Candice Lucey

Learn about the Greek Orthodox Church's beliefs, rituals, and roots. 

Christ is more powerful than Satan. He has the ultimate power to expose his lies. Use this power to protect yourself, by calling on the indwelling Holy Spirit for discernment, by calling on the Father in prayer, and by soaking up every word of truth Jesus spoke.

Christians – sometimes even non-Christians – frequently consult the Psalms when they are discouraged, sad, or afraid. There is a lot of comfort in those pages for women, despite the fact that men wrote the Psalms. Yet, we know that the real, divine writer of Psalms was God and it is his direction, encouragement, and love which emanates from every verse.

Some of the most common reasons women feel afraid or discouraged include loneliness, inadequacy, and vulnerability. They are afraid for their safety and the safety of their loved ones. Women often feel overlooked, unseen, and underappreciated at work and in the home. Here then are four ways women can find encouragement in the Psalms.

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We experience peace in spite of painful circumstances by trusting God to be Lord, and this faith blesses God. He wants to know that we trust him. He wants the world to see this too; inward calm during anxious times.

Biblical marriage is a beautiful representation of the marriage of Christ to his Church. “My soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest” (Isaiah 61:10).

Revelation 19:7 echoes this Old Testament verse with its joyous tone: “Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready.”

Christian churches typically encourage a man and a woman not to live together before they get married, and not to forgo the ceremony. A wedding doesn’t have to be expensive, but declaring vows in front of other people provides accountability to everyone.

Husband and wife are now accountable to each other and to the Body of Christ. If one party openly engages in sins and a member of the church witnesses the activity, that member has the responsibility of declaring the truth and leading this person back to the cross.

My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins (James 5:19-20).

Married couples can also become mentors to younger brides and grooms. Their relationship is designed to be an expression of the relationship between a person and his or her Savior, one in which there is grace, forgiveness, mercy, gentleness, loyalty, humility, generosity, trustworthiness, and so on.

Marriage is a great friendship, and the Bible has a lot to say about it, but much of what is written is taken out of context or overlooked in the modern world, leading to the proliferation of damaging lies. Here are five myths about biblical marriage.

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Holy Saturday — the day between Christ's crucifixion and His resurrection — was the longest, darkest silence in all of human history. And yet, even then, God had not abandoned His plan. Even then, morning was coming. Tonight's episode is an invitation to rest in that truth, wherever you find yourself. To let the story of that sacred Saturday remind you that your waiting is not wasted, your tears are not unseen, and the One who conquered death has not forgotten your name. Weeping may stay for the night — but rejoicing is coming in the morning.

If our hearts are right with the Lord, we see that being a helpmate is not the issue; both the man’s and the woman’s perspective has been problematic. Sin has crept into the relationship and into the ways we view God’s perfect design for relationships.

If you are embarking on a Bible Study this year, that is good news. You want to know more about God - his character, his works, and who you are in light of his goodness and glory. King David wrote “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” and “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:11, 105).

You know that Scripture is our weapon against the enemy, it guides us and encourages us. But there are so many studies out there – where do you start? Here are five suggestions to help you navigate through the many products sold in both secular and Christian bookstores, through Christian websites and at churches.

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Have you ever wondered if God is still disappointed in you? Psalm 85 reminds us that His mercy restores what we could never fix on our own. This devotional invites you to rest in His forgiveness and reflect that same grace to others.

At times, we reach our limits. In The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall, one of the characters – Jeffrey – reaches his breaking point after learning the identity of his father. Skye Penderwick finds him on a small island, not wanting to talk as he sits in anger and exhaustion. Instead of prodding him to explain or urging him to cheer up, she waits. Later, her sister Jane brings a bag stuffed with food, including a chocolate pie. Skye bravely takes the bag to her friend, who wonders what’s inside. In response to his question, she simply says, “Nourishment … Jane and Mercedes made the sandwiches, and Batty sent your clarinet, and Aunt Claire sent love” (Yearling, 2011, p. 242). They eat and, slowly, Skye sees the color return to Jeffrey’s face.

This example from a beloved children’s classic reflects how the Lord often deals with us in our tiredness. He did not rebuke Elijah when the prophet fled in desperation and sat under a broom tree, requesting to die. Neither did God urge him to merely have “more faith.” The Lord instead provided Elijah with food and time to rest (1 Kings 19:3-7). Only then was the prophet able to journey to the mountain of the Lord and be reminded that he was not alone in his devotion to God (1 Kings 19:18).

What we often need during periods of exhaustion is nourishment, both physical and spiritual. For we were not designed to push through any and every circumstance as if we were machines. Humans are finite, limited creatures; we need rest and replenishment, including time to feast on the Word of God (Matthew 4:4).

So, let us take a nap or prepare a favorite meal, and then pull out our Bibles to find nourishment whenever we reach our breaking point.

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Stress can be a good thing if it motivates us to get things done and to face the realities of our life. But stress can also hurt us when it builds up without resolution, when there seems to be no relief from the internal and external pressures of life.

Stress is to peace what darkness is to light, but we can find the greatest peace amid the most intense periods of our lives. In fact, we can only recognize a depth of rest in Christ – his shalom – when we know what stress feels like. God can restore our peace with his steadfast presence and the truth of his Word.

Here are seven verses and prayers to read when you feel stressed.

1. Not In the Earthquake

“And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper” (1 Kings 19:11-12).

Father,

It feels like earthquakes and strong winds are exploding all around me. My world is not safe. When will the stressors let up? I just want to run away. But you, Lord, have called me to stand still and wait and listen. I need your patience and strength, Father; help me to stand still and switch off the racing thoughts in my head so I can hear you whisper to me with your gentle, Fatherly voice.

Let me hear that I am not condemned by you; stress is not some form of punishment. Right now, the other voices – of rejection, criticism, anger, pressure – are so loud. If you are humbling me, please let it be so that I can curl up, small and meek under the cacophony, to hear your low, authoritative voice coming to find me.

Amen.

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Popularly regarded as a fasting period, there are many ways to make the Lenten period meaningful without missing meals. What is Lent and why should one take part? Does every participant follow a strict Lenten plan of rigid self-denial? 

David is known as "a man after God's on heart," but he was still a very sinful human. In Psalm 7, he calls himself righteous, and also mentions the righteousness of God. How can we compare these two forms of righteousness: one from a fallen man trying his best, and one from an all-powerful, always just God?

There's a common belief that we can worship God in whatever way feels best to us. But Jesus does give us specific boundaries for how we should worship Him. One of those is found in the book of John, when He tells us to worship "in spirit and truth." Let's take a look at what this means and how it impacts our worship.