# 16 LENTEN MEDITATION ~ 2023 ~ for the Preparation of the GREAT PASSOVER ~~~ The Morning Sacrifice in the Temple ~ The DEBT We Owe

 

Recalling that HE+ hid not His+ Face from shame and spitting, we thank YOU that by HIS+ Wounds we are healed.  We remember the chastisement of our peace was upon HIM+.

CHOOSE this day WHOM ye will serve....

because...

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No man can serve two masters:

for either he will hate the one,

and love the other;

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or else he will hold to the one,

and despise the other.

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Ye cannot serve

GOD and mammon.

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Words of Our LORD JESUS CHRIST

to His Disciples in Matthew 6:24

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Now, let's look at the Greek :

No one has the power two lords to slave to;

for either the one he will hate

and the other different one

he will AGAPE (love enough to lay down his life for);

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or

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one he will cleave to

and the other different one he will despise.

You do not have the power

to be a slave to GOD and Mammona.

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The GREEK is important because it brings out the essence of the difference between the kingdoms of THIS world and THE Kingdom of GOD.

• We see that the two kingdoms are entirely different.
• We see that the difference is because of whom is being served:

GOD or Mammona, a wicked spirit.

• We see in the GREEK that Our LORD JESUS CHRIST said that man does NOT have the power ... is totally UNable... to serve both GOD and Mammona at the same time.
• We see that this servitude is not picked up and laid down; but rather, it is a life-encompassing slavery.

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Having the rule over wealth --- mammon--- is the sole most important feature of the kingdoms of this world. Control over things that contribute to wealth is what war is fought over, be it diamonds, iron ore, oil, or shipping lanes. James chapter 4 confirms this truth.

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Wikipedia lays the Christian doctrine of "Just War" [ i.e., righteous war ] at the feet of Augustine of Hippo ( 354-430 AD ) and Thomas Aquinas. This was a total break away from the teachings of CHRIST and His+ Apostles which was uniformly held by the Early Church of the first two centuries.

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The Reformers, in an effort to correct the corrupted teaching of the Roman Catholic church, unfortunately kept the heretical doctrine of "Just War" even as they broke away from the established church. Indeed, some of the Reformers were not content simply to teach this heresy; at least one (Zwingli) was killed in battle while fighting other Christians !

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THE LORD JESUS said,

"My+ Kingdom is NOT OF THIS WORLD..."

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Did HE+ mean that literally ?

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Do not think that I+ do not know where your true loyalties lie. I see your tears and your zeal to promote and protect the red, white, and blue ... no matter what the cost. Do not let it cost you your soul. Separate yourself from the unclean thing and become single of eye ...before the Kingdom of GOD+ is torn from your hands and given to a people more worthy.

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I+ have not called you to defend any secular nation... not its wealth, not its life-style, not its pride. I+ have called you to defend one Kingdom+ alone... the Kingdom of GOD+... with mighty weapons which are not carnal nor tactile nor visible. Remember: If you take the sword, you shall die by the sword... even if you "only" take it in your heart.

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Beware of pulpits or "Christian" voices wrapped in red, white, and blue. Their hearts are divided and their true loyalties are given over to Mammona and wealth. They have chosen this. They will have no part in My+ inheritance.

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Behold, I+ have set before you an open door.

I+ AM the WAY, The TRUTH, and The LIFE.

No man comes to The FATHER, but by ME+.

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In The Name of The FATHER,

His beloved SON+, Our LORD JESUS CHRIST,

and the blessed HOLY SPIRIT.

Amen.

TRUE WORSHIP....

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The LORD gave the pattern.

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Our LORD gave us a pattern of how to pray, yes, and also how to worship HIM+ in Spirit and in Truth.

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The "LORD'S PRAYER" in Matthew 6 is a perfect example of how

to WORSHIP HIM+ in an acceptable way.

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Yes, I do believe that HE+ hears the heart-cries of all His+ creation... because HE+ heard mine.

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However, we who are now born again in the BLOOD COVENANT should not be "loose" and irreverent when we come before HIM+.After all, we'd show an earthly ruler (king, queen, president, etc.) proper respect or we wouldn't last long in his/ her presence!

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How much more so is reverence due to the KING of KINGS, the LORD of LIGHT, the ALMIGHTY GOD, the EVERLASTING FATHER, the PRINCE of PEACE! The Hebrew children were strict to conform to a reverent and holy and PROPER order of worship and sacrifice before the ALMIGHTY GOD. They did not play loose and fast with HIM.

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[Recall what happened to Aaron's sons when they offered strange incense upon the altar or what happened to the unsanctified men who steadied the Ark of the Covenant when David was trying to bring it home.]

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But, to return to the point of Matthew 6, the LORD'S PRAYER:

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HE+ gave us that pattern SO THAT we could properly enter into the Divine Presence of both our and HIS+ Heavenly FATHER.

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First of all then, to WORSHIP, WE MUST ACKNOWLEDGE that HE is our collective FATHER; no one person "monopolizes" HIM nor is HE a respecter of persons.

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We acknowledge that HE is FATHER, the ONE in control, HE Who caused us to be born, HE Who provides for us... both things we like and things we would rather not have to deal with. We acknowledge that this Heavenly FATHER has the right to chastise us so that we are not illegitimate children and thus omitted from the promise, the inheritance of the saints. HE has the right to make us afraid of HIS power and might.

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We acknowledge that HE is The FATHER in HEAVEN, not our earthly father.

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We acknowledge that HE is Pure and Holy... even HIS very name is HOLY !

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The first part of the "LORD'S PRAYER" is the very first part of TRUE WORSHIP, either collectively or privately.

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In the next part of the pattern, we forebear mentioning our wants and desires; we FIRST AFFIRM that the FATHER'S KINGDOM and WILL is our greatest desire, above all the issues of our heart.

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We TESTIFY that we WANT HIS Kingdom to come, that we want badly HIS Divine will to be accomplished here on earth the same as it is being done this very minute in HEAVEN.

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This is TRUE WORSHIP, when we affirm that His Kingdom, His Will, as the very best that could ever happen to this civilization and to us, His children. We tell HIM how we long for HIM and for HIS Day to be seen for what it is... WHO is the TRUE RULER OF THE UNIVERSE !

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All this is humbling, to see WHO HE is... and who we are in HIS eyes.

Then, after humbling ourselves and putting away our will, we ask for those things we have need of daily, including forgiveness from HIM and towards others.

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We ask daily for HIS deliverance from evil and from temptation... yes, who among us is so pure that we are not daily tempted with some unrighteous, some impure, some unholy thing or thought?

The last section RE-STATES WHO actually has all the Kingdom, all the power, and all the glory .... ....not only now BUT FOREVER !

When the human heart does all this, true worship takes place.

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HE+ has placed this pattern in His+ Word

so that we who are hungry for HIM+

can find HIM+.

For, the true children of the Kingdom must worship The FATHER in Spirit and in Truth... for The FATHER seeketh such to worship HIM.

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