Author: The Sword of the Spirit

Jan 22: Honoring Our Call with Mutual Respect

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Romans 12:10 Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning. Proverbs 9:9 Commentary To accept and to welcome each other as family members opens doors to see a new landscape. Once we […]

Jan 21: The Joy of Acceptance

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 1 Peter 3:8 Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord […]

We Are a Mosaic

A testimony by Mike and Lynne Karagoulis My name is Michael Karagoulis. My wife Lynne and I are Eastern Orthodox Christians and proud members of an ecumenical charismatic Christian community since the 1970’s. We find synergy between the ancient, sturdy message and traditions of our church, and the deep personal relationships and daily practical support […]

Jan 20: Crossing the Borders of Indifference

In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the […]

Responding to the Call of Jesus to Be One

A testimony by Ana María de Montero My name is Ana María de Montero. I am a married woman with children and granddaughters. I have been a publicly committed member of the Árbol de Vida community in Costa Rica for 27 years. I met the Lord in the university outreach when I was 20. I […]

Jan 19: Getting Beyond Hostility

See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. Hebrews 12:15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. Galatians 5:15 You shall not hate your brother in your […]

Jan 18: Striving for Unity

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just […]

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2023

Daily Content Introduction Dear Brothers and Sisters, As we have done in years past, we as the Sword of the Spirit want to observe the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity as a special time to focus on praying, “that they all may be one.” In praying for all our Christian brothers and sisters and […]

Living in the Last Days

The following brief commentary from the First Letter of Peter, Chapter 4 is lightly edited with permission of the author, Dr. Daniel Keating, from his book, Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture: 1 Peter, 2 Peter, and Jude, published by Baker Academic, 2011. While it was written from a Roman Catholic perspective, the material can be beneficial […]

Maranatha! – Come, Lord Jesus!

– by Don Schwager The expression “Maranatha!” was a key watchword and prayer among the early Christians. It is an Aramaic word which is a combination of two words “marana – tha” which literally mean “the Lord comes” or in the imperative case “Come, Lord!” Paul the Apostle used this Aramaic word at the end […]