Anglican Orthodox
Church sm
Worldwide Communion
First Sunday in Lent
February 22, 2026 – Sunday Report
First Sunday in Lent
The propers are special prayers and readings from the Bible. There is a Collect for the Day; that is a single
thought prayer, most written either before the re-founding of the Church of
England in the 1540’s or written by Bishop Thomas Cranmer, the first Archbishop
of Canterbury after the re-founding.
The Collect for the Day is to be read on Sunday and during Morning and Evening Prayer until the next Sunday.
The Epistle is normally a reading from one of the various
Epistles, or letters, in the New Testament. The Gospel is a reading
from one of the Holy Gospels,
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The Collect
is said by the minister
as a prayer, the Epistle can be read by either a designated
reader (as we do in our church) or by one of the ministers and the Holy Gospel,
which during the service in our church is read by an ordained minister.
The propers are the same each year, except if a Red-Letter Feast, that is one with propers
in the prayerbook, falls on a Sunday, then those propers are to be read
instead, except in a White Season, where it is put off. Red Letter Feasts, so called because in the Altar Prayerbooks
the titles are in red, are special days. Most
of the Red-Letter Feasts are dedicated to early
saint’s instrumental in the development of the church,
others to special events. Some days are particularly special and the Collect for that day
is to be used for an octave (eight days) or an entire season, like Advent or
Lent. The Propers for today are found in the
Book of Common Prayer page 125-127.
The Collect for First Sunday in Lent.
O LORD, who for our sake didst fast forty days and forty nights;
Give us grace to use such abstinence, that, our flesh being subdued to the
Spirit we may ever obey thy godly motions in righteousness, and true holiness,
to thy honour and glory, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy
Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen
The Collect
for Ash Wednesday
ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who hatest nothing that
thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all those who are penitent; Create
and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins
and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of thee, the God of all mercy,
perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
&
This Collect is to be said every day in Lent, after the Collect
appointed for the day, until Palm Sunday
Epistle for First Sunday in Lent. II Corinthians vi. 1.
WE then, as workers together with
him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain; (for he
saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I
succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of
salvation; giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: but
in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in
afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in
tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; by pureness, by knowledge, by
long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word
of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand
and on the left, by honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as
deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold,
we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as
poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
The Gospel for the First Sunday in Lent. St. Matthew iv. 1.
THEN was Jesus led up of
the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had
fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the
tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones
be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by
bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then
the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of
the temple, and saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down:
for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in
their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot
against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt
the Lord thy God. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high
mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
and saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down
and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is
written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
On Point
The Bible Must Be
the Only Rule and Guide of Faith and Life - (F.E. Pasche)
"Seek ye out of the Book of the Lord and read;
no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate; for My mouth, it hath commanded,
and His Spirit, it hath gathered them." Isaiah. 34:16.
Man is born in spiritual blindness, knowing not the
way of salvation. To find the way everlasting, he must have a guide to lead
him. This guide must be an unerring guide in whom he can put full confidence.
The word of Scripture is the one and only true guide in the way of salvation.
Continuing in the Word, we cannot err in the way.
Scripture cannot lead us a wrong way, for it is God’s own Word. Being
God’s Word, the Bible is an unerring guide, the infallible light for our life.
Nothing else occupies a secondary place next to the Bible, and by nothing else
is the Bible to be interpreted. All appeals in matters of Christian doctrine
must be made to the Bible, and the Bible, and it alone, decides such matters.
Says the Church of Borne: “You must also accept the unwritten traditions of the
Church,” that is, the Roman Church. Others say: “ftiason is our guide, science
is our light.” We answer: Traditions are sayings of the early Fathers; but
these Fathers have often erred and at times contradict the Scriptures.
Traditions, it is manifest, are a human element and therefore not a trustworthy
guide in matters spiritual. And what are reason and science? Only the maid;
Scripture is the mistress.
Woe unto the Church that is built on the quicksand of
human opinions! Says Daniel Webster: “Without the Bible man would be in the
midst of a sandy desert, surrounded on all sides by a dark, impenetrable
horizon.” Only then are we true sons and daughters of the Lutheran Church, the
Church of the Reformation, when the Bible, and it alone, is the guide and rule
of our faith. What rendered our fathers so strong and invincible as to enable
them to stand their ground, although the world and a faint-hearted, unionistic
Church continually predicted that they would have a speedy fall? It was because
they placed themselves unconditionally upon the Word of God.
Prayer.
O Lord, we are prone to take
things lightly; each one walks his own way, as it seems right to him. Stablish
our hearts, so that we may walk upon no other path than the one that leads to
Thee and to Thine imperishable glory. This path, however, is Thy Word, our only
rule and guide. Let this Word strengthen us, so that we may place ourselves
unconditionally upon it. O Lord, evil men and seducers wax worse and worse. The
spiritual outlook is dark and gloomy. The night cometh when no man can work.
Oh, lead us by the light of Thy Word on the way to heaven, to Thy glory, where
we shall be with Thee forever. Amen.
Jerry Ogles,
Presiding Bishop – Metropolitan AOC Worldwide
We are fortunate
to get copies of Bishop Jerry’s you tube links, devotions on the Prayer of the
Collect and sermon notes.
Bishop Jerry creates videos on various subjects, they last just under
ten minutes and this week’s videos are listed below:
Bishop Ogles
Blog:
https://anglicanorthodoxchurch.blogspot.com
Bishop Ogles
You Tube Channel
that is free to subscribe: all of his videos at:
Ash Wednesday Service
Sermon:
Bishop‘s Blog: https://anglicanorthodoxchurch.blogspot.com/2026/02/youtube-video-player_97.html
You Tube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8ttj9KROn4
Thursday Evening
Meditation:
Bishop’s Blog: https://anglicanorthodoxchurch.blogspot.com/2026/02/youtube-video-player_19.html
You tube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1K8YDiVt9k
Friday Meditation: Remember
Now Thy Creator
Bishop’s Blog: https://anglicanorthodoxchurch.blogspot.com/2026/02/youtube-video-player_1.html
You Tube: https://anglicanorthodoxchurch.blogspot.com/2026/02/youtube-video-player_1.html
Saturday Evening
Meditation: Anchor of Hope Click Link:https://youtu.be/Vu_TTZObOC8?si=fjioXnReS72Hq0S4
You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vu_TTZObOC8
Sermon Summary for the First Sermon in Lent: Forty Days
Bishop’s Blog: https://anglicanorthodoxchurch.blogspot.com/2026/02/youtube-video-player_22.html
You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-tIDt3bMpE&t=1s
The Anglican Orthodox Church
P. O. Box 128
Office of Bishop Jerry L. Ogles, Presiding
Bishop
Statesville, North Carolina 28687-0128
aocworldwide@gmail.com – 704-873-8365
aocinternational.org - https://anglicanorthodoxchurch.blogspot.com
Bishop’s Letter for Ash Wednesday: 18 February 2026
“Ashes
to Ashes”
“He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him
aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right
hand?” Isaiah 44:20
Ashes
have biblically represented mourning, repentance, shame, etc. It appropriately
identifies the introductory date for the Season of Lent. Job covered himself
with ashes and sat upon the heap (Job 2:8). Tamar, the virgin, poured ashes on
her head and rent her garment upon being raped by her brother Amnon. The
application of ashes has always been a personal matter symbolizing great
sorrow. But ashes were never intended to be an outward symbol to be boasted
about in the public square.
The
modern church, increasingly heeding the errors of the Oxford Movement, has
adapted the Roman Catholic tradition of marking the forehead with ashes on the
first day of Lent. The Reformers rejected this custom since it flatly rejects
the counsel of our Lord Jesus Christ. “16Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad
countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to
fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy
face; 18That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which
is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.” (Matthew 6:16-18) A great theological education is not
required to interpret these frank words of our Lord.
Archbishop Cranmer did away with this ‘tradition
of men’ in 1549 and it was not included in any of the traditional Books of
Common Prayer from that time forth. It was not until the publishing of the 1979
‘Alternate Prayer Book’ that the tradition was included along with many other
man-made traditions.
As we approach this Lenten Season, let
us be mindful of the great sacrifice and passion of our Lord that follows on
Good Friday. Let our ashes be those of the heart and not of the head. Not a
little dab of ashes on the forehead to publicize our piety. If we wish to use
ashes, then use ashes as used by Job and others. Find you a field, cover your
head in ashes, and then sit among them. Nobody will find that an attractive
expression of piety today. Let us simply abide by the counsel of Christ - wash
our faces, anoint our heads, and keep a silent and personal fast in our hearts.
A simple heart, a simple nature, and a
silent fast is one that the Lord will be pleased to favor. Let us contemplate
the great love of God in sending His only Begotten Son to die on the cross to
redeem us. Let us praise and glorify the Lord Jesus Christ who, obedient to the
Father in love, endured that suffering for us. The alms, the prayers, and the
fast which remain known only to God will be rewarded by Him openly.
Let us return to the simplicity of the
Ancient Landmark that God has established in His word in all our ways.
May this be a most blessed and
contemplative Ash Wednesday for all who trust in Him.
In Christ Alone,
†Jerry
Ogles
Presiding Bishop
Anglican Orthodox Worldwide Communion, Chancellor, Faith Theological Seminary
Roy Morales-Kuhn, Bishop and Pastor
Saint Paul's Anglican
Church - Diocese of the Midwest Anglican
Orthodox Church
Suffragan Bishop of the AOC
Morning
Prayer – First Sunday in Lent
Psalm 15, 92; First lesson-Jeremiah 17:5-14; Second
lesson-1 Corinthians 10:1-13
ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who hatest nothing that
thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all those who are penitent; Create
and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins
and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of thee, the God of all mercy,
perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Here we are at the beginning of Lent, a
season of intense reflective prayer and meditation. This is not a time of great
deprivation, as had been developed during the early Medieval church. The
very idea of avoiding or stepping away from a behavior or favorite item,
whether it be food or pleasure, runs contrary of what we are to do daily.
We are to
“crucify” self, we are to follow Jesus as closely as we can, daily, not just
for a 40 day season once a year. Why? Well we can get some clues from
today’s readings.
1. For instance; “...The heart is deceitful above
all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jere. 17:9)
When Jeremiah penned this several millennial ago, he was just pointing
out the obvious.
A.
Given the chance to do good; humans tend to do bad.
B.
Given the chance to follow the Lord; humans will run for cover like the
proverbial ‘cockroach in the kitchen’. We head for darkness, just like
Adam and Eve did in the Garden, once they had disobeyed God. They hid in
the bushes, because by eating the fruit of the Tree, they realized that they
were naked and no longer innocent, they had disobeyed God.
C.
Their hearts became deceitful that fateful day in the Garden, they were now
desperately wicked, because they had not obeyed their Father/Creator.
And they knew it, so they hid from Him.
2.
Now, not all is lost. Because we can read in the two psalms for today, what is
the correct behavior of those who love the LORD. We are to seek the Lord while
He may be found. Where is the Lord to be found? That may be a topic for
another message, not today. And as we read in Jeremiah, we are not to rely on
others for our salvation. That is not a reference to helping each other in
times of trouble, no, it is reference to salvation. The Lord provides our
salvation. He sent His Son, His only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to be our
Passover Feast. He and only He can save us from our desperately
wicked hearts.
So as we continue our times of meditation
and reflection during this period of Lent, let us always turn our eyes upon
Jesus, in him will we find peace. The very words of promise as the psalmist
penned them so many centuries ago, still resonate today, because they are
true. Remember the Word of the Lord does not change, even though
post-modern man has tried to reinterpret the Word. Don’t let that trouble you,
go back to the Word, it remains true as the day it was penned.
“1It
is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy
name, O most High: 2To shew forth thy loving-kindness in the
morning, and thy faithfulness every night, 3Upon an instrument of
ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound. 4For
thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of
thy hands. 5O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts
are very deep.” (Ps. 92:1-5)
And as
Jeremiah wrote:
“13O
LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that
depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the
LORD, the fountain of living waters. 14Heal me, O LORD, and I shall
be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise...
A
glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary.”
He warns us of those who forsake the
Lord, but more importantly he points out the healing that is given for those
who SEEK the Lord. “Heal me, save me.” And to cap it off, the glorious
high throne of the Lord (having been in place from the beginning) is our place
of sanctuary.
This is our hope as we enter this season
of reflection and awe, as we seek to understand the mystery of why our Creator
provided us a way of Salvation, His Son, Jesus Christ, this is what we should
reflect upon during these forty days before Easter. No other faith has a
suffering servant who willingly lays down his life for the salvation of his
creation. None. And then the most glorious miracle...he picks up his life and
rises from the dead to a glorious resurrection. No other faith can claim that.
I have a homework assignment, it is
contained in our second lesson; 1 Corinthians 10:1-13. In it, St. Paul lists in
detail the issues that can and will separate us from our Creator. He lists
the multiple behaviors and sins that will sicken us and weaken us in our daily
journey towards the Kingdom of God. Please take time to read this passage
and reflect on the meaning that Paul was writing about, he was trying to focus
the church at Corinth towards a righteous path, away from their predilections
and towards the “glorious high throne from the beginning {which is} the place
of our sanctuary.”
Paul does not leave us in a land of
hopelessness, he encourages us with the following: “There hath no temptation
taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not
suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation
also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
Beloved, let us go home today encouraged,
armed, and ready to do battle against all that which is contrary to the Word of
God. Go and be blessed.
Let us
pray:
O GOD,
whose nature and property is ever to have mercy and to forgive; Receive our
humble petitions; and though we be tied and bound with the chain of our sins,
yet let the pitifulness of thy great mercy loose us; for the honour of Jesus
Christ, our Mediator and Advocate. Amen.
THE Lord
bless us, and keep us. The Lord make his face to shine upon us, and be gracious
unto us. The Lord lift up his countenance upon us, and give us peace, both now
and evermore. Amen.
+ Bishop Roy Morales-Kuhn
Charles Morley - Bishop of Alabama
Anglican Orthodox
Communion Worldwide
We are always happy to get the instruction and
devotions that Bp Morley is giving to us. We hope you enjoy the following:
Shalom...or Salaam?
For a brief time long ago I was a high school teacher
- or tried to be one. Teaching Shakespeare to Sophomores is a little like
trying to tell a room full of blind people about the beauty of a sunset. But
there were moments of brightness. Our "World History" textbook had an
entire chapter on Islam. My students were hoping we would skip that chapter as
most of them knew nothing whatsoever about the subject and imagined it
would be all about religion. Living as we were in the Bible Belt, their
experience of religions other than fundamental Protestantism was somewhat
limited. Christians in the class were concerned about anything not taught in
their Sunday School, and the pagans wanted nothing to do with anything that
might make them think about ANY religion.
I began by telling the class that the chapter we were
about to study could prove to be one of the most important subjects in their
lives. They didn't believe me when I told them their future might depend on
what they learned about the origins of Islam, the beliefs of Islam, the history
of Islam, and Islam in the present day. One day, standing in a Muslim country
in an American soldier's uniform, it might be very important to understand the
difference between a Su'uni and a Shi'ite Muslim. It might not concern them at
the moment, but in future their very lives might depend upon that knowledge. It
was a hard sell but I persevered. As it happens, I wasn't wrong. Our wars with
Muslim factions began soon after their graduation.
Most Americans know relatively little about the
religion of Islam, and much falsehood abounds. Most have never read a word of
the Muslim holy book The Koran, and many Americans have never met or even
spoken with a Muslim. Until recently, Islam was an alien belief system existing
mostly in the so-called "Third World." But then came September 11th
and the Muslim culture came crashing into the American psyche and Americans
were forced to unravel the mysteries of this now powerful international entity
that was challenging the West, to the same degree that Hitler had challenged
the status quo of Europe. Islam was no longer a textbook oddity. Brighter minds
could see beyond the Twin Towers to know the world would never be
the same.
It is important to understand that Islam is not merely
another "world religion" and that it is totally unrelated to the
so-called "Abrahamic" faiths - Judaism and Christianity - despite
President George Bush's pronouncement that "we all worship the same
God." Islam is often presented in that superficial way, in an attempt to
soft-pedal the radical nature of Islam, ignoring its violent origins and
history. Truth is, the West has been at war with Islam since the Grand Mufti
sided with Hitler and pledged to eradicate the Jews. There are those who even
today posit the existence of "moderate" Muslims living peaceably
within the West but the altered demographics of the twenty-first century have
made these so-called "peaceful" Muslims as obsolete as the "good
Germans" of Nazi Germany.
So-called "moderate" Muslims have failed to
make their "moderation" known in any real, organized sense that
would affect the behaviour of their radical Islamist brethren. In most cases
they have remained silent in the face of Islamist acts of terror throughout the
West. They turn a blind social eye to the civil rights offenses of their
co-religionists in Africa and to the atrocities waged against non-Muslims in
Muslim dominated countries. Our recent experience in Afghanistan gave us proof
positive that any attempt by the West to bring modern civilization to Islamist
societies would be met with deadly opposition.
To maintain the idea that Christianity will continue
to be able to coexist unchallenged or unaffected by Islam is a complete and
dangerous fantasy. While we try to ignore it, the fate of Christians in Muslim
dominated countries has not been positive, and in some instances, devastating.
Even in those "moderate" Muslim dominated countries, the presence of
Christians has been controlled and challenged to the breaking point - Turkey,
Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia come to mind as countries the U.S. government speaks
of as "allies" but their internal policies are anything but civil
toward Christianity.
The contrived "energy crisis" put forward to
Western democracies by globalists and the media empowered the oil rich
dictatorships of the Middle East to re-awaken the militant nature of Islam, and
to test the ignorance of Western governments in dealing with the very
occidental Islamist world view. Now nations smaller than some states in the
United States could control the balance of power throughout the world.
Countries whose populations were functionally illiterate could now affect
the American Stock Market more than the GNP. But America remained deaf, dumb,
and blind to the problem, and did little or nothing to inform the public
of the nature of the imminent threat of culture war soon to be fought on
American soil. It is highly indicative that most Americans (even the soldiers
who fought in those countries) have no idea of the difference between a Su'uni
and a Shi'ite, and to this day pronounce the name of the country they fought to
"liberate" as "eye-rack" when the proper name of the
country os "irr -ock." American newscasters will go out of their way
to pronounce Spanish names and place with a proper Spanish inflection (as in
"Puerto RRRIIICO" with a accentuated rolling Hispanic
"r" - and now the former "Ki-ev" is corrected to
"Keeeve" - but "Iraq" remains "Eye-rack."
If I were an American soldier, I would be ashamed.
I take great delight in the fact that I warned my high
schoolers that Muslims do not keep dogs as pets - household pets are forbidden
by the mullahs who "interpret" the Koran. They were shocked to the
point of disbelief, but were less critical when I told them that the Koran
allows a man to have multiple wives - as many as four. It was particularly
rewarding to learn that the radical Islamist mayor of New York City has
suggested a ban on dog ownership in that city. Tehran has come to the Bronx -
and the ordinance is likely to pass, due to the new power and influence of
fundamentalist Muslims in America. Curious that Hasidic Jews and strict
Orthodox Jews do not keep dogs as pets either, but the concept of imposing
Jewish law on their neighbors would be totally foreign to them. Not so with
Muslims, as the residents of New York have discovered with their newly elected
Islamist mayor, listening to the Arabic blasting "call to prayer" on
the streets of Brooklyn, in violation of the sound ordinances of that city.
The premise that Islam is a religion of peace is not
only a shallow falsehood, it is a tool of the Left to placate the American
public out of ignorance. The atrocities performed by Islamists
world-wide are repeated almost daily, and go unchallenged by the so-called
"friendly" regimes of Islamic nations. In America, there is no
outspoken condemnation of the terrible acts - frequently performed on their
fellow Muslims - by the alleged "peaceful" Muslim population. Sadly,
some elected officials who are themselves Islamists, PRAISE these acts of
terror especially when perpetrated against Jews. Anti-semitism in America is on
the rise, partially funded by Islamist student organizations with the
consent of academic authorities. Islamists find willing allies in
those woke political organizations which promote chaos and the destruction of
the American Republic. If there are any "peaceful" Muslimsin America,
they are at best silent and at worst complicit, as their first loyalty is to their
religion, not their country.
It is expedient that the American citizenry arm itself
with knowledge as to the true nature of Islam: its history, its belief system,
and its present standing on the world scene. Who was Muhammad? What are the
Five Pillars of Islam? Who wrote the Koran? Are shiite and Sunni Muslims
the same? Why do Muslims not eat pork? and the most revealing of all - what
does the word "Islam" mean? Most Americans have no idea as to the
answers to these questions about the RELIGION of Islam. But this should only be
the beginning. What is the world view of Muslims? What is their economic
system? Who do they regard women and marriage? What is their view of
non-Muslims? Christians? Jews? Most Americans know at least a little about
other religions such as Buddhism and Judaism from television and the Internet.
"Namaste" and "Shalom" are known to be words of greeting in
Hindi and Hebrew because of our exposure to these religions in the public eye
and the media. But our ignorance of Islam will not only prove a failure of
sociology but the downfall of our Western culture and our very way of life.
+cem
Rev Bryan Dabney
of Saint John’s AOC Vicksburg, Mississippi
We are fortunate
to have Bryan’s Sunday Sermon.
If you want people to come to The Truth, you have to speak the truth,
espouse the truth and live the truth. This is really a good piece and I commend
it to your careful reading.
Sermon Text
for the First Sunday in Lent:
One the Devil’s tools of deception is the snare which
is very much like the ancient device used by early hunters. The user would
place a loop of leather cord along a trail with the appropriate bait as a lure.
So when an unsuspecting creature comes along and takes the bait, the predator
then pulls the leather loop around the hapless animal, preventing its escape.
And just as there are many and varied types of snares which have been in use
across the millennia by hunters and tribesmen, there are also a myriad of
examples that the Devil has and continues to use on mortal man.
In today’s epistle lesson (I Corinthians 10:1-13), St.
Paul was given of the Holy Ghost to warn the faithful about the snare of sin,
and how it affected the children of Israel during their journey to the promised
land. He detailed how they had witnessed such signs and wonders as the Pillar
of Cloud and Fire, the parting of the Red Sea, and the bringing forth water out
of a Rock. These ought to have been convincing enough proofs that God would
protect them but only if they obeyed his laws and commandments from the heart.
Unfortunately, as the apostle observed, But with
many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the
wilderness (v.5). He then explained that, Now these things happened unto them
for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition... (v.11). And he
concluded his point by stating that, There hath no temptation taken you but
such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be
tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to
escape, that ye may be able to bear it (v.13).
Now one might assume that the vast majority of
church-attending Christians would indeed possess an awareness of the Devil’s
power to tempt and ensnare. If you made that assumption, you would be in error
because too many Christians are deficient in their studies of God’s word. They
do not know just how crafty and insidious the Devil really is. Many live as if
the Devil isn’t real, or if he is real, that he is not paying attention to
them. They do not realize that he is an experienced hunter who can tailor a
lure for every individual much as a serious angler has a fishing box
well-stocked with the various lures for the type of fish he intends to catch.
That, in and of itself, can be disheartening.
Nevertheless, we must remember that God has provided the regenerated Christian
with a means of escaping the snares of the Devil. God has known us from before
the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). He also knew that we would be
subject to numerous temptations, and that we would be powerless against such,
so he intervened on our behalf via his only begotten Son. For it was through
our Lord’s atoning work at the cross that he spoiled principalities and
powers, making thus a shew of them openly, triumphing over them... (Colossians
2:15). That is why the Holy Ghost gave the apostle Paul those messages
concerning the conquering power of our Lord, and that through his graciousness,
he has made for us a way of escape from any temptation (I Corinthians 10:13).
And on that account, God’s Spirit informed St. James the Just that we are to,
resist the devil, and he will flee from you (4:7) and this we ought to do.
But the Devil will not flee if we are not sincere in
our Christian faith. He will not flee as long as he has an entry point on
account of unconfessed sin in our lives, or if we have an unforgiving spirit,
or hatred in hearts toward others around us. He will only flee when the blood
of Christ comes upon us and covers us. He will flee if we stalwartly defend the
word of God against the Devil’s false prophets who are found not only within
the various New Age Christian cults, but within the mainline denominations of
Christendom as well. And he will flee if we acknowledge Jesus Christ as our
Lord and Saviour who has redeemed us by his once-and-for-all-time offering of
himself as a sacrifice for our sins and trespasses and who has risen from the
dead to everlasting life. But we must first exercise our godly discernment by
raising our defenses in the face of the craft and power of the evil one. For in
failing to properly react, we may end of being deceived as any godless soul who
is open to demonic spoliation.
Still, as regenerated souls in Christ, we have in
every situation a way of escape — a power within ourselves to resist
temptation. For only by an indwelling of the Holy Ghost, will we have that
ability to say NO to sin and YES to holy living. Our Lord gave us a fit example
of the worthlessness of self-reformation: When the unclean spirit is gone
out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he
is come, he findeth it empty, swept and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh
with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in
and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first... (St.
Matthew 12:43-45).
Nevertheless, it bears repeating, we will not be
successful in this cause if we do not accept the fact that the Devil knows us
better than we know ourselves. He knows every human fault and failing. He also
knows what temptations to use to draw us into his program of sin. As there are
so many and varied things to do in this life, so too can the Devil change them
from something that would otherwise be considered helpful into something dirty
and damaging to both our physical and spiritual well-beings.
In closing, the Bible teaches us to distinguish
between those things which are good for us and for our fellowship with Almighty
God, and those things that will put us at variance with him. If we want to
please the Godhead, we will seek to do those things which he commands, and
abstain from those things which he has commanded us to avoid. The Devil will
seek to impede our fellowship with God and to eventually disconnect our
relationship with him altogether. But God is sovereign. He has provided us with
a means to avoid Satan’s snare. If we are truly born again in Christ Jesus, we
will do what our Master has commanded because we love him for who he is and for
what he has done for us. God is ready to embrace every repentant sinner. And
God has provided us a way to escape his coming wrath via our faith in Jesus
Christ (St. Luke 21:36). For those of you who are as yet outside the household
of God, and who have felt him tugging at your heart, do not make him wait. As
you are called to come to Christ Jesus as your Saviour, accept that calling.
And then rejoice and give thanks to God for providing us a way to avoid the
Devil’s snare.
Let us pray,
Father, help us to foresee the snares and pitfalls of
this life; and so assist us by thy Spirit to keep our minds and hearts set on
those things which thou would have us do in thy service; for these things we
ask in the name of thy Son our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Have a
Blessed Week,
Bryan+
Rev. David McMillan
AOC Minister at Large - Alabama
We
are Fortunate today to have a sermon from Rev. David McMillian
First Sunday in Lent
“…receive not the grace of God in vain.” 2 Cor. 6:1
“There were some at Corinth who
while they may have heard the apostolic gospel, had not received it in such a
way that it became a regenerating influence in their lives. They had not yet
learned to say, ‘ The Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.’” (R. V.
G. Tasker on 2 Corinthians).
The Apostle goes on in this chapter to talk about
being the ministers of God which every Christian is and what that looks
like. What do we look like to others?
He enumerates some of the characteristics
of the Christian ----“much patience….by pureness, by knowledge, by kindness, by
the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned ( not hypocritical) (Tasker-“a sincere,
heart-felt concern to promote the true welfare of all the brothers for whom
Christ died, however unattractive or unlikeable they may be.”), by the word of
truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness.”
Martin Luther has said that human nature is like a
drunkard trying to ride a horse. He gets on and falls off on the left side. He
resolves not to make that mistake again, so he remounts, careful to avoid
falling off on the left, and promptly falls off on the right.
I like the illustration about the farmer who had
two horses, one lean and one well fed. The lad asked, “Why is one horse fatter
than the other?” The farmer said, “the one grows the most who I feeds the
most!”
In today’s Gospel from Matthew we see this is one of
the primary ways the devil tries to get Christians to fall off the horse so to
speak. He makes them question who they are. In Matthew 4:6 we read that
the devil asked Jesus, “If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it
is written , He shall give His angels charge concerning thee…” In
other words, if you are really are a blessing and have received the grace of
God, why are you not a blessing and act in ways that are not a blessing to
yourself or others?
This is point 1 for today. Have we been a
blessing in our Christian lives to others and first to ourselves? Or are
we known for being something else? Receiving the grace of God in
vain? At some point we must say as the Apostle Paul did in Galatians 2:20
, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ
liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of
the Son of God , who loved me, and gave Himself for me.”
Our 2nd point is in the area of being “Beloved”
in our lives as Jesus was of course in a special way, “You are My Son, the
Beloved. God the Father said at His Baptism. We as Christians who have
been baptized into God’s Spirit by faith are beloved. But what does this
Beloved status mean for our relationships with others who have been created in
the image of God, our neighbours, our friends and our family members? Do
we see them as beloved and called by God or are they something else? “ ….
In a world filled with voices that shout:’ You are no good, you are ugly, you
are worthless …you are nobody---unless you can demonstrate the opposite.”
Nouwen, Life of the Beloved.
Is not God calling others to know Him, and are we
not the instruments of Christ in showing them His love for we are
beloved? In a certain sense all of God’s creation is beloved but because
of sin and evil choices people have not chosen to live out their calling to be
His people?
“Some hints
for Lent by Rev. AC A Hall:
Lent is a
time for Retirement. We are bidden at this season to follow our Lord, in some
measure, into the wilderness, and give a few weeks to a closer inquiry into the
state of our souls, and a nearer approach to God…Secure time, and freedom of
mind, for prayer, for the study of God's Word, for self-examination, and the
works of repentance, and for gaining instruction in religious matters.” He then
identifies the particular areas the individual Christian needs to focus on.
This is personal work we need to do. “The mind of the Spirit is life and
peace…”
As we see ourselves as having not received the grace
of God in vain, that is we are beloved, we should as well see others as beloved
and called to know and love God for to love Him is to have peace and life now
in this life and in the life to come, life everlasting.
David D. Mc Millan,
Pastor, & Chaplain (Major) US Army, ret.
AOC
Worldwide Prayer List –
I have received updates from a few and those will be the first added to
the list. Please send all prayer requests and updates to aocworldwide@gmail.com for
future reports. If you would like to be removed from list just respond with
remove in the subject line.
Prayer Needed:
Brannon – hospitalized due to chronic unknow source of muscle spasms – 3 year old
Rency –
2 year old suffering from RETTS Syndrome
Joseph Broddie
– recurring throat cancer
Jim – Extreme fatigue and exhaustion
Judy Fauble –
end stage Alzheimers – pray for Judy and family
Jack Williams – had to enter long term care due to vascular dementia – pray for wife
Karen
Audrey Beebe
- who fell and broke her hip. Other health issues also. Please pray for her
recovery.
Colby Landry - cancer. Please pray for his wife, Leah and
their family at this time of trial.
Persecuted Christians - subject to persecution and imprisonment for
their faith.
Bobby Bryan -
suffering with cancer and cardiac issues.
For an increase in the true faith in Jesus Christ here and across
the globe.
David – Hip Bursitis
Bobby Bryan –
cancer and cardiac issues
Ophelia – crippling arthritis pain
Kamil Nasir – Chemotherapy – he is having a difficult time
Dennis Potrikus - fall with bad knees – recovering his rehab
Richard
Bailey – Went to be with the Lord,
please pray for his family and friends.
Donna – ongoing radiation and Chemotherapy. Pray for successful remission
Roy – Bulging disc – upcoming surgery
Michelle – metastasized lung cancer – treatment ongoing – 50% positive remission
Extended Issues need
continued prayer;
Laurie with long Covid Symptoms - Extreme exhaustion, heart palpitations,
breathing problems and unstable blood pressures are constant worries causing
depression to settle in.
Malcom Allred – Cancer
Treatment
Church of the Redeemer is looking for a minister since the loss of theirs, please pray.
Keep Praying for the following:
.jpg)
.jpg)
