Seek and Find

William Carey, the great missionary to India, found his Savior in a cobbler's workshop at Kackleton. Mary Slessor discovered the riches of Christ in a factory in Dundee; Livingstone found them at his loom in Blantire; and John Bunyan in the streets of Bedford, while he carried on his work as an itinerant mender of household utensils, a tinker. Yes, and God's richest treasure, His only begotten Son, was found by simple shepherds, not in a gilded cradle in a palace of splendor and wealth, but in the manger of a Bethlehem stable. You and I might find that same Savior while carrying on our daily duties in the workshop, office or home. "Seek," said Jesus, "and ye shall find."

2026 Veteran's Day Letter - Bishop Jerry Ogles

 

Anglican Orthodox Church

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDING BISHOP

P.O. Box 128
Statesville, N.C. 28687
                           Phone: 704-873-8365                          

Email: aocworldwide@anglicanorthodoxchurch.org

 Website: www.aocinternational.org

From the Desk of the Bishop:

Veterans Day Letter of the Anglican Orthodox Communion 2026

 

“That which ye have already hold fast till I come.” Revelations 2:25

 

            It is told that the Jews, on return from Babylon to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls, worked with one hand on their swords and the other to lay stones. This was necessary to defend against the ceaseless attacks of those who despised to see the Walls and Temple rebuilt.

            If a nation intends to build a stable nation guaranteeing liberty and justice for her people, she must build with one eye on the building and the other on the enemy - both foreign and domestic. Nothing of worth comes freely except our salvation in Christ - so, we must maintain until He comes diligent and strong to protect those rights He alone can grant to us. The struggle for our Liberties is not occasional but ceaseless. The world politic hates liberty. Since Liberty is a gift of God, the world hates God, too, and even the mention of His name, as well.

What is the cost of Liberty? It is purchased in the shedding of blood of the warriors willing and eager to defend it. Liberty has always come at the cost of blood - even our redemption was paid with the blood of our Lord at Calvary.

            The national cost of a nation’s liberty must be paid and purchased at the cost of blood, too. The blood and dedicated service of soldiers and veterans stand as earnest for the debt of liberty we owe. When a veteran signed his name, and raised his right hand of allegiance, he wrote a blank check to pay that cost - even the cost of his own blood if necessary. Though that ultimate cost was not always required, it was nonetheless pledged if need be.

            Veterans Day precedes the Advent Season when we are mindful of our need of a Savior to whom we owe repentance. But the spiritual war is constant and unrelenting. We seek the Lord’s face to relieve us in the struggle, but He may withhold His mighty Hand until the heat of battle is most intense. In December of 1944, BGen Anthony McAuliffe and the 101^st Airborne Division were trapped and surrounded by far superior German armor and infantry. It seemed impossible that the few troops at Bastogne could hold out to victory, but victory was on its way in the rapid advancing Third Army under General George S. Patton. Bastogne was relieved and the siege of the German army broken at his arrival.

            The same is true today. Our veterans have suffered frequently from seeming defeat, but have been graced to endure until help arrived at the last moment. 

            As Christian soldiers and veterans, we must persist to victory knowing the promise of our Lord to return at the last trump to be an immutable promise written in blood.  The ultimate victory belongs to Him and has already been sealed.

May God bless our Veterans - not only this day - but every day of their future life; and may we , as a people, never fail to express our gratitude, respect and love for their selfless service.

 In Christ Alone during TRINITY SEASON,

Bishop's Blog

https://anglicanorthodoxchurch.blogspot.com/

JERRY L. OGLES, D.D.

Presiding Bishop
The Anglican Orthodox Church, Worldwide Communion

 THE FAMILY ALTAR

November 11.

"For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower

of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away;

but the Word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the Word

which by the Gospel is preached unto you." 1 Pet. 1, 24-25.

Here the inspired apostle first rings the funeral knell that

consigns all human wisdom, power, and glory to the grave. Sin-

born man, at his best estate, is altogether vanity. Though he

flourish mightily for a while and proudly boast of his great achieve-

ments, as did Nebuchadnezzar, he finally withers and dies, even as

the short-lived grass and its fast-fading flower. "Earth to earth,

ashes to ashes, dust to dust" is written in indelible letters on the

handiwork of man. There are no "Immortals" among the sons

of clay. — Ah, how this transitory glory of all earthly things,

of their own life, and their most cherished ambitions fills the carnal-

minded children of this world with black gloom and despair!

Listen to one of their poets sighing while in the very prime of

life: "My days are in the yellow leaf; The flowers and fruits of

love are gone ; The worm, the t canker, and the grief Are mine

alone." (Verses written by Lord Byron on his thirty-seventh birth-

day.) But is there nothing in this world of universal death and

decay that can satisfy the longing for immortality which God

Himself has planted in the heart of man? 0 wanderer to the

tomb, there is ! Listen to the jubilant note St. Peter rings out in

the second part of our passage: "But the Word of the Lord en-

dureth forever." That Word is not subject to change and decay,

but victoriously survives all the wrecks of time. Do you ask:

Where can I find that Word of the Lord? Why, it is no hidden

secret known only to a few, no book sealed with seven seals, im-

possible for you to comprehend and make its saving truth your

own. "This is the Word which by the Gospel is preached unto

you," says the apostle. It is the old, old Bible, the word of the

apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being its Beginning

and its End. Whosoever puts his trust in that blessed Word shall

never be deceived, but will find in it life and immortality; for

Christ says : "If a man keep My saying, he shall never see death."

O grant that in Thy holy Word

We here may live and die, dear Lord;

And when our journey endeth here,

Receive us into glory there.