Our move to Wordpress

After many weeks of being frustrated with the terrible operation of Blogger Beta, and the non-response from tech support, I have reluctantly decided to move to Wordpress. The new home is GraceDigest.wordpress.com . I am going to attempt to move all this stuff over to my new host, but if I am unsuccessful I am still saying bye bye to blogger. My next post in the series on prayer will be at the new address.

Thanks to all of you who have been so kind to me since I started sharing my thoughts at Grace Digest. I look forward to our continued connection at our new home.

Grace and Peace,

Royce Ogle

Prayer # 8

God promised in Matt 6:25-34 that if we put Him and His kingdom first, food, drink, and clothing will be provided. Even though this is true, these necessities of life are ours when we put God and His work first, He still wants us to ask for them. Jesus taught in the Lord’s prayer that we should pray saying “Give us this day our daily bread”. Why if it is already ours do we need to ask? Because God said that is the way He wants it done!

Imagine that when you get to heaven you see a huge room with your name above the door and as you look in you see everything you could have ever wanted or dreamed of having. You say to God “I don’t need any of this now but I sure could have used it on earth!” And His reply is “My dear child you should have asked me for it and you could have had it”. God wants us to pray, He commands us to pray! And, we sin when we don’t pray.

The chief thing that will keep you from prayer is the sin of unbelief. Surely if you believed the wonderful promises about prayer by the dozens in the Bible you would pray! The fact is that you trust yourself and your ability more than you trust God. You are more comfortable depending on your job than you are your heavenly Father. I can say I believe in God all I want but if I live my life as if He does not exist I am really a liar.

Start praying!

Prayer # 7

The Bible teaches very plainly that sin in the life of the petitioner hinders prayer. Where are you more likely to come to terms with personal sin than on your knees? If you are fighting with your wife, stealing from your boss, or lying about your neighbor, it stands to reason that your prayers will be hindered. The most likely reason is that you will not pray !

I might be going way out on a limb, but I believe prayer is hindered, not stopped. Can you imagine a man with a hangover from a night of drinking and gambling has ever cried out to God in desperation “God please give food for my family and I will never take another drink as long as I live”. And God in his mercy and grace sends a neighbor with food, or a church food pantry gives the family a sack of groceries, and the prayer is thus answered. Then Friday night the poor sinner is back at the bar just as last weekend had never happened. I believe like John Rice said in his book on prayer, “God is much more willing to answer, than we are to pray”. God wants to answer prayer. It is the method He set in place for His creatures to get things from Him.

Start asking!

Prayer # 6

As I continue this series on prayer, this is the second post on so called "conditions" to successful praying. As I have said before, most of those passages usually looked at as conditions that must be met are not restrictions to prayer but encouragements to pray. This is another of those passages.

I know that at least hundreds of times, and likely thousands, I have heard someone pray publicly “Lord you said where two or more are gathered in your name that you would be there too and answer their prayer”. This is very true according to Matt 18:19 but again it is not a condition that must be met, but rather an encouragement to draw our brothers and sisters in the faith into our prayers. There is not a hint anywhere that God is more likely to answer if two or more are praying than if one prays alone. James 5:16 makes it clear that an individual can get his prayers answered, and the Bible is full of such cases. You should note that almost all of the commands, and the ensuing promises about prayer in the Bible are made to individuals.

Praying together was a mark of the early church and the book of Acts says over and over “and when they had prayed....” thus and so happened. We ought to pray together, in small groups, in large groups, even in a great auditorium with thousands it is good to pray. Prayer is always right and the will of God, but you, by yourself can have regular answers to prayer. The condition is that you pray! A man who will not pray alone can not likely be counted on to pray sincerely in a group setting.

Grace and Peace,
Royce Ogle

"A Child is given, a Son is born"

May the Christ of Christmas be the Lord of your life in the coming year. Born to die, never before or since was a child like this one who would save His people from their sins.

He was God's first child, conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of a virgin. He would come in a body prepared by God to be the sacrifice offered for the sins of every human of every age. By perfect living and perfect dying, He paid the supreme price for those who were His enemies.

What mankind lost in the sinfulness of Adam would be regained by the obedience of this Holy child. So now God looks on Him and justifies wicked sinners and makes them too, His own dear children.

It matters not what the world thinks of Him, or of us who are surrendered to His Lordship for our lives, we can say with great gratitude and joy, Merry Christmas!

God's best to all my friends out there.

Love in Jesus,

Royce Ogle

Prayer # 5

Praying "In Jesus Name"

“Asking in Jesus name” is probably most misunderstood of all of the so called conditions to prayer. The few words at the end of a prayer like “these things we ask in Jesus name” is not a magical formula for getting God to hear and answer your prayer. Many who repeat that phrase or something very similar have no idea what it really means.

When a deputy sheriff knocks on a door and says to those inside “Open the door and come out with your hands in the air, this is the sheriffs office!” He does not come like the paper boy or an insurance salesman. He comes in the authority of the sheriff’s office. When a dignitary requests an audience with President Bush the conversation might go something like this. Someone would say to him “Mr. President, the Secretary of the Treasury of South Carolina is here to see you”. Would he have a better chance to see the President than any John Doe? Of course he would. He comes with the authority and backing of the State of South Carolina.

In the same way, when we pray we can come to God only because of Jesus. We come in His authority, in His name. Because of His sacrifice on our behalf we now have an audience with God. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus”. 1 Timothy 2:5.

It is certainly never wrong to end a prayer with some variation of “in Jesus name” but saying those words does not cause our Father to be predisposed to answer your prayer. Coming to Him through Jesus and because of Jesus and for Jesus sake is what God desires. Sincerely asking God, whether or not that phrase is added, is what matters most. If I was about to be attacked by a wild animal I likely would not be so formal in my prayer. “Lord help me!” would probably be sufficient.

We can always come to our heavenly Father with confidence because of Jesus.“ Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole” Acts 4:10. And just as the lame man was healed perfectly through Christ we too stand before God perfectly justified and cleansed from sin because of and through Him.
Hebrews 4:14 “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need”.

Just Pray!!

I wish I had said it...

Today I was visiting the website of a Baptist preacher, Wade Burleson, and came across this quote. I was instantly confronted by it's truth and challenged by it's wisdom. I wish I had said it!

"We cannot have a relationship with our Christology (Beliefs about Christ)-- we can have a relationship with Jesus Christ. Our soteriology (Beliefs about how one is saved) cannot save us from sins our Saviour can. Our ecclesiology (Beliefs about the church) does not make us one -- the Lord of the Church does. Our eschatology (Beliefs about the end of the world as we know it) will not transform this flawed universe -- Jesus the King of kings and the Prince of Peace will do that. And no matter how much we love theology -- it will never love us back.' We do not mean to denigrate the importance of theology and truth, but we advocate the subordination of Sola Scriptura (The Bible only) beneath Sola Christo (Christ only)."
Mark Powell. (The words in parentheses were added by me.)

I don't know who Mark Powell is, what church he attends, or anything else about him. What I do know is that this statement attributed to him is profound, describes the very heart of the Christian faith and lays bare the error of those who only imitate it.

If you and I really believed this statement, and we should in my view, it would transform our lives, ministries, and resurrect fading hope in many of us.

Read it, re-read it, and let me know what you think about it.

Grace and Peace,
Royce Ogle

Answering a critic

Several months ago I was taken to task because of a comment or a post on a blog concerning the ongoing debate about a cappella vs instruments in worship. The following is the last of several emails received and sent. I believe it is worth sharing.

Email received: "Could Noah have built the Ark out of Mesquite wood and been pleasing to God? We follow God instructions and are accepted or we no not follow His instructions and are condemned. Real simple."

The reply I sent: "My dear brother xxxx,

May I appeal to your common sense? Taking your line of reasoning to its logical end, one could invent all sorts of sins, and thus reasons to not to "fellowship" lots of folks. The Bible says nothing about making the human voice louder by using electronic equipment, but every a cappella congregation I have ever visited had a public address system. The Bible says nothing about a church building, water coolers, air conditioners, heaters, telephones, church buses, and the list is endless. None of them is sinful just because the Bible never mentioned them and musical instruments are not either.

The Bible says "I am the Lord, I change not" (Mal 6:3) and, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 8:13) The Psalms encourages God's people again and again to praise God using musical instruments. When did that change? How much more of the Psalms should we disregard today?

Should I fellowship you? Just because you worship in a church that adheres to the church of Christ tradition of a cappella singing, is that enough of a reason? Should I also require that you are a "one cupper"? Should I add that you have no Sunday school? They are not mentioned in the Bible! Should I check to see if you comply with every other rule that suits my taste?

Or should I fellowship someone who speaks against brothers who love Jesus as much as you do? Should I fellowship a man who is critical of everyone who is not like him? The first fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5 is "love". Paul talked at great length about the importance of love and the futility of serving God without it. He said even if he became a martyr for the faith without love, he would have failed. I think it is striking that immediately after the famous verses on the supremacy of love Paul said these words. "When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things." (1 Cor 13:11)

If I am required by my Lord to love my enemies, I believe I can manage to love and have fellowship with those who have surrendered their lives to Him, even if they are not like me in some ways.

I like Paul's way better than your way brother. In his letter to the Philippians he said this, " Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: 16 The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; 17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice." But Paul, do you know they have a piano? Do you know they pool money together with other churches to preach the gospel on foreign soil? Are you aware they have some folks singing while others only listen? But what about the TBN TV network?

Paul would say again, if Christ is preached I rejoice, and will rejoice. I believe I will too."

I am interested in your comments or suggestions.

Grace and Peace
Royce Ogle

Prayer # 4

Praying according to the will of God

We are taught in the Bible to “ask according to the will of God” when we pray. This is not a restriction but rather a help in prayer. And, as I have said before, prayer is a good way to find the will of God. However, there is no substitute for learning the word of God. Get the promises of God in your heart and mind from the Bible and when you come before God in prayer you will find guidance and be encouraged that you are finding God’s will. By walking in the light we find more light, and by doing what we know is the will of God, we will know more fully His will. And prayer is God’s will for us all.

There are some things that we can ask for and know for sure that we are praying according to the will of God. The one that comes to mind first is praying for the lost. Asking God to save someone who does not know Christ is always right. (“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.“ 2 Peter 3:9.) Christ came into the world to save the lost so to ask God to save the lost must be God’s will. We can then pray with confidence asking God to save anyone. We don’t know when God chooses to save, but we know He does want to save sinners, so we should ask. I prayed for several years before my father came to Christ. He was not converted on my time table but on God’s. The wonderful truth is, God heard my prayer and saved my dad.

When we pray for unity in the church we are also asking for exactly what God wants and so we can pray with great assurance. Jesus prayed for the unity of His followers in John 17:11. Paul asked God again for the unity of believers..1 Corinthians 1:10, Colossians 2:2, and others. He said to the believers at Ephesus “Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:3).

We are praying according to the will of God when we pray for our enemies, Matthew 5:44; when we ask for more workers in God’s kingdom, Matthew 9:38; when we ask for God’s will to be done and that His kingdom will increase, Luke 11:2; when we pray that we not fall into temptation, Luke 22:40; when we pray when we are afflicted, James 5:13; when we pray for one another, James 5:16; and when we see a brother sin, James 5:16. So there is much to pray about! These are but a few of the things clearly given in the Bible that we are to pray about and know for sure that we are praying exactly according to the will of God.

So, just pray!

Prayer #3

Books and seminars often discourage prayer more than they encourage it.

Many who teach others about prayer do not understand what prayer is and with the best intentions, make it too complicated and restrictive, and the student is discouraged about prayer. Conditions to answered prayer and hindrances to prayer are usually a large part of the lesson. Of course there are conditions and hindrances to prayer, but the focus ought to be on prayer and not on reasons why you should not pray. Not unlike God’s plan of salvation, prayer is a simple concept. We humans make it complicated and difficult to understand.

For example, I have had many people tell me that they would come to church and become a Christian “when I feel like I can live it.” At best that is a foolish and ignorant statement and at worst a wicked excuse for rejecting Christ. The exact reason Christ died for the ungodly, (Rom 5:6), is because we can not “live it”. Through the gospel of Christ God makes wicked sinners His children. They do not reform and then are accepted as sons. In much the same way a Christian may say “I would pray but I don’t have enough faith”. God never says anywhere to muster up faith and then pray, He just commands us to pray.

This naturally will raise the question about conditions to answered prayer. Matt 21:22 says “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” You might say now “Ok Mr. Smarty, what about that verse“? And I say to you , the fact that you pray at all shows some measure of faith. Do not worry about your lack of faith, just pray anyway.

A man came to Jesus and said “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief” (Mark 9:24) If you read this passage you will see that although the man had some doubts, he got his prayer answered anyway and his boy was healed by Jesus!

Those who met in Mark’s mother’s house to pray for Peter to be released from prison had enough faith to pray, but not enough to believe it was Peter at the door after God had miraculously released him from prison! You can read this humorous story in Acts 12. Yes, people with only enough faith to pray often get great results!

Jesus taught that faith “as a grain of mustard seed” would be enough to move a mountain! (Matt 17:20) A mustard seed is very, very small but that little faith, just enough possibly for you to pray, is enough to get an answer.

None of us have perfect faith. However, each of us can have some faith, and some is enough to do business with God in prayer. If you believe God enough to ask you might have enough to get what you need.

Romans 10:13,14 teaches that “whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord “ will be saved. “Calling” implies belief. Verse 14 says “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?” So I think it is reasonable to ask, why would you pray if you don’t believe there is a God, and that He hears and answers prayer? Don’t trouble yourself with conditions, just pray.

Prayer # 2

People who get their prayers answered are people who pray!

It is a certainty that if you don’t pray you will not have an answer to prayer. On the other hand, most all of the people I have ever talked to who were in the habit of praying, believed that at least some of their prayers were answered. God wants all of us to pray. “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:1). I Thess. 5:17 , Phil. 4:6 and dozens of other Bible verses make it clear that God desires that we pray, and about everything!

I am convinced that the sin of prayerlessness is the reason many Christians and churches are weak and impotent as I mentioned in the first post. God commands us to pray and when we don’t we sin, and we should confess and repent. Because of a lack of prayer churches often operate with budget deficits and look to proven business practices and fund raising rather than to God. Bible teachers and ministers teach others that “the just shall live by faith” and “without faith it is impossible to please Him” and then prove they don’t really believe what they teach by employing every method imaginable to get financial means rather than sincere crying out to a loving God in prayer, first.

So I say to you dear reader, start praying! You will find that most all of your problems both spiritually, and otherwise, will be helped if you will just pray. How often have I come to God in prayer only to be reminded of some sin I should forsake?, Or some thing left undone that I should do. (Matt 5:23,24)

Many times it is in the act of prayer that God reminds me of a promise I have read in the Bible that I can claim to build my faith and help my unbelief. You will find that in your secret place of prayer is where the Holy Spirit will often give direction and lead you to what is best and holy.

Start praying!

Prayer

Why don’t we pray? Or, why don’t we pray more if in fact we do pray some? I contend the sin of prayerlessness is a symptom of unbelief. How could you and I who confess Christ as Lord, not pray or not pray much if we believe the words of Scripture concerning prayer?


“If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”
(John 14:14)

“Ask, and it shall be given you
8 For every one that asketh receiveth”
(Matthew 7:7)

“Ask, and ye shall receive”
(John 16:24)

“Ye have not, because ye ask not.”
(James 4:2)

“How much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”
(Matthew 7:11)

“And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”
(Matthew 21:22)

“If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”
(John 14:14)

It is abundantly clear from these Bible verses that it is the command and promise of our heavenly Father to hear and answer prayer.

The next few posts on this blog will concern prayer and what this blogger considers to be the Bible kind of prayer. Your comments and suggestions are desired and welcomed as ususl.

Grace and Peace,
Royce Ogle

One of my favorite verses

"Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen." (Hebrews 13: 20-21)

Isn't that a wonderful verse?, And so full of precious promises!

I am in a covenant relationship with God based on the blood of Jesus and what God can and will do in and through me. Let me see.... hmmm...., I know! I am saved by grace! I can expect to be saved forever!

Merry Christmas
Royce Ogle

Just Rambling...

It seems fall here in Northeast Louisiana will last for part of one afternoon. Right now, at 2:24 p.m. it is 76 and the mosquitoes are slightly smaller than hummingbirds. The low tonight will be 64 and the low tomorrow night will be 30. I suppose we will have a Norther on its way to Texas.

The trees are short here put just as pretty as they can be. The colors are brilliant and will be gone in two weeks or so. I and my fire ants are healthy, my wife is on the mend. Although she will likely be back almost to normal in a few weeks, she has advised me that I will have to wait on her "hand and foot" for months. I am wise enough to not challenge her warning. She has done exactly that for me for years!

______________________________

The Democrats are crowing like young roosters, and I'll admit, it was a great victory for them. However, they really didn't beat the Republicans, the Republicans beat themselves. We conservatives only do well in elections when we "walk the talk". Only when we govern like conservatives to we do very well at the polls. We have largely failed in the White House and the Congress. With the exceptions of judges, tax cuts, and the war on terror (which are not to sneeze at by the way) our Republican friends, including President Bush, have been an embarrassing failure in my view. They have presided over runaway spending, have crated more entitlement programs, and have not done squat about our porous borders.

Now it is Nancy Pelosi's team at bat. Let's see how they govern. She is off to a poor start by any reasonable standard. I predict the Dems will eat their own by late next year. Hillary Clinton vs. Gov. Mitt Romney, how is that for a battle? I think Romney can win easily unless Ms. Pelosi and gang govern differently than they talk. And, we should be able to win control of the House and Senate again too. I hope we have learned some lessons.

____________________________

Because Israel did not perform as well as most of us expected recently, do not think that the same will be true if or when they take on Iran. Never doubt, Israel will not allow Iran to have a nuke. If Israel has to go completely alone, they will do it. They can make Iran as flat as a Wal-Mart parking lot in less than 48 hours if they choose.

_______________________________

Well, I almost have my breath regular again after sitting at my desk for a few minutes. I have been up and down the stairs into the attic over a dozen times it seems bringing Christmas trees, decorations, and all the other necessary stuff to my wife who is quite well enough to bark commands like a Paris Island drill Sargent. (She is as sweet as honey..)

We in the Ogle family have the favor of God. What an incredible fact, GOD IS FOR US! If that is so, and it surely is, then "Who can be against us?" The answer is No thing, and No person. Our hope and security is in Jesus our Lord who reigns in our lives.

Merry Christmas!

Grace and Peace,

Royce Ogle

Tent Parking

Thanksgiving

“In everything give thanks” (I Thessalonians 5:18)

Today is Thanksgiving Day, a national holiday set aside for the purpose of encouraging our nation’s people to give thanks to the Creator God for our bounty. We, of all the earth’s millions should be profoundly thankful. Our most destitute are well off by the worlds standards.

Those of us Americans who are Christians have even more about which to be thankful. An ugly sinful past, sinful acts that are future, and an awful end in hell, have been erased by the grace of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. For this truth, I am deeply grateful.

Each of us could quickly create a great list of things, situations, and people for which we are thankful. Paul’s declaration of long ago in the 1st century was not as it sometimes quoted. The complete statement in verse 18 says, “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you”. If your doctor has just given you the news that your tumor is cancer and you only have a few months to live, that is not something God expects you to be thankful for.

God does not want us to be thankful “for everything”, but to be thankful “in everything”, there is quite a difference. My wife is now in pain recovering from back surgery. I am not thankful that she is in pain, but I am thankful that she was afforded the opportunity to have some surgery needed to rid her of persistent pain she has suffered for years. Our moms are almost 85 and 86. Both are loosing their memories and are pretty feeble. I am not thankful about that. I am thankful that God has blessed my life with good women including these two.

For the past few days I have been a cook, housekeeper, and nurse. I am not thankful for that. I am thankful that I can care for a wonderful wife who usually waits on me hand and foot. I am thankful for that.

Grace and Peace,
Royce Ogle

Virgin Birth of Christ Part 2

Why the virgin birth of Christ? Part 2

In a previous post I asked the question, “Why did God choose that Jesus would be born of a virgin?” In this post I will answer that question.

Almost every list of essential doctrines for the Christian faith I have seen includes “the virgin birth of Jesus”, or “the deity of Christ”, along with the inspiration of the Bible, and others. Of course these lists vary, one of which I saw unbelievably did not include the bodily resurrection of Jesus which was at the heart of the Apostles preaching.

Just to be clear, these “essential doctrines” I would frame as ones Christians should embrace, they are not all necessary for sinners to believe in order to become Christians. Those 1st Century thousands who were saved in the first weeks after Pentecost had very little theological understanding. What they knew was what they had heard from eye witnesses of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, who claimed to be God.

The deity of Jesus stands or falls upon his birth to a virgin girl without having a human father. Had Jesus been the son of Joseph and Mary he would have been just like all other men, inherently sinful. But he was not like other men in that he uniquely had no human father.

I will not labor here to show the prophetic texts concerning his birth nor the gospel records of his birth and the events leading up to it. I will assume that all who read this post gladly accept the biblical record that Jesus was born of a virgin girl, Mary, who had not been with a man. The focus is why birth by a virgin?

1. There was no other way for God to interject himself into the human race. The creative act of God causing the virgin to conceive and bear a son naturally and supernaturally made the child the unique Son of God. He was Mary’s son and God’s son. He was not Joseph’s son. So, part of the plan was Immanuel “God with us”
2. There was no other way for Jesus to be a perfect sacrifice. When Adam sinned in the garden he died spiritually and eventually physically. Therefore the Bible says “By one man’s disobedience many were made sinners.” And “by one man’s offence death reigned”. Every descendent of Adam was born with a built in propensity to sin. He was by nature a liar, dishonest, disobedient, and capable of every sinful act. Jesus was not Adam’s descendent; He descended from God his father. He could not sin because while he was fully human he was also fully God. (God with us)
3. To become a perfect sacrifice he had to be not only sinless, but pure in every way. The physical body of Jesus was uniquely prepared by God. Hebrews 10 makes this clear. “ Sacrifice and offering You did not desire,
But a body You have prepared for Me”.(verse 5) And then also in that same chapter we learn that only the sacrifice of a body would be sufficient to once for all time take away sin. “Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them ” (which are offered according to the law), then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. 10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all”.(verses 8-10)
4. In this unique body, prepared by God, with no human father, Jesus was at once “the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world”, the great high priest who is able to make one offering for the sins of the worlds people of every age never to be repeated again. His was the body foretold by the prophets and according to their word not one bone was broken in the punishment of the crucifixion. On the cross Jesus declared “It is finished” and the anger of a Holy God against sin had been completely exhausted and his justice fully satisfied. Now by the blood of Jesus God can declare a sinner, who puts his faith in Jesus, righteous and do so without compromising his holiness and justice.

In the same way, we who are saved are the body of Christ. Because of His perfect sacrifice of a perfect body and the cleansing of His blood, we too are “blameless”, “perfected”, “without spot or wrinkle” in the sight of God. We are loved just as God loved the Lord Jesus and He sees us as if we had never sinned and as if we had perfectly obeyed.

It is not possible to overhaul, or to repair a sinner so that he meets God’s standard. No, there must be a new birth. There must be a new man whose desire is to please God. He is a man upon whose heart is written the law of God. It is that inner man who serves God. The sinner is dead in his or her sins and the perfect object lesson is seen in baptism. The old man goes into death with Christ and the new man is resurrected to serve and love the Lord Jesus and to glorify the Father through Him.

The universal body of believers is called “the bride of Christ”. She is a pure, perfect, chaste bride, whose will is to please the bridegroom. It is God’s purpose to present to Himself one day a perfect people made pure by the body and blood of Jesus who in His perfect doing and dying, perfect living and loving, offered Himself a perfect sacrifice once forever for the sins of every man and woman and sat down on the right hand of God.

At the resurrection, our mortal bodies will be changed, mortality will be swallowed up in immortality and our bodies will not have one microscopic hint of sin. We will at last be finally saved completely, freed from the very presence of sin.

None of this would have been possible had Jesus not been conceived by the Holy Ghost in the womb of a virgin girl. In a human body, God fulfilled the law and offered Himself to Himself to put away sin forever. Thanks be to God for the virgin birth of Jesus.

Grace and Peace,
Royce Ogle

The Virgin Birth of Jesus

Why did God choose that Jesus would be born of a virgin? Could he not have had Him born to Mary and Joseph and still live without sin? After all, He is God.

By all measures that I know of, the virgin birth is one of the essential and foundational facts about God's plan of redemption that is only denied by the most offensive unbelievers.

Why do you think it is so important?

Why did God plan it that way? Or, do we know why.

I am interested to see what you think.

Grace and Peace,
Royce Ogle

And such were some of you...

Last evening in a small group one of the young men said in part, "Well, I am just a sinner too." The context was how we as believers should interact with those who are not. I wanted to correct him, but quickly decided to do so would be unwise in that context while having a discussion about personal evangelism.

A common misconception is that those of us who are "born from above" are "just sinners too". We are not sinners but saints. Of course we all sin. As long as we inhabit flesh we will fall short of God's standard for righteousness. This sad fact is precisely why Jesus came.

"And such were some of you." In 1 Corinthians 6:11 Paul set the record straight. In the previous verses Paul discussed sinners such as fornicators, adulterers, thieves, drunkards, covetous, homosexuals, etc. and then said, "And such were some of you".

Paul and others are careful to speak of those ugly lifestyles in the past tense when referring to believers. Interestingly, in the following verses he warns with these words. "Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.”17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s."

These truths are clear. We used to be sinners ("And such were some of you"). We have been changed by Christ (But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.") Even though we have been changed, we can still fall into sin. ("Flee sexual immorality")

We have been given a new identity. We are not "sinners", but are now "saints". Over 50 times in the New Testament, by several different writers, all inspired by the Holy Spirit of God, we who are saved are called "Saints". I was a sinner, by God's grace I am now a Saint.

Grace and Peace,

Royce Ogle

Musings on a chilly Thursday

My humming birds, who have faithfully entertained us for the summer, have headed off to South America. They will likely meet several thousand of their feathered fellows in Rock Port, Texas where they will feed like crazy and then its off for a 1500 mile, non stop flight to Mexico and then to South America. I will miss them until they return in mid April next spring.

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My wife and I have been blessed to work with an infant church in Bayou La Batre, Alabama for the past several months. The church grew out of an ongoing relief/rocovery effort for the people of the bayou area. They have had to overcome huge obsticles and yet they stay on the job, loving, building, cleaning, hugging, praying, and worshiping God. Both the church (Bayou La Batre church of Christ) and the recovery ministry (Bayou Recovery Project) needs help.

The church needs a building where thy can better meet the needs of their members and future members. They are now meeting in an Odd Fellows Hall and have no room for classes for the kids. They need a full time preacher. We have and are sending men from our church (Whites Ferry Rd coC) and other churches are doing the same until God sends someone to put down roots and stay and love the people. They are grace centered, love God, are committed to the Lordship of Jesus, and want to reach their neigborhood for Him.

The Bayou Recovery Project needs money and volunteers. They have groups scheduled but always need more. They need money for materials. They have done an amazing job with little resources. The driving force is two senior ladies. These ladies can out work anyone 40 years their junior. Their energy and excitement is contageous.

If you can help or want more information, email me at royce@ogle.net and I will get the info to them. They should have a website up in the next 2 weeks. If you can do nothing more, please say a prayer for them.

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I am in my 60th year and have been a disciple of Jesus for over 45 of those years. I am as thankful, excited, and humbeled as ever before. The most exciting part of my life is seeing God change people.

My wife and I facilitate a Grief Share group on Wednesday nights, she is the Ministry Coordinator of WFR Relief Ministry, I am a Realtor, sometimes preacher, Papa to 6 little people,

and follower of Jesus Christ. God is at work in every area of my life, and for that I am grateful.

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I have met some wonderful people through blogging. Thanks to those of you who have been kind with your remarks. For those of you have been unkind I will only say, at least have the courage to put your name on your comments or emails.

I am and have been rather transparent in my blog articles. I have been honest about what I believe about God, the Bible, and local churches. Those of you who read my stuff have been very gracious and I do not take that lightly.

Reading many of your blogs has been both a blessing and encouraging. I look forward to the future with thanksgiving, for I have read the book, and we who are Christ's win!

Grace and Peace,

Royce