Blog entries from Jason Barker

Orthodox Life Tips: Overcoming Lust

Jason Barker — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:24:26 +0100

A Holy Father on overcoming lust with spiritual remembrance.

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Much of modern advertising and entertainment is directed toward building up and promoting lust. You might wonder, then, how is it possible to overcome this passion?

A brother once asked a holy father, 'With what is a man able to overcome lust?'

The Old Man answered, 'With spiritual Read More...

Orthodox Life Tips: The Only Opinion that Matters

Jason Barker — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 05:01:49 +0100

Archimandrite Sophrony on caring more about God's opinion than the world's.

Click here to listen to today's episode of Orthodox Life Tips. Never miss an episode by subscribing via RSS or iTunes.

It can seem like life is simply a popularity contest: most people strive to be more liked, more noticed, more “successful” than others around them. But Archimandrite Sophrony tells us that we need to be concerned about the only opinion that matters:

Christ gave usRead More...

The Future of Get Wisdom is in Your Hands!

Jason Barker — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 01:41:31 +0100

For over 6 ½ years I’ve been producing Bible study materials for Orthodox Christian teens, and for almost 2 ½ years I’ve been producing the Get Wisdom podcast. I've created a special episode of Get Wisdom because I need your feedback.

I love studying the Bible, and I love sharing Bible study with Orthodox Christian teens and adults. But now, after years of creating these—and other materials—I have a bit of a dilemma: I need to make some choices abRead More...

Orthodox Life Tips: Lead Us Not Into Temptation

Jason Barker — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 02:49:33 +0100

St. Benedict of Nursia on depending upon God to overcome temptation.

Click here to listen to today's episode of Orthodox Life Tips. Never miss an episode by subscribing via RSS or iTunes.

Among the things for which we ask in the Lord’s Prayer is, “Lead us not into temptation.” St. Benedict of Nursia tells us we’ll never overcome temptation without God’s help:

These words, brothers, are warning enough that we should be on our guard. We muRead More...

Orthodox Life Tips: Overcoming Listlessness

Jason Barker — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:38:25 +0100

St. Symeon the New Theologian on the spiritual danger of being listless.

Click here to listen to today's episode of Orthodox Life Tips. Never miss an episode by subscribing via RSS or iTunes.

Most of us have experienced days where we don’t want to do anything—even get out of bed. Sometimes we truly need physical rest, but other times we’re simply listless or sluggish.

St. Symeon the New Theologian puts listlessness into its spiritual context when he sRead More...

Orthodox Life Tips: Created for Eternal Life

Jason Barker — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 04:37:57 +0100

St. Tikhon of Zadonsk on making our eternal life our primary concern.

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As I record this we’re at roughly the half-way point in Great Lent, where some of the disciplines of the season can begin to feel a bit wearying. St. Tikhon of Zadonsk reminds us why we discipline ourselves like this now:

Beloved Christians! We are created not for temporal buRead More...

Orthodox Life Tips: A Prayer for Great Lent

Jason Barker — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 02:17:07 +0100

St. Gregory the Dialogist with a prayer for Great Lent.

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Here’s a prayer for Great Lent from St. Gregory the Dialogist:

O Almighty Lord, who hast made all created things in wisdom, and by Thine inexpressible providence and great goodness hast brought us to these all-holy days, for the purification of body and soul, for the controlling ofRead More...

Orthodox Life Tips: If You Know It, Do It

Jason Barker — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 05:21:27 +0100

St. John of Karpathos on true spiritual knowledge and virtue.

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You might have heard there's a difference between theoretical knowledge and applied knowledge. This might be the case in intellectual studies, but it's not the case in the Orthodox Christian life.

St. John of Karpathos says:

Some hold that the practice of the virtues constiRead More...

Orthodox Life Tips: The Kingdom of God

Jason Barker — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 04:02:17 +0100

Blessed Theophylact on the kingdom of God and our lives.

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We often hear about the kingdom of God, but what exactly is it? Blessed Theophylact answers:

When a man's disposition and way of life are like that of an angel, most assuredly this is the kingdom of God. For God indeed is said to rule as King when nothing worldly meddles in the governing of ourRead More...

Orthodox Life Tips: What Have You Done for Christ?

Jason Barker — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 04:21:59 +0100

St. Ephrem the Syrian on whether we sacrifice ourselves for Christ.

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President John F. Kennedy famously said, "Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country." St. Ephrem the Syrian says something similar about our relationship with Christ:

On that dreadful and amazing day, You shall say to us sinRead More...

Orthodox Life Tips: Look with a Pure Eye

Jason Barker — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 04:00:58 +0100

St. Makarios the Great on how we should view other people.

Click here to listen to today's episode of Orthodox Life Tips. Never miss an episode by subscribing via RSS or iTunes.

If you pay any attention to what passes for political or cultural discourse, you'll notice that it generally consists of thinking as badly of others as possible, and expressing your disgust as pointedly as possible.

This is the exact opposite of what St. Makarios the Great exhorts us to do:

Orthodox Life Tips: You Can Experience Full Joy

Jason Barker — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 02:00:38 +0100

St. Peter of Damascus on how to experience joy.

Click here to listen to today's episode of Orthodox Life Tips. Never miss an episode by subscribing via RSS or iTunes.

Would you like to experience full joy? I'm not talking about simple happiness, or short-term excitement, but a truly joyful life.

St. Peter of Damascus tells us how:

Freedom from anxiety makes (the heart) rejoice and give thanks; and the grateful offering of thanks augments the gifts of grace itRead More...

Orthodox Life Tips: Think Always of God

Jason Barker — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 07:08:43 +0100

A story about Abba John the Dwarf and a camel driver.

Click here to listen to today's episode of Orthodox Life Tips. Never miss an episode by subscribing via RSS or iTunes.

The Christian life should always be focused on God. I love this story about the focus Abba John the Dwarf had:

A camel driver came one day to pick up some goods and take them elsewhere. Going inside to bring him what he had woven, Abba John forgot about it because his spirit was fixed in God. So oRead More...

Orthodox Life Tips: It's Time to Get Up!

Jason Barker — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 04:32:46 +0100

St. Simeon of Thessalonika on the first thing you should do each day.

Click here to listen to today's episode of Orthodox Life Tips. Never miss an episode by subscribing via RSS or iTunes.

What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? St. Simeon of Thessalonica says we should first think of Christ:

All Christians, clergy, laity and monks, when rising from sleep must first think of and remember Christ. They must offer this remembrance to Christ as a Read More...

Orthodox Life Tips: Christ is Everything

Jason Barker — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 04:16:01 +0100

Elder Porphyrios on the beauty and joy of knowing Christ.

Click here to listen to today's episode of Orthodox Life Tips. Never miss an episode by subscribing via RSS or iTunes.

I want you to stop what you’re doing, stand before an icon of Jesus Christ, and think about these words from Elder Porphyrios:

Christ is Everything. He is joy, He is life, He is light. He is the true light who makes man joyful, Christ is Everything. He is joy, He makes him soar with happRead More...

Orthodox Life Tips: What Do You Intend to Do?

Jason Barker — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 05:38:54 +0100

St. Kosmas Aitolos on the importance of our intentions.

Click here to listen to today's episode of Orthodox Life Tips. Never miss an episode by subscribing via RSS or iTunes.

Orthodox Christianity strongly emphasizes how we live and what we do, but even more important is the reason for which we do these things. St. Kosmas Aitolos says two things that really focus on our intentions.

First he says, “If we want to do something but cannot, then before God, who knowRead More...

Orthodox Life Tips: True Intelligence

Jason Barker — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 03:52:45 +0100

St. Antony the Great on the attributes of true intelligence.

Click here to listen to today's episode of Orthodox Life Tips. Never miss an episode by subscribing via RSS or iTunes.

You may have noticed that some people over-emphasize intellect and knowledge, while other people seem to be proud of their lack of intellect and knowledge. St. Antony the Great shows us the shallowness of this debate by focusing on true intelligence:

People are generally called intelligent Read More...

Orthodox Life Tips: How Should You Respond When You've Overcome a Sin?

Jason Barker — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 07:48:25 +0100

Abbot Nikon on how you should respond after you've overcome a sin.

Click here to listen to today's episode of Orthodox Life Tips. Never miss an episode by subscribing via RSS or iTunes.

In the last episode we heard how we should respond when we sin. But what about the opposite? How should we respond when we avoid or overcome a sin?

Abbot Nikon answers:

Remember that by your own power you will gain nothing. Always call upon the Lord Jesus Christ for help in alRead More...

Orthodox Life Tips: What Should You Do When You Sin?

Jason Barker — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 06:05:36 +0100

Lorenzo Scupoli on how you should respond after you've sinned.

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What should you do when you sin? What impact should it have on you? Lorenzo Scupoli answers:

If you happen to be wounded by succumbing to some sin through weakness, or through the faulty nature of your character...do not lose heart and fall into senseless turmoil. Above all do notRead More...

Orthodox Life Tips: How Did You Pay for That?

Jason Barker — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 05:16:37 +0100

St. Kosmas Aitolos on using ill-gotten money to pay for good works.

Click here to listen to today's episode of Orthodox Life Tips. Never miss an episode by subscribing via RSS or iTunes.

There is a long-standing practice in many cultures for people to try to justify or cleanse themselves through making big donations or building public institutions. It can be surprising to learn how many monuments, buildings and the like were paid for by men who lived truly evil lives.