Showing posts with label John the Baptist. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John the Baptist. Show all posts

12/21/2015

HE+ was PROCLAIMED #4... By a BABY ! ... Advent meditations 2015 ... for the Monastic-At-Heart







Luke 1:15 
~Words of the angel Gabriel to Zacharias, the Priest, regarding his promised son, John the Baptist ~



For he shall be great
in the sight of the LORD
and shall drink neither 
wine nor strong drink;

and he shall be filled 
with the HOLY SPIRIT,
even from his mother’s womb.
  
Luke 1:41-44

And it came to pass, that, 
when Elisabeth heard
 the salutation of Mary,
the babe leaped in her womb;
and Elisabeth was filled
with the HOLY SPIRIT

And she spake out with a loud voice, 
and said,
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is
 the FRUIT+ of thy womb.

And whence is this to me,
that the mother of my LORD
should come to me?

For, lo, as soon as
the voice of thy salutation sounded
in mine ears,
the babe leaped in my womb for joy.


Do we do as well as babe-in-the-womb, John the Baptist ?

Do we bear evidence of following JESUS... without opening our mouths ?

This babe in the womb recognized his LORD+ ... while our LORD was in the womb! The anointed human baby recognized the Divine Baby.

Mute, still, but very much alive, those babies-in-the-womb communicated by The HOLY SPIRIT the instant Mary's mouth issued forth a salutation.

Even with such limitations as being a babe in the womb, John bore witness to the CHRIST-child ... before either was born.

But, we are born and re-born from Above. How much witness do we bear, in this born and re-born state?  

We walk, we talk, we move about through our daily tasks, but how much witness do we bear for CHRIST, to the visible ones and --- possibly more importantly  --- to the invisible beings ?

Can any being know at a glance that we follow CHRIST JESUS ? 

The unseen unclean spirits know.

Those unseen watchers who dog our path know exactly what we are doing and thinking ( a scary thought )! They know they can hurt us if we are following our flesh even merely in our thinking.

They hurl "thoughts" at us and TRY to make us agree with them instead of with The LORD JESUS and His+ Holy Word.

Those unclean beings wait to trip us and lure us away from HIM+ , even for a moment. Then, they can hurt us. 

With great preciseness, they know our weak spots and how to derail us with bitterness, self-pity, and ancestral family spirits. 

They know where 
we do not stand.

They KNOW when we yearn after things for which The LORD has said, "NO!"

They also know this: 

When we RENOUNCE 
the family spirits 
and all other unclean thoughts and feelings, 
in the POWER-FILLED Name 
of JESUS CHRIST our LORD.

These unclean beings know when we repent of listening to their lies ( such as, " You are so mistreated, again, like you always have been." ).  They hate to see us repent of agreeing with those lies hurled at us by the unclean ones themselves.


They know we have power over them through the Blood of JESUS CHRIST our LORD. 

They also know 
when 
we do NOT use it


Now, what about others, our fellow humans we are around daily? Can anyone know at a glance that we follow CHRIST JESUS ?

"Preach the Gospel constantly; if necessary, use words,"  according to Brother Francis of Assisi. 


Can people who do not know us watch us for 5 minutes and realize we follow JESUS ... without us opening our mouth ?

If not, let us remedy that. Let us seek The LORD to see what we need to change. 

If a mute and still babe in the womb can bear witness to CHRIST JESUS in joy, surely, surely, we have enough of the HOLY SPIRIT to also leap for joy at the mention of JESUS.

What is stopping us… 
or rather,  
Who ? 

Let us Pray:

O Gracious Heavenly FATHER, help me to leap for joy when I hear Thy+ Word to me.

Grant me a singleness of eye, I beseech THEE, to follow Thy+ HOLY SON+ JESUS totally and without distraction.

Without a word spoken, like this babe, help me to give evidence of THEE+ to all the watchers, both seen and unseen.

In the Name of Thy+ Beloved Son+ JESUS CHRIST , Whose+ Coming will make us leap for joy forever and ever, we pray. Amen


12/02/2015

The PORTRAYED ONE+ ... Advent Meditations 2015

THAT PROPHET + .... HIM+ YE WILL HEAR ! 





Very early in the ancient writings, Scripture  portrays our Coming MESSIAH+, The LORD JESUS CHRIST, in power and authority.

That  PROPHET+....

... HIM+ ye will hear!



Deuteronomy 18:13-15

 Thou shalt be perfect 
with The LORD thy God.

For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy GOD hath not suffered thee so to do.

The LORD thy GOD will raise up unto thee a PROPHET+ from the midst of thee, 
of thy brethren like me; 
unto HIM+ ye shall hearken;

Deuteronomy 18: 18-19

I will raise them up a PROPHET+ 
from among their brethren, 
like unto thee [ Moses ],

and will put MY Words in HIS+ mouth;

and HE+ shall speak unto
them all that I shall command HIM+.

19 And it shall come to pass,
that whosoever will not hearken
unto MY Words
which HE+ shall speak in MY Name,

I will require it of him.


{8085} [m"v; shama`, shaw-mah'; a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience)...

The Jews sought out John the Baptist to inquire of him why he was baptizing.

It seems that they were well aware of Who+ THAT PROPHET+ was Whose+ coming was imminent.

John 1:19-21

19 And this is the record of John,
when the Jews sent priests and Levites 
from Jerusalem to ask him,
Who art thou?

20 And he confessed,
and denied not; but confessed,
I am not the CHRIST.

21 And they asked him,

What then? Art thou Elijah?

And he saith, I am not.

Art thou THAT PROPHET+ ?

And he answered,
NO !

John 1:29

 The next day John sees JESUS
coming unto him,
and says,

Behold 
the LAMB+ of GOD,

WHO+ takes away
the sin of the world !

Let us pray:

O, Holy LAMB+ of GOD, WHO+ takes away the sin of the world, have mercy upon me.

Many times, O LORD, I have not heeded  THY+ call.  Many times. O LORD, I have ignored  THY+ Word.  I have no excuse, if THOU+ shouldest examine me.

Help me to walk softly before THEE+. Help me to listen for THY+ direction and to stop my Self, my head-strong will, and my mouth.

I renounce my self-will now and turn to THEE+.  With all of my heart, O CHRIST, I come to THEE+. 

Wilt THOU+ come to me ?

Yes, My+ child. Learn to listen to My+ Voice in everything you do. Go softly now, not head-strong, and await My+ direction even in little things.

Come unto ME+, follow MY+ leading, and My+ Will  gives  you rest and joy. For, My+ yoke is easy and My+ burden is light for everyone who forsakes his own will and follows ME+.

All glory, honor, and power be unto HIM+ that sitteth upon the Throne and unto The LAMB+ !  

Amen and Amen.