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Worldwide Communion

Second Sunday in Lent

March 8, 2026 – Sunday Report

Third 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 128-130.

The Collect for Third Sunday in Lent.

WE beseech thee, Almighty God, look upon the hearty desires of thy humble servants, and stretch forth the right hand of thy Majesty, to be our defence against all our enemies; through Jesus Christ our Lord. 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 Third Sunday in Lent. Ephesians v. 1.

BE ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

The Gospel for the Third Sunday in Lent. St. Luke xi. 14.

JESUS was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered. But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils. And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven. But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth. If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub. And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges. But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you. When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: but when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh to him 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. And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

On Point

What Is Actual Sin? (Pasche, F.E.)

"Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies." Matt. 15:19

Our nature even at rest is sinful. But it is never at rest. It has thoughts and desires, suggestions and purposes; and these motions and acts of the soul are sin.

Actual sin is everything whereby evil is committed or good omitted, against God’s Law. When you slander your neighbor, you commit evil and sin; if you do not defend him when slandered, you omit good and therefore sin. “ To him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” Many people say that they harm no one. But the question will also be asked of them, “What good have you done ?” The fig-tree had harmed no one, yet it was cursed by Christ because it had done no good. Not only every tree bearing no fruit shall be hewn down and cast into the fire, but also every tree that bringeth forth no good fruit.

There are sins of the heart, of the eye, of the tongue, and sips of action.

Do not try to persuade yourself that your sin is only a little sin. There are no little sins. Every sin is a great sin. Even when the believer sins involuntarily, it is a grievous sin in the sight of God; but as his faith clings to God’s forgiving grace, his sin is at once forgiven by the all-sufficient merits of Christ. But if he sins voluntarily, however, with a set purpose, against the warning of his conscience, he falls from faith, and his sin is unforgiven, whether great or small. All our little omissions are great sins. And to the un believer every sin is an unforgiven sin. Even his seeming virtues are sins because he does not believe and trust in God and does not love and fear Him. “Without faith it is impossible to please God.”

“Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” Do not despise sins because they seem small. How difficult is it for you to renounce the one which is your darling sin! Take heed of this one sin, especially if it is a secret sin! Every sin entails guilt.

Prayer.

O Lord, almighty God and heavenly. Father, I pray Thee, as Thy dear child, graciously preserve me to my last breath in Thy saving Word and enlighten my heart with Thy Holy Spirit that I may know what is good or evil. All sin that I have knowingly committed, also my secret faults, I ask Thee in mercy to forget. Also help me, dear Father, by Thy grace, to begin a new life well- pleasing to Thee and to the benefit of my soul. I commend myself to Thy divine protection and fatherly blessing. Give me peace through Jesus Christ, my only Helper, and comfort me by the true Comforter, the Holy Ghost. 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:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuW3bgXBJFomPB5mZ4Oigxg

Monday Meditation: The Thief on the Cross

Bishop’s Blog: https://anglicanorthodoxchurch.blogspot.com/2026/03/youtube-video-player.html

You tube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQtKrxuX3Oc

Friday Evening Prayer Study: Raising of Lazarus

Bishop’s Blog: https://anglicanorthodoxchurch.blogspot.com/2026/03/youtube-video-player_6.html

You Tube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A56Il0E0UkQ

Saturday Night Bible Study: The Only Begotten Son

Bishop’s Blog: https://anglicanorthodoxchurch.blogspot.com/2026/03/youtube-video-player_7.html

You Tube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xz6DrsWuvBg

†Jerry Ogles

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

Psalm 27; First lesson: Amos 5:4-15; Second lesson: Galatians 5:16-24

“Salvation comes from the Lord, not the world.”

The Lord uses the least likely vessels to deliver his message. In our first lesson reading, from the book of Amos, a minor prophet, we find pure gold.

Amos is an interesting person. He was a shepherd, but in a real sense, a livestock dealer. He seemed to be a dealer of wool, sheep, and lambs. He also seemed to be in the fresh fruit trade, he was a fig dealer. So it seems he did travel quite a bit and seemed to have a pretty extensive knowledge of business. And yet he also seemed to be a blunt speaker. It appears that he did not suffer fools. So into this world of business, a man is called of God to deliver a message to a stubborn and unjust people. They were abusing each other, stealing lands, putting folk into slavery, doing financial misdoings to their neighbors. They were breaking at least three of the ten commandments, all to gain an upper hand over their neighbors. Here comes Amos.

Amos is warning all the Hebrew people that their behavior was going to be rewarded with good things. In fact, because they were dealing in some pretty disagreeable activities with each other, causing social injustice, there were going to be consequences.

¹¹Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them. ¹²For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right. ¹³Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time. He also warns of doing evil things to others, especially those who live around you...ie your neighbors. ⁷ Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth, (Amos 5:11-13…7)

Amos warns the people to not seek secular or worldly security, because they will all come to naught, they will pass away and be no more. He repeatedly told them to seek the LORD. And in seeking the LORD they would live. In both verse four and six, he implores the house of Israel to seek the Lord. ⁴For thus saith the LORD unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live: ⁵ But seek not Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beersheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nought. ⁶Seek the LORD, and ye shall live; lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, and there be none to quench it in Bethel. (Amos 5:4-6)

Don’t seek the secular, seek the Creator. He even brings to the point of the creator of the heavens, he who made Orion and the Pleiades, he who created Light and Darkness, the sea...with the declaration: “The LORD is his name”. ⁸Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name:

Amos now rounds out the warning with what has become a rarity in today’s world, doing what is right, especially in the sight of the Lord. He rebuked the house of Israel for not seeking good. He was essentially referring to the decalogue when he emphasizes hating evil, speaking good of your neighbor, not carrying false witness and love the good. We see civility. We see what should be in day to day living. The idea of the Golden Rule. And as you notice embedded in these verses [14-15] the promise of life. Good and seeking good are to be desired. Evil and avoiding evil are to be desired. “¹⁴seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and sl the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you...” (Amos 5:14) Beloved, it couldn’t be any simpler. We are to seek good, avoid evil, be just to our neighbors, honor God, worship God.... “...it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph. (Amos 5:15) {the continuing church, us}

Let us pray:

¹The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? ²When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. ³Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. ⁴One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. ⁵For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. ⁶And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD. ⁷Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. ⁸When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. ⁹Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. ¹⁰When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up. ¹¹Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. ¹²Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. ¹³I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. ¹⁴Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

+ Bishop Roy Morales-Kuhn

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 Third Sunday in Lent:

In our gospel lesson (St. Luke 11) we read where a woman called out to our Lord saying, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked (v.27), to which our Lord replied, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it (v.28). The clearest presentation of God’s expectation for us is found in Exodus 20:1-17, for there we find the Ten Commandments. These were written in stone by the very finger of God himself (Exodus 31:18). And even though the commandments are recited as part of our service of the Lord’s Supper; still, it is fitting in this season of Lent that the church should hear an exposition of the Ten Commandments for the edification of all.

The First Commandment sets forth the existence of God. We Christians have been commanded to, love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might (Deuteronomy 6:5). When we speak of loving God, we must first recognize that he alone is God. And there is more to that than meets the eye. Some will claim that God exists, but then they create other deities such as their jobs, lifestyles, philosophies of life, sports teams, etc. which they worship and revere. If one has other things that are more influential— which command greater respect and allegiance than God himself— then such a person is in violation of this commandment.

The Second Commandment prohibits the making and worshiping of graven images. While similar in tone to the previous commandment, it nevertheless condemns the formulation of any image of the divine for the purposes of worship. Remember what the children of Israel did with the golden calf (Exodus 32:1-6). They credited that idol with their deliverance out of the hands of pharaoh. And very many Christians, past and present, have broken this commandment as well. Even a cursory reading of this commandment makes it clear that any statue, icon, image or impression which is held up and revered, is just as much an idol as those produced by pagan humanity for their worship. These are hard words for many because they cling to a man-made tradition that originated shortly after the creation of the Christian Church. Said tradition requires its adherents to worship, venerate and adore artifices of human construction as if they possessed some element of the divine. The devil loves to subvert the word of God with the word of man acting in the place of God and represented as being from God.

The Third Commandment condemns the use of God’s name in a vain or frivolous manner. God desires for us to call upon his name in both our public and private devotions. But what he will not tolerate are the ways his name has been trashed in our public discourse. Have you noticed that there is hardly a movie or tv production today that does not violate this commandment? In fact, it is a rare event indeed to attend a public gathering, or some presentation on the internet, and not hear someone uttering a curse which includes the name of God. If we love our heavenly Father, why then would we misuse his name and make it into a curse against others? How is our love for him who gave his only begotten Son to be crucified on our behalf revealed in that sort of behavior? Job’s wife wanted him to curse God and die for well they knew that such was worthy of death. But Job did not sin with his lips against God (Job 2:9-10) and neither should an regenerate Christian.

The Fourth Commandment calls us to keep holy the sabbath day. God desires that we should pause and reflect on the good which he has done for us. It is not a day to fulfill our lusts and worldly pursuits. Unfortunately, that is not what a growing number of people do today. Ambrose Bierce once penned in his profane dictionary the way the unregenerate treated this commandment when he quipped: “Work not on sabbath days at all, but go to see the teams play ball.” How does such behavior honor God and increase our fellowship with him? If we are truly born-again, we will honor God by being present in his house on the Christian sabbath to worship him, and afterwards, to rest and consider all that he has done for us. Have you been clothed, fed, and sheltered? Then give thanks to God because it all came from him. Keep his day holy.

The Fifth Commandment calls us to honor our parents and includes the promise: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. God expects us to honor him as our heavenly Father, and as he has appointed our parents over us, we are to honor them as well. Godly obedience requires us to be respectful and honorable souls at all times remembering to whom we are accountable. Willing obedience is rewarded of God with long life and good health.

The literal rendering of the Sixth Commandment is: Thou shalt do no murder which prohibits the taking of human life without just cause. God made this clear to Noah when he said, Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man (Genesis 9:6). Murder may take many forms. Abortion is the systematic murder of the unborn in the womb. The womb is the place where new life is formed and sustained. Abortion makes this place of life’s beginning the foyer of a tomb rather than the entry way to a productive life. Likewise, suicide, or self-murder, is, in some cases, beyond the sanction of God. Murder in every case, therefore, is man playing God, for only God alone decides the time of our birth and our death. The regenerate person will respect the lives of others and will not take human life without a reasonable and proper justification. One may take the life of another in necessary self-defense, or in defense of others, or while participating in a just war against tyranny or aggression, or while acting in the capacity of authorized officer of the state in executing any just and lawful act (Romans 13:1-10). We should bear in mind that even contemplating the death of an enemy is a violation of this commandment because murder first begins in the heart before it ever comes to pass in reality (St. Matthew 15:19).

The Seventh Commandment condemns all extramarital relationships and behaviors. God created the institution of marriage, and this commandment protects the marriage bed (Hebrews 13:4). Further, it was given to protect the family and especially the children who are supposed to be the products of a godly union before him. The wails and cries of those who, in our time, have been affected by the dissolution of marriages, as well as those who were born outside the bonds of marriage into fragmented households, must be deafening in heaven. And God, long ago, condemned adultery and fornication precisely because of the misery that they inflict on all involved. God did not create marriage and the family to have them destroyed by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life. The family is supposed to be a place of refuge from the ills of this world; but it cannot be so when the specter of adultery looms large there.

The Eighth Commandment is simple enough: Thou shalt not steal. God gave us the concept of private property rights with this commandment. We are to work for the things we have and respect the right of others to have their things as well. St. Paul wrote on this subject saying, Let him who stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth (Ephesians 4:28). Theft impoverishes not only the victim but the soul of the victimizer. Success in thieving contributes to more thieving. Where does the thief get his mandate to steal? Is it not of himself and his darkened heart? Is it not on account of the whispered hiss of the serpent and father of lies telling the thief he will not be found out? Most thieves are eventually ruined by their own vain understanding of things. Just as with any other malefactor, the thief will be ensnared by his own mischief and trapped by his own compulsion. And ultimately, whether caught in this life or not, all thieves will have to face the final judge who will cast them into perdition should they come to him in unrepentance.

The Ninth Commandment condemns bearing a false witness against your neighbor. Matthew Henry once said of this commandment that it “forbids speaking falsely in any matter, lying, equivocating...devising and designing to deceive our neighbor [and to unjustly prejudice his reputation].” Such persons as the busybody, the tale-bearer, the whisperer of ill deeds without warrant fall under the rubric of this commandment . The Scriptures say that all liars shall have their part in the lake of fire. God is deadly serious about the bearing of a false witness for it stirs up strife to no good purpose (Proverbs 6:16-19; Revelation 21:8). God desires for men to be at peace with one another. Bearing a false witness does not in any manner contribute to the attaining of that state of peace amongst men.

The Tenth Commandment: Thou shalt not covet means that we ought not desire any thing that belongs to someone else so much so that we would break any of the other commandments to acquire it. Has not God given to all as he pleases? Did you ask and not receive of the LORD so then you decided to take from others: first in your heart and then by word or deed? Look at what you have and then ask yourself if you would like it if others did the same to you? Reflect first before you lust after another’s goods or possessions or relationships. God would rather us come to him and seek that which is good than to suffer us to act as David did regarding Bath-sheba, or Ahab concerning Naboth’s vineyard, or Cain in his jealousy toward Abel his brother. In Leviticus 19:18, God commanded us to love our neighbor as ourselves which goes hand in hand with latter portion of the Ten Commandments. When our Lord was asked which was the great commandment of the law, he responded saying, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets (St. Matthew 22:37-40). Coveting puts greed in our hearts and that inordinate desire will never be sated as the Devil will come and tempt us with such again and again and again until we are destroyed. If we truly love God, we will avoid the deception of covetousness.

The Ten Commandments are benchmarks which our Lord has set before us that we might know his pure and perfect will. We who have been regenerated by the Holy Ghost know that apart from his assistance, we could not hope to keep them. They are perfection and we are imperfection. They are absolute and we are ambivalent. They are ethereal and we are earthly. God has set his standard before us to teach us of our need for Christ (Galatians 3:24). And our Lord Jesus Christ expects us to abide by them, not by our own efforts, but through the power of the Holy Ghost the Comforter whom he has sent to guide us into all truth.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, let us keep these commandments. Nevertheless know that when we falter in them, we ought to confess our sins to God in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and receive his pardon. For, as the Bible tells us, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world (I St. John 2:1-2). Do this and live.

Let us pray,

Father, we beseech thee to assist us in the keeping of these thy Ten Commandments as well as all other aspects of thy moral law; and this we ask in the name of him who kept thy law and became sin for us, even Jesus Christ our Lord. 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

Third Sunday in Lent

Luke 11:14-28

The Will of God is....?

Jesus was casting out a demon /devil but even this action was questioned by the religious leaders of the church of that day, the Pharisees. They were so incensed by Jesus that they said , …he casts out devils through Beelzubub, the chief of the devils." (Luke 11:15) Jesus challenges the religious leaders of then and as well as today, "BUT if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you." (Luke 11:20) Jesus challenges us to know God's will and do it as well.

A woman in the crowd lifted up her voice, "and said unto Him ( Jesus), Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. ²⁸But he said, Yea, rather, blessed are they that hear the Word of God, and keep it." (Luke 11:28) We too as a Church should not adore people or movements. We listen to the Word as the beginning for the Will of God for the Word is God's inspired, without error and our way in this life and the life to come.

The Church can err; General Councils can err ( Article 19 in 39 Articles pb page 606), but the Word of our endures forever. Isaiah 40:8: "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever."

When God speaks to us we could be like the people in Jeremiah 5: "¹¹For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me saith the LORD. ¹²They have belied ( lied about) the Lord...and said...evil shall not come..." (Jeremiah 5:11-12) God speaks to such churches and prophets who do not believe His Word, "Wherefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Because ye speak this word, Behold I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them." (Jeremiah 5:14)

We wish to be like the people that Jesus said were blessed---those that hear the Word of God and keep it, not those who say God is not truthful when He has spoken already. In Mark 3 we read words about how Jesus spoke to His family and doing God's will. His mother and His brethren were seeking Him 3:34 and he said, "…³⁴Behold my mother and my brethren! ³⁵For whosoever shall do the will of God , the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother." (Mark 3:34-35)

The important thing is doing the will of God. In all of our lives, that should be first. It is easy to get this reversed, and there are people that will help us do that unknowingly often. The world has its own ideas of what we should be doing. Our world today will let us have our religion, but that should not interfere with what others wish to do. The world rushes on and does not take the necessary time to listen to God. Mark Twain said God allows wars so we can learn geography. That is often true of our lives. We sin and land up on a ground we should not be on. God has claimed us for His, and He rescues us despite our wicked ways.

We live in such a society that keeps saying to us to be happy we must have more and more and do more what entertains us. Observing the Lord's Day is out of vogue for example. I was speaking to someone this week about how we have gone from bad to worse with Sunday observance.

The Scotsman, Eric Liddell was portrayed in a movie that was very popular several years ago, "Chariots of Fire." He ran in the 1924 Olympics, but refused to run on Sunday because he wished to observe the Lord's Day. He still ran on Saturday and won a gold medal. People respected him for his strong commitment to his faith. Later he became a missionary to China.

If we were to go through the Bible we would find this a constant theme throughout, " doing the will of God." It would be helpful for example to start with the faith Hall of Fame, Hebrews 11. Noah was such an example in 11:7: He "moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house." It was not easy I imagine to do all of this when others looked upon him as a crazy person. But Noah was a "just man and walked with God." Gen 6:9

We should be asking, "How can I know God's will?" That is the best question we can ask and the fact that we are asking it at all is wonderful. There are some things we cannot know. God had His plan which we do not know, i.e. the future.

He has revealed to us how to live. Deut 29:29 is a good vs. about this, "The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law." (Sometimes we hear this called the secretive will of God or secret and the one we know is the preceptive or revealed will of God)

If you are struggling with the will of God now for your life, I would say, start with what you know. For example, we know we are to believe in God and in His Son to have eternal life. Then we are to live in this world so that we may grow more and more like Jesus.

Too many people are neglecting the revealed will of God because they are thinking that they want to know more. There are some things we will not know and never know. But God is not leading us astray if we acknowledge Him and let Him direct our paths. (See Proverbs 3:5-6)

ST Ignatius asked that we imagine ourselves on "our own deathbed, looking back at the decision(s) we are now trying to make. What path do you wish you had chosen? Another way of doing this is to imagine how your own obituary will appear someday and what you hope it will say." in Hearing With the Hear- A Gentle Guide to Discerning God's Will for Your Life, by Farrington.

We could spend many hours talking about doing the will of God. Each of us despite our age have a living relationship with God that should be growing every day as we read the Scriptures, listen to the Word preached on the Lord's Day services, receive the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper gratefully.

Jesus followed the will of God all the way to the Cross. And He said in those famous words in the Garden, "…Not my will, but thine be done." (Luke 22:42) This is the way of true life and happiness. "…Yea, rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it." (Luke 11:28)

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 – Praise the Lord – Changes are occurring

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- Spurs

Bobby Bryan – cancer and cardiac issues

Ophelia – crippling arthritis pain

Kamil Nasir – He went to be with the Lord March 2, 2026, please pray for his wife Ambreen and son, Kundan Lall

Dennis Potrikus - fall with bad knees – recovering his rehab

Donna – ongoing radiation and Chemotherapy. Pray for successful remission

Roy – Bulging disc – upcoming surgery

Michelle – metastasized lung cancer – treatment ongoing – 50% positive remission

Sue – trying to sell her house in Texas to get settled in NC. -traveling mercies – back to Texas

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

Keep Praying for the following:
Shamu-health issues, Jan Jessup-neuro dementia,AOC USA, AOC Missions - Myanmar,
Harper-IBS, Jim Sevier- God’s Peace, Linda – multiple myeloma, Donna-chemotherapy,
Alicia-caregiver, Sophie, Colin and Lori Beall – cancer, Donna - cancer, Malou – cancer,
Archie- CHF, Eloise, Janice, Dakota, Katie, Bobby, Marilee, Myra Cox, Faye Miller,

Dear Prayer Partners,

Please pray for the Graduating Class of Faith Theological Seminary, March 12, this Thursday. Additionally, pray for

Bishop Ernest Jacob and his wife, Eileen who will be in travel to this event as he is the Principal of the Seminary. Additionally, Pray for Kundan Nasir who recently has received the position of Registrar of Faith Theological Seminary, this is first graduation with this new job. May God pour out His Grace and Mercy on all.

Almighty and everlasting God,
Whose beloved Son became man for
Our salvation, and gave commandment
To his disciples that they should go and teach
All nations, and baptize them in the name of the Father
And of the Son and of the Holy Ghost; Give these graduates
The grace to be obedient to his command, and grant that all men may
Have new birth in him, and being delivered out of the power of darkness,
may be receive into the kingdom of thy love: through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

We commend to the fatherly care, O Lord, these graduates who are about to leave Faith Theological Seminary.May thy goodness and mercy follow them throughout their life. Guard them in danger and keep them From evil; guide them continually in the right way; and assist them in every good work, for the glory of thy name; Through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

O Lord, who didst found thy Church to Proclaim the Faith by preaching and teaching: Give to the Leaders of Faith Theological Seminary, Particularly Ernest and Eileen Jacobs in travel, and Kundan Nasir who has begun a new chapter with Faith Theological Seminary, Undaunted courage and wisdom, and to them a new spirit Of faith and adventure; so that thy will may be cone on earth as it is in heaven, to the glory of thy name. Amen.

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: About Lent

Psalm 27

If any one would tell you the shortest, surest way to all happiness and all perfection, he must tell you to make it a rule to yourself to thank and praise God for everything that happens to you. For it is certain that whatever seeming calamity happens to you, if you thank and praise God for it, you turn it into a blessing. Could you, therefore, work miracles, you could not do more for yourself than by this thankful spirit; for it heals with a word speaking, and turns all that it touches into happiness.
WM. LAW….Daily Strength for Daily Needs. Pg 69

Faith occupies the position of a channel or conduit pipe. Grace is the fountain and the stream; faith is the aqueduct along which the flood of mercy flows down to refresh the thirsty sons of men. It is a great pity when the aqueduct is broken. It is a sad sight to see around Rome the many noble aqueducts which no longer convey water into the city, because the arches are broken and the marvelous structures are in ruins. The aqueduct must be kept entire to convey the current; and, even so, faith must be true and sound, leading right up to God and coming right down to ourselves, that it may become a serviceable channel of mercy to our souls.
The Rev. Charles H. Spurgeon

The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world that it leaves to its children.
The Rev. Dietrich Bonhoeffer

God can turn cunning crafty people into simple, guiless people. The marvel of His grace is such that He can take out the strands of evil and twistedness from a person’s mind and imagination, and make him singl-minded and simple towards God so that his life becomes radiantly beautiful by the miracle of His grace.
Ostwalt Chambers, The Shadow of Agony, 1170

“Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.” (John 6:32-33) “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” (John 6:47-51)

Bread of Heaven and Bread of Life! That sums up the gift of Christ in salvation to us; and not only salvation, but a joyful and victory-filled life in Him as we consume, and digest, that Bread of Heaven. The wilderness church subsisted on Manna from Heaven, too, but it was a bodily sustenance that Manna provided. It was their diet alone just as Christ is our Bread alone! When there was no other source of food in the Wilderness, God sent them Manna from Heaven that typified that better Manna that was to come. For the Lord’s elect, there is no other spiritual nourishment than that of our Lord Jesus Christ that can grant life eternal. He alone can save. He alone died for the remission of our sins. He alone rose from the grave and up to His Father in Heaven to intercede on our behalf – alone!

Bishop Jerry Ogles, The Five Solas. Solus Christus, part two. Pg 377

Anglican Orthodox Church Worldwide Communion

Monday, March 9, 2026

260308 AOC Sunday Report

On Point

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:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuW3bgXBJFomPB5mZ4Oigxg

Dear Prayer Partners,

Total Pageviews

Followers

Monday, March 9, 2026

260308 AOC Sunday Report

On Point

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:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuW3bgXBJFomPB5mZ4Oigxg

Dear Prayer Partners,

Bishop Ogles Blog:
https://anglicanorthodoxchurch.blogspot.com

Bishop Ogles You Tube Channel
that is free to subscribe: all of his videos at: