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Glory be to God! They're all from the Orthodox Church of America's lectionary for today, which I'm sure you've figured out. God bless you too and I pray you have a very merry Christmas!

# [Scripture Readings for Saturday, 20 December 2025 (OCA)](oca.org/readings/daily/2025/12/20

## [Epistle reading for the 28th Saturday after Pentecost (Ephesians 1:16-23)](oca.org/readings/daily/2025/12/20/3)

>do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

## [Epistle reading for the Saturday before Nativity (Galatians 3:8-12)](oca.org/readings/daily/2025/12/20/1)

>And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham. For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.” Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.”

## [Gospel reading for the 13th Saturday of Luke (Luke 14:1-11)](oca.org/readings/daily/2025/12/20/4)

>Now it happened, as He went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched Him closely. And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy. And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” But they kept silent. And He took him and healed him, and let him go. Then He answered them, saying, “Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?” And they could not answer Him regarding these things. So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them: “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

## [Gospel reading for the Saturday before Nativity (Luke 13:18-29)](oca.org/readings/daily/2025/12/20/2)

>Then He said, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.” And again He said, “To what shall I liken the kingdom of God? It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.” And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?” And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God.

#Christian #OrthodoxChristian #Bible #Scripture #Orthodox #Orthostr #Biblestr

Change has been the one constant in my life.

Large conferences definitely have their place, and I still recommend attending one at least once to experience it. But the real magic happens at smaller conferences, usually under 1,000 people. Those are the events worth seeking out around the world. That’s where real community forms and long-lasting relationships are built. Find your flock.

The church needs to know. These convos ought to be happening.

“Christian Zionism" is a 19th century innovation that the Reformers and Puritans would've called heresy.

-Christ fulfilled Israel's promises

-The Church is God's people now

- No ethnic group has special status

- Territory in the Middle East has zero prophetic significance

Modern Israel deserves what all nations deserve…evaluation by God's moral law, nothing more, nothing less.

-Supporting Israeli nationalism isn't biblical.

-Supporting power over the powerless isn't biblical.

Follow Christ. Love enemies. Seek justice for the oppressed, whoever they are.

Stop baptizing nationalism with Bible verses.

“Christian Zionism" is a 19th century innovation that the Reformers and Puritans would've called heresy.

-Christ fulfilled Israel's promises

-The Church is God's people now

- No ethnic group has special status

- Territory in the Middle East has zero prophetic significance

Modern Israel deserves what all nations deserve…evaluation by God's moral law, nothing more, nothing less.

-Supporting Israeli nationalism isn't biblical.

-Supporting power over the powerless isn't biblical.

Follow Christ. Love enemies. Seek justice for the oppressed, whoever they are.

Stop baptizing nationalism with Bible verses.

St Mary Abbots Church in Kensington 🫂 really beautiful. I want to go inside next time ❤️‍🔥

Have a wonderful evening too, J3 🫂🫂🫂🌙🙏🏽⭐️

Me too 🫂🫂🫂😁

Me too 🫂🫂🫂😁

🍁🍂

The Lord used me in a very meaningful way tonight. It wasn’t about me, but he used me to bring two people together that haven’t seen each other in a decade.

The meeting was much needed and I pray that it leads to future conversations.

Praise Jesus!

1984 😁🫂 felt like the right time to pick it up, have you read it? I started it a few months ago but never finished it

Wow, these are beautiful! 🙏🏽🫂❤️‍🔥 especially that second one 🤯

💞🌊🌊🌊🩵🌊🌊🌊💞

shamelessly stolen from facebook

#meme #memestr

Pomegranate tree is on the way 👀

Eating blueberries by the handful is the best part of summer

#foodstr #grownostr #homesteading

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Nostr, what is your score? 😂

Are you old, or not? 🫢

Thank you so much 😊

It's been a while. What's new?

Yes, the heart is what really matters.

Digital poisons eroding family values:

- Anti-traditional influencers

- Parental devaluation tutorials

- Premature sexualized content

Shield your hearth's purity.

I hope so

I wish all kids could enjoy a childhood without abuse and neglect.

A childhood is such a special moment in life. This should be filled with happy and nurturing moments.

Some adversity can be beneficial for growth and development, but abject poverty, abuse and exploitation is absolutely horrible.

Be wary who you allow near your children. I just hope that when push comes you'll keep them safe with all your might.

"It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men." Frederick Douglass

This sauce packet is seconds away from learning how to fly