Anglican Orthodox Church
Worldwide Communion
Sexagesima
Sunday Report
Today was Sexagesima, the Third Sunday before Lent. Want to know more about Septuagesima? There is a nice explanation at the end of the report.
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 –
Tactics or Strategy?
The secret of all victory lies in the organization of the non-obvious.
Marcus Aurelius
Life
If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michaelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.
Martin Luther King, Junior
Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
Mark 13:31
He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.
John 8:47
Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee.
Jeremiah 32:17
If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
John 15:18
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 120-122, with the Collect first:
The Sunday called Sexagesima, or the
second Sunday before Lent.
The Collect.
O
LORD God, who seest that we put not our trust in any thing that we do; Mercifully grant that by thy power we may be defended against all adversity; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Epistle came from the Eleventh Chapter of Saint Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians beginning at the Nineteenth Verse. Paul reminds us salvation, honor and glory come not from what we do or have done, but rather from God. Paul, who as Saul, had been a super star on his way to being the number one rabbi in the Hebrew nation, he was more learned, more vigorous in following the law, more vocal in all things. When he “saw the light” and converted, he took that same approach to Christianity. No one was more in any thing than he. He had been the best of the worst and the best of the best. Now he was aware of how short he himself fell. More importantly, he was keenly aware of the saving perfection of Christ.
No one did more than Paul, yet he counseled all to take comfort and pride in God, not themselves. Do your best and look towards God.
Y
E suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise. For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face. I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also. Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.
The Holy Gospel for today came from the Eighth Chapter of the Gospel of St. Luke beginning at the Fourth Verse and tells the well known Parable of the Sower, which might be better referred to as the Parable of the Four Soils, for the seeds were all alike.
A sower scatters seed on to four different types of soil.
• Hard ground
• Stony ground
• Thorny ground
• Good ground
Hard ground “by the way side” prevents the seed from sprouting at all, and the seed becomes nothing more than bird food. Stony ground provides enough soil for the seeds to germinate and begin to grow, but because there is “no deepness of earth,” the plants do not take root and are soon withered in the sun. Thorny ground allows the seed to grow, but competing thorns choke the life out of the good plants. Good ground receives the seed and produces much fruit.
Jesus explains the seed is The Word.
Hard ground represents someone so hardened by sin that though he hears he cannot understand the Word. Thus, Satan can pluck the message away, keeping the heart dull and preventing the Word from making an impression.
Stony ground represents those who hear and express delight in The Word, but do not change to live The Word. When trouble arises, they abandon their faith.
Thorny ground represents one who hears and receives The Word, but who does not connect to it and whose heart is full of riches, pleasures, and lusts. The effort that should by rights given The Word are given to the things of this world and he has no time for The Word.
Good ground represents he who hears, understands, and implements The Word. Thus, The Word can work its wonders in his life and that person gains salvation.
The Word is there. We may hear it. We may take it in our heart. The benefit comes only when we take it in our heart and act on it. At that point, The Word is acting in our lives and salvation is in hand.
W
HEN much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable: A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way-side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the way-side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
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
Sexagesima
Saint Andrews Anglican Church
16 February 2020, Anno Domini (In the Year of our Lord)
The Sunday called Sexagesima, or the
second Sunday before Lent.
The Collect.
O
LORD God, who seest that we put not our trust in any thing that we do; Mercifully grant that by thy power we may be defended against all adversity; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
W
HEN much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable: A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way-side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the way-side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. (Luke 8:4-15)
Our Collect which we have prayer today reminds us that we take no credit for any good deed that we do but only for the evil deeds we may do. If we cannot trust our own heart to avoid sin, how can we trust that heart to do only righteousness? If we do not place our full trust in God, then we have nothing at all to trust. Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake (Psalm 115:1) When I see churches and shallow ministers taking credit for that they claim the Lord has done in building elaborate sanctuaries to the exclusion of the orphan’s table, I know that this is the world church and not that of Christ. We are all alike helpless in this world to defend against the forces of darkness. Darkness is the prime feature of the world in which we live. But we can always call upon the Lord for our main defense. He will stand with us, and He is Light. Where Light is, there can be no darkness.
In the Epistle reading for today (2 Corinthians 11:19-31) Paul reminds us of the many sufferings, hardships, and trials he has faced. He has been in the sea for a day and a night, beaten with whips and rods, cold and naked, hungry! Yet Paul, by the grace and protection of God, still stands. He has placed a trust in God that is worthy of our emulation. Paul readily admits that these sufferings came as a result of his own weakness, yet he gives God the glory for sustaining and keeping him through all. God is glorified in the good works which we do because all righteous works are of God.
Let us now turn to the very acts and Words of Christ in today’s Gospel text from Luke Chapter 8.
There is one consideration I have omitted addressing in past sermons on this text – the SEED and its nature. We know that the Seed is the Word of God here, and the four different grounds mentioned are kinds of hearts to receive the Gospel. But Let’s just consider briefly the symbolic structure of the SEED.
Every seed of plants on earth have an embryo of life hidden deeply in their being. There is a testa, or durable coating of the seed to protect from elements; a cotyledon, or storage of nutrients which constitute the greater mass of the seed; and the embryo which possesses the spark of life which enables the seed to grow and produce fruit. The seed needs only a fertile ground, the water of life, and the light from on high. The life of the seed can remain dormant in the embryo for at least 4,000 years given a favorable environment. The seed is very much like the word of God. It has life in itself. It is protected from the soiled hands of men, and it has the sustenance that will feed its life within it. Jesus is the consummation of that Seed, for He is the Word Incarnate. Whether the Seed of His Word bears fruit or not depends upon the hidden and silent workings of the Holy spirit in the soil (heart) in which it is planted.
There is a harmony in the Gospels on this parable. It is covered in Matthew, Mark, and Luke; but I prefer, most thoroughly, the account in Matthew 13 for it relates in perfect unison with the other parables of the Kingdom in Matthew 13 (also known as the Kingdom Chapter of Matthew).
We see, first of all, in the parable of Jesus, that the Word of God (Seed) must be carried forth. It does no good to the lost soul for one to have a very accomplished knowledge of the Word if that Word is not carried forth and shared. Does the dust covered Bible on your mantle serve any Godly purpose? No, it does not. Its only value is a promised value such as potential energy. We need an active value of the Bible being dusted off, read carefully, memorized, carried forth, and shared. This is the kinetic energy that results in fulfillment of purpose.
Secondly, we may wonder who is this Sower that goes forth? We know the Sower is, in the original, Jesus Christ. He brought the saving Gospel and was Himself, that salvation. He taught the Apostles to be like-minded sowers of the Word. The Apostles have sowed the Word so abundantly that we all have at least tasted the fruits of that sowing. And no we are the sowers as well. If we only consume the Seed upon our own lust, how can there ever be a profitable increase. The Seed MUST be sowed in order that there will be a continual harvest. We must not take our Seed as the one talent and bury it away, we must invest the Seed by sowing and, in the process of time, we shall we receive abundance. The more we share the Holy Word with others, the greater the harvest of that Word in our hearts. What did the Sower do? A sower went out to sow his seed So must we go forth with the Seed.
Thirdly, we should note that there is only one Seed. It is not a variety of Seed, but one constant and unchanging truth of God. There are no Seed that are unwholesome or which do not contain in their hearts the power to produce more fruit. The seed is the word (singular) of God. God’s Word does not change, and it is always wholesome whether received in a wholesome heart or not. The Sower’s bag does not have diverse seeds – even seeds of bramble – in His bag; but only the true and constant Seed of God’s Word.
Fourthly, we must know that the four different kinds of soils represent four different kinds of hearts. We know these hearts well. We have all had one of each of these type hearts at times, but the cultivating Word of God has prepared our hearts for the Seed – to receive that Seed into the hidden chambers of our hearts. Perhaps that hidden chamber is the lowest chamber and most humble part of our hearts. The lowest chamber is where the moisture of life is most available that the Holy Ghost may nurture the Seed in thick darkness as the germinated plant struggles to reach the sunlight of the surface. Jesus, the Sower, does not differentiate between the types of soil upon which He sows – He sows on all soils. That which is stony ground today may become fertile soil tomorrow. The Sower does not distinguish between soils or hearts. It is the condition of the heart that receives the Seed that will determine whether that Seed shall bear fruit. But it is the Holy Ghost that gives life to that Seed when the heart has been conditioned by God. “….some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. 6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. 8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. God does not cast His pearls before swine. If there are deaf ears to His Word, then His Word will not germinate in their hearts. They are simply UNABLE to receive it because of the externals that they so highly value in the world. But remember, friends, the soils can change. The brambles and briar may be burned away exposing good earth.
The unlikely soils, or different types of hearts, are capable of being changed. The hardened wayside may be broken up, the rocky ground cleared of stones, and the thorns pulled up by the roots or burned by fire. These grounds may be prepared by God through His workers of the vineyard. We may, through our examples of obedience to God and contentment, become a hoe, or a plough, to break up the hardened soil so that the Seed may flourish there. Have you done this, friends, with the hardened soils about you?
Shall we discover the Fountain of Life and hide its existence from our families, from our friends, from our neighbors, and from the stranger that passes by. Would we not suffer from want of our sons and daughters, our wives, mothers and fathers, neighbors, etc. in an Eternity of Life alone with God? When the scroll of Heaven parts and time is no more, shall we go empty-handed before God because we selfishly guarded the secret of His Gospel? What defense can we utter at that time when our only son or daughter, or our postman, druggist, or merchant precedes us in judgment and tells the Lord, “I never knew because no one ever told me?” Then to feel, as did Peter the night of the Passion, the eyes of Christ turn upon us with that Great Question in His Face. Perhaps there would be bitter tears, even in Heaven?
The Church has sat silent far too long. It is time to serve as the salt of the earth – to speak out against the evils of our day. If the professing church in America would rise up with that One Voice of Christ, in condemning the murder of innocents in their mother’s wombs; the adulteration of the institution of marriage and its perversions away from the Creation model; the promiscuity, the pornographic sex education in schools; the forced elimination of prayer in school – if the Church were to stand up courageously and not cringe in political corners, then would there be change, but not until. What about you, friend: Do you leave your Christian faith at the door of the voting precinct? Do you prefer to remain silent in caving to public pressure to hide your faith always? If told to remove your lapel cross, do you brazenly remove the symbol of the One who died for you? Do you believe that changing times have changed the Sower’s Seed? Really? Is truth relative, or is truth ALWAYS truth? Wake up church, and smell the poison in the cup of the world that you have preferred to that of the Cup from which our Lord drank….NOW!
Sermon – Reverend Jack Arnold – Time and Action
Church of the Faithful Centurion
Descanso, California
Today’s sermon brought the Collect, Epistle and Gospel together and is partly contained in the forewords above.
Consider these words from the Collect:
…put not our trust in any thing that we do; Mercifully grant that by thy power we may be defended against all adversity …
In the Collect, we tell God we put our trust for eternal life not in our actions, but in His Power. If we do this, then we must do as He asks us. For, to make trust in His Power rational, we must follow His Directions. We cannot trust our own sense of direction for spiritual matters; but must look to Our Heavenly Father for guidance. If we do not follow His Direction then we are surely going be just as lost as before we accepted Him into our hearts. It would be foolish to think we could guide ourselves, when in fact we need Him to guide us. The problem is in our case pride often gets in the way of seeing that we need to rely on Him for guidance. Pride blinds our spiritual senses from seeing God’s truth and we need God’s truth to get through life and onto that narrow upward path towards heaven. We need Him as our navigator to guide us along the rocky paths of life, so we don’t crash into the rocks of Sin and Death! We need His directions if we are to proceed upon the path to Heaven.
The Collect also goes on to explain His Power will give us defense in adversity. It explains that His Power is the only real power which can help us in times of trial and tribulation. His Power will protect our souls. Our bodies may get beaten and bruised but if we trust in Him and let Him into our hearts, our souls will be intact. The key is that we to rely on His counsel and judgement. It is the only power which will give us comfort in times of adversity and strength to get through those times.
Recognizing that God has the power to help us overcome adversity is key. Of our own volition we can sometimes overcome physical adversity, but never spiritual. With God’s help we can overcome both. We need to internalize this into our hearts, so our first automatic reaction is to come to Him for help whenever we encounter either spiritual and physical dangers. We have to override our natural reaction of relying on ourselves for guidance, which will do nothing for our spiritual battles and might harm us in our physical battles here on this planet. He truly is the only one who can help us.
Paul tells the Corinthians whatever they have suffered there compares nothing to what he has suffered for Christ in all of his labourings, watchings and fastings. Yet this is not his main point, which is in all of these sufferings he always drew on the power of the Holy Spirit and used the sufferings for God’s glory and not for his. He is not bragging when he tells them of what he suffered, however, he is meaning to say he got through these hard times with God’s help and also to bring glory and point the way to God and His Son Jesus Christ. His point is if God helped him get through all of this turbulent and troubled experience, God can and will help us through these times too if we will but let Him.
From his beginnings as the chief persecutor of Christ’s followers to now as one of the top apostles of Christ, Paul tells us of the experience of the power of God first hand, using his life as an example. Paul wanted to show us how God’s Grace and mercy changed His life and got Him through some pretty bad times. Paul pointed out if you trust in God and follow His Instructions, you too can get through the most awful of times as well. Thus, he counseled all to take comfort and pride in God, not themselves. Do your best and look towards God.
This brings us right in to the well known Parable of the Sower, which might be better referred to as the Parable of the Four Soils, for the seeds were all alike.
Like the seed sown by the sower, The Word is spread throughout the world for all to hear and act on:
• Yet, some will not even hear The Word (Hard ground);
• Others will hear, act quickly and abandon God’s help at the first sign of adversity (Stony ground);
• Still others will hear The Word, but The Word is overtaken by the “pleasures” of this world and is choked out by them. Like the line from the Bible, where your money is, that is your worldly effort, there is the evidence of your heart. The temptation of this world is great, the reward from God is far greater, but you have to look long term;
• Finally, we come to those who accept and act on The Word, like the one seed growing into a great plant bearing its fruit, the rewards are manifold, though the effort is also great, the end reward far greater. For the seed to grow to full fruition and glory, with its manifold blessings, it must have the ground prepared, carefully tended against encroachment of the evil weeds, it must be continually watered by the life blood of those around it. There is much effort required on our part, but the ultimate reward is so much greater.
While we are on the subject, consider the issue of weeding. In order for a garden to thrive, you need to consistently pull the weeds from the garden, otherwise the weeds will choke and kill the good plants. That is why we must always be wary of the world’s influence on the church and work to weed out that influence, so it does not choke the Biblical truths believed for over two millennia by Christians. In order to do this, we need to work hand in hand with our fellow believers to weed out any worldly influence or trouble within the church. This is why it is best that believers attend a Bible believing Church, where they can get valuable friendship and from that friendship, spiritual mentoring for their day to day lives.
So, think about this, we need to understand eternal life and indeed on a shorter term, happiness in our life here, comes not from our self-directed actions, but those of God and our action following His direction. We need to understand the implications of following our self-directed action, which if we follow, we will find death and misery awaiting us. However, if we put our trust in Him and follow His commands, all will be well with us and our souls. Understanding the difference between the two will help you prepare yourself for a happier physical and spiritual life. Do your best and look towards God for the Light to illuminate your path. If you prepare your heart, as the farmer prepares the field, root out the forces of this world as the farmer roots out weeds, cultivate the good given by God, water your heart with His Water, your life will be manifold.
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 Church – 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 South America.
Sexagesima
16 February 2020, Anno Domini
Psalm 71 • Isaiah: 50:4-10 • 2 Corinthians 12:1-12
The Sunday called Sexagesima, or the
second Sunday before Lent.
The Collect.
O
LORD God, who seest that we put not our trust in any thing that we do; Mercifully grant that by thy power we may be defended against all adversity; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
T
HE Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. 5 The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. 6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
This brief passage of Isaiah is a foreshadowing of the coming suffering Savior. Isaiah and David both predicted the Redeemer who would suffer stripes, bruising, scourging, smiting and other humiliating actions, such as being spat upon and yet He would not fight back. The suffering Savior would bear our sins upon His body, He would gladly suffer in our stead in order to bring us to His kingdom. Wow. Who among us would do the same?
Now reflect on the next three verses.
7 For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. 8 He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me. 9 Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.
In these three verses, Isaiah about himself and the coming Messiah. He writes of the determination he has to show he can not be moved in his convictions. ‘I have set my face like a flint…and I know that I shall not be ashamed.’ In that passage he speaks of the strength he gets from the Lord God, …will help me. He will not be confounded he will be strong like the flint.
In verse 8 Isaiah gives the message that Christ is justified by God and is protected from the evil that will assail him in the time of his ministry. From the temptation to Holy Week, some three and a half years of earthly ministry, Christ is attacked, harassed, threatened with death, yet he knows that God the father is with him. …let us stand together: who is mine adversary?
Then again in verse nine we read that the Lord God will help me( him)..his adversary {he who condemns me (him)…} who is he? It doesn’t matter, because that adversary will wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up. Those who are against us will eventually fade away.
I like the image of a garment being fretted by moths, it just falls away to nothing. Those who attack us will eventually become nothing.
10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.
In verse ten let us look to that great 17th century bible commentator, Matthew Henry. This is his take on this last verse.
1. Comfort is here spoken to disconsolate saints, and they are encouraged to trust in God’s grace, 1. Isa. 50:10. Here observe, 1. What is always the character of a child of God. He is one that fears the Lord with a filial fear, that stands in awe of his majesty and is afraid of incurring his displeasure. This is a grace that usually appears most in good people when they walk in darkness, when other graces appear not. They then tremble at his word (Isa. 66:2) and are afraid of his judgments, Ps. 119:120. He is one that obeys the voice of God’s servant, is willing to be ruled by the Lord Jesus, as God’s servant in the great work of man’s redemption, one that yields a sincere obedience to the law of Christ and cheerfully comes up to the terms of his covenant. Those that truly fear God will obey the voice of Christ.
2. What is sometimes the case of a child of God. It is supposed that though he has in his heart the fear of God, and faith in Christ, yet for a time he walks in darkness and has no light, is disquieted and has little or no comfort. Who is there that does so? This intimates that it is a case which sometimes happens among the professors of religion, yet not very often; but, whenever it happens, God takes notice of it. It is no new thing for the children and heirs of light sometimes to walk in darkness, and for a time not to have any glimpse or gleam of light. This is not meant so much of the comforts of this life (those that fear God, when they have ever so great an abundance of them, do not walk in them as their light) as of their spiritual comforts, which relate to their souls. They walk in darkness when their evidences for heaven are clouded, their joy in God is interrupted, the testimony of the Spirit is suspended, and the light of God’s countenance is eclipsed. Pensive Christians are apt to be melancholy, and those who fear always are apt to fear too much.
3. What is likely to be an effectual cure in this sad case. He that is thus in the dark,
a. Let him trust in the name of the Lord, in the goodness of his nature, and that which he has made known of himself, his wisdom, power, and goodness. The name of the Lord is a strong tower, let his run into that. Let him depend upon it that if he walk before God, which a man may do though he walk in the dark, he shall find God all-sufficient to him.
b. Let him stay himself upon his God, his in covenant; let him keep hold of his covenant-relation to God, and call God his God, as Christ on the cross, My God, My God. Let him stay himself upon the promises of the covenant, and build his hopes on them. When a child of God is ready to sink he will find enough in God to stay himself upon. Let him trust in Christ, for God’s name is in him (Exod. 23:21), trust in that name of his, The Lord our righteousness, and stay himself upon God as his God, in and through a Mediator.
In the last couple of weeks you can notice that it is getting light sooner and in the evening the sun is not setting until after 5:30 now. Even the birds seem to be getting ready for the arrival of Spring. Bluebirds, cardinals, even a stray robin is out in the hedges and trees that line our property, all making song in anticipation of the coming rebirth and growing season.
Folks, even nature is pointing to the coming of Spring, the coming of Easter, the glorious Resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
And as in like we do have some more days of cold coming, it is still winter after all, and yet soon it will be Spring, it will be warmer, the brighter and lighter days of the new season will be upon us.
We are now sixty days out from Easter, this time will soon pass, we will reflect on the great work that Christ did for us, when we observe the forty days of Lent. We can spend that time in meditation and reflection on the great gift that God the Father bestowed upon us, because He loves us. To God be the Glory…great things He has done.
Let us pray:
God is our hope and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved, and although the hills be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof rage and swell, and though the mountains shake as the tempest of the same. Be still then, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations and I will be exalted on the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.
O
GOD, by whom the meek are guided in judgment, and light riseth up in darkness for the godly; Grant us, in all our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask what thou wouldest have us to do, that the Spirit of Wisdom may save us from all false choices, and that in they light we may see light, and in thy straight path may not stumble; through Jesus Christ our Lord. 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.
Sexagesima
When one considers the Parable of the Sower as found in Luke 8:4-15 and Matthew 13:3-9,18-23, one cannot help but see four types of people described therein. Only one type is fruitful while the others are not. And being fruitful is what a true follower of Christ will be in his service. In our examination of the particulars of this parable let us, first of all, consider the sower himself. That person is our Lord Jesus Christ through his initiation of the gospel. He gave such to the disciples who in turn communicated it to others. Those who received it, in turn, preached and taught the gospel of truth unto this day under the rubric of the Great Commission. The seed is the word of God. As the sower sows the seed it falls into different ground which are the hearts of men.
In the first instance, the seed fell by the wayside and was quickly taken away by the fowls. As our Lord explained, the hearts of the people by the wayside are those who hear the word of God and do not understand it. At that moment, the devil comes and takes away the word of God from their hearts so that they will not believe and be saved. As Paul said in I Corinthians 2:14, But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. And so, apart from the influence of the Holy Ghost, no person possesses the capacity to fully comprehend the meaning of God’s word written. Thus, those by the wayside encompass the atheist, the agnostic and the inconsiderate of God.
The seed sown in the stony places refers to those who at first receive the word, but did not continue in it. They may have initially joined a church after having been exposed to the gospel; nevertheless, when persecutions, and tribulations appear, they will depart because they are not firmly rooted in the faith. Sadly, many Christians fall under this description. They are “so-to-speak Christians,” “convenient Christians,” or “Christians-in-name-only.” They like the world, and are ashamed of the gospel when it conflicts with their secular positions. They bear no fruit because they have no grounding in the word. And without that firm foundation in the truth of God’s word written, they are swept away by every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men and the cunning craftiness of our adversary the devil (Ephesians 4:14).
The third type of soil into which the seed of the word is sown is thorny ground. While the word is received in the hearts of such persons, and may even grow for a time; nevertheless, on account of the weeds and thorns which surround them, they are incapable of bearing fruit. Our Lord spoke of such persons as being consumed with the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches which choke the word… They languish in their tepid faith never producing any fruit Paul warned the Philippian church (3:18-19) about such persons when he wrote, For many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. And our Lord said in Matthew 6:24, Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Paul noted in first epistle to Timothy (6:9-10) that, …they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. The weeds and thorns do not yield any edible product; but they deprive the wheat plants near them of the nutrients they might use to be productive. They are like the scribes and Pharisees of our Lord’s day who, shut up the kingdom of heaven against men… neither go [they in and] neither [do they] suffer… them that are entering to go in (Matthew 23:13). They are thus obstructionists. They divert the would-be Christian from his duties via those things that will sap his strength and hinder his understanding of God’s word.
The fourth and final type of soil into which the gospel of truth is sown is that good ground wherein the word of God is received and then bears fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. These are the folks who heareth the word and understandeth it. Per our Lord’s explanation of this parable, we have confirmation of the message: many are called but few are chosen (Matthew 20:16). Let that sink in for a moment. Only a fourth of the ground seeded was considered sufficient to bear fruit. So only those who receive the word of God, and possess a heart committed to God, can do the works of God. Charles H. Spurgeon once noted that, “If your life is unholy your heart is unchanged, and if your heart is unchanged you are an unsaved person. If the Saviour has not sanctified you, renewed you, given you a hatred of sin and a love of holiness, he has done nothing in you of a saving character. The grace which does not make a man better than others is a worthless counterfeit. Christ saves his people, not in their sins, but from their sins.”
Bearing fruit is then the mark of distinction between the good ground of a heart for God and that of the poor ground where he is denied, doubted or disregarded. And bearing fruit is our reasonable service to Christ. The cliche of “What would Jesus do?” is a common tee shirt slogan of our day amongst many Christians. But such ought to be replaced with a more appropriate biblical slogan: “What should we be doing on behalf of Jesus?” Asking what our Lord would do in any current situation does not properly put the focus on what we ought to be doing in his service. Our Lord has already finished his great work of salvation, now it is our time to labor. The question should be directed to those who are expected to work. The only thing remaining for him to complete is the day of redemption for the regenerate and the day of judgment for the unregenerate. There is an old hymn which was written by Anna Coghill in 1860 entitled Work of the Night is Coming which sums up our duty as fruitful Christians.
Work for the night is coming, work through the morning hours, work while the dew is sparkling, work mid springing flowers; work while the day grows brighter, under the glowing sun; work for the night is coming, when man’s work is done.
Work for the night is coming, work through the sunny noon; fill brightest hours with labor, rest comes sure and soon; give every flying minute something to keep in store, work for the night is coming, when man works no more.
Work for the night is coming, under the sunset skies; while their bright tints are glowing, work for daylight flies; work till the last beam fadeth, fadeth to shine no more; work while the night is darkening, when man’s work is o’er.
So let us then prove our worth by bearing fruit in our Lord’s service; for in so doing, we establish firmly the reality of our salvation in his saving blood. The Godhead has sown the seed of his word into our hearts, so let us then go forth and witness to others through our lives lived in his service, as well as through our words spoken on his behalf to others.
Let us pray,
O
GRACIOUS God, who hast given us thy gift of faith; make of us workers who need not be ashamed to stand in your presence at the last and give an account of our lives in service to thee; for this we ask in the name of him who sowed the seed of thy word into our hearts, even Jesus Christ our Lord. 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
Bishops Jerry and Roy in your prayers as we travel to South America, Colombia, for an episcopal visit to consecrate Miguel Madera missionary bishop for Argentina and southern South America. Bishop Eduardo will join them from Spain. They are also going to inaugurate the Latin American AOC seminary in the Cartagena area. Men trained here will hopefully reach out to the whole of Latin America for the Kingdom of the Lord.
Birth
Maddison Cipriana Cruz was born 25 September 2019 to Jenna and Landon Cruz. Please give thanks for a safe birth.
Birthdays
Dru Arnold celebrated her 65th birthday on 2 February 2020, the day when she wakes up, goes outside and if she sees her shadow, six more weeks of winter. The bright blue completely clear skies provided a brilliant sharp shadow. Six more weeks of winter! On the other hand, given we are in Southern California, six more weeks of winter is not much of a threat.
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.
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 has had his last infusion therapy. The last examination that the cancer has popped up in a second place in his inner thoracic wall. They are going to attempt radiation treatment. 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
Tricia, Whitney, Mary, Brooklyn and Sky give thanksgiving for safe travel to Las Vegas for an athletic event last week.
What is Sexagesima?
Sexagesima, or, in full, Sexagesima Sunday, is the name for the Second Sunday before Ash Wednesday in the Catholic (Universal or Whole) Church Calendar.
The name “Sexagesima” is derived from the Latin sexagesimus, meaning “sixtieth,” and appears to be a back-formation of Quinquagesima, the term formerly used to denote the last Sunday before Lent (the latter name alluding to the fact that there are fifty days between that Sunday and Easter, if one counts both days themselves in the total). Through the same process, the Sunday before Sexagesima Sunday is known as Septuagesima Sunday, and marks the start of the Pre-Lenten Season, which eventually became the time for carnival celebrations throughout Europe, this custom being later exported to places settled and/or colonized by Europeans. While Quinquagesima (50th day) is mathematically correct (allowing for the inclusive counting), Sexagesima and Septuagesima are only approximations (the exact number of days is 57 and 64 respectively). The earliest Sexagesima can occur is January 25 and the latest is February 28 (or February 29 in a leap year).
The 17-day period beginning on Septuagesima Sunday spanning Sexuagesima and Quinquagesima Sundays was intended to be observed as a preparation for the season of Lent, which is itself a period of spiritual preparation (for Easter). In many countries, however, Septuagesima Sunday marks the start of the carnival season, culminating on Shrove Tuesday, more commonly known as Mardi Gras.
The Gospel reading for Sexagesima week is the parable of the sower (Luke 8:4).
The near future, as well as Next Sunday
23 February 2020 – Quinquagesima – 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, CA23
