In this edition, we bring two devotionals to contemplate during the Holy Week.

The first one is written by Rev. Fr. Dr. Derrence Dmitri. Fr. Dmitri is a Coptic priest living in New Zealand. He writes a weekly devotional in Malankara World. We have archives of his devotionals for the past few years. You can read the archives in Malankara World here.

Since Jesus' mission was to defeat the Satan and liberate us from his stranglehold, I thought an introduction to Satan will be appropriate. Malankara World also has the full ebook of the Milton's Paradise Lost

Talking about eBooks, if you want to read something light, I recommend 7 Months in Kerala by George Aramath, one of the members of the Malankara World Leadership Circle. George Aramath needs no introduction. He is a great communicator and you will be enchanted with his description of what he experienced in Kerala.

There is a debate going on as to who is responsible for all the bad things happening in this world. Can a loving God do all these things? So, the second devotional tells us that God is good all the time. We will be talking about this more later. If you want a related reading take a look here:

How do I reconcile an all-powerful creator with the God of the Judeo-Christian Bible?
How do I reconcile the creator (of the Universe) with the God of the Judeo-Christian Bible, which is full of stories about vengeance, pain and suffering. Why would I believe in a deity who shows such cruelty and inconsistency?

Enjoy the featured devotionals.

Satan - The Unseen Terrorism:

by Fr. Dr. Derrence Ross Dmitri Th D, New Zealand

Thou was perfect in all thy ways from the day thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. (Ezek. 28:15)

Who is it that Ezekiel is referring to here? There is only one person to whom this description fits and that is Lucifer. He is one of four archangels mentioned in Scripture. It would appear that he held the highest rank, in that he was the Covering Cherub who served at God's Throne. He was an angel of light and God exalted him to become the ruler of the earth. What a privilege this must have been to have access directly to God.

But the sin of pride entered him and he became puffed up with self-importance. He said he would set his throne up above God's and that he would be master. He was cast out of Heaven and thus became the god of this world. In Job we find that he still had access to God in Heaven, but then he finally rebelled and he and his angels fought against Michael and his angels. Lucifer was defeated and he with one third of the angelic host were cast down to the earth, and there was no more place found for him in heaven.

So he and his minions have been waging a war of unseen terrorism ever since. He is now known by several other names, the wily serpent, Satan, the devil, the dragon, Beelzebub. His one objective is to thwart God at every turn. He knows the Scripture and uses it to his own end. He thought to convert Christ to his ways. It was he that caused Israel to go into lapses of Apostasy, and the same with God's Church today, while all the while trying to undermine God's Authority.

His greatest triumph so called was seeing Christ nailed to the Cross. But in the Crucifixion he found that his power had now been severely curtailed. So he and his minions seek to terrorize and subvert God's people. We see the result of his acts of terrorism, but cannot see the perpetrators of it. He continually attacks the Church of God. He is very subtle in his attacks.

He now works from within the Church posing as an angel of light and deceives the whole world. Look at the immorality and gambling hells that have sprung up in the western world, all tools of Satan. He is behind the false god worship that has sprung up. The world has become depraved and is fast going down the road of Sodom & Gomorrah. People now worship at the altar of the God of sport.

Let us look at the reality of the Desert Fathers. Our Lord said: 'Come out of her My people, flee from the iniquity of this world, but let your flight not be on the SABBATH DAY.' Repent and turn back to God and keep the Testimony of Jesus which is the Commandments of God. Do not allow yourself to hear the words "Depart from me I never knew you." This is my Prayer in His Holy Name.

To Thee be glory and praise, now and ever, unto Ages of Ages. AMEN!

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God is Good…All the Time

by Bayless Conley

John 10:10-11 gives us a great truth,

"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep."

Is your concept of God that He is good sometimes, but not all the time? That sometimes He is blessing you; but other times, He is the source of your troubles? If so, I want to put that notion out of your heart and mind today.

Jesus came to give us abundant life, while the devil, the thief, wants to steal, kill, and destroy. God is always a good God, and the devil is always a bad devil.

I remember, as a young Christian, I ran into another new convert in the park one day. He looked troubled, so I asked him what was up. He told me he was sick and had just received some bad news as well. Then he went on to tell me that he was at a Bible study the day before and they told him that God was doing all of these things to him.

It had shaken him to think that God was the source of his troubles, and that He was responsible for all the troubles in his life.

A lot of people tend to think that way, but it is just wrong. God is good all the time. The Bible says in James 1:17,

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

There is not the slightest degree of variation in this. God is good. And the gifts He gives are good and perfect gifts. I am glad they don't just stay in heaven. God sees to it that they make their way down to you and me.

God is good…all the time.

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