Author Archives: 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

 

May 5 2008

Pay the Preacher


One of the reasons we church members should give generously is so that the preacher can be paid well. I find it very odd indeed that some fringe groups do not believe in paying a preacher at all. They didn’t get that zany idea from Paul the Apostle.

“One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Gal 6:6-9)

I am sure that many Christians who are familiar with the passage “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap” have no idea it was written in the context of paying the preacher.

1. “The one who is taught must share ALL good things with the one who teaches.” The principal is clear, take care of the man who teaches you God’s word. One who does the work of preaching the Word invests lots of time, time that could otherwise be used to get gain.

Are you one who is taught? Then it is your Christian duty to share what you have with the person who teaches you.

2. Not doing so mocks God and is selfish. “God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption.” It is clear, not sharing your bounty with the one who teaches you is a dangerous course. One who consumes all that he has upon himself and “his” own is a foolish and selfish person. His end will not be what he had hoped.

3. The one who gives is sowing to the Spirit and is doing right. “the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”  Do not become weary of giving, you are doing good. There is a reward for those who sow to the things of God, we must never give up.

What about you? Do you give as you should, and for the right motives? Someone said “The water of life is free but someone must put in the plumbing”. How true. Preachers are people too. They have the same kinds of expenses the rest of us do. Houses, cars, food, children’s educations, etc.,etc. cost the man of God just the same as you and I. If you have a good man (or men in my case) who are fulltime, faithfully doing God’s work and weekly telling you what God wants you to know, then dig a little deeper and do your part in assuring that he is taken care of.

In my view you will pay one way or another. You might pay the transmission shop, or the emergency room, or the plumber… Or you can pay the preacher. Remember, God doesn’t settle his books in December.

His peace,
Royce Ogle