“The Prayer Team” is a daily devotion written by Fr. Stavros N. Akrotirianakis, written every day since February 2015. Fr. Stavros is the Parish Priest at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church in Tampa, Florida. It began in February 2015 as an opportunity to write more on the subject of prayer and now has branched into other subjects.
For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who Read more
O Lord, how manifold are Thy works! In wisdom hast Thou made them all; the earth is full of Thy creatures. Psalm 104:24 The distractions and disappointments of life can sometimes leave us wondering “is there a God?” Most of us are surrounded by man-made things all day long. Read more
And when Jesus came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs met Him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you Read more
Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but it is not enlightened. For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did Read more
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 Have you ever been left scratching your head and wondering why God allowed a particular thing to happen in Read more
Be still, and know that I am God. I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth! Psalm 46:10 Are you overstimulated? Do you check your email before you offer prayers in the morning? Is the radio always on in your car? Are you uncomfortable with silence? The answer for many Read more
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1 The next two reflections will come from Psalm 46. Today’s is the first verse. It reminds us that God is our refuge and our strength, both in good times and in difficult ones. Many people Read more
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. II Corinthians 3:17 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants of one another. Galatians 5:13 Live as Read more
Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Mathew 5:16 When I was playing sports in high school, we had a sign next to the locker room door that said Read more
As He entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to Him, beseeching Him and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, in terrible distress.” And He said to him, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion answered Him, “Lord, I am not worthy to have You come Read more
Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly sanctuary. For a tent was prepared, the outer one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence; it is called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain stood a tent called the Read more
When He saw the crowds, He had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. And He called to Him His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every infirmity. The names Read more