Saints Alive

I would like to confess to you a spiritual struggle that I have which keeps me from the closeness with God that I long for, that my soul cries out for. I have battled with this thing in me for many years. Sometimes I get the upper hand, sometimes I do not. But I know that victory in this stuggle is absolutely essential in this day and hour. For me and for you.

No, it is not the usual sins of the flesh. The Lord has given me much grace and protection in this area.

No, it is not lack of faith in the usual sense. I believe deeply in Jesus Christ as my savior. I believe in the statements of faith and in the judgments of the early creeds and councils.

No, it is not lack of faith in the supernatural. I have seen healing and prophecy and miracles in my life and those around me.

It is subtle and insidious and refuses to die. I must confess it to you in this hour:

My struggle and my sin is that I put my own will ahead of the will of God.

If a problem arises in the church, I feel that I must fix it. If something goes wrong, I feel that only I can make it right. And if things do not go well in the church, I feel that it is my fault.

My sin is an idol in my life.

It is idolatry.

It is a failure to truly make Christ the Lord of my life.

It is pride, the first and chiefest of sins.

What makes it difficult is that it is not always present.

Often it hides.

Much of the time, most of the time, I surrender in humility to the Will of God. And God blesses me with wonders. I see the power and presence of God in me and in those around me.

And, just when I thought it was dead, it raises its ugly head. The problem is that, for most of life, I was trained in the manly art of self-sufficiency. In school, I learned that, if I study hard, I will do well and be rewarded. So I earned four degrees, three advanced degrees, including a doctorate. I graduated from college where the same formula works.

In fact, it works well nearly everywhere…

EXCEPT WITH GOD.

I had achieved many of the things that men hold dear.

Money, big house, prestige, cars and clothes.

And then God came knocking at my door.

He stripped me right down to the bone. He struck my health, my material possessions, my family.

And, in the midst of this stripping, he gave me a new work to do. That was 18 years ago.

None of my old formulas work in the Lord’s vineyard.

 If he calls you and you are stubborn, as I was, he will keep stripping you until you obey.

It may even kill you. It has nearly killed me many times.

And it all has to do with one thing: It is either my will or God’s will. There is no compromise.

And, what made it even worse, I often thought that MY will was the SAME as GOD’S will.

My will ALWAYS involved HELPING PEOPLE.

My will always involved doing good things.

One day I was reading from the early fathers of the church and came across this quote:

“OUR OWN WILL IS AN IRON WALL, SHUTTING US OUT, AND SEPARATING US FROM GOD.”

It struck me like a bolt from the blue.

God doesn’t NEED me to do anything FOR him.

He needs me to surrender to his will so he can make me what he wants me to be. Only then can I do what he wants me to do.

The little book, the Imitation of Christ, is written:

“In you, the Lord of Peace, is my supreme peace and real rest. And without you is only toil, sorrow and endless misery.”

In the book, Heliotropium, are these words:

“Esteem every day to be lost in whch you have not, for the love of God, broken your own will.”

Even Jesus Christ, the Son of God, had to submit his own human will to God the Father. In the Garden of Gethsemene, he asked his Father to spare him from the cruel ordeal of suffering and crucifixion. In the midst of this prayer, he surrendered and said:

“Not my will but thine be done.”

And that is the model for us all.

The lack of trust in God arises from the fact that we trust too much in ourselves.

I read of a woman who prayed this prayer 360 times every day: “NOT MY WILL BUT THINE BE DONE, O MY LOVING JESUS.”

My friends, do not let this message pass you by without conviction. I know that many of you struggle with the same sin.

You do not know the day or the hour when Jesus will call you home. It may be this day, it may be this hour.

Pray that you do not come to the end of your journey trusting in yourself and not in God.

Proverbs 28 says: “He that trusts in his own heart is a fool.”

This is the way of the cross. For the Christian, there is no other way.

Let us pray:

“O God our Father, give us the courage to take up our cross and answer your call upon our lives. Help us to turn away from the fleeting pleasures of this world and help us to spend our lives with things that have eternal results.”

Blessings in the matchless Name of Jesus,

Dr. Hammond

 

 

 

 

 The day of 9-11-01 will live in memory for two reasons for us at Shepherd’s Heart Anglican Church.

 The first is the attack of the terrorists on American soil.

The second is that this is the day that our bishop installed Franciscan Fire as a Third Order of St. Francis of Assisi in our parish.

The day dawned bright and clear and, like a shot from hell, we watched in horror as the planes crashed into the Twin Towers, raining down an inferno of destruction.

In my memory, I can only compare it to the attack on Pearl Harbor which brought the US into World War II. I was a boy of 6 then. We heard it on the radio and soon after, we watched the newsreels of this day of horror.

On 9-11, our parish was somewhat prepared. At least we had a disaster plan which was put in place with the Y2K millennium scare. We had stockpiled food and water and medical supplies for three days in our church. After 9-11, each family prepared a Go Kit, with clothes and essentials, which sat at the ready by the door. Our plan was, in case of emergency, we would meet at the church. Each family was assigned to a Go Group, with a leader. We had lists of relatives and friends in other cities on a call list.

On the Day of Death, we all met at the church and began a prayer vigil which continued all through the day and climaxed in the evening with the Installation of Franciscan Fire.

Early that morning, one of our men was set to go to the Pentagon for a meeting. On the way, he remembered he had not punched his time card back in the office, so he turned back, just at the time the plane hit the Pentagon. Another parishioner, a Naval commander, had an office in the direct area of the strike but was located elsewhere due to repairs being done on his office.

We huddled in the church all day and into the night in prayer, checking on friends and neighbors, and deciding whether to evacuate. The presence and power of the Holy Spirit was much in evidence that day and in this time of great fear, the Lord poured out upon us great blessing.

That day we knew that God is our only true protection, that, in this life, we will always be vulnerable. And we must seek His face and His will and not our own.

However, as time passed, we slipped back into our old ways, the ways of the world.

We try to keep our Go Kits at the ready, by the door, to remind us of the fact that we are just strangers here, heaven is our home.

 Our Lord Jesus will call us home, maybe today.

Blessings in his matchless Name.

Dr. Hammond

 

Please visit us at:

(fairfaxshepherdsheart.com)

and

(franciscanfire.com)

 

 

 

 

Throughout the length and breadth of the Bible, one theme stands out above all others:

EXILE AND RETURN.

From the Garden of Eden in Genesis to the return of Jesus in Revelation, the Voice of God thunders down through the centuries:

RETURN TO ME, AND I WILL RETURN TO YOU.

God’s love and faithfulness are only surpassed  by his forgiveness for sin and willingness to take back a sinful people who do not deserve it.

The mighty God created and gave to us a garden place, lovely and wonderful.

We disobeyed and turned away from God.

There was nothing to be done for us except exile.

And God said to Adam:

“Cursed is the ground for your sake. In toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life…For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”

The sin of man is that he loves the world and the flesh more than he loves God the loving Father.

And God can do nothing but send us into exile.

But he sends us with these words:

RETURN TO ME AND I WILL RETURN TO YOU.

And so it was with the Children of Israel.

They had sinned by becoming like the world around them. 

While their sins were many, one among them stood out above all:

THEY DEFILED THE TEMPLE OF GOD.

Abominations took place in the temple.

And they were delivered over into the hands of their worst enemies: 

…The dreaded Babylonians.

Men, women and children were carried away as slaves to a strange and foreign land.

When I was a boy, we watched with horror as Hitler and the dreaded Nazi hordes roared across Europe.

Nation after nation fell to this horror, Poland, France and on and on until they were at the very door of England.

Then, horror of horrors, the Japanese invaded Pearl       Harbor.

The barbarians were at our very gates.

Our smug sense of invincibility was shattered.

Nazi submarines were spotted off the New England coast.

Rumors of spies in our midst spread a great mistrust of strangers and of anyone who didn’t look like us or talk like us.

On Halloween in 1943. my friends and I were going door to door for Trick or Treat.

We had made-up costumes.

My friend, a tall boy, borrowed his father’s overcoat, shirt and tie and slouch hat and painted a mustache on his face with soot.

We were at the door of a neighbor, waiting for a treat, when police sirens and flashing lights screamed into view.

Someone had called the police that there were Nazi spies in the neighborhood.

I leaped into the bushes and crawled away.

My friend and one or two others were thrown into the police car and carried to jail.

I raced home, shaking with fright, and told my mother what happened.

My father was with the Marines in the South Pacific, as were most of the other fathers.

Our mothers got together and rescued the terrified 12-year-olds from the clutches of the police.

This climate of fear was everywhere.

Many nights, the air raid sirens would go off and we would race home, cut off the lights, put blankets over the windows and huddle together in the darkness until the “all clear” siren would sound.

In those dark days, there was only one place of safety and comfort for me: THE CHURCH.

We were Baptists but the Episcopal Church was but a block from my house.

Their service was early so I would walk over and hide behind a tree and watch these Anglicans at work.

The reason was their service always started outdoors.

There were the priest and acolytes and choir, vested in these esoteric robes, like I wear today.

There was the big golden cross on a pole.

I remember how their vestments would blow in the breeze.

Then the choir would begin to sing and into the church they would go.

I thought that was such a beautiful and comforting sight.

Our Baptist service was at 11:15 am.

That big old church was home.

As I walked to the church, I could hear the men’s class singing, strong voices.

I could hear the Methodist bells ringing two blocks away and the Presbyterians.

Sunday morning, it felt as if the world were going to church.

It was good, it was safe.

In that same year, at Christmas, I was baptized in that big pool located up high in the wall of the First Baptist Church.

We were all dressed in white and the pastor, a big strong man, put me under three times in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

I came up dripping wet but I knew my life was changed forever.

Just about everyone in my town returned to God in those days.

After the war, God poured out his blessings upon America.

It was a time of great prosperity and an abundance of blessings in many ways.

In some ways, those days of long ago were like the days following the tragic events of 9-11-01.

If you remember, there was a burst of patriotism and an influx of new people going to church.

But it did not last very long.

Soon we were back to our selfish ways of seeking pleasures where we may and turning away from God.

We have defiled the Temple of God in ways that were not dreamed of in an earlier time.

Of one thing you may be sure:

If you seek to know the condition of America, look not to the government, look not to the political parties, look not to the radical Muslims.

LOOK YOU UPON THE CHURCH.

Cast your gaze upon the church in America.

What do you see?

Do you see a people faithful and pure?

Do you see a people kneeling at the foot of the Cross?

Do you see a people crying out for mercy?

Or do you see a people smug and self-satisfied.

Living as the world lives, giving not a thought to the mighty God who made us.

If you study your Bible, as I have for seven decades, you will find one thing:

GOD’S PURPOSE IS THAT ALL PEOPLE EVERYWHERE WOULD KNOW THAT ONLY HE IS GOD.

There is no other.

God is the God of all people.

God is sovereign over all the  earth.

The whole earth is filled with His glory.

His glory covers the earth as the waters cover the sea.

We are His and He made us.

And His lands prepared the dry land.

If the Bible is true, and I would stake my life upon the truth of it, one thing is clear.

We stand on the brink, and in the midst, of the JUDGMENT OF GOD.

As it now stands, God may carry us away from our homes and our land.

In Romans 11, St. Paul speaks of how God carried the Children of Israel into exile and slavery because of their sin.

And he gives this warning:

“For if God did not spare the natural branches (Israel), He may not spare you either.”

And this is not only for the place where our church meets.

This is for you and your family also.

Get out of debt.

Simplify your life.

Cut down on spending.

Cut down on gasoline usage.

Check on your emergency Go-Kits.

And, above all, remember God.

Live your every day as though it were your last.

Cut off your tv and make time for you and your family to pray and read the Bible.

Teach your children.

Pray for your church,

Pray for your leaders.

Stay close to your church.

Do not close ranks around you and your family.

You cannot make it alone.

You need us and we need you.

Reach out to the other families, especially those you don’t know very well.

Reach out to those who are single and alone.

Reach out to those whose husbands or wives do not walk with them.

Do not slander, do not criticize, do not speak ill of others, especially those in leadership.

Whatever you say to one person, assume it will be told to 20 others.

Of these 20, at least half of them will call your pastor.

This could mean 10 hours on the phone.

The Lord says, again and again:

RETURN TO ME AND I WILL RETURN TO YOU.

In the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

It is not too late now but it may be tomorrow.

(Dear Friends, I’m sending you a very touching story of the love of a dog. It was written, in her own words, by a lady of our parish.)THE STORY OF A GENTLE DOG By Vicki Justus A couple of weeks ago Sister Mary came over to watch movies. She was early and I hadn’t showered yet after my run. So I raced up to do so. When I came down she had been praying over my dog, Shadow, who had lately been moving around with great difficulty. He liked to lie in front of the open front door and watch for hours. Only something important could entice him to do the work of getting up. Sister Mary mentioned that her knees had been hurting, too, so Baby Girl (my new dog) and I laid “paws” on both of them and prayed for a new spring in their step. At that point, Sister Mary got very excited, because she had just prayed that very same thing for Shadow. Only looking back do I see that it was a prophetic prayer (for Shadow). The next day, when I got out of bed, a phrase from a song was repeating in my head, “Today you are leaving and there’s no turning back.” Shadow died that day, or should I say, “passed on.” He was the most gentle, faithful, sweet dog alive for 12 years and he’s left a huge hole. In the afternoon I was finally sitting down after cleaning up everything that was his. The kitchen floor was always filthy in one spot, because he constantly lay there where we had to step over him. The whole middle floor of the house forever had leaves scattered about since his long fur would drag them in from our walk through the woods. I cried and cried, for him, for my kids who are now grown, for an uncertain future, over loss. But Jesus is faithful. I had an image of Shadow leaping and running happily, with “a new spring in his step” and no more arthritis because my Redeemer says there’s no more pain and suffering in heaven. I also remembered when Sr. Mary’s cat, Elgie, died and I had an image of her late brother, Jerry, sitting cross-legged, with Elgie on his lap. I realized there is a future and a hope. But, it was a very hard day. It’s still hard. The dog walk went too quickly this morning, the floor is too clean and bare. I had picked up all the scattered pieces of carpet from the ceramic floor because Shadow was frightened of falling. When I left for the run with Baby Girl, i knew Shadow would not be watching for us at the door. Again, God is merciful. Before i ran, trying to say my morning prayers, I tried to imagine Shadow leaping and playing. This time I had joined him and he rushed up to me for a big hug. But when I tried to hold on to him with my hug, the scene shifted to the kitchen (my world), and he turned away from me. “Lord, why is he turning away?” The Lord said,”Because he no longer belongs to you.” The scene shifted once more to heaven, a wide open field of grass and flowers. Jesus had his arms open wide. “Shadow belongs to us now.” And i knew I had to let him go. I want Shadow at peace in heaven not at “one” with the great cosmic universe,” as some say. But I thought again, about Elgie and Jerry, about how my spirt leaped when I “saw” Shadow jump around and I knew heaven and earth are one in the Lord. I remember Shadow’s faithfulness, gentleness and loyalty. Jesus knows when every sparrow falls. Somehow I could feel Shadow next to me jogging and all around me at the same time. The sun was a little brighter, the air a little warmer and the earth smiled at its gift.