first time. 238 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:51,960 If we neglect and compromise our conscience, then the enemy 239 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:55,640 interferes, beloved, And he begins to deceive, entice and 240 00:16:55,640 --> 00:16:58,080 destroy. This is the spark. 241 00:16:58,280 --> 00:17:02,600 This is the trigger. This is the pinpoint of 242 00:17:02,920 --> 00:17:06,359 temptation. Satan starts whispering and 243 00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:09,800 moves you to justify it. It's OK. 244 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:13,839 You've done well thus far. You've built yourself control. 245 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:16,680 You're an Arya now. You're a man now. 246 00:17:16,839 --> 00:17:21,359 You can go and take on Satan, you can walk away from it again. 247 00:17:21,560 --> 00:17:25,560 It's a weakness and there's plenty of time for repentance. 248 00:17:25,720 --> 00:17:30,360 God is rich in mercies. You just need to return to him 249 00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:32,680 and one more time he will forgive you. 250 00:17:32,840 --> 00:17:37,800 You know, Romans chapter 3 verse 8, your evil establishes the 251 00:17:37,800 --> 00:17:40,480 justice of God. That's OK, because you're going 252 00:17:40,480 --> 00:17:43,240 to do this evil. It establishes the justice of 253 00:17:43,240 --> 00:17:44,400 God. Calvinism. 254 00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:47,040 No, no, no, they forgot to add that. 255 00:17:47,160 --> 00:17:50,280 However, will God judge the universe? 256 00:17:50,280 --> 00:17:53,480 You know, Saint Paul goes on to say, if this is so well, then 257 00:17:53,480 --> 00:17:55,200 how is God going to judge the universe? 258 00:17:55,320 --> 00:17:58,000 Well, why is he going to judge the universe of sin? 259 00:17:58,120 --> 00:18:02,560 The sins have justified, you know, gods have established 260 00:18:02,560 --> 00:18:05,680 God's justice. No, that's not how what it 261 00:18:05,680 --> 00:18:07,000 means. Let's not talk about that now. 262 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:12,480 We'll get to that. And the list goes on and on and 263 00:18:12,480 --> 00:18:15,080 on. This is the point of temptation, 264 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:20,480 But this is still not sin, because Christ was tempted, but 265 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:23,720 he didn't sin. But we need to be careful now 266 00:18:24,240 --> 00:18:26,440 just because this is still not sin. 267 00:18:26,440 --> 00:18:31,840 This is the most critical point. At this point we need to cry 268 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:35,920 out. Supplicate purple Supplupta in 269 00:18:35,920 --> 00:18:37,600 the Assyrian language. Supplupta. 270 00:18:37,920 --> 00:18:41,200 Supplification, perseverance. Sorry, I'm sorry. 271 00:18:41,760 --> 00:18:47,680 Persuasion, persuade, besiege. In the name of Jesus Christ, 272 00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:50,480 beseech the Holy Trinity for deliverance. 273 00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:55,920 If we neglect this, if we neglect the temptation and take 274 00:18:55,920 --> 00:18:59,760 them lightly, it's OK, you know. Yeah, you know, I'm going to. 275 00:19:00,240 --> 00:19:02,800 I'm going to do it this time. And you give in to those 276 00:19:02,800 --> 00:19:08,280 temptations. You have sinned when you you're 277 00:19:08,280 --> 00:19:11,120 trying to repent and quit gambling. 278 00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:14,480 But the thought has come to mind and it's only $100. 279 00:19:14,480 --> 00:19:17,120 It's OK, I've done really well. You know what, I'm just going to 280 00:19:17,120 --> 00:19:19,040 go and play 100. You go there, you play your 281 00:19:19,040 --> 00:19:21,680 hundred, you workout with $2000 losing money. 282 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:25,400 You know, it's just one glass. The alcoholic, just one shot of 283 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:27,200 whatever, you know, Black label, one shot. 284 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:29,120 You have one shot. And then you're laying on the 285 00:19:29,120 --> 00:19:31,360 ground and you're vomiting and you're and you're and you're 286 00:19:31,360 --> 00:19:34,000 just ridiculous. Just despicable, right? 287 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:35,800 Or just one more pill. It's OK. 288 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:37,080 Just one more pill. You know what? 289 00:19:37,280 --> 00:19:38,640 It's OK. I love you. 290 00:19:38,760 --> 00:19:41,960 Let's just have an intimate. Let's have a sexual relationship 291 00:19:41,960 --> 00:19:42,840 now. It's OK. 292 00:19:42,960 --> 00:19:46,720 You know, it's immoral. It's, it's, it's, it's, it's 293 00:19:46,720 --> 00:19:49,200 adultery, it's fornication. It's OK. 294 00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:50,480 God is mercy. I love you. 295 00:19:50,480 --> 00:19:52,080 You know I love you. It's love. 296 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:57,120 These are all the justifications of sin that Satan puts in your 297 00:19:57,120 --> 00:19:58,120 mind. Quit it. 298 00:19:58,680 --> 00:20:00,840 And not only during fasting, beloved. 299 00:20:00,840 --> 00:20:06,800 Not only during fasting. My beloved sisters, listen to 300 00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:09,920 me. If your boyfriend who loves you 301 00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:13,680 so much and respects you and asks you to send him pictures in 302 00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:19,560 nude, nude pictures, spit in his face and rebuke him in the name 303 00:20:19,560 --> 00:20:27,120 of Jesus Christ. Not only during fasting, no, if 304 00:20:27,120 --> 00:20:31,600 your boyfriend or your fiance loves you so much and wants to, 305 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:37,560 wants to take advantage of that beautiful gift that God has 306 00:20:37,560 --> 00:20:41,360 given you, which is your virginity, spit in his face and 307 00:20:41,360 --> 00:20:43,360 rebuke him in the name of Jesus Christ. 308 00:20:44,560 --> 00:20:50,480 Vice versa, by the way, vice versa, my beloved brothers, if 309 00:20:50,480 --> 00:20:54,760 your girlfriend or your fiance is enticing you to enter the 310 00:20:54,760 --> 00:20:58,440 bed, spit in her face and rebuke her in the name of Jesus Christ, 311 00:20:58,520 --> 00:21:02,640 That's what you need to do. Neglect it and you've seen you 312 00:21:02,640 --> 00:21:05,080 have fallen and don't blame Satan. 313 00:21:05,440 --> 00:21:10,040 No, blame yourself because you forgot when the when the when 314 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:13,080 the thoughts started brewing in your mind, you neglected it when 315 00:21:13,080 --> 00:21:17,480 your conscience, the spirit was saying no, no, don't do that. 316 00:21:18,280 --> 00:21:21,760 You just neglected it, and then the enemy was alert. 317 00:21:21,800 --> 00:21:25,360 Oh yes, this is time now. It's my show now. 318 00:21:25,680 --> 00:21:28,080 The curtains have gone up. It's my time now. 319 00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:32,920 If we neglect the temptation and take them lightly, beloved, and 320 00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:37,680 act upon them, you have sinned. At this point we need to cry 321 00:21:37,680 --> 00:21:42,680 out, supplicate, beseech the name of our Lord Jesus Christ 322 00:21:42,680 --> 00:21:47,320 for forgiveness of sin, joining the prodigal son in confessing 323 00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:51,720 my father. I have sinned toward heaven and 324 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:56,440 before you, Luke 1521, and that means I have abandoned the 325 00:21:56,440 --> 00:22:01,520 heavenly things, preferring shameful, meaningless earthly 326 00:22:01,520 --> 00:22:05,640 things to heavenly things. I was in a beautiful spiritual 327 00:22:05,640 --> 00:22:11,120 realm, and then my thoughts went to my earthly evil and I gave 328 00:22:11,120 --> 00:22:14,160 into them. At this point, beloved, we need 329 00:22:14,160 --> 00:22:20,600 to come back with a contrite spirit, confession, admission, 330 00:22:21,200 --> 00:22:27,040 and asking God to forgive. And this all because we 331 00:22:27,040 --> 00:22:32,240 neglected and compromised our weaknesses, our wickedness, our 332 00:22:32,680 --> 00:22:36,040 evil. This is why during Lent we 333 00:22:36,040 --> 00:22:41,680 refrain from all social, all humour, all celebratory events, 334 00:22:41,680 --> 00:22:44,080 regardless of what they are. Why? 335 00:22:44,240 --> 00:22:47,880 Because the church wants her children to just have one thing 336 00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:51,680 in mind, to occupy their minds with one thing that is above, 337 00:22:51,680 --> 00:22:53,960 setting their minds on the things that are above and 338 00:22:53,960 --> 00:22:57,240 nothing else. On repentance and righteousness 339 00:22:57,280 --> 00:23:01,040 and holiness. And not only during land. 340 00:23:01,080 --> 00:23:04,280 We've spoke about that. There is another there's I think 341 00:23:04,360 --> 00:23:08,960 it was 2 episodes ago, not only during during Lent, but during 342 00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:15,200 the whole life on earth that we have beloved and Satan doesn't 343 00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:19,280 only come and tempt us during land by the way, Satan will 344 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:22,640 tempt us until the Lord returns to deliver us finally from these 345 00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:27,640 trickeries I want to share with you morning prayers of the 4th 346 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:31,160 Sunday of Lent. Maria, the third Catholic was 347 00:23:31,160 --> 00:23:34,320 patriarch, I think 4th century. Correct me if I'm wrong. 348 00:23:34,320 --> 00:23:37,360 My beloved priests or those who are aware with the father's 349 00:23:37,360 --> 00:23:38,920 writing. Look at what he says. 350 00:23:39,120 --> 00:23:41,960 Look at what we prayed and he's holding us prayed this because 351 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:45,440 he was at our the Mother Day parish for the 4th Sunday of 352 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:48,000 Lent. All of the goodness and 353 00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:51,080 provisions of God we have taken for granted. 354 00:23:51,160 --> 00:23:54,640 All of the glory that have been given from you to us. 355 00:23:54,880 --> 00:23:58,360 We took lightly and substituted them. 356 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:01,280 All of the precepts. Substituted them. 357 00:24:01,280 --> 00:24:04,920 All of the precepts and commandments which were for our 358 00:24:04,920 --> 00:24:11,120 correction in disobedience. As swines we looked at them. 359 00:24:11,360 --> 00:24:16,240 The gospel promises upon which our lives hang, we took that we 360 00:24:16,240 --> 00:24:19,280 were disobedient to them. As swines we looked at them. 361 00:24:20,160 --> 00:24:24,640 We perceived as irrelevant. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. 362 00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:29,720 All of the gospel promises upon which our lives hang we 363 00:24:29,720 --> 00:24:33,600 perceived as irrelevant. Irrelevant. 364 00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:36,480 Thy shall not murder, thy shall not kill. 365 00:24:36,480 --> 00:24:39,240 Love your enemies, live a holy life. 366 00:24:39,520 --> 00:24:44,520 Irrelevant As lunatics in complete error, we perceived 367 00:24:44,520 --> 00:24:47,760 irrelevant. We lived inhumanely. 368 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:51,880 We have distant righteousness from ourselves, as we have not 369 00:24:51,880 --> 00:24:56,240 pleased to live in righteousness, but rather we are 370 00:24:56,240 --> 00:24:59,920 likened to beasts and have become like them. 371 00:25:00,120 --> 00:25:04,240 We were committed to animals and we took on their habits. 372 00:25:04,400 --> 00:25:08,600 We did not withhold our mouths, and we're not satisfied by each 373 00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:11,840 other's flesh. Halted the slit udala and did 374 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:15,240 not seize our tongues from quarrelling and grumbling 375 00:25:15,360 --> 00:25:17,880 against one another. Did not cease. 376 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:24,080 Murder, fornication, adultery, immorality and theft are acted 377 00:25:24,080 --> 00:25:28,240 in our deeds. Envy, deceit, pride and boasting 378 00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:30,280 are completely perfected within us. 379 00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:36,160 Dems are confessing words, beloved, when the priest is. 380 00:25:36,360 --> 00:25:39,320 When His Holiness was praying, he was praying on behalf of the 381 00:25:39,320 --> 00:25:43,080 Church, confessing on behalf of the church. 382 00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:47,640 Vans are confessing words, admission, admission words, 383 00:25:47,880 --> 00:25:54,240 alarming words. The beginning of temptation is 384 00:25:54,240 --> 00:25:58,000 the beginning of our compromising and justifying of 385 00:25:58,040 --> 00:26:04,880 our weakness and wickedness. But we have salvation, we have 386 00:26:04,880 --> 00:26:10,120 hope, we have deliverance through Jesus Christ our Lord, 387 00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:13,920 our King, our God, our life Giver and the forgiver of our 388 00:26:13,920 --> 00:26:15,560 sins. Praise and glory be to His Holy 389 00:26:15,560 --> 00:26:17,840 name now and at all times and forever. 390 00:26:18,600 --> 00:26:47,040 Amen. We hope you enjoyed this week's 391 00:26:47,040 --> 00:26:49,360 message. Please don't forget to rate and 392 00:26:49,360 --> 00:26:52,080 review this podcast and share with your friends and family. 393 00:26:52,360 --> 00:26:55,840 For any future topic suggestions or to give us detailed feedback, 394 00:26:56,120 --> 00:26:58,400 please visit our link in the show notes. 395 00:26:58,680 --> 00:27:03,080 Linktr dot EE forward slash double edged sword. 396 00:27:03,560 --> 00:27:05,280 Until next time, God bless you all.