The following testimonial, given by one of the greatest of Russian writers, serves as an introduction to his book entitle,“MY RELIGION – WHAT I BELIEVE.” The author of the classic work, War and Peace, drew strength and faith, not from any advanced study of Christian Dogmatics, but from the very simplicity of the Word of God. It is an approach worthy of consideration. Hope you will enjoy – Bishop Ogles

                                                Leo Tolstoi

 

My Religion – What I Believe by Leo Tolstoy

I am fifty-five years old and, with the exception of the fourteen or fifteen years of my childhood, I have been until recently a “Nihilist” in the proper signification of that term, i.e. I have not been a Socialist or Revolutionist, but a Nihilist in the sense of being completely without faith. 

Five years ago I began to believe in the teaching of Christ, and in consequence a great change has been wrought in me. I now no longer care for the things that I had prized, and I have begun to desire that which I had formerly been indifferent to. The causes which seemed worthy of respect to me before, now appeared unworthy, and what seemed bad before appeared to be good now. Like a man who, going out on business, on his way suddenly becomes convinced of the futility of that business and turns back; and all that stood to the right now stands to the left, and all that was to the left is now to the right; his wish to be as far from home as possible is changed to the desire of being as near home as possible – so, I may say, the whole aim and purpose of my life has been changed; my desires are no more what they have been. For me, good and evil have changed places. This experience came through my apprehending the teaching of Christ in an altogether different way compared to how I understood it earlier. 

It is not my intention to interpret the teaching of Christ, but simply to relate how I came to understand the simplest, clearest, intelligible, the most undoubtful, and addressing all people meaning in the teaching; and how that, which I had grasped, gave a new direction to all my thoughts, and provided me with peacefulness and happiness. 

I have no wish to interpret the teaching of Christ, but I should like to prevent others from interpreting it wrongly. Christian churches generally acknowledge that all men, however they may differ from each other in knowledge or mental capacity, are equal before God; and that the truth revealed to man is accessible to all. Christ Himself has told us that the Father has hidden some things ‘from the wise and prudent, and revealed them to the unaware.’ 

All men cannot be initiated into the mysteries of dogmatic, homiletic, and 

patristic theologies, and so on, but everybody can understand what Christ taught to all millions of simple and ignorant men. This is what Christ told all these simple people, who didn’t have an opportunity to get explanations of his teaching from Paul, Clement, Zlatoust and others; his meaning was incomprehensible to me, too, but I understand it now, and that’s what I want to explain to all people. 

The thief on the cross believed in Christ and was saved. Would it have harmed anybody if the thief had not died on the cross, but had come down to tell us how he believed in Christ? 

Like the thief on the cross, I, too, believed in the teaching of Christ, and found my salvation in it. This is not a far-fetched comparison; it is the closest description of the condition of anguish and despair I was once in at the thought of life and of death, and it also indicates the peace and happiness that now fill my soul. 

Like the thief, I knew that my life was full of wickedness; I saw that the greater part of those around me were morally no better than I was. Like the thief, too, I knew that I was unhappy, and that I suffered; and that all around me were unhappy and suffering likewise, and I saw no way out of this state of misery but through death. 

Like the thief, I was nailed, as it were by some invisible power, to this life of suffering and evil; and the same dreadful darkness of death that awaited the thief, after his useless suffering and enduring of the evils of life, awaited me. 

In all this I was like the thief, but there was this difference between us: he was dying, and I still lived. The thief could believe that his salvation would be realized beyond the grave, but I could not; because, putting aside the life beyond the grave, I had yet to live on earth. I did not, however, understand life. It seemed awful to me until I heard the words of Christ and understood them; and then life and death no longer seemed to be evils; instead of despair I felt the joy of possessing a life that death has no power to destroy. 

Can it harm anyone if I relate how it was that this change was effected in me? 

 THE GOOD SAMARITAN OF HEAVEN

by Bishop Jerry Ogles
The Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide

NOTE: To watch the Abbreviated Video of this devotion, click on the URL below:

https://youtu.be/q0V2Dl0-41k

“And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see: ²⁴For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. ²⁵And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? ²⁶He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?  ²⁷And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. ²⁸And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. ²⁹But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? ³⁰And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. ³¹And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. ³²And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. ³³But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, ³⁴And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. ³⁵And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. ³⁶ Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? ³⁷And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.” (Luke 10:23-37; all scripture quoted is from the King James Version)

In order to fully understand the situation confronting Christ, we must observe that which the Lectionary failed to include – the preceding two verses that reveal the setting. "In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him." (Luke 10:21-22) Those whose high-minded thoughts are infatuated with the Self of the Ivory Tower will not understand the Words given by Christ here. Those men are much too good to get a handle on such simplicity as the Gospel represents. They must add to it their own complicated and sophisticated interpretations and render those in words which they can barely understand themselves and, certainly, not understood of those who are so simple as to know only Christ. "And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Matt 18:2-4) I am not so proud of my title as to be very happy to become a simple, little child for Christ. All of the lawyers, Scribes, and Pharisees gathered about not only would not believe, but refused to believe, the simple Gospel that had been given to the simple disciples of Christ. Note the grace of God evidenced in the last verse of the quote: "…and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him." Has Jesus revealed His Father to you, Friend?

"And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see: For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them." What standing and privilege we have to have come into the knowledge of the Gospel. We have been given greater privilege than many prophets and kings. Have we treasured the privilege above all others?

Jesus is speaking in a public place and gathered around were those who would have enjoyed presenting a question that would have undermined His wisdom and knowledge. I am amazed that they continued so to do for they were constantly made fools by the attempt. There is a "certain lawyer" present who felt able to place Christ on the spot with a question which it was the Lord's very specialty to answer: "And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? Is this a very good question? No, it is not. The premise of the question is wrong for there is nothing that we can DO to inherit eternal life – it is a gift of God. Jesus, being the most able of all teachers, gives the inquirer another question in response to fathom the depths of the inquirer's knowledge as well as cause for deeper thought on the matter: "What is written in the law? how readest thou?" Should not all of us determine our answers to questions of eternity on God's Law? Should we not all have read it and meditated thereon? How does the lawyer, very apt at deciphering law, read the question? This is an excellent technique to determine – not the depth of the lawyer's knowledge, but the want of knowledge. 

The lawyer answered very ably for he knew the `words' of the law, but perhaps not the spirit of it: "And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself." The lawyer may recognize the technical qualities of a diamond, but he cannot know the source of its beauty.

Note how respectfully Christ treats the question and answer of the lawyer who seeks to `tempt' him. "And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live." If credit is due, you may always expect it from Christ.

The lawyer realizes that he has failed to reveal any indiscretion in the answer of Christ and seeks to justify his inquiry and standing by pressing further. By asking this next question, he hopes to weaken the credibility of Christ in whatever He claims as a neighbor. "But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? We can clearly see by the motive and attitude that the lawyer is less in earnest to understand truth, than to place his witness off balance. His interest is not truth, but justification of himself which he is incapable of doing. 

These next beautiful lines of a Parable of Christ are among the most beloved and noteworthy of the Gospels and repeated almost daily in general conversation: "Come on, be a good Samaritan and loan me some money!" or "The life of a victim of an automobile accident this morning was saved by a good Samaritan who just happen on the scene of the accident shortly after it happened." Do we not hear such accounts daily?

"And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?" 

Here we see unsurpassing grace and a full figure of our Lord Himself described. In what way, you ask?  Because we were that man who went DOWN the road of life and were beaten by the devil and his friends. We were left to die until a good Samaritan (Christ) came along – going UP to the Holy City – and treated our hurts and sores with His own riches and Being. He did so after even those who were considered `holy' passed us by. He cared for our wounds, and placed us on His own beast, and took us to a place of security, and continued to treat our hurts, and purchased our continued treatment and security until He returns for us. This is part of the spiritual meaning, but there is also a general application that presents in our own lives and those of other Christians.

This `certain man' that went down (the wrong direction) the road from Jerusalem, the Holy City, to Jericho, a worldly city, was a Jew. He it was who, it was suspected, would have a bag of money hidden on his person for commerce. Being a Jew, he had every right to expect help from his religious leaders of the same race. He would have found the gentile Samaritans (half-blooded Jews) to have been unworthy of his friendship and beneath his class.  He would never have lifted a finger to help the `unclean' Samaritans.

Alas, he falls among thieves who are waiting along the path in ambush. The devil sets many ambushes for us to destroy both our faith and our persons. The thieves took all that the man had, even including his raiment (clothes) and left him half-dead. Do you know that all who know not Christ have been left half-dead along life's road? Satan would prefer to leave us half-dead than fully dead so that we may cause others to follow our folly. This is true of combat. The enemy would prefer to seriously wound our soldier than to kill him. Why? Because many support personnel are required to treat a wounded warrior, but far less to bury one such soldier.

Note that a priest and a Levite comes along, going DOWN (the wrong direction) as well, to Jericho. It may be presumed that they had just completed Temple duties and were cleansed. But these two had yet to learn the meaning of the Lord's words: "For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings." (Hosea 6:6) Temple worship, or indeed any worship, will not suffice apart from a love of God and our fellow men. The priest clearly sees the man, we are told, but decides not to help the man or to touch blood which would have made him `unclean.' The Levite sees the man and, at least comes to where he is and looks on him. But then goes the way of the priest. Both are guilty of lack of mercy and compassion – ingredients of character that cannot coexist in evil hearts. 

Now comes a Samaritan UP the Road to Jerusalem. Unlike the priest, the Jew, and the Levite, this man is traveling in the RIGHT direction. (Psalms 1) Note the actions of the Good Samaritan: 

1)       "came where he was" As Christians, we must GO to where the need is greatest, not relax in opulence in our parlors.

2)       "he saw him" How many needs go unseen every day though our eyes cannot avoid the observance of that need?

3)       "he had compassion on him" Just as our Savior, Christ, this Samaritan, though hated by this Jew, felt the man's hurt so keenly that he took measures to help the man of his hurt (just as Christ has done for those of us who have come to Him).

4)       "And went to him" His first coming to where the man was at the time was, to us, happenstance, but surely to God, our steps were ordered. After coming to a person in need we do not simply stand and watch. We GO to the victim so that we may render assistance.

5)       "and bound up his wounds" Just as Jesus practice the triage of treating the most critical need first, so does this Samaritan by binding up the man's wounds to stop the bleeding. Has Christ not found us with our own blood flowing from our souls and given us life? "And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live.' (Ezek 16:6) When we see our neighbor strangers perishing for grave want, have we forgotten the great mercies granted to us?

6)        "pouring in oil and wine." The only resources the Samaritan had to treat the man was the expensive oil and wine which he not only `applied' but `poured' into the man's wounds. He spared no personal treasures in helping his charge. Do you not love this Good Samaritan?"

7)       "set him on his own beast" The Samaritan would rather walk in order that the wounded man might ride. This is `mercy' combined with `sacrifice' – the kind of combination that the Lord loves.

8)       "and brought him to an inn" The Samaritan is not concerned about his tight schedule. He takes time to take the best care of the wounded man. This is an expense as well, but he does not even consider it an expense. It is an obligation before God.

9)       "and took care of him" I wish I had many friends as kind as this Samaritan Stranger. Actually, I do have ONE, and perhaps others of my friends who love that ONE. He continued, even at the end, to take time and trouble to treat the man.

10)    "And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him" Apparently being convinced that the man would be well after rest and gentle treatment, the Samaritan departs to care for his pressing business in Jerusalem. But he does not forget the responsibility he has shouldered for the Jew. He PAYs even the innkeeper to continue caring for the Jew. "He doeth all things well!"

11)    "and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee." Had you ever considered ALL that the Good Samaritan did for this wounded Jew, or for that wounded soul that resides in your own heart? "Even if it costs me more, I will pay. I will pay to the uttermost." Says the Good Samaritan. 

Jesus has told the story which will fully answer the question of the lawyer, but the lawyer remains stiff-necked in his pride. Jesus asks: "Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?" Three men were involved. Two were not only religious leaders from whom one might expect greater degrees of compassion, but also men of the same blood. They, of all people, should have considered a fellow Jew a neighbor. They passed by without lifting a finger to help the poor wounded fellow. The third, a lowly Samaritan, spent his own wealth, took his own time, and delayed his own business to help a man whose race hated him. Which one of these three would any sane person believe was neighbor to the wounded man? You, or I, would answer the Samaritan; but the lawyer, being a Jew who loathed even the name of a Samaritan, answered only: "He that shewed mercy on him." The lawyer would prefer a pronoun to a real name. Even so, he answered correctly even if in the wrong spirit. 

Jesus responded to the lawyer in the same way He responds to you and me: "Go, and do thou likewise." What have you been this week: a priest, a Levite, or a Good Samaritan?

DEVOTIONS FOR YOUTH & THE YOUNG AT HEART

CLICK ON URL TO VIEW VIDEO PRESENTATION:

https://youtu.be/oPjzLKAkAJs

NAMES & TITLES OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST - OUR 

FORTRESS. Click on URL below to view Video Presentation

Video link

https://youtu.be/WXVxTJv4ow8 

 Here is an interesting article emphasizing the importance of dreaming for future success and perseverance in that future Goal by Pastor KIM Chong Hwon: (Korean Christian times)

 

ANCIENT OF EVERLASTING DAYS (#285), a Hymn of Praise for 29 April 2025 Anno Domini, the Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide

 

“I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.”

Daniel 7:9

 

            This ancient hymn connects the former Hebrew worship to our own modern liturgy. Like the Reformation Church, the ancient worship of the Jewish synagogue was based on a reading of Holy Scripture, communal prayers, and singing. It is unfortunate that the Jewish worshippers could not connect the God whom they worshipped to the Triune God of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The symbolic meaning is obvious to all who know the fulness of the Gospel which actually predates the New Testament in promise. The lyrics are attributed to Daniel ben Judah and translated by Thomas Oliver (1725-1799), a co-worker with John Wesley. The tune is, LEONI, by Meyer Leon in 1770. I have written of this hymn before, but not the same stanzas for there are twelve altogether. This hymn is still sung in morning services among many of the Jewish faith in their synagogues.

ANCIENT OF EVERLASTING DAYS

 

1 The God of Abraham praise, 
who reigns enthroned above; 
Ancient of Everlasting Days, 
and God of Love; 
Jehovah, great I AM! 
by earth and heaven confessed; 
I bow and bless the sacred name 
forever blest.

 

2 The great I AM has sworn; 
I on this oath depend. 
I shall, on eagle wings upborne, 
to heaven ascend.
I shall behold God's face; 
I shall God's power adore, 
and sing the wonders of God's grace 
forevermore.

 

3 The heavenly land I see, 
with peace and plenty blest; 
a land of sacred liberty, 
and endless rest.
There milk and honey flow, 
and oil and wine abound, 
and trees of life forever grow 
with mercy crowned.

 

4 The God who reigns on high 
the great archangels sing, 
and "Holy, holy, holy!" cry 
"Almighty King! 
Who was, and is, the same, 
and evermore shall be: 
Jehovah, Lord, the great I AM, 
we worship thee!"

 

1 The God of Abraham praise, who reigns enthroned above; Ancient of Everlasting Days, and God of Love; Jehovah, great I AM! by earth and heaven confessed; I bow and bless the sacred name forever blest.

            Was Abraham saved? Can a man be saved apart from the atoning blood of our Lord Jesus Christ? No, he cannot; however, Abraham was saved for the faith he held in the promise of the coming Redeemer. All who believed that promise in ancient Israel were included in the covenant of grace, but moist did not so believe. Christ now sits enthroned in Heaven at the right hand of God the Father. Little did the Judaic worshippers know that the great I Am who spoke to Moses from the Burning Bush was the pre-Incarnate Jesus Christ. The whole world today, whether they profess belief or not, acknowledge Him by their calendar year as well as by their vehemence at the very mention of His Holy Name.

2 The great I AM has sworn; I on this oath depend. I shall, on eagle wings upborne, to heaven ascend. I shall behold God's face; I shall God's power adore, and sing the wonders of God's grace forevermore. Our Lord had sworn before the world’s were made to stand up as the sacrificial Lamb of God for our atonement. The Lord bore Israel across the Red Sea and through the Wilderness for forty years on wings as of the eagle, and her bears the Church in the same way (Rev 12:14) As blind, old Fanny Crosby has often written in her 9,000 hymns, we shall see our Lord face-to-face. For Fanny, that would be the first sight she will have seen since infancy. She certainly wrote and sung opf the wonders and glories of God’s grace.

3 The heavenly land I see, with peace and plenty blest; a land of sacred liberty, and endless rest. There milk and honey flow, and oil and wine abound, and trees of life forever grow with mercy crowned. If your spiritual vision is keen by faith, you too may glimpse the Heavenly Land that lies just beyond Jordan Banks. Of course it provides an abundance of all things beautiful and is governed by a peace that cannot be broken by the profession of arms. Because we have surrendered the old self-will and desires of the flesh, and received the Mind that was in Christ, we shall continue to have full fruits of the full Law of Liberty and peace. Yes, and there stands the Tree of Life, in the Paradise of God, that was removed from Eden at Adam’s Fall (Revelations 22:2).

4 The God who reigns on high the great archangels sing, and "Holy, holy, holy!" cry "Almighty King! Who was, and is, the same, and evermore shall be: Jehovah, Lord, the great I AM, we worship thee!" The Heavenly dignitaries and the Angel Hosts will sing of the Glory, Majesty, and Grace of our God as we are welcomed through the Gates of splendor. The great I AM is the same yesterday, today, and forever, He changeth not. God exists outside the space/time continuum for those are the Creation of God. He is the same I Am of eternity Past, the present time, and the future eternity. Though we see now through a glass darkly, we shall then see face-to-face. Amen!

 

 

WALKING ON THE SEA

"And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.  And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.  But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid." Gospel of St Matthew 14:25-27

 

In youth I read how Jesus 
Walked upon the Galilean Sea, 
On stormy waves he bade a man
to walk as well as He.

And Peter walked upon the deep 

with eyes fixed on the Lord, 

But as he cast his eyes below

upon the murky flood, 

His foot gave way to billows dark as 

he shouted, “Lord, Save Me! ”

When I look back upon life’s seas 

and count the times I doubted, 

I know my eyes were off the Lord 

in every case recounted.

But knowing He would not forsake 

nor leave me in my failings, 

I cried for help and felt His Hand 

above the Seas prevailing.

And so His nail scarred Hand remains 

outstretched across life’s seas, 

To rescue every drowning soul 

as He has rescued me.

(Panama City,2011)

Jerry Levon Ogles © 2011