# 11 LENTEN MEDITATION ~ 2023 ~ for the Preparation of the GREAT PASSOVER ~~~ The Morning Sacrifice in the Temple ~ Judas Stood with His+ Enemies

THEY FELL TO THE GROUND !

This series of Lenten / Passover Meditations will reflect the 3^rd Hour Prayer ( 9 a.m. ) Station observed by the Early Christians.  Today, many liturgical churches continue to observe these ancient prayer hours.  They were based upon the prayer hours in the Temple in Jerusalem.

The Morning Prayer came at the time of the Morning Sacrifice in the Temple, the very time that The LORD JESUS was nailed to the Cross.  

    3RD HOUR - MORNING PRAYER 

Heavenly FATHER, we come before YOU at this 3^rd hour of the ancient day, the hour of the Morning Sacrifice in the Temple . . . that same hour that Your Beloved SON+, the LAMB+ of GOD that taketh away the sin of the world, was offered up on the Cross for our sakes.

We thank YOU for the Great Drops of BLOOD HE+ shed in the garden of Gethsemane, after praying all through the night . . . then facing the men who had come with swords and clubs to violently take HIM+.

 

Thank YOU, O Holy FATHER, that Your Beloved SON+, as the perfect  SON+ of GOD, revealed Your power,  saying  “ I AM,”  causing the armed band of men to go backward and fall to the ground .

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JESUS therefore, knowing all things that should come upon HIM+, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? ^{JOHN 18:4}

They answered HIM+, JESUS of Nazareth.

JESUS saith unto them, I+  AM  he.

And Judas also, which betrayed HIM+,

stood with them. ^{JOHN 18:5}

As soon then as HE+ had said unto them, I+ AM he,

they went backward,

and fell to the ground.

^{JOHN 18:6}

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 With WHOM do we STAND  

 . . . with CHRIST JESUS 

or with Judas and the accusers of Our LORD  . . .

During testings ?

During unjust situations ?

When we are accused ?

When insulted by the arrogant ?

To WHOM do we bear Witness when we are seriously disappointed or in heart-break?  Do we murmur that GOD is treating us “unfairly”  when sickness  or adversity is allowed to befall us ?

Do we join HIS+ enemies to accuse HIM+ during times of the trial of our Faith ?

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Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: ^{1 PETER 1:6}

That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that  perisheth,  though it be tried with fire, might be found

unto praise and honour and glory

at the appearing of JESUS CHRIST:

^{1 PETER 1:7}

WHOM+ having not seen, ye love;

in WHOM+,

though now ye see HIM+ not,

yet believing,

ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

^{1 PETER 1:8}

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