Anglican Orthodox Churchsm
Worldwide Communion
Fourth Sunday after Easter
Sunday Report
May 18, 2025
Fourth Sunday after Easter Propers:
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 on page 174-175
The Collect for Fourth Sunday after Easter
O ALMIGHTY God, who alone canst order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men; Grant unto thy people, that they may love the thing which thou commandest, and desire that which thou dost promise; that so, among the sundry and manifold changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed, where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Epistle for Fourth Sunday after Easter. St. James i. 17.
EVERY good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
The Gospel for the Fourth Sunday after Easter. St. John xvi. 5.
JESUS said unto his disciples, Now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they believe not on me; of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
On Point
Someone asked, where do the quotes come from? The answer is from the people who uttered them. But, how did you find them? Oh, that.
Some from Bishop Jerry, others from Rev. Geordie and many from Rev Bryan Dabney and a few from other places.
Rev. Geordie Menzies-Grierson – England (above)
Points to Ponder:
God is our
refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we
fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the
midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the
mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.
PSALM 46:1–3
For he
shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by
the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and
shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding
fruit.
JEREMIAH 17:8
The LORD
thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee
with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
ZEPHANIAH 3:17
You may pray for
an hour and still not pray. You may meet God for a moment and then be in touch
with Him all day.
Fredrik Wisloff
Rich is the person
who has a praying friend.
Janice Hughes
We cannot pretend
that we have mastered the right use of God’s words and teach others, if we do
not believe them ourselves.
Dr. David Daniels–excerpt taken from book, Why They Changed The Bible,
2014, p. 87).
[God] asserts his own
absolute sovereignty [over his creation]. He that is the Maker of all things is
in particular manner the Father of spirits, for his image is stamped on the
souls of men.
The Rev. Matthew
Henry
Salvation is an act
of the grace of God working by faith in the hearts of His people. Though it
would be a most glorious event to have all nations become one in Christ, that
cannot happen under the present world and political economy. God's elect are
separate from the world, and must remain so. Only when Christ returns and the
Kingdoms of this world are One in Him can such a sentiment be realized.
The Most Rev. Jerry L. Ogles
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 has a You Tube Channel that is free to subscribe: all of his videos at:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuW3bgXBJFomPB5mZ4Oigxg
Names of Christ Series: Christ our Anchor
Click link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jydKbO5fL_s&t=22s
Devotions for Youth and the Young at Heart
God’s Hourglass
Click link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cy9iDFM_-LA
From the Providence and Grace Series: The Leper
Click link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjSzSnT7g10
Sermon Notes for 4th Sunday of Easter,
18 May 2025 Anno Domini, the Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide
The Fourth Sunday after Easter.
The Collect.
O ALMIGHTY God, who alone canst order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men; Grant unto thy people, that they may love the thing which thou commandest, and desire that which thou dost promise; that so, among the sundry and manifold changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed, where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
God, by the Word and Light of Truth, has provided a means for our marred image to be restored to His Holy Image. As Christian believers, we are accounted the currency of the Kingdom, and all currency bears the mark and image of its issuing authority. But do we? We cannot do so without the empowering grace of our Lord to order our steps. With our hearts stayed on Christ, we will know the way and be led therein into holiness of life and action. These principles are outlined in our Prayer of Collect.
Nothing received from His divine Majesty is anything less than perfect. His love is that perfect standard to which we aspire. Without His love, we can have no love for we love Him because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
The lectionary texts and Prayer of Collect today center on the believer growing more and more in sanctification and in becoming more in the image and likeness of His Father in Heaven. Our control of our emotions are a necessary check on our inclination to sin. In the words of St. Augustine, “Anger is weed; hate is the tree.” Surely, unjust anger can grow into enormous sin if watered with hate and envy.
James, in his Epistle, points out the nature of the Christian as sharing in the first fruits of our Savior who rose first from the death to ascend to the Father. We, too, share in that blessing as first fruits of the dead in trespasses and sins for we are made alive by the Holy Spirit of God. Those who have been made alive in Christ will not suffer the second death.
Though we are reading beyond the Epistle text for the day, we are told in James 1:22-25 that belief is evidenced in our obedience to the Law – we are doers of the Law and not merely hearers of it. If we simply have a head knowledge of the Law and not a spiritual commitment to it, we are like a man observing his face in the mirror. We see that we are guilty in the same sense as Adam, David, and Saul; yet, we are worldly in our ways and forget that we are egregious sinners in the eyes of the Lord. The Law of God is that Perfect Law of Liberty about which the Epistle speaks. Many are under the impression that their wills are already free before salvation – that they must surrender much of their freedom in coming to Christ. They could not be more mistaken. The desires of the flesh bind us a chains to sin. Our wills are not free but are self-wills. But when we come to Christ, we have freedom of will since we have taken upon our souls the Mind that was in Christ. The old desires are gone, and righteous desires not dominate wills to do good.
When the time comes that we must part with the darling of our souls – our mates with whom we have shared many long years of love and bliss – our sorrowful would we be at that parting; however, Christ has meant much more than a beloved companion to the disciples – He has been their all-in-all. Their trust and future hope have been realized in Him. How can they part with Him, and they comprehended not why it would be necessary for the Savior and son of God to depart from them leaving them without head and heart to face the world and its wickedness.
Jesus knows the hurt of their hearts at His departure, but reassures them that nothing will be taken from them but rather added to their blessings in the omniscience of the Holy Ghost, or Comforter, who was to come. Our Lord Jesus Christ had come in the body of a man and, as a man, was limited in the nature of omnipresence. The work of Christ was finished on the cross at Calvary. Now the new mission of the Holy Ghost would accompany them severally in all walks of life. The Comforter did not represent any change in direction or purpose, but a continuation of that purpose in greater zeal in all places and all times. He did not come representing Himself, but as Christ came representing the Father, so, the Comforter came to reveal and bring to our remembrance all things written in the Holy Book of Christ.
Up until this point of the departure of the Lord Jesus, the disciples had followed Christ in faith. Now the power of the Holy Ghost would enter their hearts and invigorate that faith. It would be a constant presence to them and a grantor of courageous faith and action. Christ is truly not departed from us in Spirit for He is with us always. He will neither forsake nor leave us, but will be with us in the Person of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Ghost will add a spiritual dimension to the preaching of the Gospel. His testimony of the Gospel of Christ will either convict, or condemn, the sinner of his transgressions.
Our Lord had many more treasures to share with the disciples, but they were incapable of grasping them at this point in their walk. Following the events of Good Friday and Easter, however, their eyes were opened to far greater wonders than ever before. His resurrection sealed all that their faith of which their faith had given testimony.
Regardless our present status as believers and our study of the Holy Scriptures, our Lord has many mysteries yet to share with us as well as we seek deeper and deeper knowledge and wisdom from the Deep of His Word. As we seek, we shall find. All our doubts and worries are removed in the heart-warming testimony of the Holy Spirit. Where darkness once dominated in our hearts, the Holy Spirit shed great light to our minds from God’s Word. The truth was always before us, but we could not comprehend its fulness of meaning, much like a winding road in abject darkness. When the sun rises we can see clearly the path, but it was there all along. We were simply blind to it.
Contrary to much false teaching today, the Holy Spirit will not speak of Himself, but point always to our Lord Jesus Christ and Him crucified. He will glorify Christ – not Himself. He does not promise luxury and wealth, but the way of the pilgrim in search of truth. We do not have a ‘Holy Spirit’ church, but a Christian Church that upholds and worships the Lord Jesus Christ.
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:
"Whatever Happened to Morning Prayer?"
The other day I was approached by an irate churchman who had attended Sunday services at our little chapel. He was a retired gentleman who claimed he was a "lifelong" Episcopalian. He was furious over the fact that we had offered Morning Prayer as our principal service that Sunday and not the Lord's Supper. At the conclusion of the service he castigated me for not being a "true Episcopalian" and made his opinions very clear, stating in a loud voice that there was no reason for him to have come to our church that day as he could have stayed home and "read the prayers by himself." Needless to say, he never returned, even when I assured him that the next Sunday on the calendar was a service of Holy Communion.
This experience reminded me of my conversation with the Senior Warden of a large, fashionable church in downtown Atlanta, speaking with him on the church steps after a very well attended service of Holy Communion, when I enquired of him if the church offered Morning Prayer at any time during the week or on an alternate Sunday. Looking puzzled, he asked me what Morning Prayer was, as he had never attended such a service and had no idea that it was in the Book of Common Prayer, despite being Senior Warden and long-time churchman.
I pose my question as a layman - I am certainly no theologian - but I speak as a churchman of some years experience in a variety of locales, rural and municipal. Morning Prayer not long ago was the principal service of Episcopalians/Anglicans of all stripes: liberal or conservative, high, low, and broad. No matter where you went in the world, regardless of the churchmanship of the congregation, Morning Prayer was that constant symbol of the unity of English speaking Protestants at worship. The cadence of the prayers and responses, the vestiture of the ministers, the familiarity of the Psalter, the pleasure of hearing the appointed lessons together with a pertinent seasonal sermon was the linguistic treasure of the entire Communion. It did not matter whether Morning Prayer was read in a Gothic Cathedral with a trained choir or a sparse apartment living room, the blessed company gathered with one mind and one voice to celebrate the glory of Our Living Lord and His Word. For over four hundred years those same phrases had been uttered by churchmen rich and poor, prelate and farmer, using godly language which, as William F. Buckly called it along with the Authorized Version, "the most excellent example of the English language to rival even Shakespeare." Today it is seldom heard anywhere and disappearing rapidly across the globe.
My claim regarding what some have denigrated by calling them "choir offices" - Morning and Evening Prayer" - is to declare them the most Scriptural services in Christendom. From the Opening Sentences to the final blessing "the Grace" the service is nothing other than Scripture itself put in a liturgical format. It does not even require the ordained ministry to provide a worshipful experience in feeding the people of God the spiritual food of His most holy Word. Word and Sacrament are kept in heavenly balance in the life of the Church - small wonder that our Protestant forefathers rescued the Church from the extremes of sacramentalism and the errors or Erastianism by insisting in the Preface to the Book of Common Prayer itself that "The Order for Holy Communion, the Order for Morning Prayer, the Order for Evening Prayer, and the Litany, are the regular services appointed for worship in this Church and shall be used accordingly."
No one can deny that the Episcopal Church as well as Anglicanism world-wide has taken on a very different public persona in but a few short years. The Church that gave English speaking peoples the Word of God in their own language has cast off the Liturgy of those same people and adopted language and liturgics very foreign to her history. Something very valuable has been lost. The sad fact of the matter is that churchmanship moves in one direction only - from low to high and never the reverse. Many younger clergy, even in "conservative" dioceses have no idea how to conduct Morning Prayer as a service of public worship - and that is truly sad.
Anglicanism now more closely resembles non-papal Catholicism, and that resemblance is more than skin deep. By consciously removing Morning (and Evening) Prayer from the minds and hearts of God's people, the hierarchy has arbitrarily changed the very essence of Anglicanism from the "Stupor Mundi" which brought Biblical Christianity wherever English was spoken. From a pastoral standpoint, American Episcopalians have become the most Biblically illiterate of all Protestants - and there must be a reason for their poor condition. An entire generation has been raised on ritual and sacerdotalism, and is starved not only of their own heritage but of the very meat upon which their eternal souls must feed.
In all humility, I call upon all faithful Anglicans/Episopalians to consider what I have said, in sincerity and truth, without regard to your tradition, location, or churchmanship. Something of great value has been lost to the people of God but, with thanks to Him, is easily recovered.
++++++++++++
Thanks,
+CEM
Bishop of the Diocese of the West – AOC USA
Education and Training
Church of the Faithful Centurion
Anglican Orthodox Church Worldwide
Bp Jack brings the Collect, Epistle and Gospel together because as is always the case there is a unifying message in the Scripture for this Sunday.
Good morning! I hope you are all doing well. In today’s sermon we will be looking at the unifying message of the Collect, Epistle and Gospel and examine how they share a common message of action as we continue to celebrate Jesus’ delivery of the promise of life eternal with Him in our life to come. Easter, perhaps better referred to as the Day of the Resurrection is when the promise of eternal life is delivered.
Let’s start by reading the Collect for today:
The Fourth Sunday after Easter.
We are in the Easter Season which consists of Easter and the following four Sundays, through Rogation Sunday. This is a time we should work on centering our lives on the central figure in our religion, Jesus Christ.
Consider these words from the Collect:
… who alone canst order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men; Grant unto thy people, that they may love the thing which thou commandest, and desire that which thou dost promise; that so, among the sundry and manifold changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed, where true joys are to be found…
The very first phrase is critical to understanding the world and our place in it. We want to follow our own hearts, that is the unruly wills and affections of sinful men, which will lead us not to heaven but to hell if left unchecked. These unruly wills and affections of ours are what have caused the problems in the world. We find that people wrongfully blame God for the problems that are ongoing in this world, when it really is humanity and our sinful hearts that are to blame for one hundred percent of the problems. The solution is obvious to those of us who follow God and have accepted the Holy Ghost into our lives, however it is not obvious to those in the World who refuse to accept the Holy Ghost. It is clear that we cannot order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men, history has proven that time and time again. However, if we allow the Holy Ghost into our hearts, He can. If only the rest of the world would allow the Holy Ghost into their hearts, we would at last be able to have true peace. We must do our part by spreading the Good News to the world, to give them a chance to accept him and get back on the path towards righteousness. We also have to be on the path towards righteousness as well, or our efforts will be in vain.
In order to get back on the path towards righteousness, we have to internalize His commands into our hearts through listening and then through repetition, action. Like any other skill, repetition is key in order to get better with this. This is the only way we can follow His Commandments and show the World we follow Him. For all of the above to happen we have to let God into our hearts, souls, minds and bodies and let His Directions carry us through life. In order to be true believers, we have to actualize our stated beliefs. Actions show that we don’t just talk the talk, but that we walk the walk as well. This means we have to live out our Christian Faith and not just talk about it. This is easier said than done, but it is something that we must do our best to do as much as it lies within us. God can and will help us do this, but only if we let him into our hearts.
Our life will be better when we follow His directions and if we will allow God to rule us and desire His help, we will be able to attain the state of happiness we will then deserve. It may not be what seems to be easy at the time, but we have to trust that God knows that He is doing and that He knows what truly is good for us. It is like when we were younger and we wanted to do what we wanted to do instead of what our parents would have us do. We quickly found that if we did what we wanted to do, it would not be as helpful to us in the longer run than if we did what our parents wanted for us. God is our spiritual parent in this matter. So let us put aside the things we want to do in favor of what God wants for us.
Many people think that God forbids things for us, because He does not want us to have fun. Nothing can be further from the truth. He forbids things harmful for our spiritual well being, and allows us to have clean spiritual, joyous things in our life to develop our spiritual well being. God knows what can hurt our spiritual and physical and mental health and is advising us to avoid those things so we do not inflict unneeded harm upon our souls, bodies and minds. Those people confuse the things that are harmful for our spiritual well being with fun and think that the things that are actually helpful for our spiritual well being are not fun. When it is completely not the case. The Holy Spirit will help us to truly see what is harmful for us and what is not harmful for us.
We need God’s help (this is one of the places the Holy Ghost comes in) to be able to want for ourselves that which He Wants for us. Because clearly we are not capable of doing this on our own without His Help. The Collect asks us to allow God into our hearts to bend our will towards His Will and His Wants. If we can desire what He Wants, our ability to follow His Instructions will be much enhanced. And not only will they be much enhanced, but the more we follow His Instructions, the easier it will be for us to continue on that straight and narrow path towards heaven. It is like practicing any sort of learned skill, the more you practice at it the better you will get. Of course, we will never be fully perfect at it, but as long as we keep doing our best to get as close as we can to perfection, that is all that matters.
We are God’s creatures, first among all His Creation with all the privileges (which we like) and all the responsibility (which we are not so keen on) which come with that status. All good comes from God, who is always with us; always the same; a true bearing in world in a constant state of flux. While the world may change, the Word will never change, no matter what happens in the world today. His Word is a refreshing constant, in this world where nothing ever seems certain. The Ways of the World go to and fro, in a constant state of flux. However, God’s Word always stays the same; its meaning never changes, as God never changes. As God is truth, which by its nature cannot change, so should we never change in our beliefs towards Him.
So, how can we hear?
When Jesus got ready to leave this world for His, He told the disciples He would send them the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, to keep them in Him and to help them understand what they had so far been unable to truly grasp. Unless we allow the Holy Ghost to enter into our hearts, we will never understand that which is from God. This is an important concept with messages that are not from God being bombarded across the world through principalities and powers of this world. Only the Holy Ghost can help us remain grounded within the truth. We need the Holy Ghost to enter into us that we might be able to hear the Word of God, and more important than just hearing the Word, we need the Holy Ghost to be able to act upon the Word. We must allow the Holy Ghost to enter in to our hearts and souls so we can understand what God has for us. It is that simple. Open your heart, pray for God to send Him into that open heart.
For with the Holy Ghost’s help, you can hear, understand and act on The Word.
The time is now, not tomorrow. The time has come, indeed. How will you ACT?
It is by our actions we are known.
Be of God - Live of God - Act of God
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Rev Bryan Dabney of Saint John’s AOC Vicksburg, Mississippi -
Sunday Sermon
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.
Fourth Sunday after Easter Sunday Sermon
open— shed of its disguise— for all to see. The Holy Ghost also directs us in the use of God's word written. For within its sacred pages, we have been supplied with examples for our edification (v.13). Consider the following passages for they reveal both the error as well as the consequence for sin:
In Numbers 25:1-9, the Hebrews turned away from the Lord God to worship the Moabite gods at Peor and were punished with a plague.
In Judges 2:11-15, it is noted that following the death of Joshua, the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD and served the gods of the Canaanites, Ammonites and Moabites. Because of this, God gave them over to those people to punish them until such time as they repented and called again upon his name.
In I Kings 16:28-33 and 17:1, we find Ahab, king of Israel, worshiping and serving Baal and Astarte which resulted in a curse on his kingdom as well as upon himself and his entire dynasty.
In II Kings 21:13, 15, Manasseh, king of Judah, rebuilt the high places where foreign deities were worshiped and built altars for all the hosts of heaven in the house of the LORD. Because of this, the Lord God promised: I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down...because they have done that which was evil in my sight and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came forth out of Egypt, even unto this day.
Several of the prophets spoke against the idolatry of the children of Israel. In Isaiah 44:9-20, the prophet penned a scathing piece concerning the utter futility of idol worship. He detailed how a man fashioned a deity from the trunk of a tree. The prophet— in a clearly mocking tone— observed how an idolater used part of the wood to warm his home and cook his food, while with the other portion he made a god to bow before. Isaiah saw, first hand, how the people of Judah had been redeemed from the hand of the Assyrians by the LORD under King Hezekiah, as well has how quickly they turned their backs on him. He called the people to return to a proper worship of the LORD, but his pronouncements fell on deaf ears— just as the LORD had told him (Isaiah 6:9-13).
The prophet Jeremiah also saw the evil of the children of Israel. Speaking under the influence of the Holy Ghost he said, I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods and worshiped the works of their own hands (1:16).
These are, of course, only a few of the numerous examples found within the pages of Scripture. But lest you think “that was then, this is now”, beware! The Christian Church also has a checkered past of heresies and intermural squabbles. Within the New Testament we find the following:
St. Paul (in Acts 20:28-31), warned the Ephesians elders to: Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers...for I know this, that after my departing, shall grievous wolves enter among you...also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
Again, in Galatians (1:6-9), the apostle warned: I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him who called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel, which is not another; but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed... if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
He also advised the Colossians (2:8), Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
And to the youthful Timothy (II St. Timothy 4:2-4) he wrote: Preach the word! Be instant in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
St. Peter noted in his second epistle (2:1): But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them...
Some years ago, I read a position paper by one benighted soul whose thesis was that, “God is like an ocean who washes up on different shores to different people in different forms.” Now if that were even remotely true, why then would God have commanded the children of Israel to avoid the religious practices of the various nations surrounding them? Remember, the Holy Ghost guides us into all
truth, so such an idea did not come from on high, but from our adversary who had succeeded in leading that poor soul away from the truth of God’s word written. God’s works are apparent to all who would but open their eyes to behold them. Some are easily understood while others are mysterious. As he informed Isaiah (55:8), his ways are not like ours, neither are his thoughts like our thoughts. Yet,
God would not have us ignorant as he has given us his word written to serve as a light unto our path and a lamp unto our feet. For within its pages, the truth about God and ourselves is clearly set forth. Ergo, all who are of his elect and beloved—as St. John noted in his first epistle (2:3)— will heed the words of Scripture.
We ought to keep firmly in mind that our Lord and God revealed himself to the Hebrews in the wilderness via the works of Moses and Joshua. He also gave his promise of redemption through the prophets, and confirmed the same through the miracles and teachings of his only begotten Son. Needless to say, the world was not satisfied. Truth be known, the world will never be satisfied because its master will not permit it. Consider the following questions: Are you a child of God, or are you a child of the god of this world? Do you hear and heed the gospel message, or do you turn to pagan teachings and practices for relief? Do you believe God has sent the Comforter into the world to reprove the world of sin or, do you deny the judgment of God in favor of a more inclusive approach to salvation? True and faithful Christians will affirm their faith in the Lord our God. They will also heed the urging of Holy Ghost by turning from sin and degradation. They will not take God’s Spirit lightly. And because they understand that the workings of the Holy Ghost are for their edification, they will not quench the Spirit of God but will keep their vessels— their bodies— as clean and swept as they can for they know who resides within them.
As regenerated souls in Christ, we are in eager anticipation of the coming marriage feast of the Lamb. Nevertheless, our attendance at that long-called for gathering of the saints can only be realized via our obedience to our Lord. May our good and gracious God grant you his peace and blessing as we await the return of the King of kings and Lord of lords, and that he would via the power of the Holy Ghost cleanse you from all unrighteousness and sin.
Let us pray,
Father, help us at all times to love those things which thou lovest and to seek those things which are above where you sit; for this we ask in the name of him who now sits at your right hand interceding for us, even our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Have a
blessed week,
Bryan+
Roy
Morales-Kuhn, Bishop and Pastor
Saint Paul's Anglican
Church
Diocese of the Midwest Anglican
Orthodox Church
Suffragan Bishop of the AOC
Sermon for Fourth Sunday after Easter
Psalms 27; First lesson: Isaiah 60:13-22; Second lesson: John 8:12-30
O ALMIGHTY God, who alone canst order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men; Grant unto thy people, that they may love the thing which thou commandest, and desire that which thou dost promise; that so, among the sundry and manifold changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed, where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Hymn # 366, 367, 368
The Light of the World
As we begin this study this evening let’s “reflect” on what is light. To understand the great utility of light, whether it be natural or artificial; all one must do is retreat to the country or wilderness devoid of either and look around. If it is a moonless night the pale stars will provide some illumination, if it is a cloudy night, then you will have none. Now you may add any type of artificial light, whether it be portable or on a wire, and you will get some degree of vision of what is out there in the dark. Truth be known, even with the brightest of lights, you still only see part of the area around you due to the shadows cast by objects and vegetation and the limitation of your beam of light.
Now if we look at the same scene in the daylight, even on a cloudy day, there is a whole different vision of the area we viewed at night. The shadows are cast and yet you can see into the shadows with full sun, why? As the illustration that Christ gave us in this passage from John’s gospel, the light is all consuming. As the sun illuminates or enlightens the whole world, so does Light of the world, Christ. Yes, we are talking about two different concepts of light and yet the illustrations are fit.
The sun is a all revealing light to the natural world (“...and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof....” Ps.19:6b). So, in the same way it is for followers of Christ. Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12)
What an apt illustration. As the sun is a light to the natural world, so is Christ Jesus a light to his followers here on earth. A follower of Christ will not walk in darkness.
As the Bible commentator Matthew Henry wrote: “Christ is the Light of the world. God is light, and Christ is the image of the invisible God. One sun enlightens the whole world; so does one Christ, and there needs no more.*”.
Why is that so important today? Why do we need to cling to that wonderful promise today? With the whole world in chaos and crisis mode many people have begun to despair the future. They are fearful of what is to come.
The saddest aspect of this fear is that it is not necessary for those who understand and follow the way of Christ. “They shall not be left without the truths which are necessary to keep them from destroying error, and the directions in the way of duty, necessary to keep them from condemning sin.*”
We are equipped to fight error. God has given us his Word, both in his Son and in the Holy Bible, being illumined by the Holy Spirit. We have written instructions as to how to deal with the present situation and ANY that should follow. “What a dark dungeon would the world be without the sun! So would it be without Jesus, by whom light came into the world. Those who follow Christ shall not walk in darkness.*”
We must always remember, unlike the Socialist and Communist, this is not the end of us here on earth. Jesus told us that he has a place for us and that if he prepared that place for us, he will come again and take us to that place. (See John 14:3)
We find that the universalist and the one world-one people groups do not understand the gospel, they are just like the great learned men of Christ time on earth. They have great knowledge, they can debate the legs off a centipede, they can even argue about how many religionist believe in their view of spiritual/world issues, but most importantly, they do not have the Light. They dwell in darkness. By their very pronouncements and grand publications, documentaries, and even counterfeit belief systems, they still miss the mark. They have no real hope of anything beyond what they have here. The whole purpose of making the here and now your “paradise” is to keep the deluded from realizing that there is a spiritual real that is not being addressed.
Satan is great at being the Angel of Light, but he is ultimately a Liar and deceiver of all mankind. He is the god of this world, and he knows his time is limited, since Christ rose from the dead, Christ overcame death, and sealed Satan’s final fate. This is why Satan is trying so vigorously to ensnare as many as he can, to drag them to perdition, as will be his final destination one day.
“If we knew Christ better, we should know the Father better. Those become vain in their imaginations concerning God, who will not learn of Christ. Those who know not his glory and grace, know not the Father that sent him.*”
Now as we look at the last part of this gospel passage we once again see the certification of Christ Jesus to those he ministered to and down through the hall of history to us:
28Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. 29And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. 30As he spake these words, many believed on him. (John 8:28-30)
So what does that tell us of the essential ministry of Christ? The final passage reveals a lot. Those who had followed Jesus for a while could see that he derived his authority from an unseen source. When he kept saying that he and the Father were the same and he did what his Father taught him, the simple folk understood that. Jesus even gave us an idea that this would be the pattern. When he gathered little children around him to bless them, the disciples tried to shoo them away. Jesus admonished his close followers with the words “But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 19:14) In the simple faith of a little one, God has built His kingdom.
We can have all the degrees available to mankind and online degree mills, but unless you come to the Son as an innocent child, you will not see that kingdom. Therefore, the last part of the passage speaks volumes. ‘..as he spake these words, many believed on him...’. Those who had followed Jesus for a while knew that what he spoke of was true. The most simple of folks had no problems accepting the WORD. “Nothing but the doctrine of Christ's grace will be an argument powerful enough, and none but the Spirit of Christ's grace will be an agent powerful enough, to turn us from sin to God; and that Spirit is given, and that doctrine is given, to work upon those only who believe in Christ.*”
Beloved. We need to turn to Christ and live. Now is the time of salvation. The base man-generated crisis and chaos is not the end all. He Lives. Christ Jesus lives today. We celebrated the Glorious Resurrection just a few short weeks ago. We must now live it daily. The world has no hope for us. Our hope is in Christ Jesus.
Let us pray:
O GOD, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Saviour, the Prince of Peace; Give us grace seriously to lay to heart the great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions. Take away all hatred and prejudice, and whatsoever else may hinder us from godly union and concord: that, as there is but one Body, and one Spirit, and one hope of our calling, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of us all, so we may henceforth be all of one heart, and of one soul, united in one holy bond of truth and peace, of faith and charity, and may with one mind and one mouth glorify thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
ALMIGHTY God, whose blessed Son went about doing good, and healing all manner of sickness; Continue, we beseech thee, this his gracious work among us, especially in the hospitals and infirmaries of our land; cheer, heal, and sanctify the sick; grant to the physicians, surgeons, and nurses wisdom and skill, sympathy and patience; and send down thy blessing on all who labour to relieve suffering and to forward thy purposes of love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
ALMIGHTY Father, who didst send thine only Son that through him all men might be saved; Enable those who teach so to consecrate their lives that, being themselves led of thee, they may lead thy children in the paths of everlasting life; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
THE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.
* Matthew Henry: Commentary on the Holy Bible. c.1706 A.D.
+Roy Morales-Kuhn
The Rev. Don Fultz
Rector of St. Peter’s AOC located in the AOC National Office
We are grateful to have this sermon of the today from Rev. Don Fultz from St. Peter’s AOC, Statesville, NC.
Fourth Sunday after Easter
Sermon John 16: 5-15
Jesus spoke the words of today’s Gospel text on the day before he was to be crucified. Our text begins with Jesus saying in verse 5: “But now I go my way to him that sent me;” Upon hearing Jesus’ announcement that he was going away, the disciples were too stunned to say anything. The disciples had been with Jesus for almost three years and had witnessed firsthand all of the miraculous work he had done. He was their Mentor, Teacher, and Rabbi. They had given up everything to follow Him…family, friends, and job. They believed He was the son of God but didn’t fully understand his plan of Salvation. They were shocked and confused, but Jesus went on to say to them in verses 6 7: “But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart; 7Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you.”
The Comforter Jesus was promising to send the Disciples is just another name for the Holy Ghost. (See John 14:26) Also keep in mind that there is no difference between ‘The Holy Ghost’ and ‘The Holy Spirit.’ The same word is translated sometimes by the one word, and sometimes by the other.
But there are two things that should be remembered but are often forgotten:
1. The Holy Ghost (spirit) is a person not just a feeling or an influence.
Some people believe that He is impersonal and only the force of God the Father and God the Son. This is false. The Holy Ghost has the same attributes as a person:
A. According to the scriptures: He has intellect: St. Paul tells us in Romans’s 8:26-27 “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know: not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according the will of God.”
B. He has emotion. In Ephesians 4:30 Paul tells us “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”
C. He has a will. St. Paul tells us in 1 Cor. 12:10-11 “To another the working of miracles; to another “Prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another the interpretation of tongues. 11But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will.”
2. The Holy Ghost (Spirit) is also a Divine Person. The 3rd person of the Trinity. He is also God. He is eternal (See Deuteronomy 33:27; 1 Timothy 1:17). He knows everything-omniscient (See Proverbs 15:3). He is almighty – omnipotent (See Rev. 19:6). He is everywhere - omnipresent. (See Proverbs 15:3.
The bible tells us in Acts 5: 3-4 that the Holy Ghost is God. You may remember the story of Ananias and Sapphira? Before Ananias was struck dead, Peter told him, “Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Ghost? Thou has not lied unto men but unto God.”
What the disciples couldn’t see through their grief was that Jesus was working for their good—so that they would have power and life to the full, even eternal life. Yes, Jesus departure from the disciples was a good thing for not only them but for all of us.
Jesus had finished his ministry work here on earth and now only had to finish God’s plan of Salvation. The condition for the Holy Ghost to come was that Jesus had to go back to God the Father. In order to do this, he had to suffer and die and then be raised from the dead and finally ascend into Heaven. Just think about it, if Jesus did not die, then our sins would have not been paid for. If Jesus did not rise from the grave, then Satan and death would not have been defeated. If none of this happened, there would be no gospel, and no good news for all of us lost in sin.
In addition, if Jesus remained bodily with his disciples, He could only be in one place at a time. However, the Holy Ghost is omnipresent. He can be everywhere in all places, at all times. Therefore, where ever believers meet or preachers speak, the Holy Ghost could be with them. The coming of the Holy Ghost would be the fulfilment of Jesus’s promise in Matthew 28:20: “Lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the world.”
Also, the disciples were prepared to go on their own. If Jesus remained bodily with them, they would have less room to exercise their faith, hope, and trust than if He went away. The disciples did far more for Jesus when he was absent than they ever did when he was physically present with them. And with the Holy Ghost poured out on them; they would be a powerful voice and witness for Christ.
In the remaining text of today’s gospel, Jesus tells his disciples about the inner working and attributes of the Holy Ghost and how He will comfort and help them. In John 16:8, He tells them the Holy Ghost will “…reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement.” What Jesus is saying here is that the Holy Ghost will convince the world of its guilt towards God by opening their hearts. This would help turn the world around and draw them back to God. We are all guilty against God because we were born sinners, but we really need the Holy Ghost to help us see that.
In John 16:9-11, Jesus becomes more specific about sin, righteousness and judgment in order to give us understanding, and it is through understanding we can have conviction.
Verse 9 says “Of sin, because they believe not on me.” This is the basis of sin: unbelief in God, unfaithfulness to God. When the Jews crucified Jesus, they did not believe that they were sinning but serving God. But when the story of the crucifixion was later preached by Peter and the other Apostles on the day of Pentecost, we are told in Acts 2:37 “they were pricked in their heart.” When the story was presented to them, they suddenly had the terrible conviction of sin, the conviction that the crucifixion was the greatest crime in history, and that their sin had caused it! Many of those unbelieving Jews repented their sins that day and became believers and followers of Christ!
What is it that gives a man a sense of sin? We cannot know our need of a Savior without a sense of sin! It is the influence of the Holy Ghost in a man’s heart which convicts him of sin.
What the Holy Ghost does is just like Nathan the prophet saying to King David, “Thou art the man!” (2nd Samuel 12:7) and that made David confess immediately, “I have sinned against the Lord” (2nd Samuel 12:13) admitting his guilt of adultery with Bethsheba.
It is safe to say that many people do not believe in God. There are also more people that know God, but do not give glory, or give thanks to him. This is the foundation of sin, because when we do not believe in God, our thinking becomes useless, and our hearts become dark. St. Paul tells us in Romans 1:21: “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” Jesus warns his disciples in John 16: 2-3: “2They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. 3And thee things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father or me.”
Jesus in v. 10 says “Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more.” After the Holy Ghost convinces sinners of sin, then he will show them the need of righteousness. The prophet Isaiah tells us in Isaiah 64:6 “…our Righteousness are as filthy rags.” St Paul tells us in Romans 3:10-11: “10As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.” 11There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.” (ref. to Psalms 14:1-3)
How do we get this righteousness? There is only one way, through our new life and Faith in Christ by the sacrifice He made for us on the cross. He exchanged his fully righteous life for our sin stained life. St. Paul tells us in 2nd Cor. 5:21, “For He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” In Romans 1:17, Paul tells us: “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith.”
The last point the Holy Ghost uses to convince the world is judgment. Let us look at John 16:11: “Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.” The prince of the world is Satan. When Christ rose from the dead, the power of Satan was destroyed and he now stands condemned! He will receive his just punishment on judgment day along with all of his followers. According to St. Paul in Romans 14:12, we will all be judged “every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” Those who have put their faith in Christ will be justified in Him, but those who do not know Christ will be judged guilty.
Jesus continues on in John 16:12 and tells the disciples, he has many more things to tell them but they cannot bear them now. Then, in verse 13, Jesus tells them that when the Spirit of Truth (Holy Ghost) comes He will guide them in all truth and speak not of himself and will show them things to come.
What is the truth? Jesus says in John 17:17 “Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth.” Our best source of truth and wisdom is our bibles, God’s Word. He guides us within his word, and teaches us truth. The bible teaches us about the history of the universe. It teaches us about things yet to come, like Heaven, and eternal life. However, most important the Bible teaches us about God and about his Son, Jesus Christ and all of their promises contained within. Although, the books of the Bible were written by different Godly people, they were all inspired to tell the Truth as they were directed and led by the Holy Ghost. Timothy says in 2 Tim 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”
Lastly, we see the Holy Ghost’s purpose in all of this. Let us look at John 16:14: “He shall glorify me; for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” The Holy Ghost brings glory to Jesus Christ. He does not speak on his own. He only speaks what He hears. Here in this verse, we can get some insight about the Holy Ghost that he is a person, hence the use of ‘He’. Also, that He also has a free will. He can choose to speak on his own, but does not. John 7:18 tells us “He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.”
The Holy Ghost works in accordance with Jesus and God the Father. The Spirit also searches all things, even the deep things of God. This eternal relationship between God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is referred to by Christians as the Trinity, only one God but in three persons. St Paul tells us in 1 Cor. 2: 10-11: “10But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11For what man knoweth the things of man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”
In closing,
the Holy Ghost is willing and waiting to help all that accept Christ by faith
just like He did for his chosen disciples and Apostles. So don’t be hesitant to
ask for help. James 4:2 says “…we have not because we ask not.”
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen
The Rev. Don Fultz+
AOC Minister at Large
Alabama
We are Fortunate today to have a sermon from Rev. David McMillian
The Fourth/Fifth Sunday after EASTER
Job 19:21-27a; Revelation 19:1-9; Gospel John 16:5-15)
"The Comforter according to Jesus"
"A junior high music teacher had just organized a band in her school. The principal was so proud of the music teacher's efforts that without consulting her he decided that the band should give a concert for the entire school. The music teacher wasn't so sure her young musicians were ready to give a concert, so she tried to talk the principal out of holding the concert, to no avail. Just before the concert was ready to begin, as the music teacher stood on the podium, she leaned forward and whispered to her nervous musicians, "If you're not sure of your part, just pretend to play." And with that, she stepped back, lifted her baton and with a great flourish brought it down. Lo and behold, nothing happened! The band brought forth a resounding silence.
Sometimes we in the church are like that junior high band, unsure of our parts, tentative in our roles, reluctant to trumpet forth the music of faith that God desires of us. And that's because we have trouble deciding what's most important.
Most of the choices we make in life are not between what is trivial and what is important. Rather, most of the choices we make are usually between what is important and what is more important. This morning's Gospel reading is so timely for us because it shows us what is most important.
This morning's readings are so timely for us because it shows us what is most important. As we gather in worship today we affirm that the greatest blessing that God has given us is God's love for us and His Spirit -- God's love that forgives us our sins and makes us children of God; God's love that brings us together into a fellowship with one another...." sermons@sermons.com
Today's Gospel is about the work of the Holy Spirit. "The Advocate, who will be acting as their defendant, will also expose the world's errors....He will expose the naked truth that the root of sin lies in the desire of men to live their lives in self-centered independence" Tasker, The Gospel According to John
Our Lord had to go away so that the fulness of the Spirit would envelop the earth.
1. The Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment.
Matthew Henry that great Presbyterian said it this way, "The Spirit shall convince the world, of sin; not merely tell them of it. The Spirit convinces of the fact of sin; of the fault of sin; of the folly of sin; of the filth of sin, that by it we are become hateful to God; of the fountain of sin, the corrupt nature; and lastly, of the fruit of sin, that the end thereof is death. The Holy Spirit proves that all the world is guilty before God"
Yes, God is love and Christians ought to reflect that, but start at the beginning. Sin is the problem, and Christ dealt with sin on the Cross for all who would receive Him as the way, the Truth and the Life.
"When Christ is preached, He becomes the touchstone of character of sin, because they believe not on me"- Certainly that is direct. Erdman The Gospel of John
2. Righteousness and Judgment
His Resurrection shows He is the Son of God and the Righteous Judge of all. The application is that we have eternal life and can be light and life to others who need our encouragement and hope.
"Just a Person Across the Way”; Edgar Guest, a renowned American poet at the turn of the century, tells of a neighbor by the name of Jim Potter. Mr. Potter ran the drug store in the small town where Edgar Guest lived. Guest recalled that daily he would pass his neighbor and how they would smile and exchange greetings. But it was a mere casual relationship.
Then came that tragic night in the life of Edgar Guest when his first born child died. He felt lonely and defeated. These were grim days for him and he was overcome with grief. Several days later Guest had reason to go to the drug store run by his neighbor, and when he entered Jim Potter motioned for him to come behind the counter. "Eddie," he said, "I really can't express to you the great sympathy that I have for you at this time. All I can say is that I am terribly sorry, and if you need for me to do anything, you can count on me."
Many years later Edgar Guest wrote of that encounter in one of his books. This is how he worded it: "Just a person across the way a passing acquaintance. Jim Potter may have long since forgotten that moment when he extended his hand to me in sympathy, but I shall never forget it never in all my life. To me it stands out like the silhouette of a lonely tree against a crimson sunset."
I have wondered how it is that I want people to remember me when I come to end of my life's journey. But I really don't care if someone remembers me for that. I really don't. I do hope that people are able to say of me at the end of my life's pilgrimage: When we were sick he came to us; when we needed help, he was there; when I was down, he lifted me up. In short, I hope that my ministry is remembered for simple acts of kindness. For if that is the case, then my life would have been worth it and I might have come close to fulfilling the greatest commandment in life: Love God and love your neighbor." Brett Blair and Staff, www.Sermons.com
3. Lastly, we read the end of this Gospel again,
“ 12I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” (John 16:12-14)
We are not left alone to our own devices and problems. He does come to us in the Person of the Holy Spirit to encourage us with the words of Jesus. He knows there are things we cannot understand or bear, but He, the Holy Spirit shines a light on Christ, and glorifies Him
Conclusion- Sometimes we are like the Band who does not sound, for we are unable to know what the right course of action is, so we wait, till light and direction come, but often nothing is heard.
We should look to the Head of the Church, not men in pointy hats, but to our Lord who is Head of the Church. His Word governs our lives, not the dictates of a denomination or leader. Thank God we can trust in His Son and His Spirit that inspired the Apostles and Old Testament prophets to speak in His name. We can trust these things, not in men, but as Peter says in His letter, men who were moved by the Holy Spirit. “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2 Peter 1:21)
Rev. David McMillan+
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:
Bobby Bryan, - suffering with cancer and is on chemo-therapy.
Patty Faye and Marie Shipe – traveling around Italy – return May 23 – for safety
Missy Koestler Arnold - mourning the passing of her mother, Joan Koestler.
Lydia Collins - rectal cancer.
Marilee – Mastectomy Update – pathology report stage three, spread to lymph nodes, more surgery
James Cavanah – health issues, new medication tolerance
Sophie – Sever bipolar issues, drug use and difficulty with parents, pray for her parents, Gary & Betsy
Colin and daughter, Lori Beall – cancer
Toni- Breast Cancer- Surgery went well, keep praying for successful recovery treatment-praise god
Donna – Breast Cancer- Surgery Successful onto Radiation treatment and Chemotherapy
Malou – Cancer
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
Katie Pope –treatment for Stage 4 Pulmonary Carcinoma “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:14)
Mauri Turner – Stomach cancer
For the government and people of South Korea that God will protect them
from the forces of Communism.
Keep Praying for the following:
Shamu-health issues, Mike, Jim, Dotty, Jan Jessup-neuro dementia, Josh Morley-seizures,
Jennifer, AOC USA, AOC Missions, Zach, Jess, Luke, Jacquie, Harper-IBS , Jim Sevier- God’s
Peace, Linda –
multiple myeloma, Colin, Lowery, Robert, Donna-chemotherapy,
Eddie, Aleyda-heart and bp issues, Leslie, Daniel, Jim-TBI issues, Alicia-caregiver
