“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 Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” Luke 1:38 To “serve” means to offer help in whatever way help is needed. If a person comes to a church community, or to any other context and says “I’m here Read more…
For I want you to know how greatly I strive for you, and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not seen my face, that their hearts may be encouraged as they are knit together in love, to have all the riches of assured understanding and the knowledge Read more…
Jesus said to His Disciples, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so Read more…
The saying is sure. I desire you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to apply themselves to good deeds; these are excellent and profitable to men. But avoid stupid controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels over the law, for they are Read more…
To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of His call, and may fulfill every good resolve and work of faith by His power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to Read more…
Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed on and triumph, as it did among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men; for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful; He will strengthen you and guard you from evil. Read more…
Where there is no guidance, a people falls; but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. Proverbs 11:14 Training wheels Not all help comes through prayer. Some comes through conversation. Friends help friends talk through problems and solve dilemmas. Sometimes, however, conversation with friends about challenges might not be helpful. Because friends sometimes Read more…
Perhaps the best gift one can give to someone is to pray for them. The most encouraging thing to hear from someone is “I’m praying for you.” The most important and most intimate thing we do is to talk to God in prayer. What can be more intimate than a conversation Read more…
Jesus said, “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is not sound, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is Read more…
Brethren, pray for us. I Thessalonians 5:25 In our study on encouragement, I don’t refer specifically to Orthodox Christian concepts often, because encouragement is something that crosses all denominations of Christianity. Hopefully all Christians agree that one important job of each Christian is to encourage other people. Each denomination has a different Read more…
But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they came together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, to test Him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, Read more…
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Psalm 51: 10-12 Read more…