In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

As Rome begins the season of Lent, the Pope; Pope Benedict XVI has already announced that he will be stepping down. Needless to say there has been a flurry of excitement, shock, discussion on the reason and meaning for this resignation and of course the prophets are out and about. This will be a short blog and it relates to the prophets, most of them appear to be languishing at the thought that the Roman church will now become a bastion of liberality, this is of course welcomed by those who want the modernized liberal Catholic church so that they no longer have to be accused of living sinful lives  and can do whatever it is that they choose to do.

Others who are languishing over this idea of a liberal Catholic church are doing so because they have been pointing their fingers at the Popes and accusing them of being the Antichrist and/or the leader of the One World Church. This liberalization of the church will only prove that hey are right. Others are actually predicting the collapse of the Roman church and are looking forward to it. This is coming from those who claim that they are Christian. I find this to be amazing. I have been writing for quite a long time on the role of Rome in Christianity. Although there are differences between Roman and Orthodox understandings, Rome is from the beginning. I am amazed at those who are actually looking forward to the demise of Roman Catholicism.

I would really like to know how it is that if Rome were headed by the Antichrist at a time when the world has completely rejected Jesus Christ in all of the world governments, why are they leading the church against the attacks of governments on abortion, why do they speak out so much against human trafficking? Why are they prepared to become imprisoned rather than obey the civil law that goes against the Law of God?

I am going to say this again; if Rome were to fall, so will the rest of Christianity, all true Christians will become open targets, only those who become churches of the state will survive unscathed by civil authorities. These groups will not be preaching the Christ, the world will be dark and yet it will believe that it is light. Jesus Christ said that the gates of Hell shall not prevail against His church, to attack His church is pitting you against Jesus Christ. So many attack me for these words but I tell you the truth, if Rome falls you who attack will be forced into a decision, accept civil law and preach that which is against Jesus or be persecuted, you will then see the truth of my statements.

Also I tell you the truth, when Rome goes, it marks the end. Many predictions about a Black Pope and a Pope who will usher in a new order are running rampant right now. Prophecy regarding the end times and the destruction of the church does not mean that it happens because the Pope is Antichrist, why would the world level the church of the Antichrist? Everyone who is so against the Pope with the hatred that I see and hear from them truly needs to reflect on these things. If the world wants to rid itself of Rome, how could Rome be Antichrist?

Reflect on this because if what you wish were to actually come, it will be the end of you as well and the sad part is that if you have not repented before your personal fall I can only say this; may Almighty God have mercy on your soul. You must stop this prophesying and wait to see the truth, do not pit yourself against Jesus the Christ, have patience and wait on the Lord.

In Christ,
Monk Michael
Rev. Fr. Michael Valentine

Repent, Confess, Repent!

 

Create in me a pure heart; The Great Lent 2013

My Friends, all who truly love Jesus Christ;

Soon we will be participating in Great Lent. There is so much going on that we cannot even pretend that 'all is right in the world'. The Lenten Season is a time of fasting, cleansing and purifying, it is also a time for reflection and meditation and growing in spirit. It is a time to pray for renewal. For many years I have been talking about the purging of the church, so many refuse to listen. So many are waiting for the end and some crazy rapture of Christians, the times are constantly predicted, the Antichrist is named over and over as well as the leader of the 'One World Church'. There is so much division in the church if our Lord Jesus Christ was not truly God I think that he would have abandoned us centuries ago. The persecution of the church has never truly stopped and this occurs from without and from within.

As the world continues to change and more pressure is put onto Christianity to change with it I believe that there will be a great purging within. If the church maintains her Christian roots and continues to uphold the truth, many will protest, fight within, and ultimately leave. As the persecution continues many true Christians will be persecuted, imprisoned and very possibly killed but I believe that much death will not come from just the law but from those who make some claim to Christ who are truly followers of that evil one who will be doing much of the killing. The church will ultimately become one group of believers working together, this of course is fought against and argued about but in the last days this will become so.

Currently we are fighting still against abortion, fighting against the destruction of family and marriage, fighting against the adoption of children to same sex couples, fighting against human trafficking and sex slavery, fighting against the society that would teach our children that which is against Almighty God. All governments of this world are fully aware of all of these fights and ills in the world, they encourage these things, those who fight against them will become outcasts of society, considered to be a cancer to 'humanity', unsocial, unbending, lacking tolerance and intolerable and yet there is hope!

I have seen angels of God intervene at the last moment, during the blink of an eye when death seemed eminent they come and then they disappear just as quickly, I have seen the Holy Mother, I have seen situations turn when there appeared to be no hope. My friends, we must have a pure love in our heart, this is the only way. The Psalmist says; create in me a pure heart and a steadfast spirit. This must be our goal for it is with a pure heart that we must pray, during this Great Lent this is what we must strive for, prayer from a pure heart and a steadfast spirit. Confess, Repent, become one with the Christ. Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal; have mercy on us. Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal; have mercy on us. Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal; have mercy on us.

We must stand in faith.

In Christ,
Monk Michael

May you be blessed in 2013

January 2013, a new year was celebrated world wide. The news media loves to broadcast these things and the people love to watch the different ways in which the new year is celebrated. More people celebrate the new year than who celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior; Jesus the Christ. It seems as though people care less and less for truth and morality and prefer to chase after what they want the truth to be. Morality throughout the world is absolutely disgusting, governments are corrupt regardless of which country they claim to represent. They do not represent anyone except themselves, lust for power and control over the world population is the only thing that they recognize.

I do not apologize for any of the words that I have placed above, there is only one government that is truly for the people and that is the government of the Lord Jesus the Christ. No government of man is willing to lay down it's life for the people but it is more than willing to lay down the people's lives to keep itself alive. I pray that everyone throughout the world will consider this fact and begin to recognize the government of Jesus the Christ who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and who is the only King and Lord that began His government by surrendering His life for the people.

Consider this and be careful not to follow anyone simply because they say 'Lord' and preach 'Jesus' from a stage. Beware of charlatans; prosperity preachers  and faith healers abound and they prey on those who desperately seek the kingdom and healing. Consider that one who can truly heal would be out in the hospitals actually healing the sick. To heal would be truly a gift from Almighty God Himself and would only be granted to one who was truly dwelling within Almighty God and Almighty God truly dwelling within him. This one would not be requiring a donation in order for someone to be healed but would be working from the heart.

Any others are charlatans and are stealing your money while seeking riches. While this message may seem to be a harsh new year's message to many, it is meant to be a warning to seek only the truth and not fall prey to the many who seek a comfortable living from those who are desparately seeking answers.

May Almighty God bless you with truth, peace and grace in this new year. Seek truth, seek wisdom, seek Almighty God first.

In Christ,

Monk Michael

michael.monkmichael@gmail.com
 

A Nation of Twits

Rather than write a new thing today I thought that I would simply post a conversation between myself and  Bishop +Gregori, the bits of conversation that I am posting speak for themselves and no further explanation need be given. It is a small post, think what you will and respond accordingly, we are of course looking for those who are ready to stand up and be counted as true Christians and wish to live according to the truth of the Gospel and the true worship. Nothing watered down, no political correctness, just the true worship of Almighty God, through Jesus Christ in the Power of the Holy Spirit.


Monk Michael,

We have become a nation of dumbed down twits and it appears that the old saying; "Ignorance is bliss", is true because the sheeple seem happy as hell as our country goes down the crapper.

+Gregori

'Abouna' Gregori,

You are correct and that was exactly my point, you nailed it. Most people do not care because they have their entertainment be it sports or the latest Hollywood gossip. I have mine sorry you don't have yours is the attitude. In order to care one would have to look at one's self and get rid of the sin, people are perfectly content in their sin so they are not willing to give it up and therefore do not want to rock the boat being concerned over sin any where else, as long as nothing dramatic happens to them because of someone's sin, they will keep their eyes closed.

The decline of the education system has been systematically planned, I remember the standards being relaxed at least twice in my lifetime so that those who simply refused to apply themselves could still pass the tests to get a diploma. There is no excuse for someone with a college degree who cannot use a dictionary, high school graduates who cannot read a newspaper or even speak clearly enough for someone else who is supposed to be speaking the same language can understand them. Modern psychiatry and psychology are the enemy of God and have destroyed this nation. Science is looking for ways to disprove God and so-called Christian scientists are looking for ways to prove God. Science will never do either. I am not opposed to science, only the effort to prove Almighty God.

The church continues to splinter, God has been replaced by a collection of books, thousands of interpretations from the same words because there is no longer a true faith, truth and faith are relevant to one's opinion and interpretation of words in a book. Try to speak on things of the spirit and you will either be scorned or end up in conversation with extremists nuts who have no clue. Satan doesn't exist according to modern thought in much of the church or the other extreme is that he is to be feared to the point of personal terror if you encounter him, both opinions are ridiculous. I have personally been in life and death struggles with him over the soul of others, we can do nothing, we have no strength in ourselves, nor do we need to fear him, prayer and faith, the name of Jesus Christ , these are what defeat Satan.

It seems that even a majority of those who call themselves Christian have forgotten this.

In Christ,
Monk Michael

Totalitarianism

Totalitarianism

 Do you understand this word in BOLD above? The President of the United States orders the Roman Catholic Church to fund abortions in its healthcare system.  Liberal pansies  cry about separation of church and state when the church tries to speak out against laws that go against God but when it seems to be a matter of convenience to suit their own ends they decide to attempt to tell the church how to govern itself.  This is a disgusting form of contrary lawyer speak from a lying deceitful government. But before I continue with this series I wish you to understand who it is that I am writing to. 

Aside from the world population in general, I am speaking to Christians specifically and with this in mind we must understand who it is that I am calling Christian.

 Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. But there is more also; if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.  What else is involved in this Christian life? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. And then we have;

I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.

Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.

So, these are the people that I am speaking to, notice that there is no mention of any denomination, you believe or you do not. What else did Jesus Christ say?  If you love me, keep my commandments, …He who has my commandments with him and keeps them, he is who loves me and he who loves me will be loved by my Father. And I will love him and reveal myself to him, … If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept the commandments of my Father, and I abide in His love, …

There is no denomination here, only the denomination of Christian, this is also NOT non-denominational; it is Christian, followers of Jesus Christ, I have found those who love Christ where there is no priest, I have found those who love Christ where there is no Baptist Pastor, no Church of God Pastor, no Lutheran Minister and yet there are those who love Jesus Christ and worship and pray to Him. One denomination or another would claim that these are not truly saved because they are not of their denomination, I do not believe this, if you follow the statements of Christ that have been handed down to us then He will hear you.  But you must be actual followers of Christ.

Feed the widows and orphans, this is pretty simple. So as this letter continues through time I want all to understand, I do not care about your denomination, I care about the name of Jesus Christ in this world and how we represent it. If you spew hatred against another denomination that abides by the guidelines as given in Holy Writ then you are in error. This hatred only mocks the name of Christ in the world and there will be a time when it will not matter because true Christians will be found in all of them and yet few and far between and what then? Will you not abide with a Roman Catholic or a Baptist when all Christians are being persecuted again for being Christian and called un-American because they are Christian or called haters of society throughout the world? Will you still hold this hatred and hide alone because you are of a different denomination or will you recognize the love of Christ in this person and dwell together for the sake of the name of Christ and your own personal safety?

Whether Christians are put into the concentration camps being set up in America because we are considered as terrorists by society tomorrow or a thousand years from now doesn’t matter, we had better start recognizing Jesus Christ in one another, the purging will come soon enough, the church as a whole will be on trial before the end, the chaff will fall off and become a state church, true followers of Jesus Christ will have no tax exempt status or a state license to preach.  This will be the future church, it will be the only way to speak the truth and not be told to stop, although there will be laws about public speaking and what you can say publicly, the church will be private groups worshipping God through Jesus Christ and living as we are directed.

The world will do as it will do; we are in the world but not of the world.  We must remember this at all times and live according to the teachings of our Lord regardless of denomination. When you receive federal money or tax breaks you will speak as the federal money dictates, this will become the decision that all of Christianity will face.

We all must begin to recognize this now and teach the next generation the truth so that it is not forgotten. Who can know how long we have? Only the Father knows.

Please feel free to respond.

In Christ,

Monk Michael

Rev. FR. Michael Valentine

Tyranny

To everyone who is a friend of Monk Michael here on this page,

I do not write much very often as all here know, as expected by everyone regarding one who calls himself a monk, my life is dedicated to Almighty God, through Jesus Christ, by the Power of the Holy Spirit. I struggle quite a bit with the way of the world today like everyone else and I pray; a lot.

Many would think that one who calls himself a monk would be a pacifist; however, this is not the case. The United States justified its intervention in the Middle East and its attacks into Moslem countries as a holy war, one that is being fought against ungodly people.  This writing is not about that but it is about ungodly government, the government that I am going to speak about is the United States government, it has become one of the most corrupt and deceitful governments on the planet.

Most tyrannies or dictatorships do not disguise their intentions; those that attempt to do this are not as deceitful or as skillful as the United States government. Do you the people actually believe that the President alone can determine the outcome of anything? How much have the people forgotten the participation of the Congress and the Judicial System?  Elections are coming up and the people need to think long and hard, is voting enough?  Is there enough morality left in this country to make a difference? I will become a voice against tyranny, for those who do not wish to hear about it and wish to remain complacent you may wish to elect to stop receiving posts; that is your free choice.

For those who wish to participate and bring others in while we gather the people as best as we can to stop this tyranny, I welcome you. I am not advocating armed militias storming congress, yet, something must be done. I am not a politician nor am I a political activist. I am a man of God who is sick of the tyranny and of the government who is slowly destroying this nation that started under God and which allows its people to starve, lose their homes, separate families, rewards those who refuse to work with monthly paychecks and takes the work and the lifetime of savings away from those who have spent a lifetime of working.

Being Christian does not mean that we do not speak out, the idea that Christians are not supposed to speak out against a government that does not represent God on this earth is wrong, Priests and Pastors need to begin to speak out loudly. The people need to speak and be heard, pulpit pounding needs to grow by leaps and bounds.
Please feel free to respond.

In Christ,
Monk Michael
Rev. FR. Michael Valentine

End of Times?

Greetings to all!

I pray that this new year will bring peace into the heart of all regardless of circumstances. I also pray that for all who are in dire straights that their lot will greatly improve and that during the time of bad circumstance their faith shall increase rather than decrease.

Amen!

I am perplexed over the excitement of the year 2012 and the end of life on earth. So much of the world including Christians seem to be fixated on the end times. Scientists, self-proclaimed prophets, astrologers and philosophers are all abuzz over this issue that is to occur on December 21, 2012. There are several things wrong with this fixation;

1. Jesus Christ Himself stated that we cannot know the time of the end of ages, even He Himself, the Son of God, the Word of God, the great I AM said that he doe not know, only the Father knows the time. As Christians we should already know this and not be concerned.

2. If the world is about to end and in fact does end, what are we, you, or I going to do about it? Nothing! Almighty God is in control.

3. On a personal level, in our own daily life, we cannot know from one breath to the next whether we will draw another, we cannot know from one blink of the eye to the next if we will blink again. Our own personal end of times can happen in our very next heartbeat.

Should not these things be our concern? Should we not be preparing our salvation with every breath? The scriptures that we read tell us that if everything that Jesus Christ taught was written down, the books would fill up the world. However, there is quite a bit of information that is written and contained within all of this information is in my humble opinion a very simple message that we must at all cost pay heed to and it is this;

1. Love God first.

2. Love your neighbor a yourself.

3. Repent and be baptized.

4. If you do not eat my flesh and drink my blood you will have no part in me.

5. I pray that they will be one as we are one. Do you know who prayed these words?

The very last words that the Apostle John spoke to anyone in public when he was carried out in a chair to speak were these;

My brothers, remember to love one another.

I don't care what group you belong to, I don't care how elite you think your group is, the message is still simple, heed it. It is your very life.

In Christ,
Monk Michael
Rev. FR. Michael Valentine
American Orthodox Church/North American Orthodox Church
New Warrior Ministries