THE FAMILY ALTAR

July 3.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten 

Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have

everlasting life". John 3:16.

NOTE: Not 'one and only son,' but only Begotten Son - we, too are sons and daughters through the adoption)

The devil knows no greater trick than to make sinners believe

that God hates them, when, in fact, God loves them. For what

is this world that God loves so marvelously that He gives His

Son to die for it in order to save it? It is a world of sinners.

Yet all the iniquity, the idolatry, the ingratitude, and the enmity

of which the world was and is guilty could not kill God's love

for it. The wicked world could and did kill God's only Son, but

it could not and did not kill God's saving love. Whosoever

(0 blessed whosoever!) learns to believe in that burning love of

God for sinners and makes the crucified Savior his Savior by faith,

shall not perish, no matter how vile he may be, but he shall escape

death and have everlasting life. A young soldier was shot on the

battle-field, and a comrade dragged him aside to die. He shut

his eyes, and all his past life flashed before him. In the gaiety

of life he had forgotten his God and Savior. Now his many sins,

like so many weights, seemed to sink him deeper and deeper into

everlasting perdition. Then the only legacy which his pious mother

had left him came to his mind. It was this thrilling Bible-verse

of God's love which his mother had taught him at her knee. He

caught at it as at a saving rope let down from heaven. "Lord,

I believe," he cried ; "save me for Jesus' sake or I perish !" That

was his dying prayer, a prayer never uttered by a penitent soul

in vain. We — you and I — are sinners whom God loves so mar-

velously in His dear Son. Do we believe and rejoice in that saving

love? If so, our hearts must fill with burning gratitude, and we

cannot do otherwise — we will daily give ourselves anew to God

a living sacrifice. "Love so amazing, so divine, Demands our soul,

our life, our all."

 DAILY READINGS IN LIFE OF CHRIST - J.R. Miller (1890)

July 3. Not Dead — but Sleeping

"And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.." Mark 5:39 

The Christian should not sorrow as others do. Christ has brought the truth of immortality out into clear light. We ought to familiarize our minds with the Christian conception of death. We ought to learn to look at death — in the light of Christ's teachings. Too many Christians, however, never seem to have entered into the blessedness of the Savior's victory over the grave. Here, in the account of this miracle of the raising of the ruler's daughter — we have a beautiful illustration of the way our Lord would have us look at death.

When we lament over our dead — he says, "They are not dead — but only sleeping. Why all this commotion and wailing?" Our Christian friends who have died — have only passed away out of our sight. They have not ceased to be. Even their bodies only sleep. And as a mother in the morning calls her children and awakes them — so Christ will some day call up from their graves all who sleep in him.

Sleep is not a terrible experience; it renews and strengthens the weary body. So the sleep of death is a time of rest and renewal. The calling of this child back from death, and her restoration to her friends — represents what Christ will do for all his people at the end. He will restore friend to friend, and bind up again the broken fragments of households.

There is one point, however, in which the raising of this young girl does not illustrate the final resurrection of believers. She was brought back to resume the old life of toil, struggle, temptation, and sorrow, and to die again. But in the final resurrection, believers shall rise to a new, glorious, and immortal life — without sorrow or sin, in the fullness of life, joy, and blessedness.

2026 Bishop Ogles Independence Day Letter

 

  The Anglican Orthodox Church ^SM

^{founder: the most rev. james parker dees, a.b., b.d., d.d.} 

 ^{• founded November 16, 1963
2228 Wilkesboro Hwy • P. O. Box 128 • Statesville, North Carolina 28687- 0128
Telephone 704.873.8365
Email: aocworldwide@gmail.com Web: www.aocinternational.org}

^{The Most Rev. Jerry L. Ogles — Presiding Bishop}

                                                                                          

Bishop’s Independence Day Letter

July 4^th, 2026 - the 250^th Anniversary of America’s Independence

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath  chosen for his own inheritance.” Psalms 33:12

            For the last few decades, a question has arisen that was previously unheard of - Was the United States founded upon biblical principles, and did the Hand of Providence direct our struggle against the most powerful military and naval force then existing? To answer that question, we will need to examine the pulpits of 18^th century America as well as the character of those citizens who formed the individual states that were a party to the Revolution.

            First of all, the pulpits of America of the 1700’s were aflame with the rhetoric and fervor of Liberty. In fact, it might be suggested that the idea itself of revolt against the English Monarchy began, and persisted, from the thunderous proclamations from the pulpits of America. The Christian religious fervor is best explained by the premier Founding Father, Patrick Henry - “It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religion, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here.” Patrick Henry, May 1765, Patrick Henry- Life, Correspondence and Speeches,Vol 1, pg. 91-93

            The idea of Liberty was born in the Words of the Holy Scriptures and was the premier book for spiritual, legal, and sundry purposes in the colonies. It was Christ who came to set the captives free, and we were all in bondage to sin ere He came to set free those who were His elect people. “ . . . proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof:” Leviticus 25:10; “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,” Luke 4:18; and “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” James 1:25, etc.

            The great symbols of our early founding reflect, too, our Christian fervor for Liberty. For example, the Great Seal of the United States is found on the one-dollar bill. The obverse side displays the spread wings of a great Eagle - a symbol God used in bringing the Children of Israel out of bondage in Goshen of Egypt. The so-called Glory-Cloud above the Eagle’s head represents the cloud that lead the Children of Israel out of bondage across the Red Sea and through the Wilderness. The Thirteen Stars express the Seal of Mannaseh with the thirteen stars representing the thirteen colonies as well as the thirteen tribes of Israel (including the integrated tribe of Levi.) There are more symbols on the front of the Seal, but that must await a future work.  On the reverse side is the Great Pyramid with the capstone floating above. Christ is the Head Cornerstone and the Stone that the builders rejected.

            Our premier Founding document is the Declaration of Independence which sets forth our dependence upon the Providence of God in our Founding.

            The Unites States is comprised of fifty states each of which appeals to Almighty God in their preambles to their constitutions.  Who can doubt the Hand of God in our founding as a nation - a nation that has exceeded every other nation of earth for its miraculous victories over tyranny and rich blessings of material wealth - a condition granted through the blessings of our fathers. May we again live up to those high standards and faith they possessed. 

Happy 4th of July and do not forget to return thanks to the Author of our Liberties - Jesus Christ.

In Christ Alone during Trinity,

 † Jerry Ogles
Presiding Bishop AOC Metropolitan