From the life of Christians (Stories taken from the life of people)

Dima is 18 years old. It's time to get registered with the military registration and enlistment office. From early childhood, his parents sowed the seed of the Word of God in his soul, which sprouted in his youth.

Crossing the threshold of the military registration and enlistment office, he did not even suspect that he had to go through. My heart was light and happy. Dima realized that with him is the One who will never leave, who will support and protect. Passing office after office, he had to answer the same question:

- Are you religious?

Yes, I serve the living God!

- This is absurd. In our times! Think again, young man, soon this medieval savagery will recede far into the background. You are young, you have your whole life ahead of you ... Is it worth spoiling it like that?!

After each such speech, entries were made in his file: he attends religious meetings and reads religious literature.

Here is the last office, behind the doors of which there is a psychologist. Dima heard from friends how hard it is to endure such meetings. Many do not withstand spiritual pressure and humiliation, and some fall into cowardice ... Dima took hold of the doorknob, and his heart was joyful and calm.

“Come in,” the psychologist said. He took Dmitry's personal file into his hands and began to study it.

- I see... you mean a Baptist?

Yes, I am a believer.

- Do you know that we always send such people who believe in such myths for examination to a mental hospital? We live in a civilized world and there is no place for religious fables.

Dima looked at the psychologist and could not believe that he would have to go through the humiliation and insult of a person among mentally ill people. The pain in my heart was unbearable, and tears welled up in my eyes.

Having finished his rounds, he hurried home, where his mother was waiting for him with great impatience. Crossing the threshold of the house, Dima said in a trembling voice:

“They want to put me in a mental hospital for a whole month. Mom, I can't take this. What should we do?

“It’s awful, son, but you can’t refuse. Otherwise, you will be tried for evading military duty. We'll have to go to the hospital, and we'll all pray for you.

There was nothing left but to trust in the Living Lord and ask Him for spiritual strength. Dima went to the hospital for a thorough examination. It is impossible to describe in simple words the whole nightmare that he had to endure during his stay in the dungeons of a psychiatric institution. More than once, KGB officers provoked a fight on his part with mentally ill people. Once, when Dima was eating, a man was sent to him, who simply simply spat into his bowl and thus spoiled the food. The young Christian dutifully bore the offense and did not utter a single bad word. Another time, for no reason, he was hit hard in the face, but even then he did not raise his hand to deal with the offender. Such bullying continued on a daily basis. The KGB officers did not let up. Somehow, they sent an aggressive patient to Dima, who, having attacked the guy, began to choke him. Dima's eyes instantly darkened and he lost consciousness. Here the medical staff intervened and brought the victim to his senses, connecting the cardiogram and all the necessary drugs. They saved his life, but they never transferred him to another room.

A few days later, Dima's mother came to visit. With pain in his soul, he told the dear person about all his troubles.

- Dimochka, I will talk with the brothers and we will seek your release. It can’t go on like this,” the poor woman said with tears in her eyes.

After some time, Dima was released, but in parting they said:

- We are letting you go, but the memory of us will accompany you all your life.

And with these words, the head physician handed Dima a document where the diagnosis was written: "1B-mentally retarded."

After the verdict, Dima was not accepted into the army. It would seem that nothing bad has happened ... but what kind of life is it with such a diagnosis ?!

As time went. Dima was intensively looking for a job, but in response he heard the same words:

– We cannot accept you with such a diagnosis.

But, I'm completely healthy.

– We see it, but, alas, a document is a document. Sorry!

Time didn't stand still. Dima got married ... He already had 9 children, but how to feed such a family if they refuse to work everywhere?

God tests hearts, tests our faithfulness to Him. When it seems to us that everything, the point is already the limit and there are no more forces, then the Lord comes to the rescue.

The days of persecution are long gone. Freedom of religion was declared. The preaching of the Gospel was openly heard in stadiums and squares. People breathed a sigh of relief. Help came from God and for Dima. Quite unexpectedly for him, he met a very good Baptist brother who worked as a doctor in a hospital. Dima turned to him for help, so that he would help him remove from his shoulders such an unbearable burden as the article "1B-mentally retarded." The new friend gladly agreed to help. Soon a council of psychologists was assembled, where Dima had to answer all the questions posed.

The questions were the most common: who is Moses, what were the names of the parents of John the Baptist, and so on. Dima answered all questions wisely and correctly.

“You see, there was such a time then,” the doctor said at the end of the conversation, “The authorities were strenuously fighting against believers, we were forced to write such diagnoses. You are absolutely healthy. I wish you success!

Thus ended the term of this long imprisonment.

(The name of the hero is fictitious. The story is taken from the life of a brother, a preacher)

Yura grew up in a family where his parents, in addition to him, had 17 more children. He grew up as an obedient and kind boy. From early childhood, Bible stories sounded in the house and love for the Lord was instilled. When Yura was 18 years old, he expressed a desire to be baptized in water. The parents were very happy. They did not have to convince their son how important it is to make a covenant with God, but he himself made a firm decision to follow Christ only in life. Yura studied very well at school. Teachers, all as one, praised and respected him. In his heart was a cherished dream - to learn to be a dentist.

Life was just beginning... No one knows what awaits us in a few minutes, not to mention the next day... Three weeks have passed since the water baptism, when Yura made a covenant with the Lord and devoted his whole life into His hands. He was returning home from work, where his loving and kind mother was waiting for him. But he was not destined to get home. Only God knows what happened on the road, for some reason Yura drove into the oncoming lane, where a truck was moving at that time. The accident was inevitable. The commission established that Yura was driving at the indicated speed, without violations, but the reason for the accident remains a mystery.

Our life is very short and it is worth thinking about how we live the segment of the earthly path that the Lord has measured for us. Yura departed into eternity to meet Christ... His young heart wished to make a covenant with God through water baptism, and in three short weeks he was already able to see Him face to face.

What awaits us after death? Worth thinking... Life is so fleeting...

(The name of the hero is fictitious. The story is taken from a sermon)

(The stories were sent by Svetlana Burdak)

For the week of the prodigal son, we publish life stories about modern-day "prodigal sons" told by priests.

Return without deprivation

Archpriest Georgy Bolgarsky, rector of the church in honor of St. Nicholas (Mytishchi, Druzhba village)

I know one young man, he received a good education, learned languages. He is a beloved and respected son, for whom his parents did everything they could and everything they considered possible. He even went to church for a while and helped there.

But, as often happens, life without difficulties seems insipid, uninteresting to a person, he begins to look for "difficulties", adventures. This is what happened to our hero.

However, he managed to work well and bought himself an apartment. And - he moved away from his parents not only in the physical sense. He considered his parents to be his duty to constantly correct, teach and disagree with them on basic issues, quarreled with them.

But inwardly, mentally, he felt uneasy. The human soul is arranged in such a way that it feels good when a person is in spiritual balance. And spiritual balance is the result of great labors and sorrows.

Our hero almost crossed out God from his life, began to believe that he himself is able to build it the way he wants. This self-confidence, thank God, did not lead to any tragedy. At one point, this man suddenly realized that internally he was completely empty.

The parents treated the situation with great patience, all this time they only prayed for their son, and now some kind of flame of truth gradually begins to glow in him, he begins to come to his parents, establish relations with them, seek support. The next step was moving towards God.

There is no tragedy, no deprivation in this story. But she just tells us that they can be avoided, it is worth changing your mind in time and starting to move in the opposite direction, start returning.

have time to return

Archpriest Konstantin Ostrovsky, Rector of the Assumption Church in Krasnogorsk, Dean of the Churches of the Krasnogorsk District

We met back in communism. Husband and wife are educated, accomplished Soviet people, he is a member of the party, the head of the factory shop, she is also with a higher education, a high-level specialist, she worked with children. Both are very energetic and direct. When they converted to Orthodoxy, he left the CPSU and became a simple blacksmith. Hot neophytes, children were brought up decisively and uncompromisingly. The eldest, let's call him Daniel, was a common favorite of the grandmothers in the church: always with a prayer book, he sang along to the choir, often went to confession, took communion.

The first thunder before a thunderstorm struck when Danya, at the age of fifteen, suddenly announced to his father and mother that he had joined the Komsomol. These were already years when it was possible not to join the Komsomol without the fear of "being overboard the ship of life." Dani's act was not selfish, but conscious, although he could not explain it to his parents.

And at the age of eighteen, the “favorite of parishioners” just as suddenly resolutely declared to his parents that he would seek God himself and “certainly not in the Church.” The blow to the father and mother was mortal, but they survived, did not despair, prayed.

The search for God brought Daniel to America, where he converted to Judaism, took a break from Christianity imposed by mom and dad, and a few years later ... repented and returned to the Orthodox Church, but on his own. The happy parents once again embraced their fellow-believer - but now sincerely - son. The family reunion took place in Paris.

And here is another story. When I served in Khabarovsk, I knew closely one elderly parishioner, Olga, who had recently, but ardently turned to God. Her husband (in childhood, of course, baptized) was a terrible blasphemer, swearing and a drunkard. Olga, of course, suffered from this, she often poured out her grief to me.

Finally, this man fell seriously ill and began to rapidly approach death. Olga was worried that he would not die without repentance, and kept trying to persuade me to take my husband by force, since he was already in a helpless state. Of course, I refused and told her that if he himself expressed a desire, then I would immediately come to give him communion and unction.

And so the faithful wife waited for this moment - the husband wanted to repent. I came. He could no longer speak, but was conscious, nodding confessively to all my questions. I accepted his confession, unction and communion. Then Olga and I went to have tea in the kitchen. And while we were drinking tea, the “prodigal son” who returned to the Heavenly Father completed his earthly journey.

These are the two fates of the “younger sons”. And I always find the “elder son” in myself when I judge my neighbors.

Page 1 of 5

ABOUT FAITH

epiphany

In one Moscow school, a boy stopped going to classes. A week does not go, two ...

Lyova did not have a telephone, and classmates, on the advice of the teacher, decided to go to his house.

The door was opened by Levin's mother. Her face was very sad.

The boys greeted each other and timidly asked;

Why doesn't Leva go to school? Mom sadly replied:

He will no longer study with you. He had an operation. Unsuccessfully. Lyova is blind and can't walk on his own...

The guys were silent, looked at each other, and then one of them suggested:

We take turns taking him to school.

And escort home.

And we will help to do the lessons, - interrupting each other, classmates chirped.

Mom had tears in her eyes. She led her friends into a room. A little later, feeling the way with his hand, Lyova came out to them with a bandage over his eyes.

The guys froze. Only now did they truly understand what misfortune had befallen their friend. Leva said with difficulty:

Hello.

And then it rained down from all sides:

I'll pick you up tomorrow and take you to school.

And I'll tell you that we went through algebra.

And I'm in history.

Lyova did not know whom to listen to, and only nodded his head in confusion. Tears rolled down my mother's face.

After leaving, the guys made a plan - who comes in when, who explains what subjects, who will walk with Lyova and take him to school.

At school, the boy who sat at the same desk with Lyova quietly told him during the lesson what the teacher was writing on the blackboard.

And how the class froze when Lyova answered! How everyone rejoiced at his fives, even more than their own!

Lyova studied well. The whole class began to study better. In order to explain a lesson to a friend in trouble, you need to know it yourself. And the guys tried. Moreover, in winter they began to take Leva to the skating rink. The boy was very fond of classical music, and classmates went with him to symphony concerts...

He graduated from Lev's school with a gold medal, then entered the institute. And there were friends who became his eyes.

After the institute, Lev continued to study and, in the end, became the world famous mathematician, academician Pontryagin.

Do not count people who have seen the light for good.

Is this a friend?

In one country, scientists have created a robot that can learn. They named him Saiko. Syk can remember any information and answer any question. Well, just an excellent student, only made of metal and plastic.

He is more obedient than you. The older you get, the more self-willed and stubborn you are. And Syk only works according to the programs laid down in it. Even a good deed will not do, if not ordered.

A blind man stands at a crossroads and cannot cross the street - he does not see a traffic light. You will quickly figure out what to do, right? Not so with Saika. If this is not provided for by the program, it will itself, like a traffic light, stand and blink with lights.

Saika was asked:

Who are your parents? He replied:

I do not have parents. I am a computer program, not a living being.

And what do you can?

I remember what they taught me. I can perceive various information and process it.

The computer boy was asked:

Sake, what are your tasks?

Constantly accumulate knowledge and share it with people.

Knowledge is, of course, good... Is it really only about them? What are they without cordiality and kindness?

Would you like such a friend? Hardly. It has no soul. Can't love. And without love - is it a friend ?!

And in general, if you do not love, then why live?

My mushroom! My!

Grandfather and grandson went to the forest for mushrooms. Grandfather is an experienced mushroom picker, he knows forest secrets. He walks well, but he bends down with difficulty - his back may not straighten if he bends over sharply.

The grandson is nimble. He will notice where grandfather rushed - and right there. While grandfather bows to the fungus, the grandson is already shouting from under the bush:

My mushroom! I found!

The grandfather will remain silent and again goes in search. As soon as he sees prey, the grandson again:

My mushroom!

And so they returned home. Granddaughter shows mother a full basket. She rejoices at what a wonderful mushroom picker she has. And grandfather with an empty basket sighs:

Yes ... Years ... He's become a little old, a little old ... But maybe it's not about years at all, and it's not

in mushrooms? And which is better - an empty basket or an empty soul?

Lost soul.

The baby is crying - he lost his mother. He does not know the address or the name of his father. Where to go? Strangers take him by the hand, lead him. Where? For what? Every now and then everything happens. Then there will be announcements in the newspapers, on television: a boy of such and such years is lost, dressed in such and such a way ...

We got lost too. Our soul cries, helpless in the invisible world of spirits. He does not know the name of his Heavenly Father, nor the eternal Fatherland. She doesn't know why she was given life...

Above the ravine.

There was a graduation party. The chicks flew out of the nest. They drank secretly. Head is spinning. And not only from wine - from an overabundance of strength, the desire to fly. And then someone else's car with a running engine. The owner is not visible. Well, now the whole world is theirs!

Get in! Go! Haha!

And the ball is in full swing. Someone whispers tender words for the first time, someone shares a dream... Turn. Another turn.

There's a bridge there! Stop! Hit the brakes!!! Wait a hundred...

They were mourned by the whole city. He covered the graves with flowers. After a day or two, the flowers withered ...

Who served, sons? They didn’t take off ... They didn’t make their nest, they didn’t raise chicks ...

When you walk across the bridge, the horror covers. As if someone's groan is heard. The ravine is deep. You think of other ravines, invisible.

The motor of absurd desires is gaining momentum ... Where are the brakes? Ahead - the abyss! Lord, understand!

Smile.

Their doors were opposite. They often met on the landing. One passed by, frowning his forehead, and did not even look at his neighbor. With all his appearance, he said: I have no time for you. The other smiled kindly. Wishes of health were already ready to break from his tongue, but, seeing the cold impregnability, he lowered his eyes, the words stuck in his throat, and his smile faded.

So the years passed. The days flashed by like one another. Neighbors are getting old. At the meeting, the benevolent one no longer expected a greeting and only politely made way. But one day his granddaughter came to visit him. She was radiant, as if the sun shone in her eyes and smile. When the baby met a gloomy neighbor, she joyfully exclaimed:

Hello!

The stranger stopped. He didn't expect this at all. Blue eyes, like cornflowers, looked at him. There was so much tenderness and affection in them that this stern man was even embarrassed. He did not know how to talk to neighbors and children. He was only used to giving orders. No one dared to speak to him without the permission of the secretary, and then some kind of button ... Mumbling something indistinct, he hurried to the car that was waiting for him at the entrance.

When the important person got into the Mercedes, the girl waved her hand. The sullen neighbor pretended not to notice. You never know what small fry flashes behind the windows of a foreign car.

They met quite often. Each time the girl's face lit up with a joyful smile, and from her unearthly light, the neighbor's soul became warmer. He began to like it, and once he even nodded in response to a resounding greeting.

Suddenly, meetings with the baby stopped. Severny noticed that a doctor was coming to the apartment opposite.

At the meeting, the benevolent one still politely let the neighbor go forward, but for some reason he was without his granddaughter. And then the gloomy one realized that it was her smile, her waving little hand that he now lacks. At work, he was greeted in a businesslike way, smiled politely, but these were completely different smiles.

So the monotonous, boring days went by. Once severe could not stand it. Seeing his neighbor, he slightly raised his hat, greeted him with restraint and asked:

Where is your granddaughter? Something hasn't been seen in a long time.

She got sick.

Is that so? .. - his chagrin was completely sincere.

When the next time they met on the site, gloomy, after saying hello, he opened the "diplomat". Rummaging through the papers, he took out a bar of chocolate and muttered in embarrassment:

Pass it on to your girl. Let it get better.

And hurried to the exit. The delicate eyes moistened and a lump rose to the throat. He couldn't even say thank you, he just moved his lips.

After that, when they met, they already said kind words to each other, and the stern one asked how the granddaughter was feeling.

And when the girl recovered and they met, the baby rushed to her neighbor and hugged him. And the eyes of this stern man moistened.

Birdies.

Birds flew in and chirped. Either they greeted them, or they hinted that they wanted to peck something. And I was too lazy to get out of bed and go out to the balcony.

The birds chirped and flew away. Someone else will feed them, take care of them, the one whose heart has awakened.

Where are they now? To whom did God send them? Whose heart are they knocking on?

Cross.

At the age of four, Deniska was left without a mother. And he didn't know anything about his father. The mother did a terrible thing - she killed a woman. Everyone abandoned her and Denis. What he saw in his wanderings through orphanages, hardly anyone can tell. And the boy himself did not want to remember this.

In the end, Deniska ended up in the second grade of a boarding school. Once the teacher, helping him to get dressed, noticed on his thin chest a cross on a string.

Who gave it to you?

Do you know who it is?

Do you know why he was crucified on the cross? Denis did not know anything, but for some reason he

I wanted to wear a cross near my heart.

The mother was recently released from the colony, lives no one knows where, and the cross is here. Only sometimes you have to give it away: Dima, and Vova, and others wanted to vilify him ... How can you refuse? The guys also got it ... Vova's mother made a brothel out of the apartment. Although Dima had his own house, he lived there as if abandoned, often starving. So they pass the cross to each other in turn. Warms...

Soul is a Christian

The family was unbelieving. Somehow they passed by the temple. The bells rang. A six-year-old son unexpectedly knelt down right on the street and began to be baptized. Nobody taught him this. Maybe you saw where? Suddenly - himself!

The people around started looking at them. The mother was outraged:

Get up now! Don't disgrace us! And the baby answered her:

What are you, mom?! This is the Church!

But neither mother nor father understood him. They took the boy by the hand and took him away.

Christ said: "Let the children go and do not hinder them from coming to Me, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven." Alas, the parents did not know these words and took the baby away from Christ.

Really forever?

Children's confession

In the orphanage, the priest with a bright soul immediately baptized a whole group. The teacher, who became the godmother for the children, they began to call mother. The group was friendly. Of course, everything happened to them: they could quarrel and fight. And then they come to their senses and stretch out their hands to each other:

I'm sorry.

And you forgive.

Once a new one appeared among them and brought with him some other, unkind spirit.

One boy lost his player. Who took? Without evidence, it is a sin to accuse someone. Gone and gone. And just then it was time for the children's confession, for which everyone had been preparing for a long time. And suddenly this newcomer confessed to the priest in confession:

And then guys:

It's me, I took it! Sorry...

Everyone froze. The boy whose player disappeared said:

Let it be yours.

The minute was amazing. And one girl gave her player to this boy.

We will not name them. For what? God knows them. And the one who asked for forgiveness, and those who gave the player to each other.

Save me, God!

One winter, the guys who were fishing were carried away on an ice floe into the sea. When it got dark, they realized at home that there were no children, and raised a fuss. Aviation joined the search. But try, find in the dark. The pilot can fly right over the guys and not notice them. If only they had a flashlight or a radio transmitter. They would signal: "SOS! Save our souls ..."

There was also such a case: a girl geologist got lost. Taiga all around. Where to go - does not know.

The girl was a believer and began to pray to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, knowing that he helps everyone. I prayed with all my heart. Suddenly he sees - the old man is coming. He approaches her and asks:

Where are you, honey?

She told what had happened to her and asked to be shown the way to some village.

The old man explained that there were no villages around.

And you, - he says, - climb this hill, you will see a house. There are people there.

The girl looked at the hill, turned around to thank the old man, but he is no longer there, as if he had not been.

Behind the hill, she actually found a hut in which she was warmly welcomed, fed and warmed. She was told that the elder was right - there is no housing around for three hundred kilometers. What would have happened to the girl if she had not prayed?

And how did the story with the boys end? Unfortunately, they did not know how to pray, their parents did not teach them. But one of them had a believing grandmother. All night she asked the Mother of God, our Helper and Intercessor, for them. She also prayed to our Lord Jesus Christ, begged Him to save the children...

The next morning, the boys were found and removed from the ice floe. However, such stories occur not only at sea.

Our whole life is like a raging sea of ​​sin, capable of swallowing up every soul, if it does not cry out to God: "Save, Lord!"

The voice of one crying

Nobody believed her. She entered houses, knocked on windows, called out to everyone she met:

Save yourself! The reactor is in trouble! Around. - death! Run, close the windows, doors, take the children out of the street, leave, leave!

It was Sunday. The sun shone brightly. The kids were playing outside. What's the trouble? What do you?! We would have been told, announced on the radio... After all, there are bosses. Don't panic, girl! Are you overheated in the sun?

And she kept calling out to people... She knew that it was dangerous to be on the street, that one could catch a lethal dose of this death, but she kept walking... The girl saw that no one listened to her, did not believe her, but she told everyone she met:

Save yourself!

Isn't that how the messengers of Orthodoxy were met and are met with unbelief? They were thrown into cages with wild animals, burned, driven alive under the ice, rotted in prisons, and they knocked on every house and cried out:

Save yourself! The enemy of the human race does not sleep and catches every soul. Come to God! Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Voice in the wilderness...

A moment, just a moment...

The grandson whom I once taught to walk has imperceptibly grown up. He stretched out, became taller than me, but does not want to learn to walk before God. You tell him something, and he proudly replies:

Okay, let's figure it out.

He is with him on "you".

In the evenings, the grandson often walked with his comrades. My grandmother and I never let him go without a blessing, which he condescendingly accepted. In fact, he is taciturn, but one day he returned excited and told such a story.

The house was already close. The street is deserted: no people, no cars. It remains only to cross the tram tracks - and here it is, the native yard. And suddenly - bang! A bottle dropped in front of his nose, thrown by some drunk from the fourth floor, and shattered! A little more and she would have hit him in the head.

A moment ... Just a moment separated him from death, only half a step ... The grandson looked around. Upstairs they continued to feast. Around - no one. Who would help him? And could you help? But someone gave the guy this saving moment.

Now, before leaving the house, he says casually:

Well, I'm off!

It means, bless, grandma and grandpa. And stands straight. Already on "you" with a blessing.

If we believe

The kids agreed to play blind man's buff. One was blindfolded with a towel. They made sure that they couldn’t peep, they circled it and fled in all directions. They began to call, clap their hands so that he would catch them by the sound. The blindfolded boy tried to grab them, rushing at every rustle. And the guys suddenly quieted down - and not a sound, as if no one was there. But the boy is sure that they are near. He does not see, but he believes that they are here.

Faith is confidence in the invisible as in the visible.

Mom put the baby to bed, sang a lullaby to him, crossed him, kissed him and went into the next room. The kid does not see her, but believes that her mother is nearby. Just call her and she will come.

So we do not see God and our Intercessor Mother of God, but They are near. As soon as we call, they will be with us, although we will not see them.

Expectation

They will come to those who believe in Them. And they will come, and help, and protect.

If we believe.

A cheerful company - three guys and three girls - were traveling in a bus to the golden beaches of Florida. The gentle sun, warm sand, blue water and a sea of ​​\u200b\u200bpleasures awaited them. They loved and were loved. They gave joyful smiles to those around them. They wanted everyone around them to be happy.

A rather young man sat next to them. Every burst of joy, every outburst of laughter was reflected in pain on his grim face. He was shrinking and closing in on himself even more.

One of the girls could not stand it and sat down next to him. She learned that the gloomy man's name was Wingo. It turned out that he spent four years in a New York prison and is now on his way home. This surprised the fellow traveler even more. Why is he so dull?

Are you married? she asked.

This simple question was followed by a strange answer:

Don't know.

The girl asked in confusion:

Don't you know? Wingo said:

When I got to prison, I wrote to my wife that I would be away for a long time. If it becomes difficult for her to wait for me, if the children start asking about me, and this will hurt her ... In general, if she can’t stand it, let her forget me with a clear conscience. I can understand it. "Find yourself another husband," I wrote to her. "You don't even have to tell me about it."

Are you driving home not knowing what to expect?

Yes, - Wingo answered with difficulty hiding his excitement.

A week ago, when I was informed that due to good behavior I would be released early, I wrote to her again. At the entrance to my hometown, you will notice a large oak tree by the road. I wrote that if she needs me, then let her hang a yellow handkerchief on him. Then I'll get off the bus and go back home. But if she doesn't want to see me, then let her do nothing. I'll pass by.

It was very close to the city. Young people took the front seats and began to count kilometers. The tension on the bus grew. Wingo closed his eyes in exhaustion. There were ten, then five kilometers left ... And suddenly the passengers jumped up from their seats, began to shout and dance with joy.

Looking out the window, Wingo was petrified: all the branches of the oak were completely dotted with yellow handkerchiefs. Trembling from the wind, they greeted the man who returned to his home.

How will the Lord meet us if we return to Him in repentance?

With joy, for He Himself promised: "There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous."

Though every day

he still remembers the cloud, although thirty years have passed. It was in the village of Danilovichi, near Gomel.

People have forgotten God. Rivers began to turn, seas to create. They called themselves gods. How to enlighten them?

And the drought came. Not a drop of rain fell for a month. The grasses drooped and turned yellow, all the living things burned down. How to be? The harvest will perish - not to avoid hunger. And the collective farmers dragged to the chairman with a request to allow them to serve a prayer service in the field with the priest, icons and church hymns. And those times were terrible. The authorities tried to close the remaining churches, and miraculously disperse the surviving priests so that there would be no Orthodox spirit left on earth.

The chairman was in complete despair. And the plan must be carried out, and he is afraid of hunger, and the godless authorities. And I feel sorry for the people - how will they survive? He waved his hand - serve your prayer service!

For three days the whole world fasted, even the cattle were not fed. And there is not a cloud in the sky. Finally, with icons and prayers, people went to the field. In front - the father of Theodosius in full dress. Everyone is crying out to God, all souls seem to have merged into one in repentance: "Forgive us, Lord, we have decided to live without You. Lord, have mercy..."

And suddenly they see - a cloud appeared on the horizon. At first small, and then the whole sky over the field was clouded. How they all cried out to God! And it started to rain. And not just rain, but a real downpour! The Lord watered the earth.

The chairman rejoiced: "Pray at least every day!" And what is surprising - not a single drop fell in neighboring areas.

The son of Father Theodosius was then five years old. Now he has become a father himself. His father's name is Fedor. If you ask him about the cloud, the worried face will brighten up. Is it possible to forget that downpour of Divine grace? Now Father Fyodor is building the Church of All Saints so that people do not die of spiritual thirst.

Shield

Departed for the Crimean War was Colonel Andrey Karamzin, the son of a well-known historian who wrote the famous History of the Russian State. How to protect the life of a dear brother? The sisters sewed into his uniform the ninetieth psalm, in which the following words:

My refuge and my protection, my God, in whom I trust! He will deliver you from the snare of the catcher, from the deadly sore, with his feathers he will overshadow you, and under his wings you will be safe; a shield and a fence are His truth.

Such was the belief in Orthodox families: holy words will protect better than any shield.

Andrei Karamzin remained unharmed in all battles. But one day, before the battle, he was too lazy to change into that uniform, where there were saving lines, and at the very beginning of the battle he was killed on the spot.

Is it by chance?

With a shrine

The enemy was aiming straight for the heart. He hit for sure, without a miss. But the bullet did not touch the officer's chest; it got stuck in the copper icon of St. Nicholas. Officer Boris Savinov walked the terrible roads of the war with this shrine - from Moscow to Koenigsberg, fought near Stalingrad, on the Southern and Belorussian fronts. He was wounded several times, lay in hospitals, but his heart on all the fiery roads was guarded by the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Prayers also guarded him, for he had been a believer since childhood, even managed to become a deacon before the war. Boris was guarded by the prayers of his grandfather and father, who were shot after the revolution for being priests. But God has no dead. He is all alive. Did they not pray for their grandson and son when he went into battle, when the enemy aimed at him?

Believing in God, hoping in Him, the officer was amazingly brave. If he put on all his military decorations, then his chest would shine. He also had the rare Order of Alexander Nevsky, the Order of the Red Banner, the Red Star, the Order of the Patriotic War of the first and second degrees, and many medals. After the war, the brave officer became a priest. Father Boris restored the church in the village of Turki near Bobruisk, then in the city of Msti-Slavl. Now he is a priest in Mogilev.

And the icon that saved him is kept in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.

Duel

They tried to escape. Such people are called refugees. But what kind of refugees are they? Many of them not only could not run, they could not walk. They were held in their arms, pressed to the chest. And yet they fled.

There were fights for every meter of Crimea. Children, helpless old people, the wounded - those who could not fight - were put on ships to be transported to the Taman Peninsula. There was salvation. But you still had to get there. And death raged over the Crimea. On the eve of the ship with the seriously wounded was sunk by fascist aircraft. If only to pass the Kerch Strait ...

Suddenly, German planes appeared in the sky. The weather was clear and visibility was excellent. Flying over the deck itself, the masters of death saw children's heads, stretchers with the sick, perhaps they saw the faces of children seized with horror. And, looking at the defenseless, they indifferently dropped bombs and pressed the triggers of machine guns.

With a roar, the Nazis rushed over the heads of the children, dropping their deadly load, and then again gaining height, so that, turning around, they should aim properly and this time not miss.

The refugees could not see the helmeted eyes of their killers. What was in those views? Excitement of players honing their skills? Hatred? The desire to destroy the children, so that this people would not have a future? Or were they automatically following an inhuman order? It's as simple as pressing a button, like in a computer game. A bomb will explode, and someone will no longer be alive. Again and again they gained altitude and turned the planes ...

And then a little girl came out to duel with flying death. She stood at the bow of the ship and... began to pray. The Nazis covered her with lead. She answered them with prayer. The howl and roar of exploding bombs, the chirping of machine guns drowned out the words, but the girl continued to pray to the Lord for help.

The ships released a smoke screen. How unreliable is this protection, which can dissipate at any moment... But God, having heard the words of a child's prayer, commanded the breeze to blow over the ships so that the smoke covered them, and the Nazis scattered their deadly cargo in vain.

The Nazi planes got away without damaging any of the ships, without hitting the praying girl. They flew away. But what will these pilots say to the Creator when they appear before Him?

The refugees went ashore unharmed. And everyone thanked the little girl with tears, gave her something, because everyone understood that a miracle had happened: children's prayer saved thousands of people from certain death.

We do not know the name of this girl. She was so small... But what a huge, saving faith lived in her heart!

Back to life

Based on the story by A. Dobrovolsky "Seryozha"

Usually the brothers' beds were side by side. But when Seryozha fell ill with pneumonia, Sasha was moved to another room and was forbidden to disturb the baby. They only asked to pray for the little brother, who was getting worse and worse.

One evening Sasha looked into the sick room. Seryozha lay with open, seeing nothing, and hardly breathed. Frightened, the boy rushed to the office, from which the voices of his parents could be heard. The door was ajar, and Sasha heard his mother, crying, say that Seryozha was dying. Papa answered with pain in his voice:

Why cry now? He can't be saved...

In horror, Sasha rushed to his sister's room. There was no one there, and with sobs he fell to his knees in front of the icon of the Mother of God, which hung on the wall. The words broke through the sobs:

Lord, Lord, make sure that Seryozha does not die!

Sasha's face was filled with tears. Everything around was blurred, as if in a fog. The boy saw before him only the face of the Mother of God. The sense of time is gone.

Lord, You can do anything, save Seryozha!

It's already quite dark. Exhausted, Sasha stood up with the corpse and lit the table lamp. The gospel lay before her. The boy turned several pages, and suddenly his eyes fell on the line: "Go, and as you believed, let it be for you ..."

As if having heard an order, he went to Seryozha. Mom sat silently by the bed of her beloved brother. She gave a sign: "Don't make noise, Seryozha fell asleep."

No words were spoken, but this sign was like a ray of hope. He fell asleep - it means he is alive, so he will live!

Three days later, Seryozha could already sit up in bed, and the children were allowed to visit him. They brought their brother's favorite toys, a fortress and houses, which he cut and glued before his illness - everything that could please the baby. The sister with a big doll stood near Seryozha, and Sasha, rejoicing, photographed them.

These were moments of true happiness.

Ascended

Shortly before this happened, Sasha told his mother:

I saw in a dream two holy angels. They took my hands and carried me to heaven.

Two days later he was killed. They killed the guys a little older, coveted his new jacket. Mom saved up money for it for a long time, gave it to her son and now ...

How could this happen?

Mom said that when he was very young, Sasha loved to go to church. I tried not to miss a single Sunday service. Then I started going to Sunday school...

Maybe the boy was already ready to meet the Savior.

Only God knows this.

Kingdom of Heaven to you, Sashenka!

To the mountain world

One boy wanted to go downhill on a sled. And there is a sled, and the mountain is not far, but the parents do not let go - they are afraid that they will catch something dangerous for the soul from their peers. He will see enough of bad examples or hear a bad word, and it, like a seed, will lie down, lie down, and grow. And a good boy will begin to speak rudely or act contrary to the commandments of love. A child's soul is like a plowed field. And a good seed, if it gets into it, sprouts, and any weed. Pulling out the sow thistle when it becomes prickly is not easy. So the parents protected their child so that from the heights of childish purity he would not slide into the abyss of sin.

But a boy is a boy. I so want to ride! And then it's time for Lent. The people in those days strictly observed fasting. Children were not even allowed on the ice mountain. They blocked it with a stick so that they would not ride. And Ganya decided that now it is possible, since there is no one there. Took a sled - and up the mountain.

But can anything good happen without the blessing of the parents and their permission? Yes, and the Lord does not allow to engage in fun during Great Lent. Before, when people did not forget God, even theaters were closed these days. The people prayed fervently, visited the sick, helped the poor, read the Holy Books and went to church.

But the boy, having violated the age-old customs, decided to act in his own way. He rushed off the icy steep and ran into the very stick that covered the mountain. Yes, not just on a stick, but on a nail sticking out of it. And he tore his pants, and ripped through new boots, and hurt his leg. The blood is running, it hurts ... But most of all the boy was afraid of upsetting his mother. As soon as he does something, mother kneels before the icon and prays with tears:

Lord, I begged your son, but he is naughty, does not listen. What should I do with it? And he himself can die, and destroy me ... Lord! Do not leave, enlighten him!

Ghana felt sorry for her mother. He could not bear her tears, he approached and whispered:

Mommy, mommy, I won't do it again.

Seeing that she continued to ask God, he himself, standing side by side, began to pray.

“Now my mother will be so worried!” Ganya thought. “What should I do?” The boy climbed into the hayloft and began to pray to St. Simeon, the Wonderworker of Verkhoturye. He is revered throughout Siberia. Ganya prayed with contrite heart, wept, promised to improve. He also made a vow to go on foot to worship the righteous Simeon in Verkhoturye. And this path is not easy. He prayed fervently. Tired and imperceptibly fell asleep. In a dream, an old man approached him. The face is stern, but the look is friendly.

Why did you call me? - asks. Ganya, without waking up, answers:

Heal me, servant of God.

Are you going to Verkhoturye?

I'm going, I'm definitely going! Only you heal me! Please heal!

The holy elder touched the sick leg, ran his hand over the wound and disappeared. Ganya woke up from a severe itching in his leg. He looked and gasped: the wound had healed. The boy got up and began to tremblingly and joyfully thank the Wonderworker.

A few years later, Ganya went with the pilgrims to Verkhoturye to worship the saint. The day before, in a dream, he saw the road along which he had to go: villages, forests, rivers. So it turned out to be everything.

For seven days the pilgrims were in the holy place. When they were leaving, Ganya gave new copper patches to a wanderer, very similar to the old man who appeared to him in a dream and healed him. The Stranger quietly said to Hana:

You will be a monk.

He said and disappeared into the crowd.

Years have passed. Ganya became a monk, Archimandrite Gabriel. God granted him to know the height of the Divine Spirit. Thousands of people went to him for spiritual advice, and he helped everyone to be saved from the fatal abyss of sin.

It's good that his parents protected him from evil. That is why he was affectionate with people until his last breath. Now he is praying for us in the heavenly world.

Present

At the airport, before the flight, passengers are let through special gates. If someone wants to bring a bomb or grenade into the plane, a warning bell will sound. The guards will seize a person who has planned evil, and will not let him fly into the sky.

So in the Kingdom of Heaven, where every pure soul is expected, they will not let in the one who harbors evil in his heart.

So that we are not detained by heavenly guards and do not forbid the flight of our soul, let's look into it ourselves and see what desires and thoughts we live in?

Once a girl was asked:

What do you like to do the most? Without thinking, she replied:

All the time, free from lessons and household chores, she tries to give people joy. Either he will make a toy for some kid or tie mittens, then he will bring groceries from the store to an old neighbor.

She herself is like a gift. You look at her, and the world becomes brighter. The guards will gladly let such people into the Kingdom of Heaven: you made others happy - now fly, rejoice yourself.

Give people joy, dear!

Control

What now, my friend, is the time: if you want to wear a cross, wear it. But it happened, it happened, when for the cross of Christ they were thrown alive into cages to the animals. Tens of thousands of onlookers froze, waiting for a bloody spectacle. Twenty centuries ago, everyone chose where to go - to the cells to be torn to pieces or to the stands of the circus.

But the quiet lad, going to torment himself,

He crossed himself, hearing a formidable roar,

He pressed his hands crosswise to his chest,

Raised an enlightened face to the sky.

And the king of beasts, lifting a veil of dust,

Spread out, growling, at the children's feet.

And, like thunder, the stands proclaimed:

Great and glorious is the Christian God!

In the twentieth century, they made fun of believers in a different way. They will notice a cross in a child - and let's hoot with the whole class. And they didn’t just mock, but they were exiled together with their parents to distant places, from where few people returned. Even in schools, dictations were arranged to look into the soul in whom it believes.

A mother told about her son.

My Andryusha at that time studied at a seven-year school, he was 12 years old. The Russian language teacher announced that there would be a dictation and read the title: "Judgement on God."

Andryusha put down his pen and pushed the notebook away. The teacher saw and asked him:

Why don't you write?

I cannot and will not write such a dictation.

But how dare you refuse! Sit down and write!

I won't.

I'll take you to the director!

As you wish, exclude me, but the "Court

over God" I will not write.

The teacher gave a dictation and left. They call Andryusha to the director. He looks at him with surprise: an unprecedented phenomenon, a twelve-year-old boy - and so firm and unshakable. The director, apparently, still had a spark of God somewhere in the depths and did not dare to declare either about him or about me, as a mother, where it should be, he only said:

Well, you are brave! Go.

What could I say to my dear boy?

I hugged him and thanked him.

At one time he remembered this, and in 1933 he was exiled for the first time at the age of seventeen.

Now times are different: if you want to wear a cross, wear it ... However, how long will these times last? Will they soon force you to turn your soul out again - in whom do you believe? And again they will dictate their own.

Will we then remember the words of the Lord: "He who believes in me has eternal life"?

May the Almighty strengthen you, soul,

When our time comes with you.

We only need to hear then:

Great and glorious is the Christian God. (Hieromonk Roman)

As everybody

There was a girl Masha like everyone else. Everyone calls each other nicknames, and she. Everyone is arguing, and so is she. True, she did not want to say bad words: they stuck in her throat. But since that's all...

Settled in the village where Masha lived, a blacksmith. He had a huge black beard. So the village guys called him Beard. It would seem that there is nothing offensive in this, but only after all, every person has a name - in honor of the saint, to be his protector and example.

A person is inextricably linked with a name. When one of the evil people wanted to destroy the most intimate, sacred in a person, then instead of a name they gave either a number or a nickname. Sometimes kids do things like that...

A blacksmith is walking down the street, and the kids will shout: "Beard!", They will show their tongue, and run away. Sometimes even stones were thrown after him. Masha also threw, although she chose a smaller pebble, but she threw: since that’s all, then she too.

The blacksmith was offended by such tricks. He was a new man in the village, he had not yet had time to get to know anyone closely, and then the children threw stones at his back, teasing him. Of course, it's a shame. He will draw his head into himself, stoop and leave, saddened, to his forge.

One day Masha stood absentmindedly in the church. The meaning of the Divine service flew past her, as if someone had plugged her ears. And suddenly the Lord restored her hearing, the sacred words flew to her attention: "Everyone who hates his neighbor is a murderer."

The girl thought, she was frightened: “It’s about me! What am I doing? Why do I show my tongue to Beard, why do I throw stones at him? Why don’t I like it?

And she was also struck by the words of the Lord, spoken by the priest during the sermon: “I tell you that for every idle word that people say, they will give an answer on the day of judgment: for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

And Masha decided to start living in a new way. When he meets a blacksmith, he smiles, calls him by his first name and patronymic, bows, and wishes him good health. And the blacksmith, at the sight of Mashenka, began to smile. All the severity disappeared somewhere, even to Masha's parents he said:

Your girl is amazing!

The village children noticed how Maria was talking affably to the blacksmith, and she also began to greet him. Once the whole crowd came to him in the smithy. He kindly accepted them, showed how it works, and even gave everyone a try. At parting, he treated everyone to a gingerbread. So they became friends.

And Mashenka has since ceased to be like everyone else, rather everyone has become like Mashenka, as God taught her.

The poet Vladimir Soloukhin wrote:

Hello!

What special topics did we say to each other?

Just "hello"

we didn't say anything more. Why a drop of sun

increased in the world? Why a drop of happiness

increased in the world? Why is it a little happier

done in the world?

It was the third day since Manya and Ilya returned from Diveevo. The city felt the usual hustle and bustle. How Moscow lacks those peace and quiet that are felt only on the territory of monasteries or in churches! This can be more understandable only to those who have ever stayed overnight in the monastery. Even a fleeting sojourn in any holy place...

Life is glimmering

We held on. In hunger, order in the soul, in the mood and in every business helps a lot. Mom was always neat in everything and before. Since infancy, we did not have the right to eat crusts from breakfast to dinner. Sometimes, we say to mom: "I want to eat." She will say: “Be patient, dinner will be soon ...

Life sea

It was uncomfortable to sit on a hard chair, and her legs were very numb - Tanya did not feel uncomfortable. She looked through the frosted glass door, but the thick glass reliably concealed everything that was happening in the intensive care unit. A tall elderly nurse at the end of the corridor, slamming a rag into an old bucket, sympathetically shared ...

Calvary. Carpathian life

From all sides Leskovets was surrounded by mountains, dark from slender spruce forests, with soft-gray peaks in winter, transparent rivers, meadows and steep slopes of fields surrounded by wattle fences. The road to the garden led for a long time through bridges, running from one bank of the river to the other, it was crowded by rocks...

"My fate is sealed..."

Father George (Breev) is the spiritual father of hundreds of people. But after all, he was small, he was looking for faith. At the end of the war, Yura was taken to the village to his grandmother. Ruined church. No icons. Not a word about God.
The kids started playing hide and seek. Yura crawled under the bed - and in the very depths he stumbled upon some kind of bale. Pulled out a piece of cloth...

Short stories from church life

In my now distant youth, there were many interesting cases in student and subdeacon life. Some want to be remembered. His Holiness and Beatitude Patriarch of Alexandria arrived in Moscow... The meeting at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Epiphany was most solemn...

The wheels were rattling, the half-empty car was shaking, the yellow wooden benches blew cold and not comfortable. Short identical stations flashed through the windows, sad in their loneliness, trains never stopped at them, and most of the electric trains also rushed by ...

One meeting in July

Malaya Dmitrovka roars and howls. A huge crowd of protesters, restrained by detachments of riot police, are chanting, tearing off bundles, illegible slogans. I want to get out of this trap. I'm scared for myself and for the lives of the protesters. When I went out for a walk on Sunday, I never imagined that I would find myself in the muzzle of a political brawl. I meander between people, making my way to salvation. I get out to Kamergersky and notice a sharp, frightening contrast ...

Walks, sings under his breath, mumbling with chapped lips, grandmother Alyonka. She sings quietly, timidly, as if she were feeding the birds, pinch after pinch, lightly, little by little ... The road from the temple to the house usually takes her no more than half an hour, but today Alyonka's grandmother's legs are heavy, something is walking for a long time. Who is to blame for this? Either snowdrifts swept over the night, striving to tear off a wet felt boot from her foot, or she herself has weakened ...

Balaam

Valaam is an island. No, this is a lot of islands - islands and islets, overgrown with forest. Among the pine-trees here and there crosses on onions rise, sparkling in the sun with gilding - these are sketes, high stone temples ... All around - dove-blue water, as if the sky had overturned and spilled. The icy Ladoga, then rages, then ...

A simple miracle of Seraphim or the amazing care of God

The most stunning and indelible events, as a rule, occur in a person’s life so unexpectedly that, having come into direct contact with a miracle, the human mind, only after an unknown period of time, reproduces what happened in the form of a repetition of frames of a silent movie, and suddenly the real appears out of nowhere ...

About the priest and the Mercedes

Father Viktor Nechaev had sad eyes. Everyone who looked into them felt either pity and sympathy for him, or awkwardness - as if they were the culprits of something that greatly upset him. And there was something sad about his stooped figure. Maybe that's why he was a deacon for fifteen years...

Old photo

When I was young, I wanted to know about everything in the world. And, of course, reading was my favorite pastime. I read mountains of books, read to the point of stupefaction, but this "thirst" could not be quenched. Friends called me a "walking encyclopedia", it was flattering and only gave a new impetus to learning everything and everyone...

Christianity will go. It will dry up and disappear. There is nothing to argue with this, I am right and my rightness will be proven. Now the Beatles are more popular than Christ. It is not known what will go first: rock "n" roll or Christianity. (John Lennon)

On December 8, 1980, John Lennon was shot dead by a fan of the Beatles.
_______________________

I have heard for quite some time that 12 people founded a new religion, but I have the pleasure of proving that one is enough to eradicate a religion forever. (Voltaire)

Now the Parisian house of Voltaire is the warehouse of the British Bible Society.
_______________________

I thought I had to do a lot against the name of Jesus of Nazareth. This is what I did in Jerusalem: I imprisoned many saints and killed them, and in all the synagogues I tortured them many times and forced them to blaspheme Jesus and, in excessive fury against them, persecuted even in foreign cities. (Pharisee Saul)

But, meeting Jesus, Saul in trembling and horror said: “Lord! what will you tell me to do?” This is how the Apostle Paul was chosen.
_______________________

At the end of time there will be only two classes of people: those who once said to God, "Your will be done," and those to whom God says, "Your will be done." (S.S. Lewis)

One climber dared to conquer the peak, which was considered one of the most difficult to climb. Wanting to appropriate all the glory for himself, he decided to do it alone.

But the top just didn't give up. It began to get dark. The stars and the moon were covered by clouds that night. Visibility was zero. But the climber did not want to stop.

And then, on one of the dangerous ledges, the climber slipped and fell down. He would definitely have died, but like any experienced climber, our hero climbed with insurance.

Hanging over the abyss in complete darkness, the unfortunate man shouted: "God! I pray - save me!"

However, the experienced climber only grabbed the rope tighter, continuing to hang helplessly. So he did not dare to cut it.

The next day, a rescue team found the body of a rock climber frozen and biting into the rope, which hung only HALF METERS FROM THE GROUND.

CUT YOUR INSURANCE AND TRUST THE LORD…

Butterfly

A man brought home a butterfly cocoon and watched it. And in due time the cocoon began to open slightly. A newborn butterfly for several hours struggled to get out through the resulting narrow gap.

But everything was in vain, and the butterfly stopped fighting. It seemed that she got out as far as she could, and she had no strength to get out any further. Then the man decided to help the poor butterfly, he took small scissors and cut the cocoon a little. Butterfly now easily came out. But for some reason she had an inflated body, and her wings were shriveled and twisted.

The man continued to watch the butterfly, believing that its wings were about to spread and become strong. So strong that they can hold the body of a butterfly in flight, which will take on the correct shape any minute. But this never happened. The butterfly forever remained with a swollen body and shrunken wings. She could only crawl - she was no longer destined to fly.

In his kindness and haste, the man who helped the butterfly did not realize one thing. The tight cocoon and the need to struggle to get out through a narrow gap - all this was conceived by the Lord. Only in this way does the liquid from the butterfly's body get into the wings, and when the insect is free, it is almost ready to fly.

Very often struggle is what brings us good in life. If the Lord allowed us to go through life without trials, then we would be "crippled." We wouldn't be as strong as we could be. And we would never know what it is to fly.

Astrology

So that you, looking at the sky and seeing the sun,
moon and stars and all the host of heaven,
was not deceived and did not worship them and did not serve them,
for the Lord your God has given them to all nations under the whole heaven.
Deuteronomy 4:19

Everyone knows that astrological forecasts are built depending on the constellation under which a particular person was born. Let's think about this.

It seems ridiculous to say that all people born under the same constellation have similar characters.

Will the lives of two children born on the same day and in the same hospital be similar? Of course not! One of them may become rich in the future, and the other poor.

What do astrologers say about twins or premature babies?

Why does everything in astrology depend on the moment of birth, and not on the moment of conception?

What should astrologers do with the Eskimos, whose homeland is located beyond the Arctic Circle, where the constellations of the Zodiac are not visible in the sky for months?

What about the southern hemisphere, where people live under completely different constellations?

Why only 12 constellations of the Zodiac affect a person's life, while others do not?

For a long time, the theory of astrology was based on the works of Ptolemy. The relatively recent astronomical discoveries of the planets Uranus (1781), Neptune (1846) and Pluto (1930) have led to Ptolemaic horoscopes being considered incorrect.

The next paragraph is for the most erudite.

An imaginary large circle in the firmament, along which the apparent annual movement of the Sun occurs, is called the ecliptic. At certain times of the year, the Sun, moving along the ecliptic, enters a certain constellation in the sky. The twelve constellations that fall on the ecliptic are called the constellations of the Zodiac. For centuries, it was believed that the ecliptic, like the earth's axis, is motionless. However, astronomers have discovered the precession of the earth's axis. As a result, each constellation of the Zodiac moves back along the ecliptic by about one degree in 70 years. The result is an interesting picture. A person born during the time of Ptolemy, for example, on January 1, fell under the constellation Capricorn. In our time, this person is already born literally “under the constellation Sagittarius”. If you wait another 11,000 years, then January 1 will fall on the constellation Leo! This shift of the zodiacal constellations will continue until the earth's axis completes a full circle in its precession in 26,000 years, and the seasons fall under the Ptolymaic signs. Interestingly, astrologers take this into account in their forecasts?

Belief in astrology is contrary to the Biblical teaching that forbids the worship of the stars (Deut. 4:15-19, 17:2-5). Astrology encourages people to rely on the "stars", thereby leading them away from the Living God Who created these stars.

In these last days, the moment is approaching when those who believe in Christ will be caught up into heaven to dwell forever with God. Therefore, the devil is trying to deceive people, offering them an alternative in the form of UFOs, so as not to think about God.

Below are several statements that expose the deception about extraterrestrial manifestations.

Several dozens of cases of opening fire on UFOs by military aircraft are known, but no one has ever managed to shoot down or damage the mysterious aircraft.

No radar has ever recorded the entry and stay of a UFO in the Earth's atmosphere.

Despite hundreds of stories of UFO abductions, there is no physical evidence to back up the claims of people who have allegedly actually been on board extraterrestrial aliens.

When comparing descriptions of UFOs, we can conclude that each time they look completely different. It makes no sense to assume that any other space civilization builds a new-looking spaceship each time and uses it only once.

Even if there were thousands of advanced civilizations in the Universe, the chance for an expedition from any of these civilizations to stumble upon a small planet located at the edge of the Galaxy is negligible. However, there are reports of literally thousands of UFO sightings (the nearest star to us is 4.2 light years away).

The aliens are calmly staying in our atmosphere without any breathing apparatus.

During close contacts, the behavior of extraterrestrial beings does not correspond in any way to what it would be logical to expect from highly developed intergalactic wanderers (attacks, kidnappings, murders, attempts to make sexual contact).

Extraterrestrial beings with UFOs very often bring anti-biblical messages, calling for the occult, rejecting the teachings of the Bible about Jesus, God, salvation, etc.

The psychology and actions of supposedly extraterrestrial beings very well fit the description of demons or fallen angels with their fallen, old, but by no means technically advanced and highly rational nature. These are not biological creatures from another world in the depths of space, but the ghosts of demons living in the spiritual world, who are only looking for how to deceive a person.

From the book by J. Ankerberg "UFO Facts"

My father returned home from the war in 1949. In those days, soldiers like my father could be found all over the country voting on the highways. They hurried to get home and see their families.

But for my father, the joy of meeting his family was overshadowed by grief. My grandmother was admitted to the hospital due to kidney disease. And although she received the necessary medical attention, an immediate blood transfusion was required to save her. Otherwise, as the doctor told her relatives, she would not be able to live until morning.

The transfusion proved to be problematic because my grandmother had a rare blood type - Rh negative III. At the end of the 40s, there were no blood banks, and there was no special service for its delivery. All members of our family donated blood to determine the group, but, alas, no one turned out to have the right group. There was no hope - my grandmother was dying. The father, with tears in his eyes, was driving from the hospital for his relatives to bring them to say goodbye to his mother.

When my father drove onto the highway, he saw a soldier voting. Heartbroken, he wanted to skip past, but something inside made him hit the brakes and invite a stranger into the car. For a while they rode in silence. However, the soldier, noticing the tears in my father's eyes, asked what had happened.

With a lump in his throat, his father told the stranger about his mother's illness. He talked about the necessary blood transfusion and the futile attempts to find a donor with blood type III and a negative Rh factor. My father continued to say something while his fellow traveler took out a soldier's medallion from his bosom and handed it to him to look. On the medallion was indicated "blood type III (-)". A few seconds later, my father's car was speeding back to the hospital.

My grandmother recovered and lived another 47 years. No one in our family was ever able to find out the name of that soldier. And my father is still wondering if it was an ordinary soldier or an angel in military uniform. Sometimes we are not even aware of how sometimes the Lord can act supernaturally in our lives.

A wealthy man once called an architect who worked for him and said, "Build me a house in a faraway land. I leave the construction and design to you. I want to give this house as a gift to a special friend of mine."

Delighted with the order received, the architect went to the construction site. There, a wide variety of materials and all kinds of tools had already been prepared for him.

But the architect turned out to be a cunning fellow. He thought, "I know my stuff well - no one will notice if I use second-rate material here, or do something not very good there. In the end, the building will still look normal. And only I will know about the minor shortcomings made. So I can do everything quickly, without much worries, and even get a profit by selling expensive building materials. "

By the appointed time, the work was completed. The architect informed the rich man about this. After examining everything, he said: "Very good! Now the time has come to give this house to my special friend. It is so dear to me that for it I did not spare any tools or materials for the construction. This precious friend for me is you! And I give this house for you!"

God gives every person a task in life, allowing them to freely and creatively fulfill it. And on the day of resurrection, each person will receive as a reward what he built during his life.

Two opposites live inside me: the lamb and the wolf.

The lamb is weak and helpless. He follows the Shepherd. Without the Shepherd, he cannot live.

The wolf is self-confident and angry. He wants to eat the lamb. From the wolf alone troubles.

Which of these animals will live inside me? The one I feed.

An ordinary pastor arrived in a small town to serve in one of the local churches. A few days after his arrival, he traveled from home on business to the city center on a city bus. After paying the driver, and already sitting down, he found that the driver had given him an extra 25 cents in change.

A struggle began in his mind. One half of him was saying, "Give that 25 cents back. It's a bad thing to keep it to yourself." But the other half objected, “Yeah, okay, it’s only 25 cents. Is that a cause for concern? The bus company has a huge turnover of funds, they don’t care about such trifles. ".

When it was time for the pastor to leave, he handed the driver 25 cents and said, "You gave me too much."

With a smile on his face, the driver replied, "You're the new pastor, aren't you? I've been wondering if I should start going to your church. So I thought I'd see what you would do if I gave you extra change."

When the pastor got off the bus, he literally grabbed the first lamppost to keep from falling and said, "Oh God, I almost sold Your Son for a quarter."

Heroic Feat

"For hardly anyone will die for the righteous;
perhaps for a benefactor, perhaps
who decides to die.
But God proves His love for us to those
that Christ died for us,
when we were yet sinners" (Rom. 5:7-8)

In one military unit, such an incident occurred. The foreman went to the parade ground during drill and threw a grenade at a platoon of recruits. All the soldiers rushed to their heels, fleeing death. But then it turned out that the sergeant threw a dummy grenade to test the speed of reaction of young soldiers.

After some time, replenishment arrived in this part. The foreman decided to repeat the trick with the fake grenade, asking those who already knew about him not to show it. And when he threw a dummy grenade into the crowd of soldiers, everyone again rushed in all directions. But one of the new arrivals, not knowing that the grenade was not real, rushed down on it in order to protect others from fragments with his body. For his comrades in the service, he was ready to die.

Soon this young soldier was presented with a medal for bravery. This was the rare case when such an award was not given for success in combat.

If I had been in this recruit's place, I would have probably run away with the others to hide for cover. And I would not have even thought of dying for my comrades, not to mention people who are strangers to me, and maybe not even very good ones. But our Lord was willing to die for the very last sinners, saving us with His body on the cross!

Chain of love

One evening he was heading home along a country road. Things in this small Midwestern town were progressing as leisurely as his battered Pontiac. However, he had no intention of leaving the area. Since the factory closed, he has been unemployed.

It was a desert road. There weren't many people here. Most of his friends have left. They had to feed their families, achieve their goals. But he stayed. After all, this was the place where he buried his mother and father. Here he was born and knew this city well.

He could blindly go down this road and tell what was on each side even with the headlights off, which he did easily. It was getting dark, light snowflakes were falling from the sky.

Suddenly he noticed an old lady sitting on the other side of the road. Even in the light of the approaching twilight, he saw that she needed help. He stopped in front of her Mercedes and got out of the car. His Pontiac continued to rumble as he approached the woman.

Despite her smile, she looked worried. In the past hour no one had stopped to offer her help. What if he harms her? His appearance was not trustworthy, he looked poor and tired. The lady was scared. He imagined how she might feel now. Most likely, she was seized by a chill caused by fear. He said:

I'm here to help you, ma'am. Why don't you wait in the car? Would you be much warmer there? My name is Joey.

As it turned out, the car had a flat tire, but that was enough for an elderly woman. Looking for a step for the jack, Joey injured his hands. Dirty and with injured hands, he was still able to change the wheel. After finishing the repair, the woman began a conversation. She said that she lives in another city, but here she was passing through. She was incredibly grateful that Joey had come to her rescue. In response to her words, Joey smiled and closed the trunk.

Joey waited until the lady started and drove off. It had been a rough day, but now, as he headed home, he felt good. After driving a few miles, the woman saw a small cafe where she stopped for a bite to eat and warm up before driving the last leg of the journey home. The place looked gloomy. Outside there were two old gas pumps. The environment was alien to her.

The waitress came up and brought the lady a clean towel to dry her wet hair. She had a sweet, kind smile. The lady noticed that the waitress was pregnant, about eight months old, but that a large load did not change her attitude towards work. The old woman wondered how it was possible, having so little, to be so attentive to a stranger. Then she remembered Joey...

After the lady had eaten, and the waitress went to the cash register to get change for the lady's large bill, the visitor quietly went to the door. When the waitress returned, she was gone. The waitress rushed to the window in surprise, and suddenly noticed the inscription left on the napkin. There were tears in her eyes as she read:

You don't owe me anything. Once I was in a similar situation, and one person helped me a lot. Now it's my turn to help you. If you want to repay me, do this: do not let the chain of love break.

The waitress still had to wash the tables, fill the sugar bowls, but she put it off the next day. That evening, when she finally got home and went to bed, she thought about money and what this woman had written. How did this woman know how badly their young family needed money? With a baby due in a month, it should have been even harder. She knew how her husband felt. He was sleeping next to him, she gently kissed him and whispered affectionately:

Everything will be fine, I love you Joey.

people with roses

John Blanchard got up from the bench, straightened his army uniform and peered intently at the crowd of people passing through the central station square. He was waiting for a girl whose heart he knew, but whose face he had never seen, he was waiting for a girl with a rose.

It all started thirteen months ago in a Florida library. He was very interested in one book, but not so much by what was written in it, but more by the notes made in the margins. The dim handwriting betrayed a deep-thinking soul and a penetrating mind.

With all his efforts, he found the address of the former owner of the book. Miss Holis Maynel lived in New York. He wrote to her about himself and offered to correspond.

The next day he was called to the front. The Second World War began. Over the next year, they got to know each other well through letters. Each letter was like a seed falling into the heart, as if into fertile soil. The novel was promising.

He asked for her photo, but she refused. She believed that if his intentions were serious, then how she looked did not matter much.

When the day came for him to return to Europe, they made their first meeting at seven o'clock. At New York Central Station.

"You will recognize me," she wrote, "a red rose will be pinned on my jacket."

Exactly at seven o'clock he was at the station and was waiting for the girl whose heart he loved, but whose face he had never seen.

Here is what he himself writes about what happened next.

"A young girl was walking towards me - I have never seen anyone more beautiful: a slender, graceful figure, long and blond hair curled down on her shoulders, big blue eyes ... In her pale green jacket, she looked like a just returned spring. I was so startled to see her that he walked towards her, completely forgetting to see if she had a rose.When there was only a couple of steps between us, a strange grin appeared on her face.

"You prevent me from passing," I heard.

And then, right behind her, I saw Miss Holis Maynal. A bright red rose glowed on her jacket. Meanwhile, that girl in the green jacket moved further and further away.

I looked at the woman who was standing in front of me. A woman who was already well over forty. She was not just full, but very full. An old, faded hat hid thin gray hair. Bitter disappointment filled my heart. I seemed to be torn in two, so strong was my desire to turn around and follow that girl in the green jacket, and at the same time so deep was my affection and gratitude to this woman, whose letters gave me strength and support in the most difficult time of my life.

She stood there. Her pale full face looked kind and sincere, her gray eyes shone with a warm light.

I didn't hesitate. In my hands I clutched a small blue book, by which she was supposed to recognize me.

"I'm Lieutenant John Blanchard, and you must be Miss Maynel? I'm so glad we could finally meet. May I invite you to dinner?"

A smile appeared on the woman's face.

"I don't know what you're talking about, son," she replied, "but that young girl in the green jacket who just left asked me to wear this rose. She said that if you come and invite me to dinner, then I should tell you that she is waiting for you at a nearby restaurant. She said that this was a kind of test. "

John and Holis got married, but the story doesn't end there. Because to some extent this is the story of each of us. We all met such people in our lives, people with roses. Unattractive and forgotten, unaccepted and rejected. Those who do not want to approach at all, whom you want to get around as soon as possible. They have no place in our hearts, they are somewhere far away in the back of our souls.

Holis gave John a test. A test to measure the depth of his character. If he turned away from the unattractive, he would lose the love of his life. But this is exactly what we often do - reject and turn away, thereby refusing the blessings of God hidden in people's hearts.

Stop. Think about the people you don't care about. Get out of your warm and comfortable apartment, go to the city center and give a sandwich to a beggar. Go to a nursing home, sit next to an old woman and help her bring the spoon to her mouth while eating. Go to the hospital and ask the nurse to take you to someone you haven't seen in a while. Look into the unattractive and the forgotten. Let this be your test. Remember that the outcasts of the world wear roses.

What you feared happened

“But as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the coming of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:37).

(it happened a long time ago. Once upon a time there was one man, and his name was either Simeon or Simon. Due to the prescription of times, it is difficult to establish now exactly. We will call him Semyon.

This man was good, but everyone considered him a little strange. While everyone was interested in what was under their feet, Semyon was more attracted to what was above his head. Often he went into the forest to be alone, to dream, to look at the sky, to think about the meaning of being. Maybe that's why Semyon was left without a job. Klava's wife grumbled at him, food supplies were running out, what to do next is unknown.

And then one morning Semyon went into the forest and, filled with thoughts, went as far as he had never gone before. Suddenly, a knock interrupted his flow of thoughts. What is this? Drawn by curiosity, Semyon headed in the direction from which the sounds were coming. Who could have gotten this far? After a short search, Semyon came to a large clearing and froze in surprise: in the middle of the clearing stood a strange building, resembling a huge wooden house without a foundation with a huge door and small windows under the roof itself. Several people worked at the construction site. One of them, noticing Semyon, left his affairs and went to meet him. Semyon was frightened, but when he saw the face of the approaching man, he calmed down. It was a gray-haired old man with radiant eyes. His gaze simultaneously pierced you through and through and inspired peace and tranquility.

Good to see you young man. What did you complain about? - asked the old man.

My name is Semyon, I was walking in the forest and I came across you. Who are you and what are you doing here?

My name is Noah. Come with me, I'll tell you everything.

Noy led Semyon to his building, seated him on a bench under a canopy, and began to talk. The more Noah talked, the more interesting it was to listen to him. Semyon was surprised to find that he was getting answers to questions that he constantly had. For example, why this world looks so uncomfortable, and people - unkind. He listened to every word of the elder. True, now it no longer seemed to him as ancient as at first glance.

When Noah finished speaking, there was silence.

You say interesting things, Noah, - Semyon finally said, barely hiding his excitement. - God, rain, flood, ark... Can't anyone be saved?

Stay with us, you will help us build - together we will be saved.

Can i?! - Semyon's heart almost jumped out of his chest with joy.

Of course, if you really want to be saved.

Yes I want it very much! I don't like the world I live in. Only... Can I run home first and warn my people? Maybe they want to join too!

Noah looked intently and sadly at Semyon.

Go, of course... But I'm afraid you won't come back here again.

No, I will definitely come! Together we will build an ark!

Semyon, inspired by the prospect of a new life, so real, rushed home, pondering on the go how best to tell Klava what had happened to him. But the closer he got to home, the less enthusiasm and courage he had left. A treacherous thought pierced my heart: “If I tell everything as it was, they won’t believe it, they will call me crazy again. We need to imagine a smarter thing."

Entering the house, Semyon shouted from the threshold:

Klava, I found a job!

Finally! I thought it would never happen. And what's the job?

Carpenter. At Noah.

Amazing. How much will he pay you?

To pay? Well... we haven't talked about it yet.

Well, you didn't ask about the most important thing? Oh, Semyon, I'm not surprised at anything anymore.

You know, it's an unusual job...

And Semyon frankly told everything that he had seen and heard from Noah. Practical Klava listened attentively to her husband and shook her head doubtfully:

And you think it's all true? Let's say it was God who told Noah to build the ark. And still, the worker deserves a reward.

He should pay you for your work. That's what I think: you go to our priest, consult with him. Maybe he knows something about this Noah.

Semyon did not like his wife's advice, but he decided to please her and went to look for a priest. He rarely entered the temple, because there he experienced a mixed feeling of delight at the beauty of its decoration and bewilderment at the absurdity of what usually happened here. And now a certain solemn action was taking place in the temple, the cook Semyon did not understand the meaning. He waited until the end and, when the people dispersed, turned to the priest in a magnificent robe. The priest listened attentively to him and spoke in a velvety bass:

It is very good, my son, that you are so interested in the will of God, for only its fulfillment contributes to our good. But be careful, for Satan is cunning and walks around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. He takes the form of an angel of light, and therefore it is easy to mistake him for a servant of God. Look, - and he raised his hand to the magnificently painted dome, - the Lord God is here with us.

I don't think it's necessary to wander through the forests and swamps to find Him. Better come here. Here, in God's house, you will gain true knowledge. And the truth is that God is love. How could you believe that the One who created such a beautiful world would destroy it with a flood? This is heresy, son, dangerous heresy. And you'd better not tell anyone about this... how is it? Yes... Noah... We are concerned about unity here, and this... er... Noah brings unrest, division into society. Is it God's will to strife among His children? Well, that's the same. Go. And come to the service next week. God bless you.

Semyon got upset, went where his eyes looked, thinking a heavy thought. What if the priest is right? And his dreams of a new life are stupidity, and Noah is a dangerous eccentric? Suddenly he was brought out of his thoughts by a heavy blow to the shoulder.

Hello old man! What are you going, hanging your head, you don’t notice your friends? How are you?

Semyon raised his eyes and saw Arkashka, an old friend who studied together at school.

What's wrong with you? You don't look like yourself. What happened? Semyon looked at Arkashka - so prosperous, respectable, revolves in higher spheres. Educated. Seems to be an expert in public relations. Maybe consult with him? And he talked about Noah. He also mentioned the conversation with his wife and the priest.

It's interesting, - the sensible Arkashka thought, - this Noah of yours is a strange person. Well, you yourself think about it, why build a ship in a deep forest, where, not only the sea, there is no overflowing river ?! If he is as kind as you say, it would be better if he built a hospital or a free canteen - there are so many people in need today! Who needs his ark? Besides, brother, remember what we were taught at school: water cannot fall from the sky, it is contrary to the laws of nature. So no flood is simply impossible. And if anything, so scientists would have warned us. In general, throw nonsense out of your head and live like all normal people. Even though it's hard for you, I know you dreamer. But you try, you have a family! Well, bye, friend, I've got to go. Was glad to meet. Hello wife.

Semyon was completely saddened and directed his steps home, although the last thing he wanted was to see his wife now. Opening the door, I heard voices. Guests! Beloved grandfather visited them - what a surprise!

Hello, Semyon, - grandfather hugged him. - So, I decided to see how you live here. Klava told me about your adventures. Is this the same Noah? I met him... Let me remember... About fifty or sixty years ago he walked the streets of our city and preached. He called on everyone to repent, otherwise, they say, God will send rain from heaven, and it was destroyed by water. Well, have you ever seen rain? Noah, I'll tell you, a fanatic. Or a sick person. Which, however, is one and the same. I don't think you need to communicate with him, let alone work for him. I'm sure you can find yourself a good job here in the city.

Grandpa's words destroyed the remnants of Semyon's faith. And he resigned himself to the thought that it was not worth going back to Noah.

Days passed, weeks flew by. Semyon began to forget about the amazing meeting in the forest. He found a job and tried to "live like all people." And only sometimes in a dream did he see radiant eyes, the omniscient and kind look of Noah. When he woke up, he forbade himself to think about this madman. And the reproachful dream visited him less and less.

Once, when Semyon came home from work, his wife greeted him from the doorway with a question:

Have you heard what people are talking about?

No, what happened?

Everyone is talking about Noah and his ark!

What did they remember him for? Aren't you tired of talking about a crazy fanatic with crazy ideas? Is that what they say?

No, listen, people saw that the animals of the forest, and the field, and the birds gather together and go, fly there, to him, to his clearing!

Animals? To the glade to Noah? Is it really true...

Semyon, let's ask a neighbor what he thinks about all this? He is a scientist.

Yes, the event, frankly, is extraordinary, - the scientist neighbor scratched his head. - This does not happen often, although it is theoretically possible. When the moon enters its fourth phase, a strong magnetic field is created, enhanced by the special arrangement of the constellations, and this has a specific effect on the brains of animals, so that they become inclined to gather together and migrate. Well, the fact that they moved to the clearing of the ark, most likely, is a mere coincidence. Yes, the phenomenon is little studied, but I think that over time we will figure it all out. So sleep well, neighbors.

But Semyon could not sleep that night. As soon as dawn broke, he got up and went into the forest, to Noah. I made my way through the thicket for a long time and finally came to the place - here it is, the ark! But what is it? Silence, not a soul around - no people, no animals, no birds are visible ... The construction seems to be completed, and the huge door leading to the ark is tightly closed.

Semyon was terrified. What would all this mean? Maybe Noah changed his mind, abandoned his ridiculous idea and went to the city? Semyon turned back to look for Noah and his family. His heart was heavy. What if he doesn't find them in the city? What if they were already closed in the ark in anticipation of the flood? Semyon looked at the sky - it was clear, the sun was shining brightly. Will water come from there? All this is strange!

The next morning the sun shone again. The forecasters did not promise any change in the weather. The weather was good the next day too. Seven days passed, clear and serene. Semyon gradually calmed down and stopped thinking about Noah and his ark, when suddenly a dark spot appeared in the sky. People ran out into the street to stare at an unusual atmospheric phenomenon. The wind picked up and soon the sky was covered with clouds. The first drops began to fall from the sky. People, raising their heads, tried to understand what was happening, pushed, fussed. Suddenly someone remembered Noah. The people cried out in despair:

It's a flood!

A wave swept through the crowd: "Noah, the ark ..."

The panic began. Many rushed into the forest. Among them was Simon.

It was difficult to run - the hurricane wind knocked down. When people reached the clearing, the raindrops turned into a downpour. It was getting hard to breathe. Entire lakes had already overflowed in the lowlands, and the water continued to rise, here and there fountains of water with mud and stones began to beat from under the ground. The ark stood like an island in the middle of the waves, and people tried to climb on it, but there was nothing to cling to, and they fell into the water. "Noah, take us with you!" they called for help. But the door of the ark was tightly shut, no one was in a hurry to save them. Semyon, fleeing the water, climbed a tall tree on the edge of the clearing. He saw how the ark came to life, the water tore it off the ground and carried it. Swinging majestically on the raging waves, Noah's gigantic ship moved away, picked up by the wind. Water and wind torn off the tree from the ground, which Semyon was clinging to. The last thing Semyon had time to think was: "What I was most afraid of happened to me."