Christian Living and Doctrines – Page 5 – Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church Sunday School Department

“Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy” (Psalm 126:5)

Tears have much power in spiritual life in pleading God for what is vital. Our heart cries out towards the Lord seeking leniency, deliverance or else salvation. It is our hope in bringing peace and liberty to live in eternal life. Prophet David says, “Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy.” (Psalm 126:5) His words are the clarification of all the pain, anguish and sorrow we embrace in our Christianity for the Love of Lord and Jesus Christ. We have cried out for His mercy, hope and sovereignty. The strength of us though any impediments is our faith on God and His work of salvation. It is the believe in Him that passes the trial in Christian life. The truth of true life in Christ is, baring all the pain and torment brought upon us for His will is the salvation of mankind. Our deed is the seed we sow on earthly life and reap in joy in the Kingdom of Heaven in heritance.

Hope

Life without hope is empty; hope is strength in our spirituality. We can overcome any quandaries in our lives if we have hope. After the first man Adam ate the forbidden fruit and was sent out of heaven sentenced for death, he suffered much but pleaded God in sorrow and tears. Then the Lord had mercy and vowed to save him. So, Adam waited in hope for 5500 years.

Patience

Most fruitful and ample as it is, patience is filled with endurance and perseverance. As we know it is a gift from the Holy Spirit. Saint James said, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1:2-4) The Apostle told us that patience makes us perfect which means to lack nothing. He is saying to ask the Lord for patience which will be given to us.

Diligence

Diligence as written in Biblical Dictionary is, “Conscientious hard work and perseverance, particularly with regard to a relationship with God. In Scripture diligence is highly commended. It may however be misguided.”

In Christianity, diligence is our routine prayer, fast and prostration aside the alms giving, feeding and nurturing the poor. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has taught about diligence through the apostles during the apostasy era.

“Love one another” (John 13:34)

The most powerful and wonderful feeling in the history of mankind is ‘Love.’ It is the reason for our existence since without it, we shall not survive life on earth. Humans are to love one another for it is the command of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is written in the gospel of Saint John as, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)

Rise up!

Man came to be alive for a life given by God, with His precious work. He created Him from dust and wind, then saw how great it was! He gave him life for he could live in heaven forever. Unfortunate to all the human race though for the first mankind ate the forbidden fruit and brought death upon the world.

Human beings were to die eternally for it would not have been for the Holy Father, who send His Holy Son for the salvation of men and Lord and Savior Jesus Christ defeating the enemy Satan and overcame death. The rise of Lord Jesus Christ is thus the life after death in Kingdom of Heaven.

Faithfulness

Dear Children of God, how are you? How is school? Are you studying well? How about your Christian life? How are you doing during the Great Fast? Hope you have been brave and strong to pass all your exams and be obedient in your Christianity! Good!

Dear Children! Christianity is revealed through our work. God always would like us to be good, obedient and strong. He wants us to live by His law and obey Him so that He would give us everlasting happiness. He likes His children to have good heart, smart mind and strengthfull life in which He wishes to take us to Him in the heavens where there is only happiness but not sadness, peace but not destruction, love but no hatred. So people live happily ever after in heaven. Children, amongst the deed that God love, faithfulness is one of them.

Fast of Nineveh

The Fast of Nineveh is a three-day fast starting Monday to Wednesday usually abstaining from all dairy foods and meat products. Moreover, it is to more meticulously abstain from food and drink altogether for three consecutive days. This year’s fast starts from Tir 29 (February 6) and ends at Yekatit 1 (February 8).

Christians Living

Dear Children of God! How are you? How is school? Are you studying well and following you’re your teacher’s lesson? We hope you are doing well in your study! Children, it is very important to be good and brave students for a brighter future and happy ending.

Dear Children of God! If we acquire (get) knowledge, it is likely that we become wise, intelligent and brave having all the good answers for our every questions in our lives. We do not only have the right responds for all the tests that our teachers give us but also for every mystery (secret) of life. But this becomes true or possible when we follow the ten commandments doing all the good endeavors (work). We have to be good children of God and Christians. So, today we will teach you how to be Christians in Christians living. First let us see what it means to be Christian.

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21)

Once Pope Shenouda III in his homily said, “The person with peace of heart, does not fear evil, for he says to the Lord as David the Prophet says, “If I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” (Psalm 23:4) The faithful person lives in peace, for God exists and acts; manages all. He is the protector and the helper.

However, the one who has lost peace, even imagines difficulties when they do not exist, and even though there is Divine power surrounding him, he does not recognize it, and that is his great crisis. If you have an accepted prayer, you shall live in peace, and you will feel that since you have placed your troubles in prayer before God, and that He has received your case and surrounds it with His abundant mercies, He will lift your sufferings. And in the beginning of this new year, we pray that God intervenes and solves the problems of individuals and nations, even if they seem complicated and unsolvable. “For that which is impossible with men, is possible with God.” (Homily in Saint George and Saint Shenouda Coptic Orthodox Church, January 7, 2006)

Saint Paul said, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21). Hominid shall have patient in overcoming every harms and pass his test than to face them by force using physical power. Lord Jesus Christ told us, “In the world you will have tribulation.” (John 16:33) “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ” (Matthew 11:28) It is even more better to do good by and for our enemy for satan will anguish towards us in seeing the predicament be solved and the devil will depart far.