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In the name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit.
Christ is baptized! In the river Jordan!
We have heard the story from St. Matthew (Matthew III : 11-17) about how everything happened, starting with John the Baptist. We have heard how John the Baptist was preparing people to repentance, and he said: "make his paths straight, make them straight, fill up all ditches, cut off all mounds, make paths straight for He, who is coming to judge you. For I now baptize you with water (i.e., symbolical baptism happens, water is as a sign of washing of sins), washing you, liberating your consciousness from sins, and you want to repent then ". People went to him and everybody confessed to cleanse themselves from sins, and they repented all, even the Pharisees and Sadducees. And he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" (Matthew, III: 7). That is: "You malicious people, you also want to be saved?" So you do not want to be punished for your sins, when an axe is already raised above you for punishment. He unmasked them here because he did not see they were doing that sincerely, and saw that they went to him just to keep on the safe side, because many people believed that he was indeed a prophet of God (Matthew, III: 5), so they decided for themselves they needed to go also. Because the Church policy of that time looked up to him because they thought: what if he is a prophet, then people will go after him and they will leave us because we do not support him. There was no sincerity in them, so John the Baptist unmasked them and said to them that even their repentance would not help them because it was insincere. God needs only sincere true repentance from us.
John the Baptist and also calls us to such a thing. He says: "I baptize you with water, but He is coming who will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." The Holy Spirit. We're with you taking this power of the Holy Spirit constantly, sanctifying ourselves with prayers and good deeds.
When the Holy Spirit descends upon us - we feel such warmth, such grace, sometimes people who have done some bad things or are simply not ready for strong grace even fell dizzy. And grace descends upon us more and more with every time. And no matter what the temperature is in the room, the grace creates such a temperature that it seems that fire begins to flame here.
Once I preached in U.S.A. to some priests and one of them said: "Your words are like hell of the Holy Spirit." So they characterized. You see, they grew red in the face during the sermon. In fact, the faithful were very fond of the words that I spoke, and the clergy was very jealous of these words, they was jealous that they could not preach in such a manner. And when I sang the prayer which I pray you, they felt as the grace of God was descending, and that was shock for them. You see, their envy exceeded the limit and they expressed their state in very clear and correct words, saying "Your words are like hell of the Holy Spirit". For them, the Holy Spirit is hell in fact.
So, He is coming who will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. If you do not receive true baptism, if you just imitate, then, when the Holy Spirit comes in it strength, and it goes in its strength now, then no one will resist. Because for them it will be like hell. Or even more - like a lake of fire (Rev., XX:15). You know, like fire, which clears the globe.
This time is going to come and it will come after the millennial kingdom. But he comes into force with the millennial kingdom. Millennial kingdom is on its way. This kingdom has already commenced, it is already in us, we already feel it in their hearts. We feel how it is great to be with God. And we feel how difficult it is to live without Him, how terribly, frightfully. Yes? Therefore we should sanctify our souls constantly.
Having born to this world, God gives us great feasts. This is the birthday of calmness, peace, forgiveness of Earth. In these days the earth is being sanctified. And on these days we need to abstain from evil deeds, from murder, etc. But some people do not understand and this is an example for the whole Ukraine and whole world.
And we know these people; they became famous in their wickedness. And, it seemed, nothing could stop them, nothing could do them harm. They were ready to tear Ukraine into pieces, into federations, etc. So was it? Courts stayed inactive.
But this person already goes to such sacrilege that on the holy days (you know whom I'm talking about, and you know what happened to him), on the days of tranquility, peace, love, forgiveness of the globe, when there are plenty of Angels on Earth, which we do not deserve, this person goes to shoot the animals who want to live. And those animals, they are pure souls, they are more spiritual than we. And God hears their voices. And the arms of that person went back against him and shot him as wild boars, wolves in the bushes. Yes?
This is an example for Ukraine for ever, how once lived very influential man who was not afraid of no God, no judges, no man, even on the holy days he decided to kill for fun. Not because he wanted to eat, or family died of starvation, but because he wanted so. And this gun went back against him and his was shot (you know how it was). And no one can save him: neither his party nor his money. No one can save him - he died such a shameful death. This example should be a lesson for Ukraine that we must respect holy days especially. And thank God, give thanks for His goodness, His love, His presence on Earth. In fact, He sanctifies the Earth, He sanctifies water, He sanctifies our blood.
If there is too much evil in souls of some people, then, of course, they are either cleared from this evil, or they feel really badly on the holy days. When the holy days pass, they feel better.
My dear, we live in the world of chaos and the world darkness of heavy energies and it is very difficult for us to live so. And so we must sanctify our homes, it is a must. You have to call a priest with the Jordan water to sanctify your home. At first, sanctify your homes by yourselves with the Jordan water.
"My home is sanctified - say so - with the Jordan water sprinkling . In the name of the Father, Amen, the Son, Amen, the Holy Spirit, Amen. "
Christ is baptized! In the Jordan river!
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Apostle (Titus, 2:11-14, 3:4-7):
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11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation
for all people,
12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions,
and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,
13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory
of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all
lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who
are zealous for good works.
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4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior
appeared,
5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in
righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of
regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our
Savior,
7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs
according to the hope of eternal life.
Gospel (Matthew, 3:11-17):
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11 "I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is
coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his
threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will
burn with unquenchable fire."
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be
baptized by him.
14 John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be
baptized by you, and do you come to me?"
15 But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now, for thus it is
fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented.
16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from
the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the
Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him;
17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved
Son, with whom I am well pleased."
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