ALL for HIM+ ...

.

Prayer of Consecration

adapted from a Brother Monk

in the Company of JESUS

(Andrew Counts)

.

O LORD GOD, Holy FATHER, Who, through the life and work of Thy Beloved SON+, my LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, has graciously brought me unto THYSELF in salvation:

.

Take, I pray THEE, all of me...

as CHRIST has made HIMSELF+ mine

in the Incarnation,

in Holy Baptism,

and Holy Communion;

.

So I make myself THINE, through HIS+ Precious Sacrifice.

.

O FATHER, cleanse me from all that is repugnant to THEE . Take from me all impurities of mind and motive. Loose me from all earthly bonds of the heart ... excepting those which serve to bind me closer to Thy SON+ and Thy purposes for me.

.

I desire HIS+ Holy Presence to be the air I breathe. Make me to desire HIS+ Word, HIS+ Body and Blood as my necessary food. May I be always and only for HIM+; And yes, HIS+ to use without having to ask my permission.

.

And LORD JESUS, may those I love know Thy+ Love, and come to love THEE+ more through my love for THEE+.

.

Thus, I bind my mind to Thy+ Mind, my thoughts to Thy+ Thoughts, my will to Thy+ Will ... for in Thy+ Light alone shall I see LIGHT.

.

May my eyes see as THOU+ seest, my ears hear as THOU+ hearest.

.

May my lips speak Thy+ words, my feet travel Thy+ paths, my touch leave behind the fingerprints of Thy+ love.

.

.

O, accept this sacrifice of myself, as poor as it is, for it is all I have. Enlarge my soul to be a reservoir of Thy+ HOLY SPIRIT, O LORD CHRIST, that I may shed abroad Thy+ Light, Thy+ Love, Thy+ Truth... and the Radiance of Thy+ Holy Name.

.

This I pray through the Name of The KING+ of kings and LORD+ of lords, the ONE+ to Whom+ every knee shall bow and tongue confess... JESUS CHRIST , our LORD.

.

+ + +

What CHILD+ is This?

Incarnation 2010

Meditation #1

Haste!

Haste!

to bring HIM+ laud,

The BABE+ ,

the son of Mary.

.

Acclaim, praise... the lauds... are the first fruits of our lips, upon rising in the morning. Traditionally, they are the last 3 Psalms in the Book of Psalms. Practically, the lauds can be any praise, acclamation, or worship done early in the morning.

.

But, why the haste?

.

The key to "haste" is in Psalm 2, a Messianic Psalm. Towards the end, it says:

.

Kiss the SON+,

lest HE+ be angry,

and ye perish from the way

when HIS+ wrath is kindled

but a little.

.

Kiss the SON+...

.

That means to fasten oneself unto HIM+, a means of attachment, to touch. Translated thus, it means to LOVINGLY attach oneself to the SON+.

.

Lest HE+ be angry...

.

Yes. Disobedience, hypocrisy, and willful sin will put Christians on the WRONG SIDE of HEAVEN. It is a fearful thing to fall into the Hands of the LIVING GOD+.

.

And ye perish from the way...

.

The way here is the Hebrew word meaning "road" . Figuratively, it stands for the "manner of life." We all know what perish means.

.

When HIS+ wrath is kindled...

.

Who is this Messianic Psalm talking about? The SON+ !

.

Christians, do not let anyone fool you: The SON+ has anger and will return ... not as a BABE+ nor as a meek, sacrificial LAMB+. HE+ will come with a Rod of Iron and HE+ will take vengeance, this time.

.

Not only does Psalm 2 talk about that , but listen to The Apostle's words in I Thessalonians 1:7,8, 9 :

.

And to you who are troubled

rest with us,

when The LORD JESUS

shall be revealed

from Heaven

with HIS+ mighty Angels,

.

In flaming fire

taking vengeance on them

that know not GOD,

and that OBEY NOT THE GOSPEL

of Our LORD JESUS CHRIST:

.

Who shall be punished

with everlasting destruction

from the presence of The LORD,

and from the glory

of HIS+ power.

.

Yes. HE+ has wrath against ALL disobedience and HE+ will not be placated. No excuses will stand. No-one will be able to hide behind the cloak of group membership or the doctrine of his "church."

.

...But a little...

.

The Hebrew says "in" a little. But a little would mean that it wouldn't take much provocation for HIS+ wrath to occur. In a little, the literal translation, would indicate that the time is short before HIS+ wrath occurs. Either way, it is true. Therefore:

.

Haste, haste

to bring HIM+ laud,

The BABE+,

The son of Mary.

.

What CHILD+ is this?

.

Whose child are you ??

What CHILD+ is This?

Advent 2010...

Meditation #7...

This, THIS IS CHRIST the King+

WHOM+ shepherds guard

and angels sing...

.

. .. .. .. .

.

.

.

WHOM+ angels sing... YES!

But

there is

ONE song

the angels CANNOT sing:

"Redeemed!

Yes, Redeemed!"

.

The angels, the Holy Ones who did not rebel against GOD during the Great Rebellion in Heaven, sing HIS+ praise. They sang as they welcomed HIS+ birth, knowing that that divine BIRTH+ was bringing Salvation to mankind. They also knew this: satan's days were numbered. Bless GOD!

.

The other angels --- one-third of Heaven --- who rebelled with Lucifer, who did NOT rejoice in HIS+ birth, rejoiced in HIS+ death. But little did they know: HIS+ death was their death warrant, delivered in Person+.

.

And, little did they know that death and all the demons of darkness couldn't hold Our LORD JESUS CHRIST in Sheol, Hades, or hell (as is commonly called).

.

Furthermore, these rebellious angels did NOT know ahead of time this fact: The FATHER would not suffer HIS HOLY ONE + , The LORD JESUS CHRIST, to see corruption.

.

Indeed, if the rebellious angels would have KNOWN what was GOING TO HAPPEN, they would NOT have crucified The LORD of GLORY+ . Bless GOD! Although they know a lot, they were NOT privileged to know that death couldn't hold the Coming Messiah, The LAMB+ of GOD.

.

Yet, they know that there is ONE GOD; the devils believe and tremble. (Oddly enough, the devils DO "believe," don't they ? Salvation must entail something more than "belief," yes?)

.

Now, there is NO WAY out for the angels who rebelled. They are doomed, as Lucifer, their leader, is doomed. They have no "Redeemer" to rescue them from Lucifer and the Lake of Fire, where they all will be, forever and ever, where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched.

.

Bless GOD! Mankind does NOT HAVE TO END UP that way, with the fallen angels. So, let us never neglect so great a Salvation. Let us join with the Holy Angels to lift our songs unto HIM WHO sitteth upon The Throne and unto The LAMB+.

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For HE+ shall reign forever and ever. HalleluJAH! HalleluJAH! The kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of Our LORD and of HIS CHRIST. And HE+ shall reign... and HE+ shall reign... and HE+ shall reign FOREVER AND EVER. HalleluJAH!

+

Whose child are you ?

+ + +

What CHILD+ is This ?

...Whom+ shepherds guard...

Advent 2010 ~ Meditation #6

+

Rough...

but valiant...

were those shepherds guarding the Temple flocks pastured at Bethlehem.

~

Well-trained in their gruelling work, the shepherds delivered, nourished, and guarded the lambs around the clock. The unblemished lambs were set apart for sacrifices in the Temple... for both the daily morning sacrifice at 9 a.m. [ the hour of crucifixion] and the daily evening sacrifice at 3 p.m. [that same hour when Our LORD finished the Last Sacrifice+ ]

~

Wielding staff and rod, those rough but valiant men would have laid down their lives for their lambs... around the clock, day and night.

+ + +

Do we ...

lay down our lives for the little flock The LORD has entrusted unto each one of us, in our small circle of influence?

~

Do we ...

stand between them and the destroyer... the one seeking to destroy their souls through wiles, sin, trickery, error, or injury ... around the clock ?

~

Do we ...

allow ourselves to be inconvenienced or to be without food for a season or to be separated from worldly pursuits in order to spiritually defend HIS+ little lambs, under our influence ?

~

Do we ...

guard and correct HIS+ lambs with gentle love, with tough love, with whatever is required to get them through life and moving safely towards The GOOD SHEPHERD+ ?

~

Do we...

risk rescuing HIS+ lamb, valiantly going after the lion or wolf who has attacked it and dragged it away from the flock, to devour it ?

~

Do we ...

spend sufficient time with the GREAT SHEPHERD+ and BISHOP+ of our souls for HIM+ to train us how to skillfully wield the un-carnal weapons of our warfare... which are mighty through GOD to the pulling down of strongholds ... in order to defend HIS+ lambs ?

~

Do we...

make certain our words, our lives, and our examples are providing spiritual nourishment at all times for this little flock ? Have we become a spring of Living Water+ flowing from The LORD through our hearts to HIS+ lambs unceasingly?

+ + +

.

Feed My+ lambs.

Feed My+ sheep.

Feed My+ sheep.

+

Why do ye call ME+

"LORD, LORD"

and do not

the things

which

I

say

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

.

Whose child are you?

+ + +

What CHILD+ is This?

This, this is CHRIST The King+...

Advent 2010

Meditation #5

One small BABE+

came

that we might come to HIM+

as a Babe...

pure,

innocent of malice,

devoid of accusation,

released from judgment

and from judging others.

.

Are we living in the pureness

of this newborn Babe+

towards others?

.

Are we living in the innocency

of this newborn Babe+

concerning sin?

.

Is our heart as tender as this Babe+,

softened with the tenderness

of HIS+ mercy toward everyone?

.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are righteous, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Philippians 4:8

.

Whose child are you?

+ + +

What CHILD+ is This?

...While shepherds watch are keeping.

~

Advent 2010

Meditation #4

The shepherds kept their watch ... all through the night. They did this to guard the flock around the clock. Thus, there were those ever-ready men who were awake and on the watch when the Angels appeared unto them, announcing the Advent of their long-awaited MESSIAH+.

~

"What, could ye not watch with ME+ one hour? "

~

"Watch

and pray

that ye enter not into temptation:

the spirit indeed is willing

but the flesh is weak."

~

Do we set aside time to watch and pray,

even one hour,

with Our LORD

... so that HIS+ concerns become our concerns?

... so that HIS+ Will becomes our will?

... so that HIS+ mind will be in us?

~

OR...

Do we think that it just "happens"

that we will somehow know

the mind of CHRIST,

HIS+ will,

HIS+ concerns?

~

Do we think that we are so strong that we can circumvent HIS+ admonishment to "watch and pray" ?

~

Do we think that HIS+ words

that the "... flesh is weak... "

do not apply to us?

~

The "flesh is weak" is what HE+ said to those who walked with HIM+ daily, seeing HIM+ in the flesh, hearing HIS+ words and teachings, watching HIS+ miracles unfold.

~

What would HE+ say to us, today?

~

Do we TRULY think we can spend most of our waking hours

taking care of the temporal ...

yet reap spiritual discernment

and the knowledge of HIS+ will ?

~

"What, could ye not watch with me one hour? "

+ + +

Whose child are you ?

What CHILD+ is This?

...Whom+ angels greet with anthems sweet...

.

Advent Meditation #3

2010

How do we "greet" Our LORD and SAVIOR every day?

.

Do we, with GREAT joy, lift our faces up to HIM+ as we arise?

.

Do we, with glorious anticipation of what HE+ will accomplish in our hearts, meet HIM+ in the morning?

.

Do we, with hearts over-flowing with thanksgiving, bow before HIM+ in worship, as HE+ gives us our very breath, thought, energy, and enabling grace to work in HIS+ camp with every passing moment of this day?

.

Are our hearts filled with anthems sweet as we pick up our cross and die daily to our Self... so that HE+ will rule and REIGN in our lives?

.
O Gracious and Life-Giving FATHER,

We humble ourselves in repentance, knowing we have not greeted Thy HOLY CHILD+ JESUS as we daily rise, in the same fullness of thanksgiving and joy that the angels greeted HIM+ .

.

O THOU, Who provided us a way to LIFE+ itself, forgive our earth-centered hearts. Move them, O LORD, to be focused on HEAVENLY things, constant in season and out, with THEE and Thy HOLY SON+, JESUS CHRIST our LORD.

.

Amen.

Whose child are you?

+ + +

What CHILD+ is This?

Who+, laid to rest in Mary's lap,
is sleeping...

Advent Meditation #2

2010

.

HE+ maketh me to lie down in green pastures;

.

HE+ leadeth me beside the still waters.

HE+

restoreth

my soul.

.

Dear Gracious, Heavenly FATHER, Who ordereth our days aright:

.

Deliver me from discontent. Help me to rest the ordering of my days... my life... in Thy Hands.

.

Forgive my foolish ways of self-pity and complaining. Deliver me from accusing others of rejecting me... when I so badly need to make certain I have no rejection in my heart towards them. Forgive me for accusing even THEE when THOU art, in reality, saving me from my own mistaken and foolish desires.

.

I thank THEE for the green pastures and the rest when I come close to THEE. I thank THEE for the Living Water, so filling and quiet, which flows to Thy Children through CHRIST JESUS, Thy Beloved Son.

.

O THOU, Who respecteth no man's person nor position, I thank THEE for including me in all Thy Promises, through JESUS CHRIST my LORD.

.

In the name of Thy Only-Begotten SON+, in Whom+ we live and move and have our being, I pray. Amen.

~

Whose child are you?

.

.

. . . .

.

.

.

.

What CHILD+ is This?

Advent Meditation 2010

#1

~

... Who+,

laid to rest

in Mary's lap,

is sleeping?

...Who+,

being in the form of

GOD,

thought it not

a thing to be held onto,

to be equal with GOD.

~

Are we being a true child of the TRUE GOD.... or a "little god," trying to be equal with GOD in our own little universe?

~

Dear Heavenly FATHER,

.

We come to THEE to humble ourselves and

repent of trying to be the master of our lives.

~

Please do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.

~

Make us as trusting and as yielded to THEE as

The Blessed Infant JESUS

~

when HE+ was born...

~

and when HE+ was crucified.

~

Amen

~

Whose CHILD are you ?

STOP the Dictator ...

... that lives within us.

.

Have you ever been around a small child who demands his own way?

.

I have.

.

Working in a public school, has trained well my ears to hear the demanding tone of voice of a little child. My eyes have been well-trained to the body language spoken by these UN-trained little ones, as well. Whining, nagging, and demands... all uttered by a 4 or 5-year-old ... are not endearing.

.

Does a little dictator delight a teacher? NO. Furthermore, most teachers I know refuse to reward a little dictator with anything close to his request.

.

.

. . . . . .

.

.

Is there

a mirror

handy?

.

Now, this blog is not about child-rearing.

It is about

dealing with the little dictator within us.

.

When we start demanding from The LORD what we MUST have in order to be happy, we are as endearing as the little spoiled dictators in the public schools.

.

Nagging, whining, pouting, being "unhappy" in our inner man is equivalent to those children who use these tactics to manipulate their poor parents, long-suffering grand-parents, and alas, thread-bare teachers.

.

Yes we DO make our requests and supplications known unto The LORD, with Thanksgiving. But we entrust the disposition of our requests totally in HIS+ capable Hands. Furthermore, we learn to be humble as we yield to HIS+ Will in the matter at hand and await HIS+ good pleasure.

.

We learn to bind our minds to the Mind of CHRIST+. We learn to bind our wills to the Will of CHRIST+. We accept HIS+ Timetable as our timetable.

.

If we do these things when the insistence, when the clamorings, when the demands arise in our inner man, then our Self-man will learn submission as CHRIST did when HE+ was in human form... by the things which HE+ suffered.

.

Even though we are not suffering like HE+ did on the cross, we will wrestle with being unhappy for a season when we don't get our way.

.

And, some of our insistant requests may seem "good" : our desire for ministry, for more provision, for a Godly-mate, for a child, or for a wayward family member to come to CHRIST+ .

.

What really matters is that we have put something else in our hearts that we want BESIDES CHRIST JESUS .

.

The key to being happy

in CHRIST JESUS

is to let HIM+ be LORD

of our desires.

.

.

. . . . .

.

.

.

HE+ has saved us

from our sins;

now let HIM+

save us

from our selves.

.

In the name of

THE FATHER,

Who created thee;

And HIS Beloved SON+

JESUS CHRIST+,

Who+ saves thee;

And the Blessed

HOLY SPIRIT,

Who sanctifies thee.

Amen.

A VIRTUOUS Veteran of Foreign Wars...

is a certain sister we know.

She is a regular "Mary-Martha" type. Although she has never lifted a gun nor given a military salute, she has been on the battlefield . And yes, I can truthfully say a battlefield of foreign wars.

.

First of all, these wars were NOT of her choosing.

.

One of her wars involved supporting her husband through his walk with seizures from a serious health condition. All the while, he ran his own business in construction... sometimes being high off the ground.

.

Was she scared?

Yes.

Was she in tears?

Yes.

Did she call out

to The LORD in faith,

believing that HE+ heard her cry

for her husband?

Yes.

.

.

. . .

.

.

.

Score: 1 victory for her; 0 for the enemy.

.

This virtuous woman home-schooled 2 girls and 4 boys, lively children all, home-schooling at least 4 at the same time. Two are yet being home-schooled. Although this war seemed to be fought on domestic soil, she has had to wrestle with foreign infiltrators and terrorists of the soul, always lurking around with temptations and hidden agendas to destroy the young people "through their minds".

.

Was it easy?

No...

especially not

with housework, laundry, cooking,

gardening, and canning

for such a large household,

along with general child-rearing

... love, counseling, discipline and decisions...

all those things involved with

bringing up children

to the Glory of GOD .

.

Score: 2 victories for Sister; 0 for the enemy.

.

Now that 4 of the off-spring are young adults, she has a new foreign war to fight. With many tears and supplications, she has valiantly fought her fears lest she and her husband's input and guidance of their children to go towards CHRIST were in vain.

.

Her job not ended, she counsels, intercedes, guides and asks for prayer for those young adults, that her labor be not in vain. Looking back, she repents with tears for any mistakes she thinks she might have made in raising the children.

.

Thus, hearing the cry of this vigilant mother's heart, The LORD has seen fit to :

• lead one daughter into Christian school teaching
• another into missionary nursing,
• a son is now in southeast Asia on the mission field
• one son is interested in Christian music, when he is not helping his Dad run the family business
• a studious 16-year-old son not only reads the Early Christian writings, but is making as many sacrifices as he personally can for some native missionaries, preparing his own heart for The LORD'S work.

[The youngest son is still in elementary studies but conducts himself with good deportment. :)]

.

Adding 6 more victories to the scoreboard, that should bring the score to:

8 victories for this TRUE+ veteran of foreign wars;

0 for the enemy.

.

Now, simply because the off-spring are mostly grown and husband is doing well, does this TRUE+ VETERAN of foreign wars think she may rest?

No.

.

Along with carrying their normal amount of church responsibilities, she and her husband have become the HUB for other young men and women their children bring into the family circle. So, at any given point in time, her household ACTUALLY EXPANDS... along with the cooking and baking and cleaning duties... not to mention, the Christian counseling that goes along with such a family-setting for activities. This "Mary-Martha" diligently also sets a good example without words for the young people entrusted into her care.

.

Is this Sister wise?

Yes !

(although she would never

think or say so).

.

She would rather all her children and their friends be active in THEIR HOME rather than out on the streets or in places not befitting Christians. Furthermore, she and her husband enter into as many camping, music, church activities with their young adults as they possibly can... a true family affair, at all times.

.

Score: Un-ending blessings for this sacrificial sister and her husband, for all Eternity.

.

The enemy's score: Less than zero -- in the hole-- to be destroyed and others to be delivered from his grasp through the work of this family's children.

Ah-h, Proverbs 31.

See those Rubies !

Those TRUE+ Veterans

of foreign wars...

.

Can you see them

as The LORD sees them?

+ + +

In the name of The FATHER,

WHO created thee;

His Holy SON+ JESUS CHRIST,

WHO+ saves thee;

And the Blessed HOLY SPIRIT,

WHO sanctifies thee.

Amen.

HOME.... A call to Parents...

Parents, grand-parents, and care givers: teach your beloved little ones what HOME is... in Truth+.

.

Do not allow your children to grow up with an illusionary picture about HOME. It will hurt them.

.

HOME is not a house or belongings, a garden, a farm , nor land. HOME is not a town, a state , nor a country. HOME is not a community of familiar friends, shops, schools, or schedules, either.

.

HOME is where your heart is welcomed. HOME consists of hearts that are open to you and where you are not afraid to have your heart open to others.

.

.

. . . .

.

.

.

Why is this important?

.

Living in comfort is NOT PROMISED by GOD'S Word. At any moment our comfortable level of living can change drastically. Has GOD failed us when that happens? NO. What is promised is that our souls will be kept and our hearts will be secure in JESUS (if we stay with HIM+, that is. ).

.

Recently, we witnessed 4 families leave their homes... built by the labor of their own hands... and their farms and small businesses. They left machinery and harness shops, stocked full of leather goods. They left a shoe-making business and a book-binding business, as well as newly-planted orchard trees, grapevines, and a fruit cellar with shelves and shelves of canned goods for the winter.

.

They left family and friends. They took their grown children and tiny ones alike along on a hundreds-of-miles bus trip to Central America to start anew. They took tents for preliminary shelters.

.

They were following JESUS in this move outside of their native country in order to reach out in an evangelistic effort to give to the unsaved what JESUS had given to them.

.

Yes, they will be able to do an outreach; early reports which filtered back said it had already begun, with good success.

.

But they have done something else: they are teaching their young ones by word AND EXAMPLE that HOME is being with the family, within the Will of GOD.

.

HOME, you see, is not a location. It is a state of the heart. Security comes from doing the will of The LORD.... not from walls and roofs and having a steady income.

.

The little ones along are happy just being with Mother and Father and all the familiar faces of brothers and sisters. Walls mean nothing to them.

.

The older ones not yet married are excited about being allowed to do something for GOD besides attend church meetings. Walls and floors and roofs constitute shackles for them, if that is all they have to look forward to.

.

Mother and Father are happy because the joy of The LORD is resting upon them as they EMBRACE THE SACRIFICE to do the Will of The LORD. HE+ will not forsake them and they know it. They also know they must keep walking in HIS+ Will and not say "NO"... I don't want to give up my comforts, job, security, country, etc., etc., etc.

.

And, they do not practice walking in FEAR. They simply build new walls, floors, and roofs as necessities for their families, but they do not call that HOME.

.

They call HIM+ "HOME"

... because their hearts

are with HIM+.

.

.

. . . .

.

.

.

Where ,

dear Christian friend,

is your HOME?

.

In The Name of The FATHER, Who created thee; and HIS Beloved SON, JESUS CHRIST, Who saves thee; and the Blessed HOLY SPIRIT, Who sanctifies thee. Amen