Lenten Meditation 10
For the Year of Our LORD, 2.15.2008

The Prayer of our LORD for His+ Followers,

Whom HE+ now calls Brethren:

And now I am no more in the world,
but these are in the world,
and I come to thee.
Holy Father, keep through thine own name
those whom thou hast given me,
that they may be one, as we are.

And for their sakes I sanctify myself,
that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
Neither pray I for these alone,
but for them also which shall believe
on me through their word;

That they all may be one;
as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee,
that they also may be one in us:
that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them;
that they may be one, even as we are one:

I in them, and thou in me,
that they may be made perfect in one;
and that the world may know that thou hast sent me,
and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

The Mouth of The LORD hath spoken it;
The Apostle John recorded it

(in chapter 17, verses 11 and 19-23).

Let us strive to be ONE with HIM+.

LENTEN MEDITATION 9 ~ All through CHRIST

LENTEN MEDITATION 9 ~ Relating through CHRIST
For the Year of Our LORD, 2.14.2008


With all lowliness and meekness,
with longsuffering,
forbearing one another in love,



endeavoring to keep the unity of the SPIRIT in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one SPIRIT, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one LORD, one faith, one baptism, one GOD and FATHER of all,
Who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Ephesians 4: 3-6

There is simply no excuse for divisions. The Apostle Paul wrote this to the church in Ephesus while he was imprisoned. Do we notice the concern on his heart? He did not mention his own well-being. His concern was for the ONENESS in the Body of CHRIST. Are we that concerned… while we are at liberty?

Assuming we Brethren of CHRIST are all trying to walk in unity and concord with one another, how can we be at one with someone who belongs to CHRIST JESUS… yet with whom we disagree or who disagrees with us? How can we walk as one with our spouse or family members with whom we disagree?

With all lowliness and meekness,
with longsuffering,
forbearing one another in love…




We do this by knowing one another through CHRIST JESUS.


Dear Sister Brigid of the Desert Companions of St. Anthony has with great insight pointed this out, “We do not relate directly to that person, but we relate to him/her as through CHRIST.”

The Apostle Paul tells us that we are dead and our life is hid with CHRIST …in GOD. This means that our acquaintances, friendships, and yes, even relationships within the family circle now must go through CHRIST before they reach that other person.

To put it simply, The LORD filters all our interactions before they come out of us.

We submit our old-man emotions to The LORD.
We submit our desires to The LORD.
We submit our thoughts to The LORD.

Thus, we allow the LORD to modify
or to change our emotions
before they take root in our heart
and come forth out of our mouth.

HE+ has us to lift our demands away from others. We take our demands that the other person “be there” for us and treat us rightly… to The LORD. We lay those demands down on the altar of love to The LORD, for HIM+ to consume by HIS+ Holy fire. We make our demands an offering of Self unto HIM+, dying daily.

When we offer up Self on such a deep level, HE+ takes it and refills us with HIMSELF+. We become one with CHRIST JESUS instead of trying to be one with others. We live, then, inside a Reservation… a place Reserved Only for JESUS. We then know HIM+ as our shield and buckler and high tower whereunto we run. HE+ meets all our needs, for we are complete in HIM+ (Col. 2:10).

When that deep, dying-out to Self is accomplished, then nothing can touch our inner man except CHRIST HIMSELF+.

And, touch us, HE+ does !
HE+ fills us with love, joy, and peace
which the world cannot receive.
But, all can sense it and want it, too.

Then will be brought to pass

that marvelous Word from the mouth of The LORD JESUS CHRIST:

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth,
I will draw all men unto ME+.
~ ~ ~

Let us pray:

Dear Heavenly FATHER, through your SON our Gracious LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST… how I long to be ONE with THEE+. O LORD, help me to lay my demands on others at the foot of Thy cross. I’m sorry I have looked to human flesh to fill up my heart’s needs. I’m sorry I have wanted my acquaintances, relatives, family and friends to make me feel good about myself. I bring those needs to You, my Savior and Friend.

O LORD, fill me now with Your goodness. I lay wide open my heart to You, my Savior. I’ll stay at Your Feet, O LORD, until I can go forth in Your name and for Your purposes… in order to draw all men unto THEE+ … instead of unto myself.

This I pray, O HOLY FATHER, in the brokenness of my life and heart, through the precious, Life-giving name of Our LORD and Savior JESUS CHRIST…Who+ liveth and reigneth with THEE, in the unity of Thy HOLY SPIRIT, ONE GOD, forever and ever. Amen.

LENTEN MEDITATION 8--- A HOLY, UNBROKEN MARRIAGE

LENTEN MEDITATION 8

Being one with CHRIST, in the unity of the The HOLY SPIRIT, in communion with our GOD and FATHER, is the goal of our Christian walk.

It is the true “holy” marriage.

Anyone--- rich or poor, single or wedded, young or old, imprisoned or free--- can be in this holy union, this holy marriage. Furthermore, all human beings are predestinated for it… although not all accept HIS+ proposal. Sadly enough, most indeed do reject such a union.

If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie,
and do not the truth.

But if we walk in the light,
as he is in the light,
we have fellowship one with another,
and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son
cleanseth us from all sin.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. I John 1: 6-10

It is NOT our failures and faults that break our fellowship with CHRIST.

It is our hiding.

We do like Adam did and hide from HIS+ Face, breaking our communion with HIM+.

If we come to CHRIST JESUS
the moment we are aware
that we have gone against HIS+ Word and HIS+ Will,
then neither satan nor our Adamic nature nor our flesh
will be able to drive a wedge between us and our LORD.
Only our HIDING from HIM+ can do this.

Our fellowship with HIM+ will continue, perhaps with great shame and humility on our part… but with great love and compassion on HIS+.

Our goal is to STAY IN FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST
through every failure, every error, every fault, every situation.

No matter the reason for our stumbling, we return immediately in repentance to the ONE+ Who+ loves us best.

We do not take advantage of HIS+ grace.

Staying in close communion, in unity, with HIM+ brings Life because…
HE+ is our life. Why bother to hide away in darkness, in death, to nurse our woes…to secretly nourish our pet sins… or to indulge in Self-pity, even for a short time?

It will only make the repentance harder than it should be,
the struggle longer than it ought to be,
and grieve the HOLY SPIRIT more than is necessary.
~ ~ ~

O Gracious Heavenly FATHER, God of all mercies, God of all Truth, I ask for the grace of conviction to fall upon me from Your hands. I am sorry for the times I have broken fellowship with You, for the times I have hidden from Your face. I am ashamed of all the times I have pouted and refused to give it up. Please forgive me for behaving as though Your Holy love is not enough to make me happy. Thank you, Holy FATHER, for wanting me to stay close to You… even me, such as I am.

Thank you for your great mercy through the Blood of Your Beloved Son, JESUS CHRIST. Help me to stay in unity with You throughout this hour, this day, and on into Eternity. I praise You, O Holy FATHER, in the name of The LORD JESUS CHRIST, through the power of Your HOLY SPIRIT, both now and forever. Amen.

LENTEN MEDITATION 7

LENTEN MEDITATION 7

No, my young student did NOT come back to class eager to tackle the skill he miserably failed. (See Lenten Meditation 6).

With his reading material in front of him, he watched the clock, doodled with his pencil, took awhile to locate the correct page in his reading folder, and told me about his weekend. All the while, I was waiting to hear his determination re-surface … the determination to tackle that hard part, that part that caused him to hurt and me to ache, that part that was the means of his failure.

He avoided it assiduously.

But there I sat, smiling and listening and waiting for him to realize that he had to do what must be done… and only he could do it. I, the teacher, could not give him the determination to “get it right this time” if he didn’t will to do it better… if he didn’t will to tackle it with all his might.

When the LORD gives us lessons to learn, don’t we act this very same way ? Those hard lessons of life:
· giving thanks when every security but HIM+ crumbles;
· forcibly rejecting the spirits of depression, resentment, self-pity, and anger;
· turning our backs on those chronic situations with dear ones who refuse CHRIST JESUS as LORD … and continuing on to serve HIM+ with joy and delight regardless of unanswered (as of yet) prayer.

By all means, let us draw CLOSER to The LORD in these heart-wrenching situations, doing always those things that please HIM+. Yes, lay the state of affairs before HIM+ Who+ Made the Heavens and the Earth… but you go on unfettered in heart to serve HIM+. Never let these troubles break your union with HIM+. HE+ is your strength and your very sanity!

Listen to these words of wisdom, sung by Betty Jean Robinson, a warrior of GOD who has come through unmentionable heartaches … and stayed true to The LORD JESUS CHRIST.

I have one desire when I go out to meet HIM+
and lay my sheaves at HIS+ feet.

Just to hear HIM+ say, “Well done, faithful Servant
Enter in and be one with ME + .”

One with HIM+! One with JESUS ! Oh, I long
To be one with HIM+

To enter in to the HOLY of HOLIES, Oh, I long
To be one with HIM+

I plead the Blood, that blessed cleansing fountain,
That I may be one with HIM+.

Secure I rest upon His+ Holy Mountain,
Free to be one with HIM+.

My soul desires that sweet communion,
Oh, I long to be one with HIM+.


Let us pray:

Precious Savior, I come to you, bringing nothing except my little self. Draw me close to you, dear Savior. Help me not hide when I have pain to deal with. Grant me Thy power to walk through this life doing always those things that please THEE+. Look upon my reluctance to obey Thy Dealings with me, granting me a vision of your
good cheer and love. Thank you for lifting the burden from my heart and helping me when I truly cannot help myself. Oh, what a precious Savior THOU+ art!

In the name of The FATHER, The SON, and The HOLY SPIRIT. Amen.

LENTEN MEDITATION 6

The sacrifices of God

are a broken spirit:
a broken and a contrite heart,

O God, thou wilt not despise.
Psalm 51:17

It hurt me, the teacher, to mark 9 errors on his paper. He was absolutely certain he was going to get a 100%. It wasn’t just any old 100% either; it was the crucial one. If he made a 100% on this exercise, then he could jump up one level of reading cards.

Our criteria, you see, was three 100%’s consecutively. Accomplish that great feat and one could avoid doing all 20 reading cards… and jump to the next highest level! Conversely, if a student made lower than a 70 % ,he had to return to the lower level next to the one from which he came. Needless to say, only a few had done this, to their shame, and no-one wanted to be a shirker due to this.

The beauty of this system was that the teacher did not have to crack the whip; the students’ own self-esteem (pride?) did it for her.

So, here was the dilemma. One of the hardest working students struggled with his reading passage… and failed… after getting two 100% in a row. I knew for his own good he had to go back. I knew he also wanted so badly for me to set aside the standards “just this once, for me, your dear student who works so hard.” It hurt me to enforce the rule: go back to the lower level and re-work those skills.

I saw the utter pain in his eyes and disgust at his own failure. I saw the years of “I’ll never get this skill” crop up in his eyes once again… a look I had taken months to dissolve.

How I wanted to break the rules so he wouldn’t be discouraged and quit trying ! Yes, I was there to help him through his difficulties, but he had to engage his own mind and make himself focus on the task at hand. I simply couldn’t do that part for him; he had to do it himself.

As I ached in pain and blinked back the tears, we erased his name from that higher level on the reading chart. I prayed that self-disgust and self-defeat would not overwhelm this dear student. He and I both knew he had come a long, long way. I prayed that he would not stop trying.

But as my heart ached, I became aware of another Presence in the room. It was The LORD Himself. HE+ was present and it was His+ eyes that filled with tears… tears of compassion for me, for the Brethren, for the whole human race. His+ Presence is there at our defeats.

We Christians so quickly revert to self-disgust when we fail His+ “lessons”. Immediately we are daunted and discouraged and filled with defeat. We have the pain of years of defeat and struggle in our eyes, too, just like this precious student. Rejection and even self-loathing oftentimes enter in until depression threatens to overwhelm us. Nobody cares.

Yet, there stands The LORD by our side. HE+ cares. HE+ carries. His+ hand is not shortened that HE+ cannot save.

At times of our greatest defeats, we must JERK OUR MINDS away from Self and FORCE OUR THOUGHTS to be on HIM+. Let us force ourselves to realize WHO+ IS IN CONTROL of our lives… and WHO+ is in control of every detail of every situation.

Nothing is too difficult for HIM+.
HE+ made the Heavens and the earth.

Let us attribute power to WHOM+ power is due; let us attribute sovereignty unto WHOM+ sovereignty is due. Let us realize WHOSE+ servants we really are. Let us yield not only our wills but also our great defeats unto The LORD JESUS CHRIST. Surely, the fish and the bread had to be broken into pieces before they could feed thousands… in the Master’s hands.

Gracious Heavenly Father, I put myself back into Your hands. I repent for being so discouraged when I am defeated. Help me to look to You and lay these defeats before You. Grant that I may look boldly through these struggles and not let them mar my vision of You. Correct my ways, my errors. Shield me from the lying torments of self-disgust and self-rejection.

Help me to yield ever more of my heart, my time, my thoughts unto You, the FATHER of Light, so that I may become more single of eye. Let my whole being be so filled with the Light of Your Love and the power of Your Spirit that I may never lose sight of Your purpose for my life.

I pray these things to You, O Gracious FATHER, in the Name of Your Son JESUS CHRIST, through the power of your HOLY SPIRIT. Amen

LENTEN MEDITATION 5

LENTEN MEDITATION 5

LORD JESUS CHRIST, O LAMB OF GOD,

Who+ taketh away the sins of the world,

Have mercy upon us.

LORD JESUS CHRIST, O LAMB OF GOD,

Bearer of our sins,

Have mercy upon us.

LORD JESUS CHRIST, O LAMB OF GOD,

Savior of the world,

Grant us Thy+ peace.

LENTEN MEDITATION 4

Taking Advantage of GOD

This morning I awoke and was dull of spirit. I wasn't sleepy but simply dull. When I started my morning Psalms, it was totally from a sense of duty; all zest had gone from my early morning devotions.

What was wrong?

After we did morning prayer, our dear and precious LORD, gracious and long-suffering as HE+ is, showed me my sin: I had taken advantage of HIS+ mercy ... so that I could do what I wanted.

What I had done --- willfully done --- last night, Friday evening, was read a children's story book (grade 4 !) of short stories, put out by a Christian publishing house. The situation would likely be innocuous for most people. But for me.... my scheming heart and whiney Self... made this into sin.

Earlier, I had given over to The LORD my reading of Christian novels for Lent. This was important because I LOVE TO READ and I relax down at the end of the work week with a "good book." So... I convinced myself that reading a home-schooling curriculum book of children's short stories (from a Christian publishing house, no less) would not be the same thing as my reading of a Christian novel, right?

NO, WRONG.

The hermitage had an element of un-peacefulness this morning. It was only after our combined morning prayer that peace returned to my husband and me... after I came under conviction that I had taken advantage of the Grace of GOD with my guile... in order to indeed read my book.

Guile, you may recall, is ARTFUL DECEPTION.

Thank you, LORD, that you are not able to be tricked and will not ever bless even the slightest bit of artful deception in me. Thank you for your true mercy of conviction of sin... without which I would be lost. Help me to live honestly and uprightly before you all the days of my life.

It brings to mind the old prayer out of the 1945 Book of Common Prayer.

But, O GOD,Who+ knowest the weakness and corrruption of our nature, and the manifold temptations which we daily meet with;

We humbly beseech THEE to have compassion on our infirmities, and to give us the constant assistance of Thy HOLY SPIRIT; that we may be effectually restrained from sin, and incited to obedience.

Imprint upon our hearts such a dread of Thy judgments, and such a grateful sense of Thy goodness to us , as may make us both afraid and ashamed to offend THEE.

And , above all, keep in our minds a lively remembrance of THAT GREAT DAY, in which we must give a strict account of our thoughts, words, and actions to HIM+ Whom+ THOU hast appointed the JUDGE of the living and the dead, Thy Son, JESUS CHRIST our LORD.

Amen.

ASH WEDNESDAY at the Hermitage, 2007

This picture was taken in 2007 of my husband, the administrator of the Order of the GOOD SHEPHERD+ , and myself (Sister Judith Hannah) at the Hermitage, following the Ash Wednesday service last year.

Only one Life, 'Twill soon be past;

Only what's done for CHRIST will last.

LENTEN MEDITATION 3

Lenten Meditation 3

Excerpts from the Prayer of Manasseh, A Song of Penitence

from the 1979 Episcopal Book of Common Prayer

And now, O LORD, I bend the knee of my heart,
And make my appeal, sure of your gracious goodness.

I have sinned, O LORD, I have sinned,
And I know my wickedness only too well.

Therefore I make this prayer to you:
Forgive me, LORD, forgive me.

Do not let me perish in my sin,
Nor condemn me to the depths of the earth.

For you, O LORD, are the GOD
of those who repent
and in me you will show forth
your goodness.

Unworthy as I am, you will save me,
in accordance with your great mercy,
and I will praise you
without ceasing all the days of my life.

Your merciful promise is beyond all measure;
it surpasses all that our minds can fathom.

Blessed be the Kingdom of the FATHER, the SON, and the HOLY SPIRIT. Amen.

LENTEN MEDITATION 2

LENTEN MEDITATION 2--- from Psalm 51

In PEACE+ let us pray to the LORD+

Have mercy upon me, O God,

according to thy lovingkindness:
according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies
blot out my transgressions.

Wash me throughly from mine iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions:
and my sin is ever before me. Psalm 51:1-3

O THOU, Who knowest the thoughts and intents of my heart;

THOU Who cared for me before I was born;

THOU, Who knowest my down-sitting and up-rising…

Hear the cry of my heart as I look at my lack.

With dismay, O LORD, another year has gone by

and I’m not where I should be in discipline, in growth,

in my training for work in your camp.

Forgive my excuses and my self-indulgence.

Forgive my slovenly ways of serving THEE.

Forgive my broken commitments to you, O LORD,

and for being so easily removed from a steadfast discipline.

O look upon the weakness of my nature

and forgive me these things

of which I am sorely ashamed.

O gracious Heavenly FATHER, help me to chasten myself,

so that I need not to be chastened by THEE.

Strengthen me to submit my spirit

to Thy Word and Thy Ways.

Help me to turn away from Self-pleasing

and to no longer follow my own convenience,

but the Example Thy Beloved SON has put before me.

I pray these things in the Life-giving Name of Thy Beloved and Obedient SON, JESUS CHRIST, in Whom THOU wast well-pleased… Who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own Blood.

Worthy is the LAMB that was slain!

+ + +

ASH WEDNESDAY MEDITATION

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Psalm 51:1


Ash Wednesday is a traditional holy day which starts the season of serious repentance for Christians who want to draw closer to The LORD JESUS CHRIST. It is the time to reflect on Scriptures and to bewail our manifold sins and short-comings… the things we have left undone as well as the things we have erroneously done. It is a time to practice self-denial, of some sort.

Known commonly as Lent or the Lenten season, the word itself actually comes from the basis of springtime and has no Christian basis excepting that the time of repentance occurs around Passover which occurs in Abib (roughly, April) which is in the spring.

Although Lent is only a church tradition, it seems to be a good one which has come down to us from both the Western and Eastern church assemblies. If seriously done, can bring forth much fruit… as all steps towards a serious discipleship do.

Thus, here is a Scripture to meditate upon during this time of deep repentance and joining our LORD in some small, minute way, in HIS+ passion and suffering.


Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Psalm 51:1

Here is David’s call to The LORD. Like David, we ask for the LORD’s mercy not according to our right living, but according to the measure of the LORD’S own amount of loving kindness… which is enormous.

Is this mercy, this forgiveness, extended to all ? No. It is extended unto those who have entered into His+ Holy Covenant.

However, it is available to all … whosoever will come unto HIM+… His+ way. HIS+ great mercy is wonderfully and freely granted to ANYONE who will :
1) admit he is a sinner
2) confess all his sins as unrighteousness
3) convert unto living for JESUS CHRIST as LORD
4) enter the soul-cleansing waters of baptism
5) thus, being found acceptable to JESUS, he is born again of both water and Spirit (John 3)
6) will continue on steadfast in the faith, being mindful to forgive others as he has been forgiven.

What a mighty GOD we serve!

We thank THEE +, O Holy One+ of Israel, for extending your covenant to all, regardless of tribe or nation. We thank THEE+ that THOU+ hast opened our blinded eyes and self-serving hearts to our own sins, which have been and are many. Thank you for providing for us a way for our sins to be covered … by the Blood of Thy precious SON+ , JESUS CHRIST, our Savior. Help us to join HIM+ in HIS+ suffering, to the glory of Thy HOLY NAME. This we pray through JESUS CHRIST our LORD in the power of Thy HOLY SPIRIT, both now and forever. Amen.

ASH WEDNESDAY

Ash Wednesday

From the Book of Common Prayer, traditional, 1979

Almighty and everlasting God,

who hatest nothing that thou hast made and dost forgive the sins of all those who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit,one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

As this early Lenten season approaches this coming Wednesday, let us come before The LORD with a heart of repentance for not only our sins but for our lack of separation from the world, our flesh, and the many, many distractions which hinder our walk with CHRIST JESUS our LORD.

MAKE YOUR OWN VALENTINE MESSAGE

No... we do not do the worldly holidays at all, nor do we remember them.

However... there is a huge world of hurting folks out there, some being Christians who have been battered and bruised by life in general.

I do remember being in that category as a young Christian woman. I didn't have a beau nor anyone who thought I was special. The worldly holidays --- especially Valentine's Day --- was especially painful. Try as I might, I had a hard time NOT WANTING someone to give me just one heart-shaped box of chocolates during my life-time!

I remember reading in Ephesians this passage:

That CHRIST may dwell in your hearts by faith;

that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

may be abled too comprehend with all saints what is

the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

and to know the love of CHRIST,

which passesth knowledge,

that ye might be filled with all the fulness of GOD...

Eph. 3: 17,18, and 19.

As I was contemplating this Scripture, I pictured a little shoe-box on my lap. It was the portion of love that I could have... the length, and breadth, and depth and height of a shoe-box. I was okay with that. But, as I pondered this, an amazing thing happened.... the box started to stretch way out over the horizon!

Do you think I love my Savior ? YES, YES, a thousand times, YES ! HE+ was right there at my time of need. O, What a Savior is mine! (Like the old Gospel song.)

This worldly holiday coming up causes lots of sadness in hearts, as do most of the worldly holidays. If you know of a Christian brother or sister who is alone in heart, even in the midst of a family, it would be good to reach out and REDEEM THE TIME.

Use this time to REMIND that brother or sister of the LOVE of JESUS, of the steadfast love of the LORD, which never ceases. Have a "thinking of you" shower for the forgotten ones. Take a few minutes to remind that hurting one of the powerful, life-changing love that is shed abroad in our hearts by the HOLY SPIRIT.

For Christians, Valentine's Day can be very painful because the world makes so much of phony love, romantic love, Hollywood love. The world does not know and cannot receive the depth of the love of CHRIST JESUS. Let's do everything we can to keep the tormenting spirits at bay ... those same spirits which hound the lonely, the hurting, the forgotten ones, the ones struggling with private sorrows.

Here's a wonderful Collect from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer. It would be nice on any Valentine or Thinking-of-You Card:

O most loving Father,

who willest us to give thanks for all things,

to dread nothing but the loss of thee,

and to cast all our care on thee who carest for us:

Preserve us from faithless fears and worldly anxieties,

and grant that no clouds of this mortal life

may hide from us the light of that love

which is immortal,

and which thou hast manifested unto us

in thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord;

who liveth and reigneth with thee,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God,

now and for ever.
Amen.

Sinless Ages! Sinless Ages!

Sinless Ages

to sing HIS+ praise!

If His+ first Advent brought the offer

of peace and goodwill toward mankind,

what will His+ second Advent bring?

See: 2 Thess. 1:7,8,9. See: Rev.21:1-9 See: Zech. 14:4

We look forward to

His+ second Advent

with great anticipation.

Maranatha !

Come, LORD JESUS.

FOR WANT OF A NAIL...
The Battle with Discouragement

Ever wondered WHY discouragement is a battle? It is because there are wicked spirits involved which somehow creep through our protective barrier placed by The LORD to torment us.

Fighting discouragement is discouraging, to say the least. I do not recall one distinct time of facing this tormenting spirit or spirits head-on and winning. Whining is my usual mode when I am forced to face these nasty, tormenting spirits.

How is it that these spirits are allowed to pass through our divine protection and worry us as a dog worries a bone? How is it that we must wrest the promises of GOD with all our strength… yet barely keep from drowning in a sea of discouragement?

Again and again, the lesson book keeps opening to this chapter as The LORD insists on mastery instead of failure in this battle with these tormenting spirits.

Recently, The LORD, bless HIS+ Holy Name, has mercifully pulled apart this netting so that I can see some of the threads which tangle together to ensnare my soul. Here is what HE+ has shown me.

Lesson One ...

Sort it through, thoroughly.

Where do discouraging torments come from? To know what triggered discouragement off is step number one... but only step number one. Knowing is NOT routing these wicked spirits out of the vicinity, however. Beware of stopping at this step.

For me, I am tripped up when something earthly, temporal doesn’t go the way I planned... especially when I’ve been meticulous in planning and careful in the execution of the situation. This has happened twice in the last 3 days... one, with a cake I baked for company and the other, with my supervisor at school. I became discouraged because I followed the “rules” and it produced the opposite of what I wanted.[1]

In each situation, The LORD showed me that my work itself was not necessarily faulty. I felt bad because I thought my judgment was in error.

Then, the worse part hit me:

I “looked bad” in the eyes of man.[2]

The attack then intensified as the tormenting spirits of anger, bitterness, resentment and ... alas... self-pity came banging on the door, clamoring to get in. They pelted me with their lies and worse, another rotten spirit was coming down the road at full speed: Self-indulgence.[3] After all my hard work, someone has to make me feel better, n’est-ce pas? Unfortunately, something is ready and waiting to pet me with a self-seeking illusion just as soon as I want it.

Thus, now the battle is with a battery of vicious, wicked spirits who are stomping me on the ground and grabbing at my thoughts. My heart feels like it is in a vice and I can hardly breathe. My peace has fled and nearly my sanity, also. I am ready to scream and be mean to anyone in the vicinity. No-one can please me, at this point... although I demand that they do, in my heart.


LESSON TWO

Stop all wrestlings.

Return to the original situation and observe: what is out of line with The Word of GOD? Someone not in the thick of the battle can see it instantly. Fear entered in because of how I thought I looked before the eyes of man.
Well, that is wrong and worthy of a hearty repentance. At that point, the pack of dark, bullying spirits back off to the nearby bushes and I can breathe a little easier.

LESSON THREE

Behind most of my fear, I have learned with much pain and sorrow, lurks pride. I want to be seen as doing the best, working the hardest, and acclaimed much for so doing.

Aha! Now the real motive has surfaced. Basic, old Adamic pride which cloaks itself in virtue is at the root of this insistence to be valued by man. My fear of failure is NOT a noble virtue. Rather, this particular fear is a noble and hard-working slave of pride.

LESSON FOUR

May The LORD’S Name be praised! HE+ truly is our deliverer. HE+ is able and willing to deliver us from our enemies. But, we must do our part. We must sort through the tangled netting and see where we veered away from walking in the Truth of the Scriptures. If we get to the original situation and repent of leaving the Scriptural path, the skirmishes with the other tormentors will decrease and end altogether.

If we allow sin in our hearts (i.e., a veering away from the Words of Our LORD), then we cannot stand in the battle. Even praying mightily, we still cannot stand in these battles and we wonder why The LORD does not regard our cry.

HE+ does hear us, but HE+ wants us to walk through these situations His+ Way. HE+ will allow us to be soundly beaten in order to teach us to do so.

LESSON FIVE

Repentance, then, follows after being led by the nose to indulge Self in anger, bitterness, resentment, meanness of heart and my “brand” of Self-pity.

Now my anger is directed rightly:
at the tricks my Self, that old Adamic nature that is supposed to be dead, has pulled on my New Creature to make her leave the side of her Savior and be beaten by her own, old, sin-filled nature!

LESSON SIX

I have found my mortal enemy: my Self.

I myself have allowed the wicked spirits to run rampant in my soul and they mopped the ground up with me. They always do their job well.

I have no-one to blame but myself... and shame, on top of that.

LESSON SEVEN

What shall be done unto you, old filthy Self ? Penance is slightly out of vogue among Christians, even serious ones. However, physical chastisement helps one to learn the lesson better. Remember: children learn best by touch (tactile) and adults are only grown-up children. So, do what you can by way of fasting, additional prayer times, shut-down times with only The LORD, times of Holy Silence, etc. in order to teach your physical man that it must submit unto the New Creature, the Spiritual man, that you have become. Then comes that sweet, sweet VICTORY IN JESUS.

Amen, and Hallelujah.

PS… As a case in point, I have been so discouraged that it has taken me 2 weeks to get this on the page!

[1] This usually happens on the job with the public, something like this: my supervisor tells me to teach reading a certain way, using certain prescribed phonics programs. I do it with gusto ! But, I realize the children would gain more reading with another program entailing more actual reading . I do not want to displease my supervisor, so I continue to do what he says. Later, I find out other teachers have done what I wanted to do ... and have made greater gains and received commendations from that same supervisor!

[2] This “looking bad” may or may not be reality. It just seems so to me. Others have not said a negative word and , in fact, have said I was doing well. I cannot trust that, though.
[3] My self-indulgences usually take the form of fantasies, which end up making me feel drunk and emptier than before they started. Other people may turn to food and crave sweets ... or pizza. Some may turn to TV, movies, or music.