About the same

Since the word of God and prayer are Christian weapons, then listen and heed. The devil encourages you to sin, but you answer him in your heart: "I do not want it, for it is disgusting to God, God has forbidden it." The devil stirs up in you a foul and fornicating thought, and you answer him: "My God has forbidden me to do this." The devil arouses in you anger and malice for vengeance – cut off this thought with the sword of the word of God, saying in your heart: "God did not command this." The devil points out to you someone else's thing and incites your heart to steal it – say in your heart: "God has forbidden it: Thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not covet" (Exodus 20:15,17). In the same way, with other thoughts contrary to the law of God, rising up in your heart, act and see whether your thought agrees or is contrary to the law of God? Accept the consent and put it into action. Repel that which is contrary to the law, yes, having strengthened, it will not defeat you. An example in this was given to us by Christ, our Saviour, Who answered every temptation of the devil to the tempter: "It is written, it is written" (Matt. 4:4, 7, 10).

Satan leads you to despair and says in your heart: "There is no salvation for you, you have sinned much, you have done so much and so much evil." You answer him: "You are a condemned man, and not a judge, there is no salvation for you, but eternal fire is prepared. My Hope and Salvation is Christ God, Who came into the world of sinners to save. He will save me also, since I am one of the sinners whom He came to save."

But everywhere another weapon is needed, that is, prayer, without which all our efforts and resistance are powerless. In any temptation, one must lift up one's eyes to Christ and pray to Him: Lord, help me; or otherwise ask Him for help. Be strong, Christian, in the Lord and in the power of His power (Ephesians 6:10). And as a gardener cuts off twigs and shoots that are harmful to a tree, so that when they grow they will not damage the tree, so do you immediately cut off the evil thoughts that arise with the sword of the word of God and with prayer, so that, having strengthened, they do not harm and kill the inner man. Extinguish the spark before it grows into flames, and kill the enemy before it is small. If you do not extinguish the spark, then there will be a great fire, and if you do not kill the enemy while you are young, then when it grows up, it will strengthen, overcome and overthrow you. Blessed is he who takes and breaks these babies against a stone! (Psalm 136:9).

24. Putnik

A person who goes from place to place is a traveler. In the same way, we, Christians, from the day of our birth to the day of our death, are travelers, we walk along the path of life. One traveler has a long journey, the other has a short one. In the same way, for us, our life path is not equal – one ends his path sooner, the other goes longer.

A traveler on the way fears any misfortune. In the same way, we, who follow the path of this world, must be wary of everything. Take heed, walk carefully, not as foolish, but as wise, valuing the time, for the days are evil (Ephesians 5:15-16).

The traveler is subject to all kinds of bad weather and storms. Thus every storm of troubles, misfortunes and temptations befalls us, who go our own way. The traveler neglects all this, but, enduring everything, goes to the intended place. In the same way, we must neglect all the misfortunes that befall us, endure and go to our desired Fatherland.

The traveler is often attacked by robbers and undressed, and often killed, and so he is not allowed to reach the intended place. The same thing happens to us, so the demons, like robbers, attack us and wound and kill the unwary, and so they do not allow us to reach the desired Fatherland. Travelers protect themselves from robbers with weapons. In the same way, we must protect ourselves from demons by prayer and the word of God.

The traveler always has on his mind the place to which he is going, and he tries to reach it. In the same way, we must always have the Heavenly Fatherland in mind, and strive to attain it. So flee that you may receive, – the holy Apostle tells us (1 Cor. 9:24). The farther along the path the traveler goes, the shorter the path becomes. Thus, the more we continue the path of our life, the more we approach the end. A traveler, having come to the place where he was going, is in safety, and calms down, and rejoices at the successful end of his journey. In the same way, we, Christians, when we successfully complete our journey and come to the heavenly Fatherland, will be safe, will be freed from all troubles and misfortunes, will calm down, we will rejoice in our eternal bliss, which we will receive through the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen! To Thee have I lifted up my eyes, Who dwelleth in heaven! Behold, as the eyes of servants are turned to the hands of their masters, as the eyes of a servant are to the hands of her mistress, so our eyes are to the Lord our God, until He has mercy on us. Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us, for we are filled with contempt; Our soul is filled with much reproach from the haughty, and humiliation from the proud (Psalm 122:1-4).

25. Putnik i vodnik

We see in this world that the traveler, to whom the path to the intended place is unknown and unknown, demands and seeks a leader, but without a leader he errs and does not reach the intended place. Beloved Christians! We are travelers in this world, and we want to reach the heavenly Fatherland we desire, as it was said above, the Fatherland, which we have lost through sin. That which is desired, lovely, sweet, beautiful, calm, peaceful, and of all good things, which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor entered into the heart of man (1 Cor. 2:9), the filled Fatherland. The Fatherland, which we look at with tearful eyes from this deplorable vale. I say that this is the Fatherland, but the path to it is unknown and frightening to us. I don't know because we don't know how to get there. He is terrible, because innumerable demons, like robbers, surround him, and hinder those who are walking, and try not to allow him to reach him. We demand without fail a skilful and wise leader in such an important matter. Where are we to look for it? In the wise and prudent of this world? No! For all, not only the simple, but also the wise, having gone astray, have departed from this way: all have gone astray like sheep; man has deviated from his way (Isaiah 53:6). That is why even the wisest of this age require a leader to this Fatherland. Where are we to look for it? Prophets, apostles, and teachers all point to Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He alone is the faithful and all-wise Leader to the heavenly Fatherland. No one will come there unless He brings, as He Himself testifies, saying: "No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). God, wishing to lead Israel out of slavery in Egypt and bring them to the Promised Land, sent Moses, His faithful servant, to this great work, who led Israel out of bitter slavery and led them through the wilderness to the Promised Land. After the death of Moses, the Lord raised up Joshua as their leader, who led the people of God into the land boiling with honey and milk.