Anglican Orthodox Church
Worldwide Communion
Third Sunday after the Epiphany
Sunday Report
Today was the Third Sunday after the Epiphany:
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, many from Rev Bryan Dabney, a few from other places, but overall mostly from Bryan. He always has some great ones to share. On to the On Point quotes –
Screwtape on Moderation
Make him doubt whether the first days of his Christianity were not, perhaps, a little excessive. Talk to him about ‘moderation in all things’. If you can once get him to the point of thinking that ‘religion is all very well up to a point’, you can feel quite happy about his soul. A moderated religion is as good for us as no religion at all—and more amusing.
Jack Lewis
The Screwtape Letters
If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
John 15:10
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
I Corinthians 10:23
Propers
Each Sunday there are Propers: 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 1540s 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 saints instrumental in the development of the church, others to special events. Some days are particularly special and the Collect for that day is to be used for an octave (eight days) or an entire season, like Advent or Lent.
The Propers for today are found on Page 112-113, with the Collect first:
The Third Sunday after The Epiphany.
The Collect.
A
LMIGHTY and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities, and in all our dangers and necessities stretch forth thy right hand to help and defend us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Epistle for today came from the Twelfth Chapter of Paul’s letter to the Romans beginning at the Sixteenth Verse. The Epistle shows the way to Christian action in life. Paul lays out a hard path, but one that goes where we want to be in the end.
B
E not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
The Holy Gospel for today came from the Second Chapter of the Gospel of Saint John beginning at the First Verse.
A
ND the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: and both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. And there were set there six water-pots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the water-pots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, and saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
Bishop Ogles’ Sermon
We are oft fortunate to get copies of Bishop Jerry’s sermon notes. Today is one of those Sundays. Today’s sermon starts off with the collect, and like always, it will give you a lot to consider in your heart.
Sermon Notes
Third Sunday after The Epiphany
26 January 2020, Anno Domini (in the Year of Our Lord)
The Third Sunday after The Epiphany.
The Collect.
A
LMIGHTY and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities, and in all our dangers and necessities stretch forth thy right hand to help and defend us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
When Blind Bartemaeus and the leper called out to Christ, they did not first request healing, but mercy. When we plead the Lord to look mercifully upon us, all things needful will be done unto us when He does. His right Hand is the arm of unconquerable Strength. Not only does He heal the Body; not only does He defend against danger.; and not only does He heal the Spirit forlorn and hopless. Instead, He lifts our unbecoming yoke and concentrates our vision on the upward looking Gates of Paradise.
A
ND the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: and both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. And there were set there six water-pots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the water-pots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, and saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him. (John 2:1-11)
I consider the lectionary texts today to be of paramount importance. They represent the beginning of the ministry of Jesus at Cana. The ancient Prayer of Collect opens with a petition for the provision of safety and necessity from the Hand of the Lord. It further appeals for mercies on our common frailty in life. If we remembered to pray this prayer first each morning, it would suffice for our daily bread. Whether by profound miracle, or by the common miracles of God’s nature, our daily needs are all provided by the right hand of God.
The following selection from the day’s Epistle has profound meaning for the Christian professor: Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Some hearers today will not know, or remember, the term ‘hickory stick’ due to the fact that its memory has not been indelibly etched on the hide of their legs, but I remember! It was the punishment of choice in the mountain country in which I was raised. The mention of it would strike terror into the hearts of its victims. If I, or my sisters, or brother, misbehaved, we could expect mother or father to go outside and break a thin, limber limb from the hickory tree. This became a sort of whip that was used to evoke repentance for deeds of disobedience. It was not possible to outrun the persistent lashing of the ‘hickory stick.’ Once after an argument with my younger brother of five years of age, I told my mother on him for some secret misdeed. Mother said, “Jerry, go outside and find me a hickory stick.” Gleeful at the opportunity for maximum revenge, I sought out the prickliest limb I could find, and adorned with especially hateful spurs. When I handed the branch to my mother, she took one look at the dreadful instrument of torture and said, “OK, Jerry, YOU are FIRST!” I will never forget that lesson of willful revenge on my part. I believe God teaches us the same lesson. Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him. (Prov 24:17-18)
Now we come to the glorious Gospel, so full of Light and Hidden Manna for the early riser – for Manna comes with the mist of the morning. O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. (Psalms 63:1-2)
I have heard men argue that marriage was not so much of importance to God for Jesus was not married. While it is true that our Lord did not marry during His ministry, His entire ministry involved His betrothal to His Bride, the Church!
The text describes a marriage celebration in Cana of Galilee to which Jesus and His disciples have been invited. The event is heralded as Jesus’ first miracle among a host of miracles. Of course, the text is referring to those profound suspensions of natural law that Jesus evoked by the power of His Word. But we must not forget that the pre-Incarnate Christ was the agent of First Cause in the Creation of the world, the heavenly bodies, and all life. (John 1:1-03) The changing of the elements of pure water into wind demonstrates our Lord’s eternal sovereignty over the Creation which He has made. It was sensational and stunning to man who deals more commonly in the physical realities of life; however, I will suggest that this is the second recorded miracle of the Gospel of John. In fact, I will claim that all of the life of Jesus was an ongoing miracle of eternal proportions. Remember Nathaniel in the first chapter of John? “esus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! 48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. 49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. 50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. (John 1:47-50)
Please observe that the Hidden Miracle here is one of the Spirit and not of the elements of the physical world. It is this miracle that supersedes all others. So what is the profundity of this miracle? And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. Unless God first reveals Himself they will never understand the truths of the Creed or His Word.. First of all, it is a miracle that God loves us. Secondly, that He deigns to reveal Himself to us by way of His Word and the natural world. An anonymous love letter, addressed to no one in particular, may be beautiful for thought and prose, but it bears little meaning unless revealed to its intended beloved. The most difficult challenge to the modern Christian is to see that God’s personality and truth are just as clearly intended for his heart as it was for the hearers two or three thousand years ago. Only God can bring that revelation to the heart.
In reading the Gospel text, we see that those who are followers (disciples) of Christ share in the courtesies to which He is invited. They were ALSO invited to attend this, presumable, friends and family event. If we are in Christ, we are accounted a part of His family and circle of friends. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. (John 15:15) Christ is all in all to us. He is first, a Friend; but more than a Friend, He is our elder Brother in the family of God; and more than a Brother, He is our Lord and Sovereign. He is a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24) If He is the second Adam (which clearly He is), He becomes literally the Father of all who are quickened in the Spirit to eternal life.
Jesus Cares for the Common Needs of all Humanity:
The marriage celebration at Cana reveals the Glory of His All-Sufficient Grace to us in all conditions, big and small, of our lives. It places an exclamation mark on the Institution which was God’s first in the Garden at Eden. Marriage is so illustrative of the union that exists between Christ and His Church that Jesus uses the occasion to demonstrate its importance by performing His first material miracle. I love the beauty and reverence provided in the Book of Common Prayer for the Solemnization of Matrimony that reflects this truth:
D
EARLY beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this company, to join together this Man and this Woman in holy Matrimony; which is an honourable estate, instituted of God, signifying unto us the mystical union that is betwixt Christ and his Church: which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified with his presence and first miracle that he wrought in Cana of Galilee, and is commended of Saint Paul to be honourable among all men: and therefore is not by any to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly; but reverently, discreetly, advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of God. Into this holy estate these two persons present come now to be joined. If any man can show just cause, why they may not lawfully be joined together, let him now speak, or else hereafter for ever hold his peace.
A
ND when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.” The Greek term used here for ‘wanted’ is: uJsterevw (Hustereo) which means to fall behind or lack an essential something for a particular need. The need may not be a profound necessity, but it is a necessity for the conditions of the present moment – in this case, wine, the lack of which would have been a signal embarrassment to the family of the couple getting married. To the consternation of many of our Baptist brethren, this wine is not unfermented grape juice, but the real deal. The warmth and comfort of the fruit of the vine is illustrative of the same which is granted, in a more marked degree, by the Holy Ghost. But the issue of wine is not the focus of this event, but the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ in His role as Creator and Sovereign over all powers – even His natural law. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)
Jesus desires us to come in prayer to him for all our needs:
Another interesting point in this comment of Mary to her Son is the familiarity which family associations breed. When we are part of the family of Christ, we can approach Him with even mundane requests. Our every ‘want’ may not be always supplied, but we have the privilege to seek it out and understand His will in the matter. You will observe that Mary did not make ANY overt request but only expressed a need. He knows our every need and will supply according to His will. If we express our need in prayer, He will be more acutely keen to satisfy that need if He deems it beneficial to us.
The miracles of Jesus are not to be regarded as the most prominent proof of His Lordship, but as secondary revelations of His power and grace. The greater revelation is in His revealing Himself to us as He did to Nathaniel, to Nicodemus, and to Peter. The modern church that seeks signs and wonders is not a church of faith and holiness: An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. (Matt 12:39-41) Jonah was three days and nights in the belly of the whale. Jesus was three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. But Jonah came up from the whale’s belly, and Christ was the first born of all the family of God in His resurrection. Is this not enough iron on which to hang our faith? Why do we insist on God constantly proving Himself? Should the case not be reversed?
The key to gaining the best from the master’s hand is obedience:
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. Jesus’ response is not unimportant to us. He seems to hesitate in His response to His mother, but she perseveres and counts her prayer as already answered. She knows the nature of her Son to provide all necessary wants. So she says to the servants (as well as to you and me): Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. Has the modern church done this? Have you done this in your personal walk of faith? Remember, ‘WHATSOEVER’ covers every Word of Scripture revealed to us. Of course, the greatest ‘WHATSOEVER’ that Jesus has commanded is that we Love one another.……A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. (John 13:34-35) How many Christians fail of this commandment? How many churches?
Notice Jesus commands authority – even among those who may not know Him. 6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. 7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. No one had ever issued such an unbelievable command to these servants before, yet they obeyed immediately and without question. When Christ calls us into unknown paths, we do not stammer and falter, but rise immediately in obedience. If we hesitate, He may send His “Hounds of Heaven” on our trail until we do obey.
Obedience results in the best always being ahead:
Do you truly LOVE God? Love possesses a sacrificial quality. It foregoes self and exalts the object of its affection. We have no means of loving the unlovely, but Christ is LOVELY. In fact, we love Him because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19) If we obey and keep His Commandments, we shall always have the best to which to look forward. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. (1 Cor 2:9-10) Who are we to enjoy such blessings! Do you desire the BEST, or do you prefer the sordid leftovers of the world? If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land. (Isaiah 1:19)
This great truth is made certain in these verses: 9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, 10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. This is absolutely true. The world sets forth its shiniest and best false pleasures before us first of all, but the blessings and benefits of God are ever increasing in splendor and beauty.
Regardless of the victories and reverses of your life heretofore, the Lord can make those victories and benefits pale in comparison to what He has to offer those who love Him and are obedient to His Word.
Sermon – Reverend Jack Arnold – Time and Action
Church of the Faithful Centurion, Descanso, California
Today’s sermon ties together the propers, that is to say the prayer and readings for this week. Consider these words from the Collect:
… mercifully look upon our infirmities, and in all our dangers and necessities stretch forth thy right hand to help and defend us …
In the Collect, we are asking God to set aside our failures and protect and aid us in all we do with His strong hand. God is perfect, thus so is His counsel. When we acknowledge our imperfection and ask Him for help, we should look to the written record of His Son, our Savior; the ultimate example of perfection and we should be doing do our best to follow Him, by being honest, hard working, peaceful and helpful. When we do this, we will prosper; not only in this world, but in our hearts. And not only our hearts, but doing these things will make things better for those around us, too. When we pray for His Help, we need to listen for the answer, then act on it, not ignore it because it is not the answer we wanted. This is a very common theme throughout the collects and by extension, the Bible. As we have always the same problems, we have the same need, which is to turn to God for help!
Why are we always continually emphasizing action? There is a simple reason for this. In the space of time where we exist, where we are is Today. Where God’s finger touches the line of time. Not tomorrow nor the past, but today. We can’t go back in the past or go forward to the future and act there, our actions have to be done in the present. And actions are how we live out our faith. That is why worrying does nothing productive. Therefore, let us not worry about the past or the future but think about what we can do and act within the present time. We can, however, learn from our past actions and improve on areas where we fell short. Let us keep ourselves busy doing God’s work, so that we have no time at all to worry or fret, but act. The time we spend worrying or fretting is time taken away from possible actions we could perform in the present.
God, our God, is a God of Action. No less is His Son one of action. All throughout the Bible, you find Jesus doing things, not just talking about them. His faith, shown in the action of His giving His Life that we might live, speaks through His actions. His whole ministry can be summed up in one word, action. No matter where you turn while reading the Bible, what you find is Action, not Diction. Recall the second half of the Book of Luke. It is known as the Acts of the Apostles, not thoughts, not prayers, not meditations, not wishes or anything else; The ACTS. He expects us to act in our lives, not just talk. If we want to follow Christ, then we need to strive be be like Him and perform actions to live out our faith. Talking is nice, but acting shows people where your heart clearly lies.
The Gospel provides a great example of how our God is a God of Action. In the Gospel we see Jesus performing His first documented earthly miracle, turning water into wine at Cana. He was at first apparently reluctant to perform it, telling his earthly mother that it was not the right time for Him to perform miracles. Mary chose to ignore this and instead placed great faith in her son by instructing the servants, “Whatsoever he saith to you do it.”
She had great faith in Him that He would perform a miraculous action. Mary truly had the faith Jesus talked about which could “move mountains.” When He referred to this, He was not talking about moving mountains in the physical sense of sorts, but obstacles which get in our way in life. That is the faith we need to have in Him and God. We need to have faith that He will help us overcome those mountainous obstacles, we just have to let him into our hearts.
His actions created a wine so good, it caused the governor to remark that usually they set out the best wine first, then when the partygoers get more drunk they bring out the worst wine. But the wine that Jesus created was so good, he said, “You have saved the best for last” in effect.
The whole point behind the Gospel is that Jesus, and God, is a person of action not just diction. Jesus could have chosen not to do anything or tell the servants anything. But He chose to honor His mother’s request and perform a miracle that set off His earthly ministry. When faced with the opportunity to act He always acted. This was the first of those times when He was faced with a decision point. You will note in all of his miracles He chose to act.
This shows that if we are to become like Christ, we are also to be men and women of action and not just diction. There are too many in this world who to paraphrase President Trumps’ inaugural address “They talk the good talk and sit around on their hands and do nothing.” It is all too easy to say the right words at the right time; however it is harder to perform the right actions at the right time.
Actions truly show our character more than words ever could. So, it is important we pray for the Holy Ghost’s guidance to craft our actions that the light of Christ might show forth through us and when we reach critical decision points, we might make the right choice and action at the right time.
So, when we act, how should we act? To the extent you are able, attempt to do good to all. Always do the right thing when you are faced with that choice. Sometimes that choice is harder than others to be made, but it must be made all the same. We are not Christ, but if we do our best emulate His earthly actions, we do well. If you treat your enemies with respect and kindness, you oft make them your friends, by treating them with respect and kindness. Like many other things Jesus taught it is easy to say and hard to do.
Like Jesus at the well, we must remember that our purpose is to help bring people to salvation. We are not called to do any action that would push people always from salvation, but rather to lead them by example towards that salvation. We are called to be like Christ as much as possible. So with that in mind we must strive to influence the people around us for good. Any step you take today may have future consequence. Your witness, your testimony, your actions can bring people to the point they accept the Holy Spirit or not. Your interface may only be one small step; but do your best to make it a step towards God, not away. Therefore, let us think about our actions and the possible consequences they could have for people turning to or away from Him.
Error is error, wrong is not right. But, a person’s final destination is up to God, not us. Fortunate for each of us, it should be considered. During the journey of life through the time space continuum, we need to do our best to keep ourselves and those around us moving towards God, not away from Him. The direction is always clear, sometimes we just do not want to read the signs. That is why we need the Holy Ghost’s help to read those signs and keep on moving in the consistent direction towards heaven.
If we understand we are less than perfect, actually far less than imperfect, we have a good start. We know we need God in our lives to give us direction. We need His guidance to direct our ACTION.
The common theme through the Collect, Epistle and Gospel is that if we have hope and trust in God, we must dread naught, and carry on, empowered through our daily lives here on Earth until we are called to our heavenly home. These are actions we must take not mere thoughts or words, actual actions!
Read the Bible, find out what He wants you to do, then Do It. What can you do today to carry out His Will? There are a multitude of things you can DO to carry out His Will, but the question is, “Will you?”
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
Roy Morales-Kuhn, Bishop and Pastor – St. Paul’s Anglican Orthodox Church
Bishop Roy is pastor of the biggest AOC parish West of the Mississippi and is in charge of the Diocese of the Epiphany as well as the Missionary Diocese of South America.
Third Sunday after Epiphany
26 January 2020, Anno Domini
Psalm 103 • Isaiah 54:1-8 • Romans 14:1-15:3
The Third Sunday after The Epiphany.
The Collect.
A
LMIGHTY and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities, and in all our dangers and necessities stretch forth thy right hand to help and defend us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Psalm 103. Benedic, anima mea.
P
RAISE the Lord, O my soul; * and all that is within me, praise his holy Name.
Praise the Lord, O my soul, * and forget not all his benefits:
3 Who forgiveth all thy sin, * and healeth all thine infirmities;
4 Who saveth thy life from destruction, * and crowneth thee with mercy and loving-kindness;
5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things, * making thee young and lusty as an eagle.
6 The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment * for all them that are oppressed with wrong.
7 He showed his ways unto Moses, * his works unto the children of Israel.
8 The Lord is full of compassion and mercy, * long- suffering, and of great goodness.
9 He will not alway be chiding; * neither keepeth he his anger for ever.
10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; * nor re- warded us according to our wickednesses.
11 For look how high the heaven is in comparison of the earth; * so great is his mercy also toward them that fear him.
12 Look how wide also the east is from the west; * so far hath he set our sins from us.
13 Yea, like as a father pitieth his own children; * even
so is the Lord merciful unto them that fear him.
14 For he knoweth whereof we are made; * he remembereth that we are but dust.
15 The days of man are but as grass; * for he flourisheth as a flower of the field.
16 For as soon as the wind goeth over it, it is gone; * and the place thereof shall know it no more.
17 But the merciful goodness of the Lord endureth for ever and ever upon them that fear him; * and his righteousness upon children’s children;
18 Even upon such as keep his covenant,*and think upon his commandments to do them.
19 The Lord hath prepared his seat in heaven, * and his kingdom ruleth over all.
20 O praise the Lord, ye angels of his, ye that excel in strength; * ye that fulfil his commandment, and hearken unto the voice of his word.
21 O praise the Lord, all ye his hosts; * ye servants of his that do his pleasure.
22 O speak good of the Lord, all ye works of his, in all places of his dominion: * praise thou the Lord, O my soul.
In these twenty-two verses of Psalm 103 the reader journeys through the whole plan of the Lord for His creation {imago dei}. We travel from words of praise, songs of praise, a soul in praise to the listing of blessings and benefits of those who call upon the Lord. In this journey we pass everything that can affect a believer, everything that can burden one who calls the Lord their own, and yet, in spite of all of that, the psalmist calls out in absolute certainty of this one promise. That in no way will any sin or transgression will be held against us, because the Lord has removed that damaging element from us, so much so that His mercy shall be afforded us. 11For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Why?
Why?
This seems like such strange behavior towards someone who has transgressed the very holiness of God. Why would such a holy God give us such benefits?
Because He knows who we are. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. Really? Our creator treats us as His children? Why is that such a stretch?
Every aspect of God the Father is about loving His creation, created in His image.
1. So first the Lord redeems us. He calls us to Him. He heals us. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
2. Then He reveals Himself to us by various means, nature and by angelic messengers in the past and now by the very Word that He gave us, the Bible; He reveals His plan for us.
Down through history God has made His ways known to man. It has been made abundantly clear over the years. He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.”
Think of the wonder of what the Lord has done for His creation, mankind. He has a covenant with us that thankfully He keeps, not us, for we do not have the moral fiber to maintain something so sacred. And after that covenant is kept, He continues the same forever. Everlasting to everlasting, in the very real sense that Jesus promised His disciples (and us), that He was going to prepare a place for us to be, that “where I am you will be”. That is written in the present/future tense, in other words FOREVER.
But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children; To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them. The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.
He knows that we are weak, but dust, physically having no fortitude to last for long, and yet He reaches down through the ages and saves us. We have an advocate, one who is there in our place, to redeem and keep us forever. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.
3. So in conclusion of this study of the 103rd psalm we can find rest and assurance in the following few verses: Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure. Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.
We can use the very first verse to close the study: Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
We should always bless the Lord for He is our Rock and Redeemer. As we daily feed upon the very Word of the Lord let us praise God for all that He is to us, for all that He has done for us, for His saving grace, blessing unbounded, His creation, the very earth that we live upon.
Let us pray:
O
LORD Jesus Christ, who didst say to thine Apostles, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; Regard not our sins, but the faith of thy Church, and grant it that peace and unity which is agreeable to thy will; who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.
O
ALMIGHTY God, look mercifully upon the world, redeemed by the blood of thy dear Son, and send forth many more to do the work of the ministry, that perishing souls may be rescued, and thy glorious triumph may be hastened by the perfecting of thine elect through the same thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
T
HE Lord bless us, and keep us: the Lord make his face to shine upon us, and be gracious unto us: the Lord lift up his countenance upon us, and give us peace, both now and for evermore. Amen.
T
HE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.
✟
Rev Bryan Dabney of Saint John’s Sunday Sermon
We are fortunate to have Bryan’s Sunday Sermon. If you want people to come to The Truth, you have to speak the truth, espouse the truth and live the truth. This is really a good piece and I commend it to your careful reading.
The Third Sunday after the Epiphany
Holy Scripture contains numerous examples of God’s provisioning of his own. But for our purposes, let consider the one described in today’s gospel (John 2:1-13) where our Lord turned water into wine. Now it was the custom in those days for the bridegroom to supply food and drink to his guests. But in this case, the wine was used up before the end of the feast. Our Lord’s mother called on him to help. While it may seem by his comment to her that he would not, he did indeed act at the right moment. As Matthew Henry once noted, “man’s extremity is God’s opportunity to appear for the help and relief of his people.”
In the 23rd Psalm we are supplied the evidence of what God will do for his own. Many of you are acquainted with this portion of Scripture as you likely learned it in Sunday school or from a godly parent. Let us now turn in our bibles to this great song of joy and read its words of comfort: The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley and the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
From this psalm, we learn God’s supply is more than sufficient. It is more than adequate. It is more than mere subsistence. To use the psalmist’s words: it runneth over. So regardless of whatever our perceived needs might be, we should understand that every good thing we have came from God. And on that account we ought to give him thanks and praise not only for what we are and what we have; but for what we will yet receive through the atoning work of our Saviour Jesus Christ. God has a purpose behind everything he does. He is not random or capricious in his actions. Every good thing which comes to us is due to his efforts, his will, his choosing. And we, his servants, have been called to petition him for our needs, wants and desires and then leave it for him to decide what he will grant to us in his time.
In our prayer book we have a “Prayer of St. Chrysostom” wherein we ask the LORD to, “Fulfil now O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants, as may be most expedient for them…” The apostle Paul noted in his epistle to the Philippians, Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (4:6-7). And while it is true that at times we might experience hardship and tribulation; nevertheless we trust our gracious and loving God to see us through those difficult days and lead us to his green pastures and still waters. We trust him to turn our hunger into satisfaction and our lack into more than what we could ask or imagine, and all because he loves us. Hear now the comfortable words of Psalms 37: The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread (vv.23-25).
Still, I cannot overemphasize the importance of our obedience to his will. For we cannot know the fullness of his grace, neither can we know the height and depth of his love, without our being obedient to his word. If you have not been made right with God for whatever reason, ask him to turn your heart and mind unto him today in the name of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ. Confess your sins and trespasses to him in his name, for that peace which only he can give; that love which is beyond all else; and that joy which comes with the blessed assurance of your salvation unto eternal life. Make that your prayer today, and may God bless this church and all others which keep to his word and commandment.
Let us pray,
O
GRACIOUS Father, grant to us thy servants the in-filling of the Holy Ghost; that we being so filled will live daily in obedience to thy word written and so encourage others to turn unto thee and be saved; for these things we ask in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Have a blessed week, Bryan+
People in our Prayers – http://faithfulcenturionprayerteam.blogspot.com/
Why? Prayer is an extremely important activity.
It is not that God knows not our needs, for He surely does. Yet, Jesus commanded us to ask God for those same needs. In addition to the obvious of asking God for help, offering thanksgiving and the like, prayer helps us focus our thoughts on how we might do God’s work.
The Prayer Team of the Anglican Orthodox Church was established to help our members and fellow Christians pray for those in need and to give thanks as well for the blessings we have been granted.
Who can be on the list? Do I have to be a member of the Anglican Orthodox Church to be prayed for?
No! The only qualification to be on the list is that you want our prayer team to pray for you. We are Christians and are happy to pray for you, no matter who you are. If you want help from God, you are our kind of people.
What is the commitment from the prayer team?
Each member of the team will pray for the desired outcome at last once per day.
How do I get myself or someone else on the prayer list?
You can email one of the prayer team leaders: Jack – jack@faithfulcenturion.org or Dru – dru@ faithfulcenturion.org, or call the office at (619) 659-3608 or fill out a prayer card at your church.
What should I ask for?
Depends on what you want. Some people merely want God to be asked to heal their ills and be mentioned by their first name, others want a specific outcome and / or have more of their personal information known to the team. Ask for what you want. It is your desire and need for prayer the team is attempting to meet. For typical examples, see the list below.
Updating the Team
If you are on our prayer list, or if you have submitted a person that you have asked us to pray for, please update one of the team members or Hap in person, by telephone or email. It helps to be able to pray specifically for these individuals including their specific needs; plus if they get better, it is our happy duty to give thanks!
Please note that on the yellow (maybe green or orange if you get an old one) cards at church, you can ask that those to be prayed for have their names disseminated to the prayer team. Those names will be said in church and appear here. Or, you can ask that their names and purpose be kept confidential, then only Hap will know to pray for them.
Prayer List Notice – If you have someone on the prayer list and their needs have changed, please let us know. We’d like to update our prayers to reflect the need and most important to give thanks!
Travel
Sky Cruz is on travel this week to Columbia.
Birth
Maddison Cipriana Cruz was born 25 September 2019 to Jenna and Landon Cruz. Please give thanks for a safe birth.
Birthdays
Hap Arnold celebrated his 70th birthday on 27 December 2019.
Immediate Prayer Please
Terri Jennings spent 12 days in the hospital for pneumonia, and being home four days is back in the hospital with her right leg full of blood clots. Please pray for the blood clots to dissipate with no complications.
Gary Anderson of Enterprise has been hospitalized with unknown illness. He request prayer for diagnosis and healing.
Bev Tatum of Ozark is experiencing panic attacks. Prayer requested.
Jim Flanagan has diabetes and back problems; he was stuck in bed on oxygen all the time and developed a bed sore which became infected. He has undergone two surgeries and is now recovering, there is still infection, but it appears to be subsiding. He can eat pureed food and sit up, he has gotten out of bed; all little things unless you cannot do them. He will be in the stepdown facility for some time, but things see seem to be moving in the right direction. Please pray for them to continue and for the medical people treating him will pay attention, do their very best and be open to God’s guidance. Pray also the ‘insurance’ people will pay what they are supposed to and not turn their hearts against Jim. Please pray for James and his lovely wife Mary Lou to put their worry on God’s back and do what must be done.
Corrie Marsh, daughter of Ida Benson, is facing serious medical procedures in coming days. Please pray for trust in God for Corrie and her family and for the doctors, nurses and technicians to pay attention and do their very best, as well as to be open to God’s guidance.
Tricia had a reoccurrence of a viral pericarditis, it is seemingly resolving, but it was followed by tachycardia and difficulty breathing. She now has a Staphylococcus Aureus ear infection which seems to be resistant to the drugs she had been given but does not seem to be related to the pericarditis. Please pray for peace of mind and soul for Tricia, as well as for the doctors, nurses and technicians to pay attention and do their very best, as well as to be open to God’s guidance. Please pray also she will be open to seeking appropriate medical treatment.
Bill Scrivner underwent surgery on 9 December 2019 after radiation and chemotherapy for esophageal cancer. The tumor had kept him from eating. All this on top of pre-existing significant back pain. He does not like to leave his home, this makes his life far less enjoyable than it otherwise be. Please pray he will look outward so he can stay connected with his family who care deeply for him. He claims to have trust in the Lord, pray he will act on that trust.
Hope DeLong has what appears to be viral myocardial myopathy which advanced to cause temporary congestive heart failure. She has been hospitalized and released; hopefully she is in the recovery stage. Please pray for a full and rapid recovery for Hope and that she is able to continue with the cessation of smoking and for peace of mind for her and her husband Ralph.
Shamu had her 26th abdominal surgery on 21 December 2019, at John Hopkins to attempt reconstruction of her lower intestinal tract. She has very much pain and is very concerned. Right now she is quite discouraged. Pray for her to cast off the discouragement and continue her trust in our Lord as she goes through this difficult time. She is sad and needs your prayer. Please.
Cyrus has blood cancer and is very very ill. Please pray the doctors treating him will pay attention and do their very best. Pray also for comfort and peace for Cyrus and his family; pray that if it not be that he will recover that he past restfully to home.
Kurt Thomas has apparent had a minor heart attack to his rebuilt heart. Please pray for peace of mind for him and his family as they wait and continued prayer that his body not reject his transplanted heart parts. Pray also for Kurt to accept what he cannot do at present and concentrate on what he can do. This is a very foreign situation for this Christian warrior. He needs God’s help to adapt and prosper.
Bob Reisor was told at his last examination that the cancer has spread to his inner thoracic wall and he will need infusion therapy. He is positive, but concerned. Pray he and his family will be drawn closer to our Lord.
Carol Boeschen was in serious vehicle accident and in hospital and now rehabilitation; please pray for a full and rapid recovery for her, as well as peace of mind and strength for her and her husband Rich.
Janine Alvarado’s daughter has what appears to be terminal cancer, she is in much pain, in and out of the hospital. She asks that you pray for a miraculous recovery for her daughter and if that not be God’s will, a safe passing home. She asks you pray also for peace of mind and strength for both of them.
LTC Jay Houston a very confident Christian, particular friend and one of Hap’s favorite WSOs has major lung issues that have been going on for some time. Pray also for peace of mind for Jay and his family, as well as a favorable result.
Evelyn, an 88 year young woman is losing her eyesight to glaucoma. Please pray for God to guide those treating her and for her to let God carry her worry.
Chelsea Brown has need of God’s strength and guidance for her, her daughter Lauren and those around her. Her life has been in turmoil for the past two years. Chelsea was in an accident which left her without the use of her right arm for almost two years, though after two surgeries it is back, her daughter has had three sets of lung blood clots, dropped out of college and lost her job and car due to another accident. Things are very bad for them. Please pray that God will give them the direction and strength they need and the government officials in Raleigh will see clear to provide housing.
Jill was on life support; her family members traveled a great distance to see her and returned home safely. Jill’s condition improved to critical, but needs your prayers to continue her recovery.
Samson Hendrik has prostate cancer and his kidneys are not working. Pray our Lord Jesus Christ will be close to him and his family of friends during this illness.
In need of a miracle or understanding of God’s Plan
Doug Lambert has been battling Congestive Heart Failure and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease for some time now. The conditions combine to make him very weak. He asks that you pray for the medical team treating him to do their best, to be open to God’s guidance and for him to keep his trust in the Lord and not worry.
Neal has heart problems and is very weak, he also has COPD, kidney problems, his potassium is too high, he came back from the point of death. He is now home and permanently on oxygen. He is doing well, for that he and his family are grateful and ask your thanksgiving prayers. More importantly, please pray Neal will accept salvation through our Lord and Savior.
Paul is in hospice and ready to meet His Lord. Please pray for Paul as he prepares to go home to be with his family who have gone before him. Pray for the faith of his family to build and the transition to be good.
Dot is an elderly woman with liver cancer. Please pray for Dot as she prepares to go home to be with her family who have gone before her. Pray for the faith of her family to build and the transition to be good.
Mrs. Tiffany (90) has chosen to refuse extraordinary care as it will not gain much earthly time. The Tiffanys have been together for a long, long, long time. Pray for Mrs. Tiffany and her husband as together they begin this Journey to be with their Lord.
Saundra is in ICU with congestive heart failure after a heart operation. She is aged and frail. Saundra is near the end of her time here on earth. Please pray for comfort, understanding, strength and guidance for Saundra and her family who will of necessity remain behind. Pray for the love of God to stay foremost in their hearts.
Polly is in hospice care with dementia and spinal stenosis. Please pray for her as she prepares to go home to be with her family who have gone before her. Pray for the faith of her family to build and the transition to be good.
Ron had a Heart Attack, at the hospital he found out he also has Kidney Cancer. He is a man of faith and is in need of prayer for his health and that the Lord will provide strength for his family.
Kathy Cox Merritt has been receiving Chemo and 12 November 2016, had bowel resection surgery and was given a very bad prognosis. Kathy just retired as an RN in Orthopedics at a local hospital; sometimes a little medical knowledge can be dangerous to the patient but she remains positive. Please pray for Kathy’s healing and peace and comfort for her and her family, both spiritually and physical
Krysti is off life support and able to talk, please give thanks for the good news. She is still unable to feel her legs. When that comes back she will go to a rehabilitation facility. Krysti has used drugs, has high blood pressure, is diabetic and has organ failure. Her families are with her and will appreciate your prayers.
Pat has metastatic osteosarcoma; there is little that can be done. Please pray for a miraculous remission; that Pat’s remaining time here on earth might be good. Help Pat and family put their trust in the Lord and let Him carry their sadness, fear, worry and terror.
Amy has been diagnosed with metastatic melanoma and has cancer all over her body, and in one of her kidneys which are no longer functioning. Amy and her family have asked for prayer to stop the growth and to aid the family financially with the medical bills. At present she has to have surgery every two months to place stents. Pray Jesus will be close to all.
Gemma Dillinger has been treating for breast cancer for over a year now, after surgeries, radiation and chemotherapy, she is reaching the limit of her tolerance with no end in sight. Please pray for her to gain strength and ground on the cancer. Help her to continue with her faith in our Lord, she is not afraid to go home, but wants to make sure it is time. Pray she will be encouraged to not give up until it is her time to go and that her time here on earth with her family will be good.
Janet has had a blood borne cancer for several years. Her faith in the Lord is great and she is ready to be with Him. Pray she will be encouraged to not give up until it is her time to go.
Holly has had Colon Cancer, Breast Cancer and now it is in her spine. Please pray for guidance for the medical personnel treating Holly, for a miraculous remission; that Holly’s remaining time here on earth might be good. Help Holly and her family put their trust in the Lord and let Him carry their sadness, fear, worry and terror. Pray for strength and courage for Holly.
Tim was on a kidney transplant list and started dialysis and was taken off the transplant list for a heart problem that required stents, while putting in stents a leaking valve was found. A port was put in and something happened and it has to be redone. In several days he will have a valve replaced, after heart surgery and recover he will go back on the transplant liPlease remember him in prayer in the days and weeks ahead. Pray he will put his worry on God’s shoulders so he might be at peace and re Pray for those treating him that they might pay attention and do their best.
Marilyn has been diagnosed with non-operable pancreatic cancer. Please pray for a miraculous remission; that Marilyn’s remaining time here on earth might be good. Help Marilyn and her family put their trust in the Lord and let Him carry their sadness, fear, worry and terror.
June found she has a recurrence of colon cancer, which is now Stage Four, that is it has spread. Please pray for a miraculous remission; that June’s remaining time here hon earth might be good. Help June and her family put their trust in the Lord and let Him carry their sadness, fear, worry and terror.
Leon McKay suffered a stroke a few weeks back that has left him unable to speak and while undergoing evaluation the doctors also found he has a very aggressive cancer. Please pray for a miraculous remission; that Leon’s remaining time here on earth might be good. Help Leon and his family put their trust in the Lord and let Him carry their worry.
Rev. Thomas Brooks is not improving and being kept alive by artificial machines. Please pray for a miraculous recovery and if that not be God’s Will, a rapid passing to home. Help Thomas’ family put their trust in the Lord and let Him carry their worry.
Ronnie has kidney cancer that has spread and the surgeons are very concerned. Please pray the medical team to formulate a successful treatment plan and for a miraculous remission; that Ronnie’s remaining time here on earth might be good. Help Ronnie and family put their trust in the Lord and let Him carry their worry.
Levi was cancer free for 4 years and just discovered he has kidney cancer. Levi has a great deal of faith and said whether he is healed or God takes him home he will be fine. Please pray for the medical team to pay attention and to their best and for a good outcome. Pray also that Levi and family will be able to put their worry on God’s shoulders. In particular, please pray for pain relief; Levi is 22 years old.
Ray Daley is a member of the Royal Canadian Legion and served his country during the Korean War era. Ray is taking chemotherapy treatments for cancer. Meanwhile his son Trevor is in the hospital in a coma and seems to have lost the will to live.
Pat has been under treatment for colon cancer for some time. He has had major complications the last few days and your prayers will be appreciated by family and friends.
Dorothy had pneumonia, on checking her lungs they found tumors which permeated the lung area. Further investigation found a primary site in the colon, with the lung being secondary. It would appear there is no viable treatment at this time. Please pray for a miraculous remission; that her remaining time here on earth might be good. Help Dorothy and her family put their trust in the Lord and let Him carry their worry.
Becky has fourth stage metastasized lung cancer and is not doing well with chemotherapy treatments. Please pray for Becky and her husband as they are together during this difficult time in their lives.
Colleen has been battling pancreatic cancer over the last year and it has now spread to one of her lungs. Please keep her and her family in your prayers.
Christine has cancer of the colon, which spread to her liver; she is receiving chemotherapy and is having difficulty eating. Please pray for the medical team treating her to pay attention and do their very best; pray also for confidence in our Lord for Christine and her family.
Homebound or Infirm
Loretta Walker is aging and losing some of her mental acuity, and thus independence, she is also plagued by diabetes and loves sweets. She is understandably vexed with this. She and her family ask you to pray God will help keep her mind and body together and that she not be mean or bait those who care most for her.
John has Alzheimer’s pray he will call on God to help him as he deals with this.
Steve, brother in law of Paul Martin, appears to have early onset dementia. Steve had teenage children and is very concerned for them. Please pray for the disease to stall or abate and for peace of mind for Steve and his family.
Joan has had serious medical problems that have kept her confined. Please pray her health will remain stable.
Surgery
Marcia has had a biopsy of a mass in her breast which indicated a tumor that must be removed. Pray the surgical team will be open to guidance, pay close attention and do their very be Pray for peace of mind and trust in God for Marcia and her family.
Edware is having his fourth back surgery (in the last four years) Please pray for the medical team to pay attention and to their best and for a good outcome. Pray also that Edware and his family will be able to put their worry on God’s shoulders.
Jeff has been undergoing surgery, chemo and radiation since October for pancreatitis and Pancreatic cancer. Please pray for the medical team to pay attention and to their best and for a good outcome. Pray also that Jeff, his wife and family will be able to put their worry on God’s shoulders.
Albert had a pacemaker installed recently. He will require surgery soon for a leaking heart valve and has just been told he has esophageal cancer. Pray he will turn to God and come to know Him on a more personal basis as the days go by.
Mario has early-diagnosed prostate cancer and had surgery. Pray for complete remission and that Mario and his family will be able to put their worry on God’s shoulders.
Testing and Treatment
Bryan Alford (~40) has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma and seeking treatment.
April and her husband ask you prayers for the Lord to guide them and lead them both to the correct medical care; and that the family may receive comfort in the process.
Josh has two little children and just discovered he has a rare form of Cancer. Please keep him and his family in your prayers in the days ahead.
Ross an elderly gentleman has been diagnosed with Leukemia. Ross has had good health until now, your prayers at this time will be appreciated by his family and friends.
Carman was just diagnosed with breast cancer. Pray for her family as they continue to help her get the proper care. Pray with Carman, her family and friends that the physicians treating her will be guided in their assessment and treatment plan, for a full and speedy recovery to good health and for continued trust in the Lord for Carman, her family and friends in this worrisome time.
Kathie Lynn Holter sister of Rev Phil Ternahan, was just diagnosed with Stage Four lung cancer (never smoked) which spread to the brain. She was operated on 26 June 2016. Please pray with Kathie, her family and friends that the physicians treating her will be guided in their assessment and treatment plan, for a full and speedy recovery to good health and for continued trust in the Lord for Kathie, her family and friends in this worrisome time.
Tina just found out she has cancer on her left kidney. Please pray for guidance for the people treating her and for trust in our Lord for Tina and her family.
Martha is now home after testing and she does not have cancer, but she does have bad kidneys and is adjusting and getting ideas to work with that. Please pray for guidance for the people treating her and for trust in our Lord for her.
Spencer has been diagnosed with Autism. Please pray for guidance for the people treating him and for trust in our Lord for him and his mother Lorna.
Michael has cancer of the blood and is starting chemotherapy. Please pray for the physicians treating him to be guided in their assessment and treatment plan, for a full and speedy recovery to good health and for trust in the Lord for Michael.
Clay has a large gallstone; he is in poor health and not currently a surgical candidate. Please pray for the physicians treating him to be guided in their assessment and treatment plan, for a full and speedy recovery to good health and for trust in the Lord for Clay.
Jim Sevier has been in the hospital for heart related troubles. Please pray with Jim and his family the physicians treating him will be guided in their assessment and treatment plan, for a full and speedy recovery to good health and for trust in the Lord for Jim and his family in this worrisome time.
Claude has been falling and he does not know why. Pray doctors will discover what the problem is and he can continue without any more difficulties.
Gretchen has been diagnosed with severe osteoporosis and is now being treated with exercise, nutrition and vitamins. Please pray with Gretchen and her family the physicians treating her will be guided in their assessment and treatment plan, for a full and speedy recovery to good health and for trust in the Lord for Gretchen and her family in this worrisome time.
Pete has not been well and is back in the hospital with another stroke. Please pray for the physicians treating him to be guided in their assessment and treatment plan, for a full and speedy recovery to good health and for trust in the Lord for Pete and his family in this worrisome time.
Mary Lee has bleeding into her stomach and they cannot find the sources. Mary Lee is in CCU and her husband Maurice is not eating until she returns home for is so upset. Please pray for the physicians treating her to be guided in their assessment and treatment plan, for a full and speedy recovery to good health and for trust in the Lord for her, Maurice, as well as the rest of the family in this worrisome time.
Glenn Porter, MAJ USMC Retired, has Interstitial Pulmonary Fibrosis, which causes him to be unable to get enough oxygen into his system without supplemental oxygen all the time. The only real treatment is a lung transplant, without a transplant he has between two to five years here on earth. Please pray for him to continue in his faith and for a set of lungs to become available.
Pat has an aneurism of the brain, pray she will make the right decision on how to treat this problem and it will be healed.
Dan is very sick with cancer and is starting an experimental treatment. This treatment will take Dan away from their family business and put even more stress on him and his family. Please pray for Dan’s wife who is meeting with Steve who plans to keep the family business going while Dan is ill. Pray for Steve as he has many new responsibilities.
Timothy has brain cancer. He had surgery and is waiting for the pathology report to find out what kind of chemo he will need. Please pray for continued guidance for the medical team treating Timothy and patience and trust in God for Timothy and his family. Pray also for a full recovery for Timothy.
Helen was admitted from her doctor’s office 15 July 2015, as the result of a blood test, to the University of Pennsylvania Hospital with an extremely high white blood count. She and her husband are very active in the ministry of their church and are asking for believers to pray for them and their family, as they are facing very serious problems in the days to come. Please pray for guidance for the medical team and patience and trust in God for Helen and her family. Pray also for a full recovery for her.
Elma has been suffering with headaches for a long time. Doctors have not been able to discover the reason for them. Pray for strength, courage and understanding for Elma and her family; as well as for God’s guidance for the medical people caring for her that they might find the best treatment method to banish the headaches completely.
Deborah has had a stroke, she is doing much better and out of the hospital. She has a problem with anemia and is taking supplements for that. Pray our Lord will be close to her and her family. Pray for strength, courage and understanding for Deborah and her family; as well as for God’s guidance for the medical people caring for her that they might find the best treatment method to allow her to heal completely.
Rev. Steve Boardman has been diagnosed with stage 3 cancer. Pray that Jesus will be close and comfort his family and members of his congregation.
Hang So Ryu has cancer. Please pray for medical team contemplating and evaluating the treatment that they might be guided to the correct choice and do their very be Pray also for peace of mind and trust in God for him and his family, as well as physical strength.
Olivia, age 7, has been diagnosed with Stage 3 Lymphoma. The prognosis is good at this time, please pray for medical team contemplating and evaluating the treatment that they might be guided to the correct choice and do their very be Pray also for peace of mind and trust in God for Olivia and her family, as well as physical strength.
Paul has been hospitalized recently several times because of persistent high fevers. He is being tested and checked by physicians and seems to have a slight scoliosis, a node and Schuermann’s disease. Please pray it will be discovered how to treat these problems and healing will begin so he will be inspired to continue his education.
Rick has heart problems. Please pray for guidance for the medical people treating him that they might pay attention, do their very best and make the right recommendations regarding treatment. Pray for help for Rick and his wife Wanda to keep their trust in the Lord and let Him carry their worry.
Stacy has Multiple Sclerosis and was hospitalized for what turned out to be food poisoning. Pray for trust in God for Stacy and Chris as they deal with Stacy’s illness.
Faye is in the hospital because she is weak has been receiving blood transfusions. Pray for strength, courage and understanding for Faye and her family; as well as for God’s guidance for the medical people treating her that they might find the best course of treatment and allow Faye to heal completely.
Tom has heart and kidney problems. Pray for strength, courage and understanding for Tom and his family; as well as for God’s guidance for the medical people treating him that they might find the best course of treatment and allow Tom to heal completely.
Harold is having surgery on 30 September 2016 to repair a hole in his aorta bleeding into the abdomen which caused stroke like symptoms.
Joe has had a preliminary ALS diagnosis. Pray the final diagnosis will something that will allow him to continue taking care of his devoted young family. Pray for strength, courage and understanding for Joe and his family; as well as for God’s guidance for the medical people treating him that they might find the best course of treatment.
Preston is reacting poorly to recent neck surgery and now has problems with his liver count; Physicians feel that dialysis will help. There may be a blockage in the bowel and an operation might be necessary. Please pray for the medical team to pay attention and to their best to determine how to help Preston and for a good outcome. Pray also that Preston and family will be able to put their worry on God’s shoulders while Preston does his best to facilitate a return to good health.
Brenda is in the hospital because of bleeding on her brain. Please pray for peace of mind and trust in the Lord for Brenda, as well as for her family, and for God’s guidance for the medical people treating her that they might find the best course of treatment.
Mackenzie is a young girl with leukemia. Please pray for peace of mind and trust in the Lord for Mackenzie, as well as for her family, and for God’s guidance for the medical people treating her that they might find the best course of treatment.
Mack has had diabetes most of his adult life. Circulation in his legs is very bad and doctors are considering amputation. Please pray his medication will help and he will not face amputation. Please pray for peace of mind and trust in the Lord for Mack and for God’s guidance for the medical people treating him that they might find the best course of treatment.
Michael has been diagnosed with lung cancer recently after making it through gastro intestinal cancer last year. Please pray for peace of mind and trust in the Lord for Michael and his wife Gayle; as well as for God’s guidance for the medical people treating him that they might find the best course of treatment.
Adriano is in the hospital due to high sugar and high blood pressure. He is very weak and will appreciate your prayers.
Heather recently found out she has cancer. Please pray for peace of mind for her and for the medical team treating her will be guided to the right solution.
Jim has had an aneurism and blood clots. Pray that healing will come.
Georgia has liver and pancreatic cancer. The doctors are evaluating whether to do surgery and how to tackle the disease. Georgia is a faithful Christian and appreciates your prayers. Pray for God’s guidance for the medical people treating her that they might find out the source of the problem and best course of treatment. Pray also for peace of mind and trust in God for Georgia and her family.
Lana’s doctor found something on her lymph nodes and ovaries. Pray for God’s guidance for the medical people treating her that they might find out the source of the problem and best course of treatment. Pray also for peace of mind and trust in God for Lana and her family.
Healing
Hap Arnold tripped over his own feet and broke his right arm. Please pray for healing and patience.
Gloria just found out she has stage one breast cancer. She loves the lord and has a positive attitude toward healing. They are doing a lumpectomy on 27 August 2019.
Jim Simmons’ Hodgkin’s disease has returned after 24 years. He hopes to get through this as he did before. Jim would appreciate your prayers for the medical team treating him; please pray for the doctors, nurses and technicians treating him to pay attention, to be open to God’s guidance and do their very bePray for trust in our Lord and peace of mind for Jim and his family.
Vladia had a right knee replacement which went well; she has had a full recovery and has had her other knee replace and soon will be running like never before. She thankful for the prayer support.
Madisun Hanks (14) has Tourette’s Syndrome and suffers from horrible migraine headaches. There are various very high risk treatments which provide some relief. None of them are close and none are easy. Madisun is truly one of the most inspiring young ladies we have ever come across, her attitude and actions are almost unbelievable. No one should have to go through what she does, but she makes it through and performs incredibly when others just get by. Please pray for Madisun, her mom Hilda who guides her through all this and those treating her.
Linda recently had a basal cell carcinoma removed and she is doing well, 15 years with Multiple Myeloma is doing great. She is continuing bimonthly chemo and this keeps her going strong, she is grateful for all prayers.
Chris Hill (close friend of Jon Weston) suffered a brain aneurysm and needs your prayers. He came out of a coma he had been in since the week before Christmas 2016. He is now in a stepdown facility. Every day is a new day to him; his memory seems to have been damaged to a point where it is not recovering so far. Pray for the doctors, nurses and technicians treating him to pay attention, to be open to God’s guidance and do their very bePray for trust in our Lord and peace of mind for Chris and his family.
Rev Bill had a stroke. Pray he will stay comfortable and Jesus will be close by, please pray for a full and rapid recovery.
Dennis will begin chemotherapy for an active cancer spot on his spine on 17 September 2015. Please pray for a good result and tolerance of the treatment for him.
Vickie has been bothered with Migraines and all that go with the headaches. Please pray for relief from the pain for Vickie.
Jon has Stage 4 mantle cell lymphoma. There is good news in that he is in remission; however the chemotherapy is producing neuropathy in his legs so it is a challenge for him to get around. Please pray that he will be as comfortable as possible; he has been a Marathoner runner so this is especially difficult.
Amy has melanoma in her lungs, liver and kidneys; they have found a treatment for her that has a high success rate however the side effects are debilitating. Please pray she will be able to tolerate the side effects and the treatment is successful. Amy has full trust in the Lord, but would still appreciate your prayers.
Liz had a massive stroke at age thirty-seven. The prognosis is good but she has a long road ahead. Please pray for guidance for those treating her, for trust in our Lord for Liz and her family, for healing.
Ebick is suffering from a severe ulcer but the Doctors cannot give her the proper dosage of the medicine due to her six month pregnancy. Please pray doctors will find an alternative avenue for treatment or that God will provide.
Stan is going through chemotherapy and radiation treatments for cancer. He is elderly and the treatments are tiring him. Please pray for his wife Marvelene as they do this together.
Donald is in the hospital and had his leg amputated on 14 April 2014. Pray he will adjust and healing will begin.
David has many concussions and unable to go to school, read books, watch TV and has headaches and migraines. He has trouble sleeping and his family will appreciate your prayers for this 10 year old young man.
Gladys has breast cancer and has had a lumpectomy. She needs to take a year off of her work to have chemo treatments.
Alwin Jack has had a stroke and recently has had a relapse. Please pray for those who treat Alwin that they might choose the best possible treatment and pray for peace of mind for Alwin during the recovery phase.
Carolyn has Multiple Sclerosis with complications. Pray Carolyn and her children will be close to our Lord Jesus Christ as they and family members help to ease the problems.
Bill had malignant growth removed from a lip last month and seems to be experiencing a re-growth of the cancer. He asks your prayer for the medical team treating him and for peace of mind for himself.
Hank has osteoporosis, which has caused him a great deal of pain and inconvenience in the past few years. Pray for his healing and that his medical bills will be met.
Evelyn is an elderly woman who has had problems with her eyes and is now blind. It appears some sight will return shortly, pray for that to happen!
Joanne has begun kidney dialysis as a result of kidney failure due to extensive chemotherapy. Additionally she cares for an adopted drug addicted baby who is now nine years old. Please pray for her to keep her faith, to let the Lord carry her worry and concern and to give her strength. Pray also for those treating her that they might pay attention and do their best.
Bud and his wife for their continued welfare and enthusiasm. Bud has been advised of an aneurism in his heart of a size not mandating immediate surgery. This comes at a time when he has sole care of his wife who recently broke two vertebrae and thereafter sustained pneumonia.
Dester is suffering from unknown skin and diseases. Please guide the medical team treating him to find out what the problem is and cure it. Pray also for Dester to trust in the Lord.
Lee has Arterial Fibrillation, she is doing much better and she and her family thank you for your prayers. Her pain level is high and some medications have bad side effects. Please continue her in Prayer in the weeks ahead as she heals.
Nell recently adopted two children and has just been diagnosed with multiple myeloma.
Mary Lou has been suffering with seizures. She was in the hospital with a 24 hour monitor and is being sent home from the hospital with two medications and orders to return in 2 months for another MRI to review whatever is going on in her brain. Please pray for guidance for the medical people treating her, as well as peace of mind and trust in God for her and her family.
Kathleen has spent the last two weeks in the hospital. She has been diagnosed with colitis, shingles and possibly colon cancer. Pray she will be comfortable and begin to heal.
Rachel has Mitochondrial Myopathy. This is a hereditary disease of the muscles and they do not have a cure for it. Part of her pain is her family does not believe she is indeed ill, as she appears to be just fine. Please pray her family will learn the truth and be supportive of her; pray also the medical people treating her will find the right measures to minimize the disease. Most particularly pray for Rachel’s trust in God.
Nicolas is in the hospital with serious symptoms of a heart disorder. Please pray for peace of mind for him and guidance for the medical team looking for the cause and cure.
Juanita is a young girl who was in a coma because of a blood disease. She has not come out and is gaining strength. They are awaiting results from blood samples. Her family thanks you for your prayers and asks that you continue.
Lauralee Meade underwent a lumpectomy on Friday after Thanksgiving. A further anomaly has been discovered and she had additional preventative radiation treatment. Please pray for a complete remission of the cancer. Pray also Lauralee will maintain her great attitude and trust in God.
Kay Denton (Mrs. Kay) was able to get a hip replacement in spite of her heart and kidney problems and is recovering remarkably! Please give thanks for this great event and result! Please pray for continued peace of mind for Mrs. Kay and her family. Give thanks for her trust in the Lord and her positive attitude.
Healing and Patience
Kym (43) has various hip problems which seems to be related to osteoarthritis. And, her mother Ruth is in the early stages of dementia. Pray for guidance for those treating both of them, as well as patience and trust in the Lord for both of them.
Christopher has had problems with his leg for some time. Now he has to have it casted and it will stay that way for what to him seems an interminable time. Pray for patience and peace of mind for this young man who has much he wants to do.
James for the Lord’s healing of health issues and give a remedy for many personal challenges at the moment.
Thanksgiving and Continued Healing
Bruce Arnold has an enlarged heart. Please pray for guidance for the medical team treating him that they might find a complete solution to his heart problems. Pray for peace of mind for Bruce, his wife Milly and his children Megan, Kikki and Bruce, Jr.
Bill had surgery November 2016 for a kidney tumor; he is one kidney short, but recovering very well for the present. It appears the cancer has spread to another spot. Please pray for Bill as he undergoes chemotherapy and perhaps other treatment. Pray Bill and his family will stay strong in their faith and draw the strength they need from our Lord.
Cindy (81) had an operation to remove a cancerous growth in her stomach which was successful. She is now home, but in a bit of pain. Please give thanks for the good result, pray for full and complete healing and remission of the cancer, as well as cessation of the pain; pray also for continued faith for Cindy and her husband Les (91).
Ruby broke her hip on 10 December 2015, surgery was successful. Please give thanks for the successful surgery and pray for her full and rapid recovery.
Terry was undergoing radiation treatment for cancer, which he had to stop to amputate his leg below the knee due to diabetes. The surgery was successful, he has been fitted with a prosthetic leg and foot. He is in good spirits and positive about the remainder of his treatment. Please join Terry and his family in giving thanks for the successful surgery and continue to pray for his return to radiation treatment and then to chemotherapy, ask God to give Terry, his wife and seven year old son trust in him for peace of mind and heart, as well.
Janet Jessup had a stroke and heart problems were causing huge issues for her. They seem to have gotten her stabilized and she is home. Please pray for those treating her to find the appropriate treatment and for trust in God and peace of mind for Janet and her family, in particular her husband of 45 years, Rev Roger Jessup, retired minister of Saint Joseph of Arimathea Anglican Orthodox Church.
Sam had surgery on his entire large intestine that had become infected. At the time of the operation he was just hours away from a complete organ shutdown. He had had turmoil in his life over the years. Sam is now in the ICU and his Minister visited him and explained to him God had given him another chance for him to make things right with his Lord. Pray for his good health and his spiritual life with Jesus.
Ian had surgery to remove excess skin rendered a nuisance by controlled lost of 200 pounds. Please give thanks for the successful result and for those treating him to have paid attention and done their very best on the lengthy surgery, taking the best possible care of him. Please pray for his continued recovery and strength for his Mother who will be in charge of his after care.
Jenniffer had surgery for breast cancer on 15 October 2014, which seemingly went well; please give thanks for that. She has had other complications which preclude her from making a full recovery in particular, the reconstructive surgery seems to have gravely affected her back muscles and nerves, resulting in both very limited mobility and extreme pain, the drugs are making her terribly sick; please pray those will be overcome. Pray for help for Jenniffer to keep her trust in the Lord and let Him carry her worry and concern as she recovers. Please pray also for strength and courage for her family as they try their best to help her.
Mary Thornell has been battling colon cancer for three years now, she is currently treating at the City of Hope. Things seem to be going well, the numbers seem headed in the right direction. Please pray for guidance for those treating her, as well as strength, guidance and peace of mind for Mary and her husband Jim, as well as daughter Janice and son Jimmy, as she undergoes treatment.
Elma is suffering from cancer. She was taken home from the hospital on the advice of her Doctor. We were asked to pray Elma’s remaining time here on earth might be good and Elma and family might put their trust in the Lord and let Him carry their worry. Since then, Elma’s Bishop told us a great Miracle of the Lord is working over Elma. Doctors sent her home to die, but now she seems to be doing all right. On behalf of her, thank you for all of your prayers. Please continue praying for her complete healing.
Dennis has heart problems; now the medical people treating him discovered a large mass on his liver which turned out to be a cyst! Please give thanks for this great development and pray for peace of mind and trust in the Lord for Dennis and for God’s guidance for the medical people treating him that the contemplated surgery might go well.
Mike is a veteran who has served his country when she called. Please pray he will open his heart to God so He can make Mike’s crooked road straight and pull him towards the summit rather than to the pit.
Financial Guidance and Employment
Matt was made redundant after many years in a job. Please pray he will look through his considerable talents and find a set that will match a new position at a more honorable company quickly.
Kona is applying for a job in the hospital. Pray our Lord will find the right position for her and she will glorify Him in the work.
Doug recently became unemployed from his job of 18 years. He has been applying for jobs, but unable to get one at this time. His wife is working; this is not enough for the family. Please pray he will find employment with a firm that will be able to use his considerable skill and hard work to benefit both the firm and the family.
Lori is considering a potential change in her employment. Please pray for God’s guidance in considering all aspects of her potential work.
Financial Guidance and Healing
Clark is in need of salvation; for God’s Will to be done in his life. Pray his family will be blessed with the financial miracles that come from doing His Will.
God’s Strength and Peace of Soul
Charlie McCormack asks your prayer the Holy Ghost might fill his heart with light and drive the darkness far away.
Guidance
Jackie and her son Tommy, Jackie 10 years free of substance use returned to substance use while pregnant with Tommy who was born free of substances. Tommy has been removed from her and place with Grandparents. Pray for the Grandparents strength and courage to raise Tommy in a Godly way and for Jackie to return to the Lord and give up substance use and become a responsible Mother.
Zachary is having huge problems growing up. He has let the wrong people guide his life and thinks he is the smartest person in the world. He cannot or will not see the destructive power of drugs and lies in his life. Pray his parents Lee and Shamu will come to see what course of action they can take to help Zachary and safeguard his brother and sister. Please pray for God’s guidance for all of them and in particular for Zachary to open his heart to God and his parents help.
Linda is slowly converting her children through her great loving attitude and Love of the Lord.
Judy seemingly does not want to allow the Holy Ghost into her heart so she might come to know our Lord and Savior, despite the efforts of her family. Please pray for her to open her heat and for her family to be at peace with their efforts.
Barbara has been recovering from cancer for the last three years. Pray for her husband Bill who has come down with a mental illness that may have been caused by much stress the last few years. Barbara and Bill will appreciate your prayers.
Larry is very weak and has periods of confusion and depression. Larry has been in the hospital and recently moved to a rehab. Please keep him in prayer as he begins to gain strength in the days ahead.
Thomas recently learned as the result of a parole violation he will not be allowed to return to society for the remainder of his life. He is despairing and fearful of his inability to cope with this new news and God’s plan for his life. Please pray he will be able to work with God to live with the choices he has made and go forward.
Cam has gotten into some of the issues being with the wrong crowds, too much dinking and making the wrong decisions. Pray he will ask God to send the Holy Ghost in to straighten things out and he will listen when He speaks to him.
Paul recently had his large toe amputated due to diabetes and is having a difficult recovery filled with fear about dying. He recently accepted Jesus as his savior and his family Rosie and Brenda are very grateful. Pray for strength for both Rosie and Brenda who are staying by his side through it all encouraging him on.
Steve is addicted to alcohol, pain pills and gambling. Pray for wisdom, courage and strength to stick with treatment and follow God’s plan for his life.
Eli has some mental issues and has lost his way. He has yet to come to grips with the demons chasing him. He has returned to his family living in a cottage on his parents’ property in Hawaii so that they can keep him on his meds. He is doing much better, but he still needs prayer to follow his medication schedule. His parents are so thankful for all of the prayers as they have felt the Holy Spirit’s power in handling Eli during his dark periods.
Michael and his Family ask your prayers for wisdom as they are under trial and affliction to follow the law of the land and yet honor God in so doing.
Flora is in remission with cancer, but has high blood pressure and fatigue. Flora’s Mother recently died and this has caused added stress. Please pray she will be able to let God carry her worry and sorrow so she can do the things she must do.
Mitten has a Christian talking to him about Chri Mitten does not believe and does not seem to care. Please pray Mitten will see the light.
Kristen, Rickey and their two children ask you to pray for grace, wisdom and understanding as they attempt to cope with infidelity, separation and possibly divorce as a result of backsliding from the Lord into the World.
Helene and her family ask your prayers for them as they deal with the loss of Alan, husband and father.
Caitlin is in the grip of the Prince of Darkness; she thinks there is escape from reality in drugs. The saddest part is that reality is not as she sees it. Her family is despairing as they can do nothing to help her and ask that you pray for the Holy Ghost to enter into heart and show her the need for change before it is too late.
Nathaniel is in spiritual turmoil. His family and friends will appreciate it if you will keep him in your prayers for him to find the root of his trouble and accept God’s help.
Sam and her two children have been living in a shelter and are to lose their place there. Please pray a place will be found they can stay in and recover.
Norrie is facing daily exams in the weeks ahead. Pray for calmness and concentration and to do the best possible.
Jonathan is addicted to drugs. He is now in jail awaiting trial. His parents and friends will appreciate it if you will keep him in your prayers for him to find the root of his trouble and accept God’s help to heal addiction.
Beth is suffering from ungodly treatment in her marriage. Please pray God will guide her in her behavior, actions and thoughts that she might be able to lead her husband to God so her marriage might prosper to the benefit of them.
Jeanette has had many members of her family die from diabetes and several are near death now. Jeanette does not know the Lord and is despondent and perplexed about her family and herself. Please pray she can open her heart to allow the Holy Ghost in to bring her knowledge and understanding.
Sara asks that you pray for guidance for her as she deals with the stresses of life. Pray she can separate those things which she can affect from those things which she cannot and give her grace to accept that she cannot do everything and can only change those things within her control. She asks for God’s help to keep up with the needs of her husband and healing her own problems.
Jacquie to open her heart to God and accept His Love and Grace.
School Challenges
Destiny, Blake and Janet
Anglican Orthodox Church
Diocese of Central and South America
Rev Miguel Madera was received into the Anglican Orthodox Church on 13 August 2018, with the AOC mission of San Augustin de Canterbury, La Plata, Argentina.
Madagascar
Please pray for the people in Madagascar, in particular for the members of the Anglican Orthodox Church there, who are being subjected to terrible flooding and unceasing rain.
Indonesia
Please pray for the Lord’s will regarding the establishment of an AOC church in Indonesia.
Pakistan
General and Ongoing – The forces of evil are strong in Pakistan. The force of God stronger. Pray for our Christian family there.
Ernest Jacob
Presiding Bishop Pakistan
Congo
Jimmy is a missionary in the Congo. There has been violent unrest in this country and also a water shortage. Please pray people will find water to drink and Jimmy will be a means of helping others to find the Lord.
Philippines
Please pray a Minister will be found who would like to serve in Tabuk, in the Philippine Islands. The Anglican Orthodox Church has an established Church there and in the surrounding areas and need a Shepherd to lead the flock.
Diocese of the Epiphany
Saint Paul’s Moberly, Missouri would like your prayers that the Holy Ghost might enter more fully into their hearts so that they might be more effective in spreading the Word of God.
Diocese of Virginia
Saint Joseph of Arimathea Anglican Orthodox Church is under a lot of stress. We all are, but they need even more prayer. Rev Roger Jessup, their wonderful minister, had to retire as he was so pressed by the duties of a primary care giver, in addition to all the worries of this world. Pray for trust in God for each member of the parish and for them to find economic relief.
Armed Forces & Contractors
Dustin (USAF – Stateside), Kristyna and Luis Aviles (Army – Schofield Barracks, HI), Airman Donny Patton (USAF – Hulbert Field, Florida), Jordan Brown (USMC – Recruiter – Iowa City, Iowa), Trevor Jennings (USAF – KC-10 Boom Operator – McGuire AFB, NJ), Trevor Di Marco (USN – Whidbey Island, EF-18 Pilot), Kurt Thomas (USN – Camp Pendleton, California), Mitchell Thomas (USMC – 26 Palms, California) Ethan (US Army Airborne – Southwest Asia)
For Our Country
Our country has lost its way. Over half the people that vote, voted for a government that promises them things it cannot deliver in return for their souls which it can, will and does take. Our foreign policy backs the rise of Islam, we turn our backs on those who would follow God and arm those who murder them. Pray God will raise up a leader from among the people who can turn the country’s course 180° and attempt to come back to God. Pray the people will recognize that they are headed down a smooth wide road into the pit, a road that will get smoother and smoother, steeper and steeper until the only possible way is down. Down, into the depths of the pit. Pray people will recognize there is:
• One True and Triune God who is goodness in and of Himself;
• All religions are not equal;
• All ways of life are not equal;
• The Bible holds the Key to Life;
• All rights come from God, not the State;
• Good;
• Bad;
• Evil;
• Right;
• Wrong;
• Allah is the Devil;
• Abortion is no more than sacrifice of children to Baal.
Pray this recognition will not come too late. Pray we will, each of us, do our duty to God, Country and Family, putting His Honor above all.
Persecuted
Around the world, Christians are under attack, not only in the Muslim world, but from Hindus and others in India. Also, they are under continual attack in the name of Separation of Church and State in the western world, as it becomes actively atheist or pro-devil buddy. Please pray for God’s guidance and protection for all persecuted Christians and those around them.
Thanksgiving
Debbie Ogles was in a traffic accident on her way to church last week. She had a concussion and difficulty breathing. She has fully recovered. Please join Debbie in giving thanks.
The near future, as well as Next Sunday
2 February 2020 – Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany – Morning Prayer – Service start time 1000 (10:00 am); welcome or gathering songs before the service at 0945 (9:45 am); Time 1000 (10:00 am); Location – 10603 Burrell Way, Descanso, CA
