“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.
And after Jesus had dismissed the crowds, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Matthew 14:23 Life gets busier and busier, doesn’t it? Do you ever feel like you are working harder and harder and not really getting what you’d hoped in return for your hard work? I’m Read more
Now the day began to wear away; and the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the crowd away, to go into the villages and country round about, to lodge and get provisions; for we are here in a lonely place.” But He said to them, “You give them something to Read more
Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. Matthew 6:33 Over thirty years ago, I graduated high school with a 3.99 Grade Point Average. There was just one blemish on my grades, but we won’t get into that. For those of us Read more
My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you cry out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as Read more
And after six days Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain apart. And He was transfigured before them, and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses Read more
Therefore, brethren, be the more zealous to confirm your call and election, for if you do this you will never fall; so there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Therefore I intend always to remind you of Read more
He determines the number of the stars, He give to all of them their names. Psalm 147:4 I have always been a follower of the manned space program. To this day, I like reading about astronauts and the conquest of space. One of the saddest days of NASA was February 1, Read more
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. Proverbs 17:17 Our last couple go-to verses have been related to friendship, and what makes a good friend. We talked about “iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17) Today we are going to use another verse Read more
Iron sharpens iron, as one man sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17 One of the best qualities to have in a friend is when a friend brings out the best in you, when a friend encourages and challenges you to be the best version of yourself. Friendship in our world seems to Read more
For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 What does it mean that God has a plan for each of our lives? Does that make us robots? Can Read more
As Jesus went ashore He saw a great throng; and He had compassion on them, and healed their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, “This is a lonely place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages Read more
I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that Read more