3/09/2016

HEAD of the CHURCH ... Passover Meditation for the Monastic-At-Heart ... Ephesians 1:22


CHRIST, THE HEAD of The CHURCH

Meditations  for Pascha
(The Passover Season, 2016)
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Meditations for the Monastic-At-Heart

Now is My+ Soul troubled
and what shall I+ say, 
FATHER, 
save ME+ from this hour?
But for this cause came I+
unto this hour. 

FATHER,
Glorify Thy Name.

Then came there a Voice from Heaven, saying,

I have both glorified IT,
and will glorify IT again.

John12:27-28

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Meditation Verse 
Ephesians 1:22


And  [The FATHER ] hath put all things under His+ Feet, and gave HIM+ to be the Head over all things to the church,
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Meditation

Our Holy Heavenly FATHER loved HIS SON+ ... HIS obedient SON+ ... Who+ made Himself+ of no reputation and  took upon Himself+ the form of a servant and so was made in the likeness of men.

Since The LORD JESUS beat the satan at the Resurrection, The FATHER gave to HIM+ dominion and authority over every thing in this world and in the ages to come.

Everything is under the Feet of JESUS CHRIST, the Nail-scarred feet.

But there is more...

The FATHER so loved the SON+ that HE  also gave HIM+ something else: the headship over the Ekklasia... the Called-Out Ones... the church.

Our LORD JESUS CHRIST cannot be the Head of the church unless HE+ is the head of the members of the church.

Thus, those who yield the control of their lives unto CHRIST JESUS are the ones who are counted as being "in the church."  

Regardless of letters of membership, regardless of who or where or in what group one is baptized,  those who reject the HEADSHIP of CHRIST JESUS in their personal lives are not in the church.

It is easy to identify individuals who ARE in the church.

These individuals will have characteristics that will remind everyone of JESUS.

They will, for instance, make themselves of no reputation, like HE+ did.  

This is not a groveling inferior demeanor, but rather, they are constantly pointing all good reputation towards JESUS Himself+; they will receive nothing towards themselves.

True Followers of JESUS will go so far as to allow other Servants to take the credit for work they do for JESUS, knowing for sure and certain that nothing is erased from their account with The LORD CHRIST.

Knowing this, True Followers of JESUS can safely forget about the credit due them and rejoice that they can entrust their work to the Keeper+ of All Accounts.

Another characteristic is that they will conduct themselves like servants... Servants of the Most High GOD. 

In other words, what HE+ says, they do. Without a quarrel, without a murmur, they obey the commands from their Master+ CHRIST.

They make themselves available unto JESUS at all times, just like good Servants do who await their Master's command.

So, if The LORD tells His+ Servants to WAIT on HIM+  in the prayer closet, they wait... and they do it in the prayer closet, not in the dining hall.

If the LORD of that Servant tells him to fast to prepare for the battle ahead, the Servant does it, knowing that fasting clears the ears of confusion and distraction. That way, he can hear the Voice of his Master+ clearer and more quickly.

If the LORD of that Servant tells him to secretly give to someone, the Servant finds a way to give without the receiver knowing where it came from... thus thanking GOD in Heaven for meeting his needs.

Reputation-hunters will never know who the REAL servants of GOD are because they keep themselves hidden from the eyes of the world.

But, rest assured, they are NOT hidden from GOD! His+ ears are VERY open to their prayers. 

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Let us pray:

Dear Heavenly FATHER, thank YOU for give us Your SON+ JESUS CHRIST Who+ came to us as one of us.

Thank YOU+, LORD JESUS, for making Yourself+ of no reputation so that we could learn the way to walk with GOD, the way of power in prayer.

Thank YOU+, O LORD, for showing us that the way of humility is the way of favor with GOD.

And now, help me to embrace that lowly place too.  Help me to forsake accruing a “good” reputation for my Self… even in my own mind and before my own eyes. Help me to yield to THEE+ when others take the credit for my work; I make that an offering unto THEE+, O CHRIST.  

Help me to embrace it when others do not treat me with dignity or common courtesy. 

Help me to be meek and not rail with anger or angry words --- even in my thoughts ---  when I am mis-treated.

Help me to take Your+ Yoke of humiliation upon my Self and learn of YOU+.

Help me to join YOU+, O LORD JESUS, at the Cross.

This I pray in Thy+ HOLY Name, O LORD JESUS, Who+ has purchased our rest by Thy+ humiliation.

Amen.

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Worthy is the LAMB+

Worthy is the LAMB+ 

Worthy is the LAMB+, 
SLAIN from the FOUNDATION
of the earth. 

Revelation 13:8


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PRAISE and THANKSGIVING
be to The FATHER,
and to HIS Beloved SON+
JESUS CHRIST,
and to
the Blessed HOLY SPIRIT.

ONE GOD:
FATHER,
SON+,
and HOLY SPIRIT,
both now and forever,
world without end.
Amen.





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