“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.
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
For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are Read more
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do men say that the Son of man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do Read more
To my shame, I must say, we were too weak for that! But whatever any one dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am Read more
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 Faith means believing without seeing or fully comprehending something. Faith is in large part based on trust, and trust is in large part based on experience. No one trusts someone they don’t know 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, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, Read more