Tuesday, May 14, 2024

Hymns of the Church – Master the Tempest is Raging – 14 May 2024, Anno Domini (In the Year of our Lord)

 



A

ND when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. 24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. 25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. 26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. 27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him! (Matthew 8:23-27)

 

Please view this presentation of the below hymn by Gracias Choir: 

 

https://youtu.be/WlVqAPT9YR4?si=ZDZ5bRJOXApwSVs5

 

            This powerful and moving hymn is the composition of Mary E. Baker, a member of the Baptist denomination, in 1874. The musical score, Peace Be Still, was written by Dr. Palmer and published in Ira Sankey’s famous collection. I was moved today to write on this hymn after being powerfully affected in hearing the Gracias Choir (Korean) perform it in such spiritual power as is rarely heard today.

 

Master the Tempest is Raging

 

Master, the tempest is raging!

The billows are tossing high!

The sky is o'ershadowed with blackness,

No shelter or help is nigh;

Carest thou not that we perish?"

How canst thou lie asleep,

When each moment so madly is threat'ning

A grave in the angry deep?

Refrain

The winds and the waves shall obey thy will.

"Peace, be still!"

Whether the wrath of the storm-tossed sea,

Or struggles or evil, whatever it be,

No water can swallow the ship where lies

the Master of ocean and earth and skies:

They all shall sweetly obey thy will.

"Peace, be still! Peace, be still!"

They all shall sweetly obey thy will.

"Peace, peace, be still!"

 

Master, with anguish of spirit

I bow in my grief today;

The depths of my sad heart are troubled,

Oh, waken and save, I pray;

Torrents of sin and of anguish

Sweep oer my sinking soul!

And I perish! I perish, dear Master:

Oh, hasten and take control.

Refrain

 

Master, the terror is over,

The elements sweetly rest;

Earths sun in the calm lake is mirrored,

And heavens within my breast.

Linger, O blessed Redeemer,

Leave me alone no more;

And with joy I shall make the blest harbor,

And rest on the blissful shore.

Refrain

 

1 Master, the tempest is raging! The billows are tossing high! The sky is o'ershadowed with blackness, No shelter or help is nigh; Carest thou not that we perish?" How canst thou lie asleep, When each moment so madly is threat'ning A grave in the angry deep? Such majestic thoughts expressed here! The seas and troubles of life billow to fearful heights at time – so high and fierce that our hopes are dismal apart from faith in Christ. The dark clouds of life’s troubled sky darken and the shadows lengthen. Do we doubt that Christ even cares for us? Perish the thought, He DOES! Our small and imagined problems are nothing compared to the price He paid for our atonement. A bit of water over the bow, or the tearing of the mast is of little concern if we have faith in the One who is always with us – even to the end of the world. We fear a burial in the deep of life. The sea is the largest cemetery in the world and holds the dead of millions of souls. But why should we fear the deep when we have the Master of Heaven to hold us?

 

2 Master, with anguish of spirit I bow in my grief today; The depths of my sad heart are troubled, Oh, waken and save, I pray; Torrents of sin and of anguish Sweep o’er my sinking soul! And I perish! I perish, dear Master: Oh, hasten and take control. [Refrain] The disciples with Christ on the stormy sea were overcome with fear simply because they did not comprehend the fulness of who Christ was. Our fears, too, are often enhanced by a lack of faith in the One who can move mountains, raise the dead, and still the stormy seas. But our Lord knows that we are frail and subject to mortal fears; so, He comforts us with His word and our  constant companion, the Holy Spirit. Two of the shortest prayers uttered in the Gospels were exclaimed on the stormy Sea of Galilee. First, by Peter when he began to sink into the waters in following Christ, “Lord, Save me!” (Matthew 14:30) And now, again, the disciples as a whole plead a short prayer: “Lord, save us: we perish.

But the latter half of that prayer was in vain since they could not perish with the Lord Jesus Christ aboard.

 

            3 Master, the terror is over, The elements sweetly rest; Earth’s sun in the calm lake is mirrored, And heaven’s within my breast. Linger, O blessed Redeemer, Leave me alone no more; And with joy I shall make the blest harbor, And rest on the blissful shore. [Refrain]. At His command were the mountains established in the beginning, the dry land appeared, Light was created, and all life forms created. Now do you suppose the sea would overcome its very Maker? Will the sea defy its Maker? I trust not. Our little challenges in life often loom larger than reality; yet, He brings a calm if we leave our burdens and heartaches to Him alone. Has He not promised to be with us until the last trump? “I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:20) The seas and billows roar, and the shoals are fixed before the harbor; yet, we have the great Beam of God’s Lighthouse to direct our course to safe harbor; and before it, the lower lights to prevent our shipwreck on the shoals. Once safely in port, the waters are smooth and undisturbed, and will always be so to the strong of faith.

 

Refrain

The winds and the waves shall obey thy will. "Peace, be still!" Whether the wrath of the storm-tossed sea, Or struggles or evil, whatever it be, No water can swallow the ship where lies the Master of ocean and earth and skies: They all shall sweetly obey thy will. "Peace, be still! Peace, be still!" They all shall sweetly obey thy will. "Peace, peace, be still!" Consider those comforting words, ‘Peace, be Still!’ It is the recurring theme of this great hymn. When God’s Word is expressed in reverent hymns, the conviction is overwhelming. The power of music, for good or bad, is unquestioned. Unfortunately, today’s church has opted for the music of the world rather than taking the Godly hymns of the Church out into the world. Neither the laws of nature, or of man, will resist God’s commands. “They all shall sweetly obey thy will. "Peace, be still! Peace, be still!" You fear the enemy afield is too great, too strong, too numerous? Ask yourself a simple question, Friend: “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)  What is the answer to that question?

Sunday, May 12, 2024

AOC Sunday Report - Sunday after the Ascension



Happy Sunday after the Ascension!  And, Happy Mothers Day to our lovely ladies, past, present and hopefully future.  Being a mother is the absolute most important job in the world.

 

The AOC Sunday Report can be downloaded RIGHT HERE.

 

We have excellent sermons today from Bishops Jerry, Roy, Yves and Jack, as well as Rev Bryan.  Each of them is really good, interesting and different. They are all very easy reads, each is well worth your time.  We also have last weeks sermon from Rev Cooper in audio form.  

 

Plus, Bishop Jerry continues teh series on the Thirty-Nine Articles.  As members of the Anglican Orthodox Church Worldwide Communion, Scripture is our primary reference.  But, what positions do we take based on that Scripture?  We have adopted The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion.  They were not intended as a complete statement of the Christian faith, but of the position of the Anglican Church in relation to the Roman Catholic Church and other Protestant churches.

 

It is critical you understand the Articles.  You should take the time to listen to this.  This series is written so you can understand what we believe and why.  It is something that everyone, clergy and laity, must grasp to appreciate why we are who we are. 

 

Article One  The Triune God

https://youtu.be/x0Wp8ytia50

 

Please take the time to listen and understand.

 

Bishop Jacks sermon can be viewed on video HERE -> https://youtu.be/yGYTCoBzlqk The sermon looks at the unifying message of the Collect, Epistle and Gospel and examine how they share a common message of action as we see Jesus ascending back to Heaven and begin to learn to live with Him in Heaven and us here on earth.  How little different we are than the Apostles left behind.  On the other hand, it is different today than two thousand years ago.  We actually have the real presence of the Holy Ghost, here and now.  He does not ebb and flow with the liturgical year; where would we be if He did? He is a constant presence within our lives.  It all comes together.

 

As always, we have a lot of people who desire your prayers. I know that seems to never change, that is because the need is always there.  Please start with Shamu, Tricia and the  Richards family; Rachel Richards is home and their complete prayer requests and updates are here:  https://faithfulcenturionprayerteam.blogspot.com/2024/05/rachael-richards-entire-story.html

 

As we think about Jesus ascending back to Heaven and here on earth without Him, remember He sent us that Third God Guy, the Holy Ghost, to be our guide.  It is very difficult to follow Gods instructions if you dont listen to them.

 

May you set your course on the constant North Star of our Lord.

 

Godspeed,








Hap Arnold

Bishop Coadjutor

Anglican Orthodox Church Worldwide

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aO0BvED1vuABWYVDox35ciPP_vjBfNKz/view?usp=sharing

Sunday after Ascension Day - Propers with explanation – Bishop Jack’s Sermon – With Video

  


Bishop Jacks sermon is below the propers and can be viewed on video HERE ->https://youtu.be/yGYTCoBzlqk

 

Bishop Jacks sermon looks at the unifying message of the Collect, Epistle and Gospel and examine how they share a common message of action as we see Jesus ascending back to Heaven and begin to learn to live with Him in Heaven and us here on earth.  How little different we are than the Apostles left behind.  On the other hand, it is different today than two thousand years ago.  We actually have the real presence of the Holy Ghost, here and now.  He does not ebb and flow with the liturgical year; where would we be if He did? He is a constant presence within our lives.  It all comes together.


The Propers for today are found on Page 179-180, with the Collect first:

 

The Sunday after Ascension Day.

The Collect.

 

O

 GOD, the King of glory, who hast exalted thine only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph unto thy kingdom in heaven; We beseech thee, leave us not comfortless; but send to us thine Holy Ghost to comfort us, and exalt us un-to the same place whither our Saviour Christ is gone before, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Holy Ghost, one God, world without end.  Amen.

 

 

The Collect for Ascension Day, found on Page 177, is also read due to the rubric:

 

The Collect for The Ascension Day.

The Collect.

 

G

RANT, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that like as we do believe thy only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have ascended into the heavens; so we may also in heart and mind thither ascend, and with him continually dwell, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end.  Amen.

 

¶ This Collect is to be said daily throughout the Octave.

 

 

This morning’s Epistle is written in the Fourth Chapter of the First Epistle of Saint Peter beginning at the Seventh Verse.  Peter reminds us of the shortness of our lives, the eternity of the next world and implores us to live as if we were eternal now, not wait until we die. For the, eternity will be a bit late. 

 

T

HE end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.  Use hospitality one to another without grudging. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

 

Today’s Holy Gospel came from the Fifteenth Chapter of the Gospel according to Saint John beginning at the Twenty-Sixth Verse.  The Gospel talks about the origin of the Holy Ghost and the reason for which He is being sent.  It also foretells the enmity that Christians will find from those of this world who do not share their understanding of God and His Will: 

 

W

HEN the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: and ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them.


Jack Arnold

Bishop of the Diocese of the West  AOC USA

Church of the Faithful Centurion

Anglican Orthodox Church Worldwide

Director of Education and Training

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.   Bp Jack’s sermon can be viewed on video HERE ->https://youtu.be/yGYTCoBzlqk

 

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 see Jesus ascending back to Heaven and begin to learn to live with Him in Heaven and us here on earth.  How little different we are than the Apostles left behind.


 Once again the propers for this week come together very well, their focus is narrow, thus powerful.

 

Let’s start by reading the Collect for today:

 

The Sunday after Ascension Day.

The Collect.

 

O

 GOD, the King of glory, who hast exalted thine only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph unto thy kingdom in heaven; We beseech thee, leave us not comfortless; but send to us thine Holy Ghost to comfort us, and exalt us un-to the same place whither our Saviour Christ is gone before, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Holy Ghost, one God, world without end.  Amen.

 

Consider these words from the Collect:

 

… leave us not comfortless; but send to us thine Holy Ghost to comfort us, and exalt us unto the same place whither our Saviour Christ is gone before …

 

In some ways, today is no different than the very First Sunday after the Ascension.  Jesus is in heaven, we are alone and physically separated from God who gives us the strength we need to do His Will.  Like Peter and the other apostles, the further we are from God, the weaker we are.  Thus, we are looking towards Pentecost and the arrival of the Holy Ghost who will strengthen our connection to God. 

 

We ask for God’s help we might have the true belief, courage, knowledge and strength to follow Jesus to heaven for all eternity.  That help is on the way in the form of the Holy Ghost.  It is quite clear that we cannot succeed in this endeavor without His Help. On the other hand, it is different today than two thousand years ago.  We actually have the real presence of the Holy Ghost, here and now.  He does not ebb and flow with the liturgical year; where would we be if He did? He is a constant presence within our lives. We just have to acknowledge Him and follow the advice that He gives and all will be well with our souls. The key word is that we have to follow the advice He gives and not just acknowledge it and go off and do our own thing. What good would that do us? In order for the Holy Ghost to be able to effect positive change in our lives, we need to listen and then act upon His Guidance.

                                                                                   

The end of the earth and this world may come at any time, indeed for 313,000 people each day, their time here is up.  Thus, in a very real sense as Saint Peter put it, The end of all things is at hand… He is not just talking about the final end of this planet, but each and every one of us is here only temporarily, passing through as it were. Eventually we will end our travels here and if we have done our best to follow Him here, we will journey to our eternal home in heaven. He counsels us to live each day as if it were going to be our last. Thus, we should act as if it was our last day on earth and do our jobs with smiles on our faces knowing our eternal destination is secure as long as we do our best to follow Him.  This puts things into perspective for us and should make us more mindful of what we need to do to follow Him.

 

Jesus left us so the Holy Ghost could come down and dwell amongst us and in us to provide us with the guidance we need to follow God. Without Jesus leaving, the Holy Ghost could not come down and dwell amongst us. On Jesus’s departure, the Holy Ghost was free to descend and enter into our hearts, souls and minds upon invitation. 

 

In order to get the guidance from the Holy Ghost, we have to wait and hear what He has to say before we act. Then once that Holy Spirit has given the answer, we must act upon the answer. This is a continuous cycle and we must always prioritize our lives to put  God, our Country, Family, friends and co-workers first and in that order and things will fall in line. Along these lines, we must strive to work hard, take care of those who cannot and be good stewards of the considerable grace God has given us.  This does not just refer to spending MONEY, but rather to giving of our time and effort to bring the Gifts of God to others. We are called not to hoard love, but to spread it throughout our travels. For as love is of God, then it follows there is an infinite supply of love.  In fact, love multiplies with use, so there is more than infinite amount of love out there.

 

For as Saint Peter says in his Epistle this morning, charity (love) truly does cover a multitude of sins. So, when we do things for others, the driving force behind our actions should be that of charity, or love, for our fellow human beings and not any self-seeking motivation. Charity will cover for our multitude of sins, but we need to be thinking how we can help others. It is the greatest of gifts God and the Holy Ghost gives to us; a gift we find ourselves needing to use more often. The Holy Ghost is key in giving us the desirable thoughts and attributes that we need to carry out His Plan on Earth. He also helps us deal with our less desirable thoughts and attributes and helps us deal with very difficult people and situations. Turning to the Holy Spirit in those very stressful times will reduce the burden on your heart and shift it from you to God, giving you the clarity you need to act for Him, to be able to act in an effective and Christ like manner.

 

The Gospel’s take away is without the Holy Ghost’s presence in our hearts, the needed action on our part is impossible. This explains why those who do not follow Christ cannot comprehend the strength and value of the Good News and Jesus’s death and resurrection. They do not have the wisdom to understand because they refuse to let the Holy Ghost into our hearts. As Jesus said that there are some that will be even so deluded as to think by killing us they are serving God when they are not serving God but the devil. The Holy Ghost is that portion of God who can enter our hearts bringing the needed spiritual resources to help us win the spiritual battle here on Earth.  Those who will not have Him in their hearts can never understand God and His Will.  That is why they cannot understand or fathom the plan He has for us. They cannot understand why we follow God and Christ. They do not believe; therefore, they cannot have Him in their hearts, and therefore they will not understand.   For, there are none so blind as those who will not see, nor as deaf as those who will not hear.

 

The end of time is nearer each day than the day before, of that we can be certain.  But there is a certainty we have in this uncertainly world, the unfailing love of our Lord and Saviour Jesus and the presence of the Holy Ghost in our lives, if we let Him in, and the inerrant Holy Scriptures to guide us throughout the rest of our lives. With this knowledge of an unchanging standard, we can stand fast by this standard and be content knowing we are following the One True Triune God, and though we may physically suffer a while, it is nothing to enjoying eternity with God. This is an advantage we believers have over non-believers is that unwavering certainty of our final destination once we have ran our race for Him here and departed this life.

 

The current world climate, even in this country, is less hospitable than in many centuries to Christians.  There is a reason for this which only God understands and not us. God has a plan for all of this. We do not need to understand God’s plan, we just need to follow His Directions to the best our ability. And in the end God’s plans always work out, even if we do not understand it at the time. In time, we will realize what the plan is. But for now, we are unaware of His plan in the greater scheme of things. But what it is doing is solidifying the faith of true believers around the globe, forming the Army of Light together, ready to battle against the malicious forces of Satan. We cannot make this journey alone.  We must have the close and continuous presence of God.  That presence is the Holy Ghost.  That is why He is here.

 

Pray for His continual presence in your heart.

 

Heaven is at the end of an uphill trail.  The easy downhill trail does not lead to the summit.

 

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

The Sunday after Ascension Day

 

Jerry Ogles 
Presiding Bishop
Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide

We are oft fortunate to get copies of Bishop Jerrys sermon notes.  Today is one of those Sundays.  

 

As members of the Anglican Orthodox Church Worldwide Communion, Scripture is our primary reference.  But, what positions do we take based on that Scripture?  We have adopted The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion.  They were not intended as a complete statement of the Christian faith, but of the position of the Anglican Church in relation to the Roman Catholic Church and other Protestant churches.

 


It is critical you understand the Articles.  Bishop Jerry has embarked on a series to cover them.  They are about ten minutes or so, you should take the time to listen to them  

 

Introduction

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dc6cR06ildA

 

Article One  The Triune God

https://youtu.be/x0Wp8ytia50

 

Bishop Jerry does videos on various subjects, they last just under ten minutes and this weeks are listed below:

 

Zacchaeus - a Man who Ran to find Christ - https://youtu.be/khkIOScz7O8

 

Todays sermon starts off with the collect, and like always, it will give you a lot to consider in your heart.

The Sunday after Ascension Day.

The Collect.

 

O

 GOD, the King of glory, who hast exalted thine only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph unto thy kingdom in heaven; We beseech thee, leave us not comfortless; but send to us thine Holy Ghost to comfort us, and exalt us un-to the same place whither our Saviour Christ is gone before, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Holy Ghost, one God, world without end.  Amen.

 

The Collect

     Our Collect for Sunday after Ascension follows logically the observance of the Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is perfectly timely and natural that we, having observed our Lord ascend, should now desire the promised comforter - I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you (John 14:18) This word ‘leave means, in the Greek, to divorce or to sever all legal connection. Christ will not disown His people even if He has departed to a High Station. Many of our friends may forget who we are if they advance to high political or social office, but not our Lord Jesus Christ. His very Ascension was for our benefit. We have been left with a close and intimate intercessor who will ALWAYS testify of Christ to us and point always to His benefits. 

      

     The Collect refers to God the Father as the King of Glory and is based, for the most part, on the 24th Psalm. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle(Psalm 24:7-8) It is interesting to note that the preceding Psalm (23rd) describes Christ as the Lord our Shepherd, and here the Father is called the King of Glory The plea is rhetorical for Christ has promised with a surety that He will NOT leave us Comfortless. The Holy Ghost (or Comforter) will exalt us to a standing place in Christ. The Holy Ghost has not come to exalt Himself, but to exalt and point only to Christ. We see that many churches corrupt the purpose of the Holy Ghost in granting wealth, power, and benefits outside those promised in Christ.

      

The Text

B

UT when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: 27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. (John 15:26-27)

 

T

HESE things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. 2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. 3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them(John 16:1-4)

      

The Sermon 

Christ walked among us and taught us all things concerning Himself. He went about all of Judea and Galilee preaching, teaching, and healing. But Christ was confined to a body with limitations of time and space. He came to a few whom He called to Himself as Apostles so that a living testimony would remain after His Testament (death Will). This was a necessary component of God’s plan to expand the witness of the Gospel unto all nations by means of witnesses. Today, we are those witnesses who teach and preach the Gospel of Christ once delivered to the saints. This teaching has taken place from heart to heart. 

      

But it was necessary that Christ die on the cross else we would remain unredeemed and unsaved. This was His most critical intent. Secondly, it was necessary that Christ ascend to the father, not only to make intercession for us, but that the Comforter might come. The Comforter, or Holy Ghost, is a Spirit not subject to limitations of time or space. The Holy Ghost is capable of witnessing in a diversity of places and times because He is a Spirit. He can warm my heart in Alabama and point me to the truth of the Gospel while He is able, at the same time, to do the same for a Christian in Indonesia. He not only reveals truth to us as written in Holy Scripture, but He also administers comfort, succor, and encouragement to us when the world offends. He does not leave us alone for He ABIDES in our hearts if we belong to Christ. But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me. Do not be deceived by the modern apostates that the Holy Spirit will whisper secrets in your ear not revealed in God’s Word, or cause you to speak in a babble that no one else can understand (including yourself). The Holy Ghost is reasonable, Biblically true, and loving. 

      

27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. Jesus is speaking to His apostles here, but He also speaks to us. “From the beginning, for us, is the moment that we first believed. That is OUR beginning, for before we were born anew in Christ, we were dead in trespasses and sin. And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: (Eph 2:1-6)

      

We all find our ‘beginning’ in Christ Alone. Because we have known Him from the beginning, we must also bear witness of Him. If we have ever been WITH Him at all in faith and trust, we must still be so, for He loses none that the Father has placed in His able hands.

      

1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. There is an old saying, “To be forewarned is to be fore-armed.”  When we have been warned of coming trouble, we are able to make provision for it and to prepare our hearts and minds. The Greek word for ‘offend’ is Skandalizo. It means to entice to sin, or to cause a person to begin to distrust and desert one whom he ought to trust and obey (to cause to fall away). If you have been told by the Field Commander to expect to encounter enemy elements ahead, you will be alert and at the ready for the encounter. If, on the other hand, you walk complacently and oblivious to the enemy, you will not be prepared for the engagement and may perish by the wayside or in ambush.

      

2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. Do you realize that more martyrs have died in the last century than any previous one? Do you know that men and women are being hung by their necks, and beheaded, today in the name of a presumptive god called Allah? Those who bear the sword believe that they serve God by brutally killing all who do not accept their false god. Christ has told you already that they shall put you out of the synagogues (churches). If you have not yet been cast out, do not be surprised if you are so cast out when you insist on biblical truth and righteousness. You may be labeled a ‘contentious one” for opposing a luke-warm Gospel or outright heresy. You may be beheaded as an ‘infidel’ for adhering to the faith of Christ. “This is America – such things cannot happen here!” you may say. Really? Have you observed the great changes that have transpired in just your own lifetime in America? Have you noticed how those things that are godd have been relabeled bad, and the bad relabeled good? Have you noticed the departure from solid truth in modern churches and the embrace of abject error?

      

3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. How can those who profess Christ, or even allah, cast you out as a heretic? Because they are false professors of Christ. They have not known the Father because they do not recognize His Son. The churches are full of such people every Sunday who call, unbelievingly, upon the name of Christ. They call upon that unblemished name to gain wealth and political objectives. They stoke their own fires in Hell by so doing.

      

4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. The predestinate will of God does not include sin. God never ordains sin, but He warns us that it shall come. God may use the sin of others to advance His will for us and to chastise us, or to try us, but He is never the Author of sin. Many are being told today that God will never allow them to undergo the great Tribulation. Suppose these know-alls are wrong. What happens when the tribulation fires are stirred for believers in China, India, Vietnam, North Korea, or Alabama?[1] Will we cease to believe because we have not been warned and feel deserted by the of our nativity?  Erroneous doctrine can do much harm. It is for this reason that Christ warns us, and why a right understanding of His Word is so critical for our time.

      

What is it to you or me if Christ comes for us today, or in one hundred years? Regardless of when He comes for us, He is always ‘on the way’ and we must be ready for the sounding of the trumpet. He may come for you in the next ten minutes by means of an heart attack, or He may come for me on the highway this morning as I drive to church. His coming for us is at His own discretion and good time. Give no thought for when the Master of the House shall return – simply be prepared for Him always and there will be no worry or grave doubts. Are you ready?

      

The day will come, my friend, when God’s Word ceases to go out through the medium of preaching and teaching. There is a famine coming upon the land – evidence of which may already be observed in the brazen sky and denuded land - Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it. (Amos 8:11-12) Those who pick up man’s Bible instead of God’s is already evident in its prominence. The NIV, the ESV, and others posing as God’s Word are simply copyrighted words of men who have corrupted the Bible and adopted false manuscript evidence to satisfy their insatiable appetite to embrace sin while appearing as Christians.

      

God’s Church is a Holy Army. It sends out missionaries and evangelists ahead of its main body just as an earthly army sends out skirmishers, pickets, and vedettes ahead of its own main line of deployment. When the enemy draws near for the decisive battle, these skirmishers, pickets, and vedettes are recalled to the main battle line. So shall it be in the days of the consummation of that Last Battle.

      

It is interesting to note that the term ‘sorcerer’ can mean a marketer of mind-altering drugs in some parts of Scripture:  Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts(Rev 9:21) The word, sorceries above in the Greek is the same from which we get the word ‘pharmacist’ – Pharmakeia. Look also in the following verse taken from the last book of the Bible - Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie(Rev 22:14-15) If you have in your hands a modern wonder of error such as the NIV, you may miss some of the point of this counsel in verse 14: "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. “ Rev 22:14 (NIV) This change is not consistent with every other truth of the Bible – it is the white and sinless Robe of Christ that covers our sins – not the effort we make in washing them ourselves. We are told in Philippians 3:2 to beware of those of the ‘concision.’ These are those who ‘mutilate’ the Word of God.

      

In verse 15 above, those dogs and sorcerers are a very clear definition of the society in which we live today. To the best of my recollection, no recognized government has ever before sanctioned homosexual marriage as legitimate. Though it was one underlying cause of the fall of Rome (Gibbon), it was not enacted into the law of the Republic. The Bible refers to sodomites as dogs - Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the LORD thy God(Deut 23:18) The word used for dog is blk Keleb – whose gender is masculine and which means a male prostitute. The preceding verse is clear as well: There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel(Deut 23:17) We see that this has already happened even at the Episcopal level of ECUSA and other apostate churches. 

      

The Day of Battle draws ever nearer in our day. The Church of God will remain only as a remnant, but all of the forces of Satan shall be destroyed who assail it. All of the armies of Satan shall be gathered and will encircled that little enclave of God’s people. Then shall the power and might of God be demonstrated in destroying them. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever(Rev 20:9-10)

      

There are those in our ranks who will resent my speaking so openly and forcefully of sin. The world would prefer a more gentle and polished dissertation of sinners, but God never minces words, and neither should we in addressing the sins of the day. Are you in the right Army[2], or that which shall be destroyed by the Arm of God. Remember: And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD'S(1 Sam 17:47)



[1] Evil anywhere is evil everywhere. CS Jack Lewis

[2] Remember two things:  Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division(Luke 12:51) and He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad(Matthew 12:30)

Friday, May 10, 2024

The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion - Article One

   


As members of the Anglican Orthodox Church Worldwide Communion, Scripture is our primary reference.  But, what positions do we take based on that Scripture?  We have adopted The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion.  They were not intended as a complete statement of the Christian faith, but of the position of the Anglican Church in relation to the Roman Catholic Church and other Protestant churches.

It is critical you understand the Articles.  Bishop Jerry has embarked on a series to cover them.  They are about ten minutes or so, you should take the time to listen to them  

 

Introduction

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dc6cR06ildA

 

Article One  The Triune God

https://youtu.be/x0Wp8ytia50


Please take the time to listen and understand.


Hap Arnold, Bishop Coadjutor

Anglican Orthodox Church Worldwide

Tuesday, May 7, 2024

Hymns of the Church – Savior, Lead Me, Lest I Stray – 7 May 2024, Anno Domini

King George VI - 3 September 1939

 

A

ND another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.”   (Luke 9:61)

 

            The author of this hymn, Frank M. Davis (1839-1896), is a prolific hymn writer whose hymns predominantly echo the need to follow Christ in our earthly walk. He is also the author of All the Way My Savior Leads Me. The tune, as well as the hymn, are entitled, Savior, Lead me, lest I stray.

 

Savior Lead Me, Lest I Stray

 

Savior, lead me lest I stray,

Gently lead me all the way;

I am safe when by Thy side,

I would in Thy love abide.

Refrain:

Lead me, lead me, Savior, 

lead me, lest I stray;

Gently down the stream of time,

Lead me, Savior, all the way.

 

Thou the refuge of my soul,

When life’s stormy billows roll;

I am safe when by Thy side,

All my hopes on Thee rely.

            Refrain

 

Savior, lead me, then at last,

When the storm of life is past;

To the land of endless day,

Where all tears are wiped away.

            Refrain

 

 

1 Savior, lead me lest I stray, Gently lead me all the way; I am safe when by Thy side, I would in Thy love abide. Remember when we were mere toddlers – how we clung to the hand of our parents when walking on a dark way? As long as we held our father‘s hand, we felt safe – and we were! When we walk with Christ, there is no safer way under heaven. This line reminds me of a poem by Minnie Louise Haskins entitled, God Knows, quoted by King George VI in his 1939 Christmas broadcast to the British Empire:

 

And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year: "Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown".  And he replied:  "Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way".

 

2 Thou the refuge of my soul, When life's stormy billows roll; I am safe when by Thy side, All my hopes on Thee rely. He is the sheltering Rock of the Wilderness Journey, and the refuge from the stormy seas of life. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. When we are with Him, we are sure to be on the right Way. He is our Anchor of Hope that prevents our drifting against the shoals and stony breakers.

 

            3 Savior, lead me, then at last, When the storm of life is past; To the land of endless day, Where all tears are wiped away. If He leads us not THROUGH  the storms of life, He will not lead us afterwards, either. His leading through the fires of the enemy always leads to a wonderful victory and joy. The way may be treacherous, but the destination surpasses all imagination for grandeur. The sad memories of mournful events of the past will be erased, and the tears from our eyes shall be turned to tears of joy at His coming.

 

Refrain

Lead me, lead me, Savior,  lead me, lest I stray. Gently down the stream of time, Lead me, Savior, all the way. The Bible often offers repetitive counsel over and over again because repetition aids recall. Those things that God desires to emphasize, He repeats. So does the refrain of this hymn. He leads the straight and narrow way, and we will remain thereon if we follow Him.