Monthly Archives: May 2008

May 28 2008

When will you be here?


A full three hours before time for church Billy Spaulding’s phone rings and when he answers a teen’s voice asks expectantly “When will you be here to get me?”  This story is repeated each Sunday morning and night as children in Bayou La Batre anticipate going to the Hemley Road church of Christ where waiting for them is warm embraces, smiles, food, and unconditional love. Billy recently told me they could have 200 perhaps each time the doors are open if they had the means to round them all up and then to care for them when they arrived.

Recently when well over a dozen of the children who are regular attenders at HR were to graduate from the eighth grade, again the phones rang and rang, and Billy Spaulding and Daphne German assured each excited caller, “Yes, of course we will be there to see you graduate”. Unfortunately, most of the parents of these kids couldn’t, (or wouldn’t) make it to the school.

On Sunday morning the first two pews are packed with bright, eager faces of teens and pre-teens, anxious to sing loudly the praise songs they have been taught, and to praise the God they are getting to know. Just a few adults and one young summer intern are there to help these kids find their way in the world, and hopefully in God’s kingdom. With very, very limited resources, the folks at Hemley Road church in Bayou La Batre have accomplised the impossible again and again but are stretched to the limit. They need other adults to come along side them, they need money for food, (the kids are seriously hungry when they come), and they need  emotional/moral support. “When will you be there?”

In a communtiy where poverty is the norm, where adult illiteracy is very high, where substance abuse is also normitave, a small group of believers are loving the people, repairing homes, feeding the hungry, and making a quiet impact on their communtiy for time and eternity. Against impossible odds they have acheived so very much, but the work ahead is enormous. “When will you be there”?

If you personally, or your church or civic group, want to reach out in a meaningful way to the poor, the broken, the truely needy, please consider a generous gift, or even better perhaps, go there and see for yourself how you can make a difference.

“When will you be here?” What will you answer?

His peace,
Royce

 

 

May 21 2008

Urgent Prayer Request!


It saddens me to pass the news along that our friend and fellow blogger, John Dobbs, lost his 18 year old son in a tragic accident in the last several hours. John recently moved to Monroe where he is the preaching minister at Forsythe Ave church of Christ. John’s wife Maggie and his son stayed in Mississippi until he could graduate high school. John was back on the coast for his graduation this weekend. I don’t have any details at this time.

Please pray for John and Maggie and the other family members, for the Central church where John raised this young man, and for the Forsythe family as well. All of us who know John are broken by this tragic loss.

Thanks,
Royce

 

May 19 2008

“Forgive” is a verb


 

Have you heard these words? “I’ll never forgive him….” Or “I will never be able to forgive her for what she has done to me…” Have you heard those words? Said those words?

“Forgive” is a verb, a word that requires action. One who forgives releases resentment, or a claim against another for a wrong. One who forgives grants relief from a debt owed to him by another.

For a Christian, to forgive is not optional. God’s commands are never up for debate. And, in some way I don’t pretend to completely understand, your forgiveness and mine is tied to the way we forgive others.

“Forgive” is a verb, it is an act of the will. God has said “forgive” so don’t say “I can’t”, or “I’m not able”, or “I can never”, be truthful and say “I choose not to”. That is the truth isn’t it? God says do it and you say…….”no”?

Forgiveness is love in a different container. Love is not complete until it is given by an act, like faith, love if alone is only a warm emotion. Only when the object of your love is able to appreciate it is it complete and full. Try to forgive in the same way. Treat the person you want to forgive as if you have. Acts of kindness, greeting with a smile, never mentioning wrongs (real of imagined), but speaking only what is pure, true, and uplifting, and before you know it your heart will catch up with your mind and you will find that you have really forgiven. What a cleansing release!

Forgiveness freely given, expecting nothing in return, given even to one who is undeserving perhaps in your view, is God’s way of wiping bitterness out of your heart and mind forever.

“Forgive” as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you. Can you hear Jesus say from the cross? “Father forgive them, they don’t know what they are doing”. The next time you are faced with the opportunity to be Christ to someone in the wrong, just forgive.

His peace,
Royce Ogle

May 15 2008

God’s master plan in one verse


“For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14

One sacrifice for sin all time. The offerings for sins carried out by the priests were unable to “perfect” those for whom the sacrifices were offered. The daily offerings of the priests and the annual offerings in the holy of holies could “never take away sin” but only cover it for a while. Christ offered his own body, (prepared for him specifically for this purpose ) “once for all time and sat down at the right hand of God. His work was finished. The sacrificial system was but a shadow of the true sacrifice who would come and offer himself on the cross as final and complete payment for the sins of undeserving people.

Our eternal standing is secure. “He has perfected for all time” those who are his own. All of our sins, past, present, and future have been judged. “The wages of sin is death” Paul said in Romans 6:23. God, because He is holy and just, can not overlook sin, it must be paid for and the payment is death. Jesus died that death. All of God’s wrath against sin was poured out on Christ on the cross and the shameful events that led up to the death of the Lamb of God. The shame, the humiliation, the mocking, the spitting upon him, the beating, and finally the blood poured out, completely satisfied the justice of a holy God who hates sin and must by his very nature punish it. By this one offering of this perfect sacrifice sin is forever paid for and no other sacrifice is ever needed. We are “perfect” in Him.

God is at work in us so that we will better reflect our perfect standing with him. We are “being sanctified” Salvation is in reality a process. We have been saved from the penalty of sin, (There is therefore no condemnation..) we are being saved from the power of sin ( He who began a good work in you will complete it – sanctification), and at the resurrection we will be saved from even the presence of sin. (and so shall we ever be with the Lord ). Every benefit of salvation rests solely upon the person and work of Jesus. “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself.” The reconciliation is complete. The sin offerings complete. Salvation is complete.

What is our response to this grace? This verse, and this rich book of Hebrews, are only one of scores that clearly teach human effort, religious activity, and all good works are futile in gaining God’s favor. Paul said to the believers of the churches of Galatia “Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified”. In spite of this crystal clear teaching many of us live as modern day Pharisees going about trying to establish our own righteousness expecting God to grant us added favor because of what we do. Paul called depending on what you do or “works” for salvation “another gospel, which is not another“. It is a lie presented as the “good news” but it is not the “good news” for the only true “good news” is that by the offering by Christ of himself, once for all for “whosoever will” is all God will accept.

Our correct response to God’s amazing grace is to surrender all that we are to His glory and eternal purposes and to give ourselves wholly to His pleasure. In sickness and in health, in poverty and wealth, we are married to another and even death will not separate us. It is this goodness of God toward sinners that teaches us to say NO to unrighteousness and YES to what is pure and holy.

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:19-23 )

His peace,
Royce Ogle