ADVENT MEDITATION... Day 9

Advent Meditation Day 9

Year of Our LORD

12.9.2008

The Journey Towards Bethlehem

HE+ that planted the ear,

shall HE+ not hear?

HE+ that formed the eye,

shall HE+ not see?

Psalm 94:9

<(((><

O LORD, I come before THEE knowing mine ear has not been single of hearing; I love the praise of men. I come before THEE knowing mine eye has not been single; I have cast it on things far unworthy of THEE.

><(((>

Help me, O LORD, to turn away from the stubbornness of mine own heart and the secret sins of my soul. Bless me in this journey towards Bethlehem, towards THEE, O LORD.

><(((>

Bring Thy Holy conviction that I may not stumble and sin against THEE... and may not ignore the convicton of Thy Blessed HOLY SPIRIT when I do sin. Turn me , again, LORD, restore me, and I shall be saved.

In the Name of the FATHER,

the SON+,

and the HOLY SPIRIT.

Amen.

+ + +

ADVENT MEDITATION... DAY 8

Advent Meditation

Day 8

The Journey Towards Bethlehem

Year of Our LORD,

12.8.2008

+

+

+

So teach us

to number our days,

that we may apply our hearts

unto wisdom.

Psalm 90:12

Only one life...

"twill SOON BE PAST...

Only what's done for CHRIST

will last.

(from an unknown Christian sage).

+ + +

ADVENT MEDITATION... DAY 7

The Journey Towards Bethlehem...

The First SUNDAY in ADVENT

Year of Our LORD,

12.7.2008

How beautiful upon the mountains

are the feet

of him that bringeth good tidings,

that publisheth peace;

that bringeth good tidings of good,

that publisheth salvation;

that saith unto Zion,

Thy GOD reigneth!

Isaiah 52:7

+ + +

.

O Gracious Heavenly FATHER... I come to you in the name of Thine Only-Begotten SON+, our LORD JESUS CHRIST, to worship THEE. Thank you for bringing salvation to mankind, to the big and little peoples of the earth, to me.

.

<(((><

.

I Thank THEE, O Holy ONE+, for being my peace. I thank THEE for subduing the enemies of my soul and bring the Light of Life to my darkened heart. Thank you for hearing my cries.

.

<(((><

.

How I love Thy Holiness and how I rest myself in THEE... the Only Place of Perfect Rest! I bless Thy Holy Name and lift THEE up and magnify THEE forever and forever. In the name of the Life-Giving Trinity: The FATHER, The SON+, and The HOLY SPIRIT, I pray. Amen.

+ + +

ADVENT MEDITATION... DAY 6

Advent Day 6
The Journey Towards Bethlehem
Year of Our LORD, 12.6.2008


But My people would not hearken to My voice;
and Israel would none of ME.

So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust:
and they walked in their own counsels.

Oh that My people had hearkened unto ME,
and Israel had walked in My ways!

I should soon have
subdued their enemies,
and turned My hand
against their adversaries.

Psalm 81:11-14

<(((><

+

+

+

+ + +

O Gracious Heavenly FATHER,

to Whom all hearts are open,

all desires known,

and from Whom no secrets are hid:

cleanse the thoughts of my heart

through the in-breathing of Thy HOLY SPIRIT,

that I may perfectly love THEE

and worthily magnify Thy Holy Name,

through CHRIST our LORD.

Amen.
(adapted from the BCP, Communion Service).

+ + +

ADVENT MEDITATION... DAY 5

Advent Day 5
The Journey Towards Bethlehem
Year of Our LORD, 12.5.2008

And they tempted GOD in their heart
by asking meat for their lust.
Psalm 78:18

And HE+ gave them their request;
but sent leanness into their soul.
Psalm 106:15

How do we pray? How often do we pray for the things we desire but not need… for food for the lust-of-the-eye, lust-of-the-flesh and / or the pride of life? How many times do we beseech The LORD to provide for our carnal appetites, our temporal comforts… far beyond necessity?

Doesn’t an old faded towel work as well as a new, brightly-colored one to do the job intended? Is the towel’s primary function to adorn or to dry our wet bodies? Must we really have the top-of-the-line items for the house, the vehicle, the shop, the bookshelf, the music room… and even the ministry? Do we truly need to cover our bodies with whatever are the “in-clothes” and have our feet shod with the same?

If we have an eye towards these things, the spirit of covetousness is at work. The advertising world is good at making us covet. We may indeed clamor for these things and see nothing wrong with it, but do we want the spiritual price-tag… LEANNESS UNTO OUR SOULS ??

Let Us Pray:

Most Loving Heavenly FATHER, I thank Thee for providing for me from the beginning of my life unto this very day. Help me to turn away from craving dead meat. Lift mine eyes towards Heaven that I might request Eternal gifts through Thy Life-Giving SON+… Who+ came into the world to give Light unto people who walked in the darkness of temporal desires. Help me to set my affection on things above, where Your Beloved SON+ is seated at Your Right Hand. In the name of Thy Life-Giving SON+ JESUS CHRIST I pray.

AMEN + + +

ADVENT MEDITATION ... DAY 4

Advent Day 4
The Journey Towards Bethlehem
Year of Our LORD, 12.4.2008





And might not be as their fathers,
a stubborn and rebellious generation;
a generation that set not their heart aright,
and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.
Psalm 78:8



How many times we flounder! How many times do we drop our Spiritual discipline? How often do we let everything and everybody take priority over our established quiet time with The LORD? We think holiness comes by good intentions, by biblical knowledge, or by osmosis, perhaps.

Or maybe… we haven’t even begun to embrace the discipline of commitment to a quiet time with Our SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST… that very ONE+ Who+ loved us and washed us from our sins in His+ own Blood. Our prayers and Bible reading are by happenstance… whenever I happen to feel like it.

Yes, Our LORD desires us to come to HIM+ whenever we feel like it… and whenever we DON’T particularly feel like it, also.

HE+ does want to see good intentions established in us… so much so that we will repent when we drop them aside.

Biblical knowledge is important so that we know how to walk in HIS+ ways… and then DO them.

Furthermore, holiness does come by osmosis of sorts… our closeness to HIM+. Our oneness with our SAVIOR, our homologia, being of the same word, the same mind, the same thought… in total agreement with The LORD JESUS CHRIST ---about everything--- is the only path of holiness available.



Therefore, my beloved brethren,
be ye stedfast, unmoveable,
always abounding in the work of the Lord,
forasmuch as ye know
that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
I Corinthians15:58


LET US PRAY:
O Gracious Holy FATHER, I come to Thee ashamed of mine own lack of steadfastness. I admit am more steadfast on my job before the eyes of man than I am in the secret prayer chamber with Thee. I see I am more steadfast with my family and friends than concerned about what You will think of me. I have taken advantage of Thy Grace. I am sorry LORD+.

LORD, change me. I bring my slovenly discipline, which dishonors Thee, for correction. Your Word tells me that my Spiritual Labor is truly NOT in vain. Help me to bring Glory unto Thee, through the power of Thy HOLY SPIRIT, in the Name of Thine Incarnate SON+ JESUS CHRIST, Whom+ I call LORD and MASTER.

Amen. + + +

ADVENT MEDITATION... Day 3

Advent Day 3
The Journey Towards Bethlehem
Year of Our LORD, 12.3.2008

But it is good for me to draw near to God:
I have put my trust
in the Lord GOD,
that I may declare all thy works.
Psalm 73:28
+
+
+


Drawing near to the heart of GOD… the place of perfect rest… is the goal. Sometimes, though, in the middle of tension peace seems nigh unto impossible. That is why Christians have stress the same as worldlings do. However, our “stress-tests” are designed specifically to bring us into His+ Presence instead of to the doctor’s.

The wise Apostle James tells us something startling: we have steps …concrete steps… to take in order to GET close to His+ heart! It is something anybody can do, at any place, at any time, and at any point in history.

Furthermore, if we DO these things, GOD will respond! [A good example is the conversion scene of Sally Beth Roe in Frank Peretti’s Piercing the Darkness!!]

Draw nigh to God,
and he will draw nigh to you.
Cleanse your hands,
ye sinners;
and purify your hearts,
ye double minded.
James 4:8

Oddly enough, the Apostle James is not speaking here to the pagans, heathen, nor to the worldlings. The Apostle is addressing Christians . In every chapter of his general letter to the Christian community at large, he specifically addresses the recipients of his counsel as my brethren.

But it is good for me to draw near to God:
I have put my trust
in the Lord GOD,
that I may declare all thy works.
Psalm 73:28

The Psalmist tells us whenever we draw near unto GOD, we can perfectly trust HIM+ not to destroy us when we confess our failures, short-comings, weaknesses, and sin. HE+ simply holds our peace until we bring these things unto HIM+. That’s one reason HE+ came … to rescue us from ourselves.

Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts:
for the coming of the Lord
draweth nigh.
James 5:8

O Gracious Heavenly FATHER…establish my heart in Thee. I’m sorry for my fears; I know You already see all that I am. You already know how I’ll re-act, even the words on my tongue before I say them.

Grant this day I do not fall into sin but rather, into Thy Loving Hands. I trust in You to make me right. I trust You not to reject my pitiful, needy, and warped heart. I love Thee+, O Holy ONE+ who tookest upon Thyself+ flesh to become man, in order to help me, from the inside out. Thank you, LORD JESUS CHRIST, for becoming my MESSIAH at such great cost to You. I thank you with all my heart. Amen.

+ + +

Glory to the FATHER, and to HIS Beloved SON+, and to HIS Blessed HOLY SPIRIT,

now and forever unto the endless ages. Amen. + + +

ADVENT MEDITATION... DAY 2

Advent Day 2

The Journey Toward Bethlehem
Year of Our LORD, 12.2.2008

.

I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD,
Adonai JEHOVAH:
I will make mention of Thy+ righteousness,
even of Thine+ only.

Psalm 71:16

<((()>< .

No, we will not blaspheme.

Nor will we curse nor let wicked things pour forth from our lips.

Some of us have even trained our lips to refuse to jest

and to refuse to make foolish remarks.

But, who can resist “mentioning” what

“we” have done well,

“our” accomplishments?

If we wish to go in the strength of Adonai JEHOVAH, the Psalmist tells us how to do this: we must forget what we have done and make mention only of the righteousness of The LORD our GOD.

As the Psalmist says: “LORD, open Thou+ my lips and

my mouth shall show forth

THY+ praise”

… not ours

and of a certainty,

not mine.



But HE+ giveth more grace.
Wherefore HE+ saith,
GOD resisteth the proud,
but giveth grace unto the humble.
James 4:6

Humble yourselves
in the sight of the LORD,
and HE+ shall lift you up.
James 4:10

Let us pray:

O GOD our FATHER, I have done foolishly.

My lips have uttered my own praises instead of Thine+.

Help me, O LORD, to bring glory unto Thee+ and refuse it for myself… and let me be aware of the snare of the fouler of my soul.

I do love Thee+, O Lover of my Soul, ... more than the praises of men.

For in Thee+ is life and in Thee+ alone is the Light of men. Receive this, my imperfect prayer, and restore my soul in Thee+, through the name of Thy+ Unblemished SON+, our LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST. Amen.

+ + +

ADVENT MEDITIATION... Day 1

Advent Day 1

The Journey Toward Bethlehem
Year of Our LORD,

12.1.2008

If I regard iniquity in my heart, the LORD will not hear me:
Psalm 66:18

John 9: 30-33
The man answered and said unto them,

Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence HE+ is, and yet HE+ hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that GOD heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of GOD, and doeth HIS+ will, him HE+ heareth. Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. If This Man+ were not of GOD, HE+ could do nothing.

.

<(((><

.

Let us pray:

O LORD, Heavenly FATHER, open up my blind eyes to mine own failings before Thee… help me not to hide them from myself. For surely, LORD, Thou seest both where, in my weakness, I cannot see and where, in my stubbornness, I do not wish to look .

In Thy Mercy, look upon me with favor. Lead me to That Rock that is higher than I. Draw me to Bethlehem once again, to Thyself, with cords of Truth and Love. Feed my starving soul once againg with Thy Divine Bread+, that TRUE BREAD+ from Heaven. Through the merits of Thine Only-Begotten SON+, Our LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST. Amen

ADVENT... The Journey TOWARDS Bethlehem...

The Journey Towards Bethlehem

Advent 2008
Meditations

As we begin Advent 2008, we do so with the ever-present hope of His+ Second Advent … The Second Coming of CHRIST JESUS

… when His+ feet touch down on the Mt. of Olives.
.

<((()><

.
Thus, at this point in time, during our Journey Towards Bethlehem… the House of Bread Divine… we have one eye on the ground and one eye on the sky.

Our spiritual journey is taken for one purpose: we NEED to get there, to that place. In other words, whatever is happening in Bethlehem is drawing our hearts to that place… to Someone+ Who is going to be arriving there. We don’t want to miss it.

But, as with all journeys, we must make preparation.

Therefore let us begin Advent 2008 with the SORE acknowledgement that we have fallen short of the Glory of GOD. Our Journey Towards Bethlehem is our craving to regain that glory… somehow, someway.