the introduction (*)

Man longs for success and happiness. There is nothing wrong with that because this desire is part of his nature, but every success on earth is imperfect, and every happiness in the world is an illusion. The desire within us for happiness will not fade, its fire colonized by the pleasures of the world. Just as a thirsty person can only be quenched by water, so success and pleasure are not complete except in God.

We are pleased with things and seek them, but how can we be happy with them? Because we rarely get it the way we like it. If we get it, it will not last, and if it does last, our desire for it will quickly disappear. If our desire persists, we are miserable because we ask for more. Solomon was so rich that the utensils in his house were made of pure gold. He was so wise that kings and wise men came from the ends of the earth to hear his wisdom and see his glory. But all this emptiness did not fill his heart, so he turned back and considered everything in the world to be vanity and a pursuit of the wind: “All the rivers run into the sea, but the sea is not full” (Ecclesiastes 1:7). Since we are strangers on earth, we walk as tourists towards our heavenly homeland in the Kingdom of God, so we are not completely happy with what is in this world. If we possessed them all, the human heart would only be satisfied with the love of God, which can fill the soul, make it happy, satisfy all its needs, and quench the thirst of its desires. Do you want to fill the emptiness of your heart? Be an Orthodox Christian and turn your heart towards God, from whom you were separated because of your sins.

Sin is real and undeniable, everyone acknowledges it Who examined his heart. Because all human beings, even those who do not have the light of revelation, They feel their sins and acknowledge their shortcomings and inability to do what they were assigned to do Morally, they are expelled from the circle of God’s pleasure. Just as every human being is delivered He is useless before Sharia law However, no one distinguishes the power of sin and the severity of its action in us like the true believer whom Christ redeemed from sin’s absolute domination over him. Because the law acts in him as a discipliner to bring him to Christ. This (i.e. Christ) teaches him the ugliness of sin and the severity of the necessity of getting rid of its slavery. Grace also guides the believer to know the truth about sin, and his experiences show him the impurity of his heart and the intensity of his inclination toward evil. He becomes a poet more than others because he is in complete need of knowledge of divine grace and abundance of mercies and love, of constant atonement to cover up sin, and of the renewal of the Holy Spirit so that he may gain immunity from committing evil and be I firmly acknowledge the necessity of the method of redemption that God has appointed for His illumination His renewal, sanctification, and salvation from the curse of sin and its dominion over him. The regenerate is the one who confesses his sins The right to recognize and feel Strongly Sin is in him.

Christ emptied himself to show us The origin of the disease is in attachment to ourselves. He was crucified by us and for us to show us What do sin and selfishness do to love?. And let his intelligent blood flow once again, renewing the covenant of love So we return to God the Father after we had been possessed by the evil that separated us from Him and the sense of self that blinded our eyes so that we did not return to see His love. We lack this change because we do not love or desire holiness. So we need to renewal A new life arises from it, in which the heart and spirit are changed, as David said: (Create in me, O God, a clean heart, and renew an upright spirit within me) (Psalm 50:10).

It is a sudden change that takes place immediately when the Spirit completes it through the work of his supernatural power, and in this way we distinguish renewal from rational conviction and inner enlightenment as (i.e. renewal) Finding a new life And raising the dead to life. It is a secret, unperceived act of the spirit.

The renewed soul returns to God through repentance and faith, is justified, lives a new life, is sanctified, and unites with Christ. It is true to say that Christ and the renewed soul become one in their spiritual state, united like the union of the branch and the vine.

We cannot return to God on our own, but through Jesus Christ. Because our sins have become a barrier that prevents us from reaching Him. But Christ loved us and came down to earth, taking our body, and died for us to destroy this barrier and bring us to God. Now that we have Jesus Christ as our savior and liberator, we can return to God and enter the kingdom of heaven, but there is only one path to this kingdom, which is the same path that Jesus took when he lived on earth. He said: (I am the way. Whoever wants to follow me must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me) (John 14:6 and Mark 8:34).

Therefore, it was necessary for every Orthodox Christian, and even for every human being, to know how to find this path and how to enter it. When we talk about it, we find that we cannot explain it completely. But our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, who made healing from clay, is to transform the soul of the reader through prayer, so that he will see in this simple clarification a light for his insight and warmth for his heart.

This book is divided into four parts:

1- The blessings that Christ gave us through his death.

2- How did Jesus Christ live on earth and what he endured for our sake?

3- The path that we must take to the Kingdom of Heaven.

4- How does Jesus Christ help us to walk this path and how can we accept this help?

Chapter One: The blessings that Jesus Christ gave us through his death

The first man was created in the image and likeness of God. But it is He deliberately distorted this example. He was blessed by this example and that image. Just as God is eternal, so is Adam's creation So that he doesn't die. Just as God is all-good, so He created Adam Without sin. Just as God is completely happy, so did Adam Happy and not happy forever.

Adam lived in a beautiful paradise planted by the hand of God. He was happy with everything, enjoying complete health without knowing what illness was. He gave orders and all the animals obeyed him without intimidating anyone or being afraid of anything. He did not feel the heat or the severity of the cold, but rather he worked in Paradise without getting tired or miserable. He was innocent and flawless, living with God and God living with him. His heart and soul were full of God's love and knowledge. He was always calm, happy, and had good desires. Adam was in Paradise and Paradise was in Adam's heart.

Adam's mistake. Had it not been for his sin, he and his descendants would have lived happily. He sinned before God and transgressed the easiest of His commandments, so he was expelled from Paradise because he did not live with sin and sinners. Adam immediately lost all the happiness he had known In paradise, His soul was darkened, his thoughts were disturbed, his desires were distorted, and a dark cloud hung over all his hopes and imaginations.. And he saw Sadness and distress Instead of joy and peace. He was tired, toiled, in need, and progressed through the daysOld age bothered him, he was disturbed by death, and finally the evil one defeated him and returned to his powerful kingdom.

All the elemental elements - air, water and fire - have become a source of fear instead of joy. Adam and his descendants began to feel hungry, to suffer from the fluctuations of the weather and the gusts of wind, to fear the brutality of animals, to suffer pain from numerous diseases, and to forget that they were brothers. They attacked each other as if they were enemies, and hated and deceived each other as if they were strangers, and after exhaustion they went to eternal hell as sinners.

Since it is not possible for a single human being to compensate us for what Adam lost, God loved us to the end (John 13:1), and in His mercy sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to save us. He became a human being similar to us in everything except sin.

With his teachings, darkness and errors were dispelled from human thought.

With the light of his Gospel, the world was illuminated, the will of God was announced to all who wanted to know it, and the source of eternal happiness appeared to all who wished to possess it.

By his life, he showed us the path to the heavenly kingdom and showed us how to follow it.

Through His suffering and death, He paid off our debt that we could not pay and saved us from the eternal torment of death and the misery of a dark future.

By his resurrection, he destroyed hell and opened for us the door of bliss that was closed to Adam due to his disobedience. He gave the dead the hope of resurrection and those who had fallen asleep in faith a passage from a vain, corrupt, mortal and temporary earthly life to a luminous, eternal life without corruption. And He gave us the living to fight Satan And we expel him Away from us. And he was glorified with him By his ascension to heaven our human race So I was blessed Our nature In his blessed person. And finally He gave us By His grace and grace, that We move on On the kingdom of heaven And we accept Every help is on the path taken by the beloved Redeemer, and we are filled with the Holy Spirit, the source of all help.

Yes, if Jesus Christ had not come to earth No one ever could From entering the kingdom of heaven. But we may We were given Now that's a blessing Free Through which we can live with the Lord forever. And if we are not able to tell what has been prepared for us, yet we know that we will live with the angels and saints, and see God face to face, and rejoice eternally, and with Christ we will possess an endless kingdom, (and that) If we believe with it We followed his commandments. All of these benefits are given to everyone, without exception, as long as they ask for them. The path to it is clear and paved.

Now that we know what love the Lord Jesus loved us with and what grace He bestowed upon us, what would be our answer if He suddenly appeared before us and asked us, saying: (My children, do you love me as I love you? Do your hearts overflow with thanks for what I have done to you?)

But if we love the Lord Jesus and feel His grace toward us, should we not follow His commandments and do everything that pleases Him? He only asks us to follow him to the kingdom of heaven. He came down from heaven to save us, and are we not satisfied to follow him to heaven? He endured all the pains and sorrows for our sake. Should we not be pleased to grieve a little and suffer a little for the sake of His kingdom? Blessed is he who follows him and is with him wherever he is, and blessed is he who imitates him, for he helps and strengthens him. But how miserable is the one who does not want to follow him, apologizing to himself that the path is difficult and he is weak. This person deprives himself of God’s grace, which strengthens him in weakness.

Chapter Two: How did Jesus Christ live on earth and what did he endure for our sake?

The law of God contains two commandments: (1- Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind and all your strength. 2- And you shall love your neighbor as yourself) (Luke 10:27). However, there was no one who fully fulfilled this law except Jesus Christ, who, in the face of the light of His holiness that shines like a dazzling sun, the holiness of the holiest of saints seems dim. Therefore, it is difficult for us to describe his works, but we will try as much as possible to see what the Gospel reveals to us.

There is no angel or human being who loved God as much as Jesus Christ loved Him. He always prayed to God his Father and spent entire nights alone with Him. He would go to Jerusalem every Eid and lead the synagogue every Saturday, where the people would gather for teaching and prayer. He glorified the name of God in all his works, praising Him in secret and in public.

He respected his mother, obeyed his family, respected his superiors and his elders, and continually paid tribute to the earthly emperor, without forgetting to fulfill with pleasure, longing, fervor, love, and without complaint the work for which he had come into the world. He loved everyone. He wished everyone well and was kind to everyone, and he did not stop making everyone happy, putting up with the complaints of the complainants and the insult of the stubborn, with gentleness, silence, and love without protest or anger. They persecuted and insulted him, and he was able to annihilate them with one word. But he wanted the best for them. He was kind to them and prayed for them. In short, Jesus did not sin in word, deed, or thought.

Now let us see how Jesus Christ suffered for us. He condescended to take our body and became a perfect human being in everything except sin. God empties himself and takes the form of a servant, and the King of the heavens and the earth is born poor from a poor mother in a dark cave and lies in a manger for livestock supported by a poor carpenter. The Giver of the Law fulfills it and is circumcised on the eighth day of his birth, and the Redeemer of the whole world, his mother takes him to the temple to redeem him, and the Giver of authority. He flees to Egypt from Herod, who wanted to kill him. He was satisfied to obey, and He is the one who is obeyed, and to find no place for His head, and He is the One who bestows all good things upon everyone, and to serve and wash the feet of His disciples, and He is the One who is served by the soldiers of heaven.

He curses and blesses his enemies and teaches them. He is called a sinner, a transgressor of the law, and a friend of tax collectors, and he is forgiven and pardoned. His opponents wanted to throw him from the mountain, so he passed among them. They considered his teachings a deception that condemned them. They considered his power, by which he raises the dead and heals diseases, to be the power of Satan, so he warned them against blaspheming the Spirit of God.

His life was a series of pains and sorrows. He suffered from people and for people. He was sad, not because they resisted him, but because they lost the salvation that he had given them. He suffers hidden and apparent pain. He heard their voices rising in anger against him, and he knew the evil thoughts of their hearts towards him. Rather, he saw that many of those who loved him outwardly did not believe in him. He suffered especially from the leaders, priests, and scribes who knew of his coming, but handed him over to death as a deceiver of the people, and instructed the people to crucify him and release a thief instead of the Holy One.

He was handed over to death by one of his disciples with a deceitful kiss and a low price. However, even though he suffered from a people, he suffered for all sinners from Adam to the end of the world. He suffered for his loved ones and his enemies. He suffered for us who insult him with our lies, hatred, and dissent from his example.

The chief priests decided to kill the one who gives life to the dead. We cannot imagine how much glory endured for him on the last night, after he ate the last supper until he was handed over to the soldiers. He suffered internal pain that no one else could bear, and his sweat fell like drops of blood as he prayed in the garden.

His soul was saddened by the burden of our sins, due to the abundance of shame over our sins that had piled up on His shoulders. He cries when he sees his hypocritical followers like Judas, and he becomes depressed when he sees some who not only refuse to follow his example, but indulge in vice and sin. He suffers when he sees teachers who have an image of piety but deny its power.

His love for God the Father requires him to annihilate this evil world and annihilate this ungrateful race, but on the other hand, his love for those fallen people prompts him to suffer for them and save them from eternal damnation. In the midst of these horrors, Jesus expresses his feelings by saying: “My soul is saddened to the point of death” (Matthew 26:38).

The soldiers arrested him and bound him as an evildoer and led him to his enemies to judge him. His disciples also abandoned him and fled away from him. They brought him to Pilate, the governor, and he wanted to release him, but the chief priests stirred up the people so that he would rather release Barabbas the thief to them (Mark 15:11). He was subjected to flogging, mockery, and ridicule, and suffered from thorns, nails, and spears. He drank wine mixed with bitterness, and was crucified on the stake between two thieves, a stake of shame like a wicked criminal. He died a death of extreme disgrace.

He was able to escape death, but he surrendered himself of his own free will as a ransom for us, and allowed those who arrested him to continue their work after they were terrified by his presence and fell to the ground.

This is a glimpse of His suffering for His love for us, that suffering whose greatness is incomprehensible, and this love that we see no limits to, unless we are certain that the true God, Lord of the universe and Judge of all, empties Himself and is willing to suffer for our kind.

Chapter Three: The path leading to the Kingdom of Heaven

Jesus Christ is the same path that leads to the heavenly kingdom, which only those who follow him can take. Therefore, he says: “If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34). What he means by saying: (If anyone wants to follow me), He never hates anyone and does not want to have among his students anyone whom he does not willingly want to He surrenders his life to Him completely. O Christian, your salvation and destruction depend on your will. Jesus Christ did not want to take away the precious gift of freedom he gave you To go through your life as you want. If you want to follow Jesus Christ, you will soon find Him offering you all the help. But if you do not want, no one will ever force you because you are free to do whatever you want. But be careful not to neglect His call to you, which is filled with all love. He knocks on the door of every heart, hoping that someone will wake up and the desire for salvation will grow within him.

You need pure desire and real determination to follow Jesus Christ. You will not have that desire until you know where you are going and what you need on your way. But how do you know what you do not want to know and how do you understand what you have only heard superficially? Before you follow Jesus Christ, you must complete the following:

1- You must study the foundations of Christianity, I mean the holy books on which the Orthodox faith is built. You must also know who wrote it, when it was written, and how it was preserved until it was delivered to us. Then why are they called sacred divine books and other matters, as long as the holy books are studied with simplicity of heart, without prejudice or criticism, and without thinking beyond what you should think? Do not interfere with God's sublime wisdom.

Such a study does not contradict faith because it is the duty of every Christian to know his faith fully so as not to be exposed to doubt. How many Christians who were baptized in the name of Christ perished because they did not want to understand the foundations of the Orthodox faith. But not everyone can perform this duty equally, but rather each according to his ability. As for the learner, he must study the historical events that prove the origins of faith and its results, and as for the simple person, he must learn at the hands of the priests and teachers in the church, those who have pledged to devote their lives to this work.

2- When you realize that the Holy Books are the Word of God that was revealed to us through the prophets and apostles, and you are certain that the Orthodox faith was built on them and not on abstract delusions or fantasies, then do not try to look into what is hidden from you, and do not listen to any natural explanation that searches for what reason cannot. Humanity, so that your faith is real and you grow in truth and virtue. (Romans 4:3-24).

3- Finally, try to stir up within yourself the desire to fulfill the teachings of the Bible. But if you do not have that desire, then bow down at the feet of the Savior and ask Him fervently to grant it to you. Then you will not resist God's grace when it begins its work to save you.

To explain the above talk about faith, we cite the following example:

Imagine a large building, very high, reaching up to the sky, with the entrance to the building hidden, and waiting next to it are companions who guide those wishing to enter the path to this entrance, and at the same time they serve as doctors for the sick and distributors of the necessary food for the journey to the peak of this building. There are many stairs in the building so that each traveler can climb a ladder individually. But all the stairs are so narrow, uncomfortable, and dark that it is impossible to climb a single step without a guide, especially the first stairs.

This building was made by the most skilled builders and was created to enable people to ascend to the Kingdom of Heaven. Of course, you would like to go to this building to enter inside it and ascend to heaven. But what should you do? You must carefully examine the building and ask the guides about everything, that is, ask them about the building itself and how to enter it. If you can learn more, study the building foundations and test their durability. If you want to go deeper, test the materials from which this foundation is made...and search everything your eye sees. When you are sure that the building is sound and strong and can achieve the purpose for which it was built, then do not continue your research, but rather leave your inspection machines at the door because they will not help you later, but on the contrary, they may hinder your work. Enter the building without doubt or hesitation and walk without stopping or fearing the difficulty of climbing. In fact, climbing is really difficult, especially on the first stairs. But do not forget that it leads you directly to heaven, to the one that everyone seeks and every person seeks throughout life. Inside the building, you will meet other travelers who will accompany you, many doctors who will take care of you in the event of any accident, faithful servants who will provide you with the necessary food for this trip, and guides and teachers who will tell you everything you need. You will meet all of these until you meet Mr. Mujed Al-Busa. If you want to continue to the end of your journey and move up your ladder at a steady pace, surrender yourself completely to the will of the Lord and Creator of the building.

But do you not consider it absurd for a person to try with pride, self-confidence, or arrogance to examine the top of a building, which is often obscured by clouds, instead of examining the foundation that he sees? Isn't it considered foolishness for a person to see some parts of a building as far away as the gap between the earth and the sky, and if he cannot carefully examine what he sees, he rules that the entire building is unfit? Isn’t it considered a crime if a person does not see anything as soon as he approaches the building, but he begins to criticize everything, not paying attention to the foundations that the owner of the building laid down when designing it, but rather thinking about new foundations and rules that his mind set? Undoubtedly, the most foolish of all is the one who approaches the building and loses all desire not only to enter but to look at it.

If you long to be in the place to which this building leads, just see the foundation intact and strong. The building was not made by the hands of artists and workers, but by the hand of the great builder who himself opened the path to it, purified it with his blood, and walked it first. As for the other matters that remain, such as the question: Why was it not built in another way or why was it built here and not there? In addition to other questions, it is not what concerns you now, but you must submit yourself to the will of the master of the house, trusting in his help and love for you.

If we match this proverb with Christianity, we find that the building that connects earth to heaven is our Orthodox Christian faith, and that the architect and master of the house is the Lord Jesus Christ, and that those serving the house are priests, guides, and teachers in the church.

Now let us look at the way we should follow Jesus Christ. He said: “Whoever wants to follow me

1- Let him deny himself

2- And he carries his cross

3- He follows me“.

First assignment

The first duty of a Christian, i.e. a disciple of Jesus Christ, is to atone himself. The very meaning of disbelief is that we abandon our bad habits and expel from the heart all the attachments to the world, and that we do not welcome false desires and evil thoughts, but rather expel them out. We must also avoid opportunities that lead us to sin, not wanting what is for ourselves, but rather what leads us to the love of God. The meaning of self-disbelief is as the Apostle Paul sees it: to die to sin and the world in order to live for God (Romans 6:11).

The second assignment

The second duty of a Christian is to carry his cross, and the cross represents pain, sorrows, and trials. It is of two types: an external cross and an internal cross. What is meant by carrying it is accepting and enduring everything that is unpleasant, sad, and difficult (and that) without complaining. A person may resist you, make fun of you, make you tired, hurt you, make you sad, make you angry, or respond to your kindness to him with ingratitude. You may not find a way to complete the good deed that you want to do, as misfortune, illness, or need may befall you despite your hardships in life, or you may be involved in a difficulty and fall into a critical predicament, so bear all of this without hatred, complaint, criticism, or objection, that is, without To consider yourself as having been persecuted and without expecting earthly recompense. Rather, he endured everything with love, joy, and steadfastness.

The meaning of the cross is not only that we carry the crosses that life’s circumstances and others throw at us, but rather that we ourselves carry our crosses, that is, that we carry crosses in our souls and bear them. Since we are Christians, we must be able to make vows and make promises that burden us and tire us, and we must bear them with all our hearts, provided that our vows are consistent with the word of God and His will and are not according to our thoughts and desires. An example of this is that we do good to our neighbors, visit the sick, help those who need practical help, search for the lost with patience and gentleness, and persevere in serving everyone in word, deed, and prayer. If a strange thought returns to you that by carrying the cross you are no longer like other people because you are steadfast in the word of God and are religious, then hasten to eradicate these thoughts. (5) Which destroys all your virtues.

The aforementioned are external crosses, and the Lord blesses those who bear them with wisdom and long-suffering. He sends His Holy Spirit to strengthen, guide, and lead them forward. But these external crosses are not enough for those who want to resemble Christ, and they are not of much benefit to those who want to be a saint and a true follower of Him. Therefore, internal crosses must also be carried in order for us to become faithful disciples of the One who previously endured for us.

True internal crosses are present all the time and are easier to carry than external ones. All you have to do is pay attention to yourself and examine yourself with a spirit of repentance and remorse, and soon thousands of internal crosses will swirl around you. For example, ask: How did you come to this world? Why do you live and are you living as you should? Thus, pay attention to yourself and realize at first glance that you were created by the hand of the Most High God and existed in order to glorify Him with your actions, movements, and stillness, and glorify His Holy Name in your heart and tongue. But now you are blaspheming Him with your sinful life. Then he wondered: What awaits you after death and which side will you stand on the terrible Day of Judgment? On the right of Christ or on his left? Thus, your mind soon begins to worry and become terrified. In this, the internal crosses begin to be carried. If these thoughts are not stifled by indulgence in worldly matters and vain pleasures, the number of crosses will increase and multiply. Think, for example, of hell, and it becomes more trembling, and think of the paradise of bliss. You see what God has prepared for you, and this bliss becomes a reality that affects you, so you realize the extent of eternal joy that you are deprived of through your negligence and foolishness.

If you firmly resolve to bear the inner pain without searching for a way to make you forget it, and you pray fervently to God to save you and surrender yourself to His will, then He begins to reveal to you the state of your soul, nourishes you with His fear, and gives you remorse from Him so that you become more and more purified.

Without God's help, we cannot fully see ourselves nor understand the dangers surrounding us. Our self-love and our concern for our worldly affairs, tendencies, and preoccupations obscure the truth of our souls from us. Our judgment of ourselves has become incorrect.

The enemy of goodness uses his tricks to prevent us from seeing the truth of our souls so that we do not change and seek salvation. But when he sees that his tricks have failed, he begins to fight us in another way, suddenly showing us the truth about our souls from its dangerous perspective, so that we feel despair. But when God is pleased to reveal to you the state of your soul as it is, you begin to see clearly the corruption of your heart despite all the virtues in it, and you realize that rust is on your soul despite its apparent activity, and you find that you are a slave to sin and the desires that possess you and have not allowed you to approach God, as You also begin to see that there is nothing good in you and that your good deeds have been mixed with sin and are no longer the fruits of true love, but rather the fruits of different desires and different circumstances. Then you begin to truly suffer and feel fear, sadness, and misery. Fear because you are in danger of perishing, and sadness and misery because you have turned a deaf ear to hearing the tender voice of God calling you to come to the heavenly kingdom, and because you have angered Him with your sins for a long time without care. Your inner pain increases to the extent that the Lord reveals to you the condition of your soul.

Now that you know the meaning of the internal crosses, do not forget that they differ depending on the different people Probability and tendency Towards virtue or vice. It may be a light burden for one person, while it may be heavy for another. This difference is similar to the difference in the cases of recovery of a patient in relation to his psychological state, which may be the cause of increased treatment difficulties despite the doctor’s honesty.

The internal crosses may be so heavy that you think there is no way to console them. But whatever your situation is, do not despair, but trust that the Lord will not abandon you. It always strengthens you from within when you think that there is no help for you. Never allow yourself to be tempted more than you can bear. Surrender yourself completely to Him, be patient and pray because He is a loving Father who knows each person’s weaknesses and does not throw crosses at a person except to heal and purify his heart until he is transformed into his example.

Whatever your concerns, do not seek solace from people unless the Lord directs you to His chosen ones. Since those who have not experienced the divine and spiritual matters are tormented and tired even in material matters, much less in spiritual matters. Such people may cause you harm instead of comfort and solace. So hasten to the Lord alone, for He is your helper, comforter, guide, and pacifier of your life, and pray to Him that He grants you to bear the internal crosses that work as real medicine for your soul and lead you to the full stature of Jesus Christ and declare to you a special declaration of God’s love and concern for your salvation. Blessed is he who falls under the shadow of the mercy of the Almighty, as His grace appears at work in his life, a grace that we often mistakenly see as not being necessary for our salvation.

The Lord “will not abandon you nor neglect you” (Hebrews 13:5). Rather, He touches your heart with His grace and connects with you with the gift of His Holy Spirit, so you feel sweetness in the midst of your suffering. Seek solace from Him and not from anyone else, with complete submission and surrender. Complete peace and lasting joy will cover you, and you will find in yourself the ability and strength to turn to God with true prayer supported by faith, and your heart will burn with true love for God and for your neighbor. If God gives you this gift, do not think that it is a reward for your efforts and attention, and do not think that you have achieved perfection and holiness. These thoughts are nothing but the result of the pride of our souls. If it takes root, it is likely to leave a bad impact even on those who have been given the power to perform miracles.

The gift of the Holy Spirit is not a reward, but it is a grace and a gift from God that He gives you so that you may taste the sweetness of the things that He has prepared for those who love Him. It strengthens you and stabilizes you in enduring new pains and hardships. So hurry up and ask for it with zeal and fervor.

The third assignment

The third duty of a disciple of Jesus Christ is to follow him. And the meaning of that To follow Through him in all his deeds and words, and he lives as he lived on earth. Example:

Jesus Christ, to whom be glory, thanked and praised God the Father and prayed to Him constantly. And we are like this. We must, in all circumstances of our lives, thank God, love Him, praise Him in secret and in public, devote ourselves to prayer, and cling to Him with our mind and heart.

Jesus Christ honored his holy virgin mother and his earthly provider (6) And everyone who was older than him obeyed them. Thus, we must obey and respect our leaders without murmuring or complaining.

Jesus Christ paid tribute to Caesar while he was the King of Kings. He was not satisfied to take the position of judge or divider of inheritance (Luke 12:13) while He is the judge of the living and the dead. Thus, we must pay the tax without complaining, and we must not assign to ourselves an authority that is not ours, and we must not condemn, lest we be condemned.

Jesus Christ fulfilled with joy, satisfaction, zeal and love what he came into the world for. As such, we must fulfill in the same way, with honesty, joy and satisfaction, our duties imposed on us by God and the rulers.

Jesus Christ offered himself for the salvation of humanity. As such, we should not worry about the comfort of our souls and bodies, and we should offer all our wealth, even our blood, for the sake of those who loved us, and we should imitate the holy martyrs, through whose death the seeds of faith grew in us. Jesus surrendered himself to death willingly and willingly. We will not avoid the pains and sorrows that come upon us because of his service, and we will accept everything with complete satisfaction and complete surrender to the One who gave everything for us.

Jesus Christ forgave his enemies everything they did to him, and prayed for their salvation. Thus, we must forgive our enemies, respond with good to those who harm us, bless those who curse us, and love everyone who resists us {Matthew 5:44 and Luke 6:28} with a heart full of faith and hope in God. Who condemns Inhabited by justice {Psalm 95:13} Which Without His will, not a single hair would fall from our heads {Luke 21:18}. Jesus Christ, being the King of Heaven and Earth, was satisfied to live in poverty. He earned his living by the sweat of his brow. And we are like this. We must work hard, love work, and be happy with our condition, and not desire to hoard wealth and money. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven {Matthew 19:24}.

Jesus Christ is that gentle, quiet, humble heart {Matthew 11:29} who did not want others to praise him. As we are, we must not be proud or arrogant towards anyone. Do not be arrogant before people or yourself. If you do good or provide assistance, and if you are intelligent, brilliant, excellent, pious, and preferred over many, know that everything that deserves praise is not from you, but rather it is the gift of God that He deposited with you, and be confident that your weaknesses and sins alone are the result of your hand.

The meaning of: (to follow Jesus) is that we also obey His words and seek, believe, and experience everything He said in the Gospel and what He spoke through the mouth of the Apostles. We must complete this matter with longing, joy, and love, not out of professionalism or habit, but out of simplicity.

Now we know how to deny ourselves, carry our crosses, and follow our Savior. This is the path leading to the heavenly kingdom that Jesus Christ himself passed when he lived on earth. We have to get through it.

It is a narrow and difficult road, full of thorns {Matthew 7:13, 14} especially at the beginning. But it leads directly to paradise and leads to heaven, to happiness, to eternity, to God.

It is a path of sorrows, but thousands of consolations and blessings are found at every step of it. It is the path of non-permanent suffering. Rather, we can say: It is suffering for the blink of an eye, as a result of which we receive eternal gifts that do not fade away.

Our feeling of the burden of these pains will diminish, which will decrease day after day for a specific period, while the gift will increase and the gift will increase hour after hour throughout an endless eternity.

Do not be afraid of this path, for even though it is difficult and narrow, it leads to heaven, while the easy and broad path leads to hell {Matthew 13:7} Many may ask in confusion, saying: (Why is the path to heaven so difficult? And why should a Christian To carry such heavy crosses?) The answer is: It is the pleasure of God, all-wise and all-loving, who knows what to do with us when he wants us to be true disciples of Jesus Christ. However, we will point out some obvious reasons why the path to heaven is difficult and explain why we cannot avoid these difficulties if we want to be saved.

– 1 –

The heavenly kingdom is eternal happiness, supreme glory, and an inexhaustible source of wealth. If earthly wealth is exhausting for those who want to obtain it, how much more so are the inexhaustible heavenly treasures.

– 2 –

The heavenly kingdom is the greatest reward. There will be no reward for nothing. If we labor and struggle for a temporary, earthly reward, how much more will our struggle be for an eternal, heavenly reward?

– 3 –

Since we would like to be called Christians, that is, disciples and followers of Christ, we must follow to glory a path that our Master took before us.     

– 4 –

Everyone carries their crosses and everyone falls under pain. Carrying the cross is not the lot of Christians only, but it is carried by both believers and non-believers. The only difference is that the cross is used for one as healing and a means to acquire the kingdom of heaven, while for others it is a punishment and penalty for his sins {Luke 23:40 and 41}. The burden of these crosses gradually becomes lighter for the first, and the crosses become sweeter and eventually turn into crowns of eternal glory, while their burden becomes heavier for the other, causing him more grief and ultimately turning into a heavy, eternal burden.

But what is the reason for this difference? The reason is that one endures with faith and trust in God {Luke 23:40, 41}, while the other complains and blasphemes against God {Luke 23:39}.

O Christian, do not avoid the crosses or complain about them, but rather thank Jesus Christ who gave them to you and made you worthy to share them in bearing them.

If our beloved had not suffered, we would not have been able to enter heaven, no matter how much we suffered. So let us suffer, not as if we are rejected by God and stubborn against His will, so we grieve without hope, but let us suffer for our salvation with hope, consolation, and expectation of reward.

How great is your love for us, O Merciful Lord, as you have transformed the evil of this world into a blessing for us, an asset for our benefit, and a means of our salvation. Your love, Lord, compels us to follow you. You came to earth for our sake, should we attack you with earth?

– 5 –

Jesus Christ has saved us through His suffering and death, so we belong to Him and not to ourselves {1 Corinthians 6:19 and 20}. Therefore, we must obey His commands {Psalm 104:45} if we do not wish to perish far from His presence. He only asks us to follow him to his heavenly kingdom.

– 6 –

Jesus Christ did not suffer and did not die to give us the ability to do what we want according to our will, but rather to walk according to His sublime will. I wish God would protect us from caring about ourselves and protect us from the evil of our will that seeks to take us captive to someone other than Him.

– 7 –

Finally, let us mention why we cannot avoid the narrow path in our walk to the heavenly kingdom?

a- Because sin is latent in every human being {1 John 1:8 and 10}. It is a wound that does not heal on its own without medication. For some people, this wound is so deep that it does not heal without cauterization or amputation. That is why a person cannot be cleansed of his sins without spiritual sorrows.

B- God hates sin because it is unclean. No one who is impure or impure will enter with him into his kingdom. If a person is suffering from an internal illness, he must be in pain even if he is placed in a great palace, because his illnesses follow him wherever he is. Likewise, the sinner who has not repented or been purified from his sins will suffer even if you place him in Paradise of Bliss, because the secret of his suffering lies in the heart. The life of the sinner is hell wherever it is, while the repentant rejoices, whether he is in a palace or in a hut, in a prison or on a throne, because the secret of his joy is in the heart. The righteous person whose heart is filled with the comfort of the Holy Spirit will be in Paradise wherever he is, (for the Kingdom of God is within us) {Luke 17:21}. No matter how much you prune the branches of the growing tree, it (the tree) will not die. On the contrary, it will produce new branches, and it will not perish if it is not uprooted starting from its roots fixed in the dirt. In this same manner, the sin rooted in the human heart will not be erased simply by abandoning some vices and habits, because its true roots, which have become so deep and consolidated within it that it becomes painful to remove them, must disappear. Let us then rely on the grace of Jesus Christ our Lord, the healer who came to us to uproot the roots of sin in us.

We saw why we follow Jesus and not shun the path he took, the path that the saints before us took. But some people wonder: How can we, when we are weak and sinful, resemble the saints?

This statement is not only wrong, but it is blasphemy and an insult to our Creator, because if you excuse yourself in this way, you consider your Creator incapable of creating you. Not all saints were united, but rather, just like us, they were linked to global missions. Some of them also had families. Since they are Christians, they did not forget their duties when they were carrying out their work and completing the duties assigned to them in this world. During their lives on earth, they were walking on the path leading to the heavenly kingdom. They also often led others with them on this path. Thus, if we want, We can become good citizens, faithful husbands, good fathers, loving brothers, and true Christian Christians as well..

Christianity has never been an insurmountable obstacle for people. But it is beneficial in all circumstances and in all aspects. A true Christian is one who believes in Jesus Christ and follows his steps in every matter. The Christian spirit is nothing but pure spiritual love devoid of selfishness. It is that love that is the gift of the Holy Spirit.

If you want to enter the kingdom of heaven, you must walk in the path that Jesus Christ walked, lest you perish.

If we follow this path relying on our personal strengths, we will not be able to move a single step forward. Christ's disciples were unable to carry anything before they received power from on high. First, they were afraid to be followers of Jesus Christ, but after they received his help, they followed him with joy and pleasure. No difficulties or pain could discourage them.

The help that the Lord Jesus Christ grants to those who follow him is the gift of the Holy Spirit, who lives within us, guides us, attracts us to Him, and bestows His gifts on everyone who wants to be filled with Him. As for how the Holy Spirit helps us to follow the path, this is what we will discuss below.

Chapter Four: How does the Lord Jesus Christ help us to take the path to the heavenly kingdom and how can we obtain this help?

The Holy Spirit, the third hypostasis of the Holy Trinity, is God equal to the Father and the Son, the Provider of life and strength for all creatures, reason for people, and the sublime spiritual life of Christians. (And the Holy Spirit) is the one who guides a person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven and helps him to move on this path.

We do not receive the Holy Spirit as a consequence of our many talents, but it is a free gift given to us by divine grace for our salvation. The Holy Spirit helps us in the following matters:

– 1 –

When the Holy Spirit resides in a person, it gives him faith and light. Without Him there is no living faith, and without His light the wisest and most knowledgeable people become completely blind and do not see the works and ways of God. The Holy Spirit reveals to the ignorant people the ways and rulings of God and makes them feel the sweetness of the Kingdom of Heaven as their souls are illuminated by a heavenly light beyond comprehension.

– 2 –

When the Holy Spirit dwells in a person, it generates true love in his heart, which is like pure fire that spreads heat and light and becomes the basis for creating every good deed. Whoever lives in true love will not encounter difficulties, but will have all the laws that are simple and practical.

The faith and love that the Holy Spirit gives are the strongest excuses (7) Which guides us with ease, joy, and complete reassurance in the path followed by Jesus Christ.

– 3 –

The Holy Spirit also gives strength to resist the passions of the world. A person filled with the Holy Spirit may use the possessions of this world, but he uses them as a departing guest without his heart attached to them. But he who does not have the Holy Spirit is always a slave, but a worshiper (8) For this world, despite all its knowledge and understanding.

– 4 –

The Holy Spirit gives wisdom to man. In it, the pure messengers became wise and learned after they had been simple, common people. He gives wisdom not only in words, but also in actions and behavior. In it, it is easy to walk on the path of salvation and it is possible to contemplate and examine the depths of the soul even in the midst of tasks, which is something that the average person cannot achieve, even if he is in the temple of God.

– 5 –

The Holy Spirit gives true joy, heartfelt bliss, and complete peace that surpasses all imagination.

May he who has no soul rejoice. But his joy does not last because it is an impure joy and an artificial, hollow joy that does not remove the troubles of life by a hair. He may calm down sometimes, but this calmness has nothing to do with peace of mind. It is not tranquility, but rather sleep and heedlessness, and wretched is the soul that does not pay attention and does not wish to wake up from such a sleep {Romans 13:11, Ephesians 15:15, and 1 Corinthians 15:34}.

– 6 –

The Holy Spirit gives true humility. The believer cannot know himself correctly without the guidance of the Holy Spirit. If he does good to others, he thinks that he is righteous and no longer feels his spiritual need. Thus, many perish because of this false reassurance, sense of honesty, righteousness, and confidence in self-righteousness. They do not think at all about the spirit of Christianity and do not ask for the filling of the Holy Spirit, without taking into account the severity of their need for it.

When the Holy Spirit dwells in a person, it illuminates his heart and makes him see his slumber and inner weakness and realizes how far he is from God. It also reveals to him his love for himself and his self-esteem in matters whose goodness he would not have doubted.

In short, he shows him everything as it really is. Then the person begins to become truly humble and loses hope in his personal strength and personal virtues and sees himself as the worst of all people. Whoever humbles himself before the Lord Jesus Christ and repents truly, determined not to return to sin again, and decides to live a new life, places all his trust in the Lord and believes that without His help he will not be able to grow in any good work.

– 7 –

The Holy Spirit teaches true prayer. Without it, thoughts become scattered during prayer and it is impossible to focus them on one thing. We cannot pray a prayer that pleases God, nor do we know what our souls need, nor do we know what God’s will is and what we should ask Him. As for the Holy Spirit, the believer knows his God and is certain that he, that is, God, is his father and can approach him and ask him according to his will. He also prays with organized, pure thoughts focused on one thing, which is God. He expects prayer to be answered and can then move mountains from one place to another {Matthew 17:19, 21:21, 22}.

This is a brief overview of the gifts of the Holy Spirit that grant every person the ability to acquire the heavenly kingdom. Let us then seek a life of fullness from the Spirit. Let us ask for a fullness like the day of Pentecost, so that our lives can move from weakness to strength, and from darkness to light. How do we get this filling?

Jesus Christ said: (The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit) {John 3:8}. This means that we can hear, feel, and observe the Holy Spirit in its fullness in our hearts, and realize its touch and influence on us. But we cannot tell when or how He will fill us.

The apostles received the gift of the Holy Spirit from the Lord Jesus Christ for the first time in a limited time, but they were filled with it many times at times that they had never known anything about or knew of its limits, because it was not according to their will, but according to the pleasure of God. They were not filled with it out of consideration for their personal merits, but as a free gift of faith and hope. (Their continued prayer with one accord) {Acts 1:14} was not a means of being filled with the Holy Spirit as much as it prepared them to receive it. Therefore, it cannot be said how or when we will be filled with the Holy Spirit because it is God’s gift that is given to us according to His pleasure. It is a mistake for some people to believe that they are filled with the Holy Spirit according to some form or at any time, or to invent for themselves special ways by which they can receive the Spirit. They make mistakes and do not benefit from anything.

Before we explain how to be filled with the Holy Spirit, we must point out that it is impossible for anyone to be filled with it except every believer who acknowledges the Orthodox faith of the universal Church, in a correct confession without deletion or addition and without doubt in what was handed down to us by the pure apostles and in what was decided by the Holy Ecumenical Councils and confirmed by the Holy Fathers of the Church. . Because every doubt or lack of faith means not submitting to God. And the soul that does not surrender to God. It cannot be (a temple or dwelling place for the Holy Spirit) {1 Corinthians 6:19 and Ephesians 2:22}.

As for the true means by which we are filled with the Spirit, according to the teachings of the Holy Bible and the experiences of the Holy Fathers, they are:

1- Holiness and purity of heart.

2- Humility.

3- Listening to the voice of God.

4- Prayer.

5- Self-disbelief every day.

6- Listening and reciting the holy books.

7- Practicing the sacraments of the Church, especially the sacrament of thanksgiving {i.e. Communion}.

The soul is filled with the Holy Spirit if it is cleansed of its sins and is not full of self-love and pride. The Holy Spirit surrounds us and desires to fill us, but He finds in our deeds and sins a stumbling block that prevents us from being filled.

Our sin, physical impurity, and pride are among the things that specifically distract him from us. For they alienate the Spirit from us, because total purity cannot fill a person who lives in sin and rejects the gift with his arrogant heart. The spirit will not find a home in our hearts, as long as it is charged with different interests, inclinations, and desires, to which we submit.

1- Holiness and purity of heart {1 Thessalonians 4:4 and 7}

If we do not want to grieve the Holy Spirit that we received in baptism, or if we want to be filled with Him again, we must be pure in heart and beware of desecrating the body, because our bodies and hearts are temples of the Holy Spirit, who desires to fill and possess the soul of a person who is pure in heart and pure in body. {1 Thessalonians 4:3-8}.

So, Christian, hurry and purify yourself through repentance, that is, by refraining from sin, by regretting what you have done, and by beginning a watchful, attentive life so that you can receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

2- Humility {1 Peter 5:5}

The safest means to receive the Holy Spirit is humility. Although you are faithful, good, just, and merciful, and you fulfill God’s commandments, you must always see yourself as a sterile slave {Luke 17:10} and nothing but an instrument in the hand of God working in you.

If we carefully examine our good deeds and apparent virtues, we find that the majority of them are non-Christian virtues. For example, how often do we give gifts to our brothers for the sake of vainglory or self-love like the Pharisees or for our own benefit like the hypocrites, as we give the poor a penny to expect from God hundreds and thousands?

The value of our good deeds increases if we hand them over with complete confidence to the management and management of the greatest jeweler who shapes and refines them just as a jeweler shows the value of gold by the work of his hands.

O Christian, persevere in being faithful, good, just, and merciful, performing your duties with faith. But if you want to know the value of your virtues, do not be proud of them and do not look at them as if they are pure gold with which you can acquire the treasures of the Kingdom of Heaven, because you are not a rich jeweler who can evaluate the true value of these things. Just as the beauty of craftsmanship is necessary to show the value of gold, so love is necessary for us to know the value of true virtues. And it is not any love, but rather that fair Christian love that the Holy Spirit gives. Every action that is devoid of the love bestowed by the Holy Spirit is not considered one of the true virtues {1 Corinthians 12:31 and 13:1-13}. He who does not have the Spirit is poor and destitute, despite all his apparent works {Revelation 3:17}.

There is another manifestation of humility, which is enduring sorrows and trials with patience and without complaining, viewing them as a just punishment for our sins and considering ourselves worthy of more than that as a result of the work done by our hands. We need a lot of it (i.e. sorrows and trials) to be healed. Likewise, we must not persistently ask for it to pass through us {Matthew 26:39} as much as we ask God to give us the strength to bear it and for it to be His will, not ours.

3- Listening to the voice of God

The Holy Spirit is also given by continuing to listen to the voice of God, that voice that speaks clearly and clearly and is understood by everyone who has ears to hear. God the loving Father has been speaking to you from the day you were born until now, calling you, warning you, guiding you, teaching you, and illuminating the path before you. If you are poor and persecuted, or if you are afflicted by the death of one of your relatives, or if you are sick, sad, or miserable without any apparent reason, then in all these cases you can hear the voice of God, which awakens your senses. You no longer hope for people or ask for help and satisfaction from worldly pleasures, but rather turn your heart to God because In it is your sustenance and consolation.

But let us assume that you live in abundance and do not feel sadness or pain in life, but rather you often rejoice and rejoice, and that you sometimes rejoice with spiritual joy. These situations are nothing but a call from God, calling you to love Him and thank Him from your heart for His abundant blessings. Keep the Lord God before your eyes because He is the source of all blessings and the origin of all delights. And do not forget to open the heart of the poor, brothers of the Lord Jesus Christ, so that God does not forget you.

Who among us has not heard the voice of God speaking to him through various matters, different situations, many dangers, and successive incidents? We all hear His voice clear and specific, but not all of us understand it or act in accordance with its requirements.

We often strive to alleviate our distress (9) With worldly concerns and false pleasures instead of reaching the depths of our souls where we meet the One who is able to heal us and use sorrows for our spiritual benefit.

We would like to run away from our sorrows complaining and dissatisfied instead of hearing the voice of God, the source of all comfort.

When we are full, we forget Him, do not thank Him, and use His gifts to satisfy our useless desires. We complain, not knowing that neglecting the voice of the king is considered an unforgivable crime, much less the voice of the King of kings and Lord of lords.

The Lord will no longer make us hear His voice as long as we do not pay attention to this voice. Firstly, he considers us to be slave children (10) He lets us do what we want without warning or guidance, and thus our minds are gradually darkened until we become the worst of sinners {Hebrews 3:7-9 and 12:25}.

4- Prayer

The simplest way to be filled with the Holy Spirit is prayer. Prayer is either external or internal. Whoever prays and kneels before God in a home or church is praying an external prayer. As for the one who turns his heart and soul to God, trying to limit his thoughts to appreciation, he is praying an internal prayer. We all know which is better and which is more effective.

We can pray during work, during free time, on ordinary days and holidays. However, it is indispensable for us to regularly perform external prayers, especially public prayers.

Many may say: Why should I go to church if I can pray at home? I may also sin while I am in church. But what is the motivation for these people to say this? Their statement is not right or true about anything, but rather stems from laziness and pride. Unfortunately, it may sometimes happen that you make mistakes while you are in church. But this error is not due to you going to church to pray, but rather to not going in the true spirit and standing in church not to pray, but to perform actions that are completely contrary to prayer. Now let us ask those who give reasons for not going to church with such reasons: Do they pray at home or not? They do not pray at all or pray a Pharisaic prayer like the one the Pharisee said, saying: (God, I thank you, because I am not like other sinners, unrighteous, adulterers, or like this tax collector) {Luke 18:11}.

Therefore, we must not neglect public prayer in the church {Hebrews 10:25}, just as we must pray in our chambers {Matthew 6:6}, not caring about the ailments of those who are deceived.

If God had promised to make (his heart in his house) {that is, the house of God (1 Kings 9:3)}. If it is easy for a believer to pray in places designated for sanctification and worship and filled with memories of the Lord’s presence, then no matter how valuable the excuses that those who do not go to church invoke, they do not justify them, but rather further prove their unwillingness to pray.

We said: He who does not have the Spirit cannot pray a true prayer. Therefore, we need continuous struggle, raising our minds to God. This matter does not become possible for us suddenly or quickly. This experience does not only occur to us, but also to those who devote their entire lives to prayer.

It may occur to you to start directing your thoughts to the Lord. But soon you find that they are scattered in different directions. Despite all this, strive and pray earnestly {Luke 18:1 and 7} so that God may bless you and train you in a life of true prayer that brings sweetness and comfort to the heart, to the point that many fathers continued to pray day and night without realizing the time, no matter how long their condition lasted: for prayer was not a tedious work. For them, it is a pleasure.

It is not easy for those who have yielded to their desires and silenced their consciences to realize the true state of prayer. The matter requires perseverance and effort, to the point that we must pray earnestly and fervently, enduring all fatigue in order to train our souls to converse with God, trying to gather our thoughts and control them so that our hearts are enlightened with true consolation, and the Holy Spirit fills us little by little. When he sees frankness and sincere desire in our struggle, he quickly helps us and teaches us true prayer.

It may be easy for you to pray when needed and during trials and tribulations, so do not let these opportunities pass you by, but rather use them to present your sorrows before God, who commands you to pray (without ceasing) {1 Thessalonians 5:17}.

Of course, we cannot pray an uninterrupted external prayer because we have to perform the duties assigned to us as well, but everyone who feels his poverty and internal need will not stop praying even during his work hours. Everyone who has the fervor of desire to enter the heavenly kingdom burning in his heart finds sufficient time and many opportunities to pray internally and externally. The zealous soul will find time to worship God even in the most busy times with work.

It has been said that God does not listen to sinners, that is, He does not give them what they ask for. This is a fact. But to what group of sinners does God not hear? He does not listen to those who do not want to be converted or who ask Him for forgiveness and do not forgive others for the most trivial things {Matthew 6:14, 15}. In fact, God does not listen to such people or respond to them.

I wish you would forgive those who sin against you so that God would forgive you your religion, and I wish you would have mercy on others so that God would hear your prayers.

Some people think that we can only pray from books. In fact, how sweet is your praise of God in psalms and spiritual songs {Ephesians 5:19}. But if you do not know them, it is sufficient for you to know the important prayers, especially the Lord’s Prayer {Our Father who art in heaven}. Because Jesus Christ Himself has given us this prayer to meet all our needs {Matthew 6:9-13}. Say a short prayer, putting all your heartfelt feelings and all your needs into it. Say: Have mercy on me, O Lord {Luke 18:13}, wash me from my sin {Psalm 50:4}, O Lord Jesus Christ... and other supplications with which you lift your heart to God in all situations of life.

Our lack of understanding of the truth of prayer prevents us from praying to God the true prayer. Prayer is not just a means of bringing the bounties of heaven to earth, but rather a means for the soul to ascend to it to associate with its Lord always. Our doubt in the power and love of our God also hinders us from doing this. We often forget that the reason why He does not respond to us is due to our unwillingness to accept His gifts. Let us ask God to teach us how to pray to Him under the guidance of His Spirit with boldness and complete surrender before the throne of His grace, giving Him the first fruits of our time and not the waste of it, preparing its heart for prayer through quiet contemplation, and then handing over the reins of our lives to our God, so that we can hear His quiet voice without making any excuse for physical fatigue or mental stress. Because these obstacles grow and increase if we make room for them. Let us aspire to live a life of frankness in prayer, telling the Lord everything we have without hypocrisy, revealing the heart to God, asking Him to reveal our situation to us more clearly, trying with all our mental powers to “test what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God” {Romans 12:2}, leaving it to the Holy Spirit. There is room for him to introduce us to and guide us in the Psalms, since they do not recite them {i.e., the Psalms} in the spirit of prayer and contemplation, and they do not know that complete prayer is revealed in them with all its pillars, from humility, contrition, and confession to glorification, supplication, and thanksgiving, and that they suit {i.e., the Psalms} to all circumstances and benefit every situation, as they are distinguished by their frankness and simplicity. The sublimity of its expression and power.

5- Self-disbelief every day

One of the saintly fathers said: (If you want to raise your prayer to God, give it two wings: fasting and giving). Before talking about fasting, let us see why fasting is obligatory? The purpose of fasting is to calm the body, free it from it, and make it more submissive to the soul. Because the body, whose desires are multiplied and which enjoys luxuries and comfort, leads a person to laziness, prevents him from thinking about God, and becomes like chains with which the soul is bound.

a- Now: Let us examine the nature of fasting.

It varies for different people's situations. Whoever lives a life of luxury differs in his fasting from those who grew up with a simple life. It is easy for some people to eat the simplest foods, others can live several days without food, while others feel, when they fast, a significant, tangible change that may be harmful. Therefore, each of us must be moderate in determining his fast according to his ability, and be moderate in requesting food, trying in particular not to satisfy the desires of the body and not to support it in the desires it requests. This is not necessary to preserve health and life.

While you fast physically, you must also fast spiritually, so that you refrain your tongue from evil, do not speak ill of anyone, and do not speak falsehood under any circumstances {Psalm 33:14} and also suppress your desires, which are the root of all desires.

Thoughts cause many sins. There is nothing more difficult than controlling thought. Rather, it is difficult to restrain thoughts at once, because they are like a horse that is faster than its enemy and has never been trained. However, if such a horse is unleashed, it will run like crazy. Thus, whoever allows himself to be distracted by thought will not be able to manage wisely in his life.

You often live like an ordinary person, absorbed in the cares and duties of the world, with little thought about your duties as a Christian. You may think at the time that your thoughts are orderly and pure, but as soon as you think and care about your salvation, your thoughts become disturbed, like a vessel in which water has been sitting for a long time and you have soaked what is in it. But once you move it, it appears cloudy. That's how it is with you.

When you are determined to purify yourself, Satan stirs up what is inside you to confuse everything for you. Despite all this, resist with all your will and be strong and courageous. Do not despair and do not think that it is not possible for a person to purify his thoughts because God is with you. Strive as much as you can and ask God for help, and the Holy Spirit will see your sincere desire and soon come to you and help you.

B- Now let us examine what charity is.

We mean giving to the poor. This word includes all actions that include the act of mercy, such as feeding the hungry, quenching the thirst of the thirsty, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, helping others, hosting strangers, sheltering the homeless, caring for widows and orphans, and so on {Matthew 25:35-46 and James 1:27}. This must be done without pride or desire for others to praise these deeds {Matthew 6:1 and 2} and without expecting gratitude or compensation from a favor, but rather out of your conviction that you are doing these deeds for God, adhering to the words of the Lord Christ, to whom be glory: (Do not let your left hand know what you are doing.) Your right hand...And your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly {Matthew 6:3-4}.

The words of the Lord Christ, glory be to Him, which refer to the woe that will befall us (if people speak well of us) {Luke 6:26}, warn us against directing good deeds in a direction that everyone will see, using the excuse that people see our good deeds and are enlightened by them, not knowing that every deed A good act whose results do not lead to the glorification of God is a false act, because even though it appears good, it does not lead to the glorification of God. If we attribute glorification to ourselves rather than to God, then all calamities may befall us. On the other hand, excessive disbelief in ourselves hinders us from serving God. The truth is that we cannot do this when we are lazy and unproductive.

6- Reciting the holy books

The most complete means that prepares a person to receive the Holy Spirit is to recite and listen to the Holy Scriptures and consider them the true Word of God {2 Peter 1:21}.

It is a precious treasure from which we can derive light and life, a light that illuminates and guides every person, and a life that develops, delights, and guides every person.

The Holy Book is one of God's greatest blessings to man because through it, simple people can understand and accept His divine wisdom.

Do not be surprised if you find the greatest philosophers among those who read the book under the guidance of the Spirit, despite their initial simplicity. Do not be surprised to see that many have perished despite being educated because the former read the book with simplicity of heart and without criticism, with no intention other than to learn from it and obey its commandments, while the others looked into themselves and tried to discover and learn what had been withheld from us instead of humbly and submissively accepting God’s revelations to us. Therefore, you see that they have fallen into the pit of atheism and heresy.

It is easier to empty the whole sea into a small bowl than to encompass all of God's wisdom. Therefore, turn away from human wisdom when you read the Holy Bible, and submit with your full will to the word and will of the one who is speaking to you, and ask Jesus Christ himself to teach you, enlighten your mind, and give you the firm determination to act according to what you read.

Many international books are considered useful and beneficial. But this calendar does not apply in religious books except to every book that was created on the basis of the Holy Bible in accordance with the teachings of our Orthodox Church. That is why we must be careful in choosing what we read, lest these books lead us to destruction.

7- Handling

Jesus Christ said: (Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me and I in him. He will have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day) {John 6:55-58}. By this, he means that whoever worthy of participation in the holy sacraments is united with Jesus Christ in a secret union, or in other words, whoever receives the body and blood of Christ with true repentance, a pure soul, fear of God, and faith, receives for the time being the fullness of the Holy Spirit, which prepares in him a place for the indwelling of Jesus Christ himself and God the Father {John 23: 14}. Then man becomes a temple of the living God {Ephesians 2:21, 22}.

But whoever partakes of the body and blood of Christ out of unworthiness {1 Corinthians 11:29}, that is, with an impure soul and a heart filled with malice, love of revenge, and grudges, not only loses the gift of the Spirit, but also becomes like Judas the traitor, that is, he is like the one who crucified Christ a second time.

Christians of the first generations were accustomed to participating in the Lord’s Table on all Sundays and holidays because they felt its importance and benefit. That is why, as it was written about them in the Book of Acts, “they had one heart and one soul” {Acts 4:32}. What is the greatest difference between us and them? Many of us do not eat for many years. Others do not care about this matter at all.

Therefore, I ask you, dear reader, to develop in yourself the desire to continually receive the Holy Mysteries, knowing that in this communion there is a cure for your shortcomings and illnesses, a liberation for yourself from the slavery of Satan, and a steadfastness in the Lord your God, as a branch stands on the vine {John 15:4}.

The precious body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ are our sustenance {John 6:56} on the journey to the heavenly kingdom. Is it possible to go on a long trip without food? They are the visible Holy of Holies that Jesus Christ himself gave us for our salvation. Who does not wish to partake of these holy things and be sanctified? I wish we would not hesitate to approach the cup of life, immortality, love and holiness, and I wish we would approach with fear and faith until we acquire provisions for our way to heaven.

In short, we receive the Holy Spirit through... Purity of heart, uprightness of life, humility, attention to hearing the voice of God, prayer, disbelief in self, reading and listening to the word of God, and participation in the holy body and blood of the Lord.

There is no doubt that each of them is sufficient to prepare the soul to be filled with the Spirit. But using them together is the safest means.

If one of us is filled with the Holy Spirit and then falls into sin, he grieves the Spirit of God {Ephesians 4:30} that is within him. But do not despair and do not imagine that you have perished, but rather hasten and bow before God in repentance and prayer {Psalm 141:2-3} and the Holy Spirit will return and fill you again.

Conclusion

After I have shown you the way to the heavenly kingdom to the best of my ability, you can see for yourself what follows:

– 1 –

No one can return to God and enter the kingdom of heaven except by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

– 2 –

A person cannot be called a disciple of Christ, even if he believes in Him, unless he works and lives as Christ lived on earth. Therefore, he cannot live with him in heaven.

– 3 –

No one can follow Christ except with the help of the Holy Spirit.

– 4 –

Whoever desires to be filled with the Holy Spirit must follow the paths that God has given us for this purpose. I repeat that there is no path to the heavenly kingdom other than the path revealed to us by Jesus Christ. It is an individual path, but there is no other path to reach heaven. It is difficult, but it leads directly to heaven. Despite the difficulty, we find that God's help is at hand. The Holy Spirit guides us, God’s angels guard us, teachers teach us, and the Lord Jesus Christ holds our hands, speaks to us, and strengthens us.

The path requires struggle {Philippians 1:30 and 1 Timothy 6:12}. He who has not tasted bitterness cannot fully appreciate sweetness. It is tiring, but if we pray we find comfort and strength. The most severe pain here cannot be compared to the pain of hell prepared for Satan and his soldiers. It is arduous, but if it is difficult for us to walk the path to world glory, how much more difficult will it be to walk the path to “the glory of heaven that will be revealed in us” {Romans 8:18 and 1 Peter 4:12, 13}.

If we truly examine our souls, it will become clear to us that our failure to accept the path to the Kingdom of Heaven is not due to the difficulty of the path, but rather to the loss of the true desire and sure inclination to follow it. We also do not want to go to the trouble of searching for it. It is clear that whoever truly desires something must strive to seek it, no matter what difficulties and obstacles he encounters.

Our desire is very weak and therefore the heat of our attempt to reach it is extinguished immediately. We soon lose faith and complete surrender to God.

Some people may think that repentance is enough to bring their lives to a happy ending. What a terrible mistake they made. Because even though God’s mercy is great and infinite, and even though Jesus Christ accepted the grateful thief while he was about to die {Luke 23:42-43}, the thief’s entry into Paradise was accompanied by psychological and physical pain and agony. He was hung on the cross of shame {Luke 23:33} and suffered as a criminal and an evildoer. But who among us has not violated the divine law as well as human laws? If our sins did not reach the point of killing human souls as thieves do, we killed more of them with our words, our harshness, and our lack of interest in seeking their salvation.

God can make us happy even at the last moment of our lives, if we offer sincere repentance and receive the holy sacraments. But who among us is sure that he will find enough time and pain for this repentance to banish sin from him? How many people die suddenly and how many of them lose all comfort in their last hour when no advice or suggestion to repent at the last moment of life is of any use?

Now, if you are thinking about eternity, think about your future. It is either eternal happiness or eternal hell. There are only two paths to reach them, one of which is broad, paved, and easy (and many enter it), and the other is critical and difficult, and those who cross it are few (Matthew 6:13 and 14). But how happy are those who chose a short misery in order to be happy forever, and how miserable are those who did not care about their salvation, and how terrifying the day of their judgment (for falling into the hands of God is a tremendous matter) {Hebrews 10:31}.

Think about your salvation (as long as it is day) so that the darkness of death does not overtake you, in which “you cannot do any work” {John 4:9}. Do not postpone repentance from day to day, but rather hasten to head towards heaven and do not be afraid, for you will find yourself drawing closer to God, no matter how slow your walk is. Walk forward without looking back, and you will soon be amazed that you crossed the road at a speed that you could not have done, because the Lord is with you. Here are some tips, so benefit from them as you go.

– 1 –

Do not bother to observe how evil people live and do not harden yourself by their example. Do not hesitate in your mind that you are walking in a different way than other people, because their destruction will not save you. You cannot defend yourself by saying that you are not the only one who has walked the path of humans. It is also difficult to see people repent if you see them sinning. Therefore, it is not your business to ask about others because it is not for you to judge others {Matthew 7:1-5 and Romans 2:1-3}, and because your judgment of others is very wrong, O you who do not look at the truth about yourself.

– 2 –

Many people may meet you with sarcasm and sarcasm. Perhaps among these people are those closest to you and dearest to you. Don't care about them. Those before you {Matthew 29:27} like them mocked Jesus Christ. But he did not show any hostility toward them, but remained silent {Matthew 27:12-14 and Mark 15:3-5} and prayed for them {Luke 23:34}. So do as he did and follow in his footsteps {Ephesians 1:5}.

– 3 –

Many educated people do not want to walk to the Kingdom on the path that the Lord has made clear to us. They imagine that they can enter heaven without this path, and they believe that this path was made for a small few and not for everyone. Do not listen to such people, even if the speaker was an angel coming down from heaven {Galatians 1:8}. Do not argue with these deceivers, but feel sorry for their situation and pray for them.

– 4 –

It may happen that you meet someone who persecutes you for the Word of God or someone who reproaches you and curses you or insults you, so be patient and endure it, but rejoice on that day when you become (worthy) to be persecuted (for the name of Jesus) Christ {Acts 5:41}, because how great is your reward that you will receive. You'll have it in the evening.

– 5 –

If you are truly walking on this path, Satan himself will fight you and tempt you with various temptations. He will inspire you with evil thoughts, doubt your faith, or lead you to heresy, so do not fear him because he cannot do anything without God’s permission. Rather, you must pray to the Lord (and he will flee from your face) {Psalm 67:2} like a flying arrow.

– 6 –

You must note that an abundance of useful works is not an obstacle to a true Christian. Hard work does not prevent the salvation of the soul, but rather helps it, because unemployment is the mother of vices {Proverbs 12:11, 24, 13:4, Ephesians 4:28, 1 Thessalonians 4:11, 2 3:8-12}. It is what makes people addicted to alcohol and it is what creates bandits and thieves. Anyone who does not have a job that occupies his thoughts is a bad Christian, a bad example, no matter how good he appears. If he is not one of the major sinners, then it is no surprise that God's care is looking out for him.

So be diligent, train yourself to work and strive, do everything that is useful and necessary for your home, and fulfill your duties towards your homeland. If unemployment is the mother of vice, then work is the father of virtue. Because someone who is busy with his work does not find time to think about evil. He is always busy with the duties assigned to him or his duties as a Christian.

– 7 –

You must accustom yourself to training in work life. There is a type of perfection that is patience {Matthew 25:13, Luke 21:19, James 5:11, 2 Thessalonians 1:4-7, 3:5, 1 Timothy 6:11} and endurance. Patience is useful and useful in all circumstances. Rather, it is the most important perfection for those who want to go to the heavenly kingdom. Without Him, you cannot step on that path because you will meet sorrows, difficulties, and thorns at every step you take {Philippians 1:29}. Train yourself to endure {James 5:10} physically and then spiritually. Then it will be easy for you to be a working member of the community, a loyal friend, a virtuous householder, an honest citizen, and a good Christian.

Now that I have mentioned everything I can about the path to the heavenly kingdom, I will add one word, which is that whoever goes zealously on this path will be rewarded exponentially even in this life for all his labors, sorrows, good desires, and good intentions. What cannot be spoken will also await him. And unless (it has occurred to the heart of man) {1 Corinthians 2:9}. So do not be afraid to follow Jesus Christ wherever He goes {Matthew 19:8}. He is a powerful helper, so follow Him and hurry and do not delay. Come on while the doors are open. No matter how far you are now, the Lord himself will come on the way to meet you, kiss you, dress you in the most beautiful clothes {Luke 15:20-24} and lead you to His throne where He Himself resides with His holy prophets, His pure apostles, and all the martyrs and saints. Then you will have glorious, inexpressible joy and true, eternal joy.

But if the royal doors are closed before you repent and do good deeds, you will not be allowed to enter after the hour has passed, no matter how much you knock on the doors. You will say: (Lord, open to me) {Matthew 11:25} For I know you, and I have called on your name (and performed miracles) by this name {Matthew 22:7} also. But Jesus Christ will answer you, saying: (I do not know you) {Matthew 12:25} You are not one of my followers. (Depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his armies. There there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth) {Matthew 7:23, 25:41, 22:13, Luke 13:25-28}.

(*) The second section of this book includes the content of Saint Enocandius’ preaching. It was first printed in 1839 in the Aleutian language and was immediately translated into Russian. It was reprinted annually for 46 years from 1839 to 1885. It was translated into several other languages, including Arabic, in 1855 by the Most Merciful Bishop Gerasimus (Yard), Metropolitan of Zahle. Likewise, the Coptic Sunday Schools produced another translation in 1944. As for the translation placed in the hands of the reader, it was completed by a team of members of the Orthodox Youth Movement in Latakia in 1951.

[This is the second section of the book “Enocindius Carzo Alaska”. No. 10 in the “Saints” series by Al-Nour Publications, and the first section, which is “The Biography of Saint Enocandius,” can be found at this link. here… (the network)]

(5) The parable of the tax collector (Luke 18:13 and 14), afflicted and remorseful

(6) That is, Yusuf Al-Khatib

(7) Which means

(8) That is, he worships him with devotion

(9) Sorrows and anguish

(10) Rebels