2012 Papal Christmas Message January 8, 2012
Posted by daniel ayad in History & Tradition.add a comment
My beloved children in the lands of immigration, clergy and laity.
My greetings and love to you, wishing you all goodness from the Lord. Hoping that you are all growing in grace and in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I congratulate you on the Feast of the Nativity and for the beginning of a New Year, may it be new for you in all things and especially for your spirituality. Amongst the words that I remember on the occasion of the Feast of the Nativity, is what was said about Him during His Incarnation, that He “went about doing good.” (Acts 10:38)
It is a lesson to us in our lives, to be like Him, going about doing good.
Happy New Year! December 31, 2011
Posted by daniel ayad in prayer.add a comment
Happy New Year everyone! I’m wishing everyone a blessed 2012 filled with Christ and have compiled a short 2012 prayer below:
We thank You dear Lord for preserving our life for another year
We thank You for kindness, compassion and love for not just the last 12 months, but over our whole lifetime
We thank You for keeping us strong and faithful, by realising that we need to depend and totally trust in You
We thank You in all the successes and failures over the last year
Trusting in God, not man – Part 2 December 23, 2011
Posted by daniel ayad in Contemporary issues.2 comments
Recently I was told that I would be out of my full time job. My contract was coming to an end at the conclusion of the year, and I was told that it would not be renewed for two main reasons. The first is that the teacher that I was replacing over the past year was coming back, and the second is that the school wanted to go with a more experienced teacher who had joined shortly after my appointment. But interestingly as I learned before, God has usually very different ways than man. (more…)
Count your blessings December 20, 2011
Posted by daniel ayad in Contemporary issues.add a comment
If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world.
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish some place you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.
If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death, you are more blessed than 3 billion people in the world.
If your parents are still alive and still married, you are very rare.
If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.
If you can hold someone’s hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder, you are blessed because you can offer a healing touch.
If you can read this message, you are more blessed than 2 billion people in the world that cannot read at all.
(Taken from the Spring of Love, Issue No: 1128, pg 9, author anonymous)
The Islamic Invasion December 12, 2011
Posted by daniel ayad in Comparative theology.add a comment
Dr Robert Morey is a famous scholar who has written numerous books, with many having a focus on Islam. One of his books, titled “The Islamic Invasion”, has generated great interest and controversy in the last decade. I haven’t read the book, but have told several people who are interested in understanding the truth of Islam to read it. I have also watched a few debates with Dr Morey, and he is absolutely convicting of the bible compared to his opponent every time. You really experience the truth of the bible dominanting over fallacies.
I would encourage everybody to learn about Islam, and comparative theology for that matter, in order to give an answer to anybody that questions you about your faith.
Enjoy the debates attached and spread them. You would be suprised how many people are willing to listen.
Interesting facts about Jupiter December 6, 2011
Posted by daniel ayad in Science.add a comment
Anybody that has ventured into the astronomical world will be amazed at what is present for man to see. One object, Jupiter, is easily available for man to see. I believe it is an extremely interesting object that God has created. Here are some interesting facts on the biggest planet in our solar system.
Shift your focus November 26, 2011
Posted by daniel ayad in Behaviour.2 comments
In life, with all its circumstances and troubles, it is of paramount importance to keep perspective. Life throws up many challenges and troubles, even if you are a good person. Bad things happen to good people.
No matter who you are in life, things (good and bad) will happen to you. The question is, when things happen to you what direction is your focus. Is the focus of your circumstances on yourself…..or is the focus on God.
Prayer of Repentance November 19, 2011
Posted by daniel ayad in Unique.add a comment
The bible is crystal clear that man needs to consistenly repent of his mistakes and sins. There is no man without sin and thus there is no man who is not in need of repentance. Everybody is a sinner and has fallen short of the glory of God, but our loving God accepts our repentance at any time.
Here is a prayer to keep yourself in check:
I’m always right! November 13, 2011
Posted by daniel ayad in Behaviour, Biblical.add a comment
Some people in this world are very opinionated. When these people have an opinion they may be very local in expressing their opinion, going even to great lengths to fight for it. I’m sure many of you can relate to people who think they are never wrong…or perhaps more commonly associated with the saying ‘I’m always right’. I wonder why this attitude is prevalent in society today, and what the effects are.
Teaching doctrine in the world we live today October 31, 2011
Posted by daniel ayad in Contemporary issues.add a comment
I recently heard an interesting sermon which spoke about teaching doctrine in the world we live today. The sermon was given by Fr Thomas Hopko who has been an Orthodox priest for a number of decades. He described the approach and methodology that Christians should use to teach doctrine in today’s ever changing world. A loose transcript has been provided below:
