A MONASTIC CHICKEN.. and The LORD said, "WATCH !"



Young Brahma Rooster
Photo by The Order of the GOOD SHEPHERD+

 The Call of the Monastic at Heart..... 

This is "Rooty" 

a fine young Brahma rooster 

rescued by The Order of The GOOD SHEPHERD+ from our neighbor's hatchet and stew pot. We ransomed  him by offering the neighbors an organic hen in his place, one already prepared for the stew-pot, via the local grocery store. 

As I labored to establish a suitable and secure ample chicken yard for our ransomed rooster, my hands soon became scratched and a bit gouged since the work gloves were too much a hindrance to use when tying the fencing together.   

But anon, the pen, almost circular, was established and our neighbor gamely caught Rooty and brought him to his new pen... but not without a massive struggle. 

Rooty squawked up a fuss! Such sounds as I had never heard coming from a bird ! The entire neighborhood here in the countryside likely heard Rooty's squawkings. 

However, our fearless neighbor held Rooty tightly, soothing and talking to the bird and calming him down as she sweetly carried him to his new abode.  

Now, this new pen is more-than-ample for one rooster.

He has his own water dish, his own feed, his own bits of apple and fruit and even some cast-offs from our bread-baking. He has mounds of freshly dug dirt to dig around in, a converted dog drum  (a large, cleaned out and newly-strawed 55-gallon drum ) for a shelter, and ample bugs for snacks.

There are also some tomato plants still growing there, a few flowers, and some well-trampled weeds. 

The chicken yard has a tree or two in its corners and some shrubs that overhang the fence... altogether a comfortable place for a sole chicken. 

And, to keep him safe from over-head predators, there are strung lines of twine from high on a post in the middle to the sides of the fencing round about. That way, Rooty will be uncomfortable about flying out and predators will be uncomfortable about flying in and possibly entangling their wings on the twine lines. 

When all was completed, we watched how Rooty would adapt to his new home. 

THEN, I felt The LORD draw near, and say, "Watch what he does."

So, I watched. Here is what Rooty did: 

He ignored his food. He ignored his water. He ignored his protective shelter and new straw. He tromped on the flowers without stopping to gaze and did not even consider the tomato plants.

He spent his time in frantically circling the circumference of the chicken yard ... back and forth, back and forth... at the fence-line, nearly entangling his neck in unfruitful efforts,  trying various methods to escape... and go back home. 

It was his one, well-established goal in his little chicken mind: to go back to his former coop. 

He did not realize that the hatchet and stew-pot awaited him there. He only wanted what was familiar to him.... comfortably familiar.  

He did not realize that he had been rescued from certain death in a few days. 

He only knew that he had been chosen to be ostracized, separated from his fellows... whom he had been with since a chickling. 

He only knew that this was not HIS choice, to be separated from the only coop he knew as "home."

Thus, he paced and paced around and around the chicken yard discontentedly. He did not want to be here at all. 

Yet, in separating him from his fellows, he was being saved. 

Yet, in NOT remaining in his comfortable, familiar place "that he had always been in", he was put in a situation for his own good. 

Yet, in compassion upon his LACK of AWARENESS, he was protected by an intelligence larger than himself.

Can I+ not do with you as you have done with this rooster... to save his life? saith The LORD.

Can you not receive My+ protection more graciously that this rooster has received his? saith The LORD.

Can you not listen to ME+, rather than to the cluckings of your own heart ? saith The LORD. 

Can you not be content to live where I+ have called you to live... alone with ME+, without your fellows, for a season,  for your own good? saith The LORD.  

You will learn to follow ME+ and know MY+ Voice this way, in this separation. That is the only place of safety for you now. 

Eat My+ food and drink My+ drink that I+ provide for you. It is the only nourishment that will keep you alive.

The Call of the Monastic at Heart ~ ~ ~

Sr. Judith Hannah  + + +

   

HE+ Sustains... in 2 COR. 5:14

Courtesy of www.popscreen.com

2 CORINTHIANS 5:14 

via The Greek Version  

Let's look closely at the Greek Text of 2 Cor. 5:14, via Jay P. Green, Sr.'s translation, with added insights. 

First, that very familiar verse in the KJV, tells us: 

"For the love of CHRIST constrains us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:" 

(and completing the thought, in verse 15: ) 

"And that HE+ died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto HIM+ which died for them, and rose again."

Now, here is the beauty of the Greek and Latin languages: we can take the words and sentences apart to see what is really being said... words being easier to dissect than sentences, to be sure!

So, let us study the word translated as either constrains, or impels, or compels in our various English Bibles.  

Constrain means to draw tightly; to compel means to force or produce in an unnatural or strained manner, to secure by a bond or confine, to bring into narrow compass , to clasp tightly, or to hold back by force. 

However,  the Greek word itself there is sunechei... which is compounded from: 

• prefix SUN, which means with, together and...  
• echO, which means to have or hold. 

Thus, "sunechei" literally means  to hold together. 

In the Latin, we have a word: sustinEre, which is quite similar to the Greek root, with that Latin word entering into Old French and from there, into Middle English to make our current English word:

SUSTAIN

"Sustain" is from Latin: sub-, sus = UP , plus tenEre = to hold. 

Sustain has several definitions in Webster's 7th New Collegiate Dictionary: 

1. to give support or relief to
2. to supply with sustenance: nourish
3. to keep up: prolong
4. to support the weight of, also, to carry or withstand ( as a weight or pressure)
5. to buoy up
6. to bear up under: endure
7. a: to support as true, legal, or just; b: to allow or admit as valid ( as in court)
8. to support by adequate proof: confirm  

So, let us come to a literal understanding of 2 Corinthians 5:14 ( and 15, to complete the thought) and see if it passes the test of Truth+. 

" For the agapA  love of CHRIST  sustains us , we having determined this, that if ONE+ for all died, then all were dead;

"also for all HE+ died, in order that the living ones live, no more to themselves, but rather, in the ONE+  having died and having been raised for them. " 

The Test of TRUTH+

Is CHRIST JESUS our support? Does HE+ bring relief when there is no other? 

YES!

Is CHRIST JESUS our sustenance, our nourishment? 

YES!

Does HE+ enable us to keep up ?

YES!

Does CHRIST JESUS support us when we are under crushing pressure? 

YES!

Does HE+ buoy up our hearts with His+ good cheer in the midst of troubles? 

YES!

Is CHRIST JESUS there with us, to help us bear up and to endure until the end? 

YES!

Does HE+ grant us righteousness and grant us Truth and Validity before the Throne of GOD? 

YES!

Does Our LORD JESUS CHRIST support us with adequate proof and confirm to us that we are HIS+ and will be in Heaven? 

YES! 

Yes... all the promises of GOD are yea, yea in CHRIST JESUS!  And thankfully so! 

Therefore, I submit to the brethren in CHRIST , that sustains is the correct English concept and English word instead of constrains in 2 Corinthians 5:14... based on the literal rendition of the Greek text. 

The AgapA love of CHRIST may work to "constrain" us , keeping us back from sin and hurting others... 

if 

...our love for HIM+  is greater than our love for ourselves. 

But, in this passage, the AgapA love of CHRIST seems to be what literally sustains us , and that, in every circumstance HE+ allows to come our way. 

Bless GOD: 

FATHER, SON+, and HOLY SPIRIT

... both now and forever, 

world without end. 

Amen!

USA LABOR DAY 2013

Work.... 

for the night is coming

www.123rf.com FULL ECLIPSE of the SUN ROYALTY FREE 

I+ 
must work the works 
of HIM
Who sent ME+
while it is day: 

the NIGHT COMETH
when
NO MAN
can work. 
Words of Our LORD JESUS CHRIST, 
John 9:4



For behold, darkness 
shall cover the earth 
and 
gross darkness
the peoples.

O, 
Earth, 
Earth, 
Earth...

HEAR

The Word 
of 
The LORD.
Jeremiah 22:29 

Labor not
for the food which perishes
but for the food which
endureth
unto everlasting life, 
which the SON of MAN+ 
shall give you: 
for HIM+
hath GOD The FATHER
sealed. 
John 6:27

MONASTIC-AT-HEART Daily Devotions .... The Church at Work

Photo by The Order of the GOOD SHEPHERD+
" ... At Work"

 From 2 Corinthians 1: 1-10

Courtesy of BibleGateway.com

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia: ² Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

³ Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

⁴ Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

⁵ For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

⁶ And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.

⁷ And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.

⁸ For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: ⁹ But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: ¹⁰ Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us; 

~ MEDITATION  ~

Our Heavenly FATHER comforts us in all our tribulations. This is our Peace, our great security. 

Comfort, you may recall, by the ancient etymology, means "with strength." That tells us that HIS comfort is not mere sympathy. It is not merely tenderness. And, THIS COMFORT is in no way to be associated with a sentimental emotion here in Scriptures. 

No. This particular word, "comfort," comes with STRENGTH and that very strength is WITH US. 

We know this is true because the Greek word translated into the King's English as COMFORT is ParakLAtos.  

The Paraklete is the STRONG ONE Who comes along-side to help, the HOLY SPIRIT, yes, the Comforter Himself.  

HE comforts us in all our tribulations SO THAT we can extend that same kind of comfort to those who are in trouble. 

This is our work. 

Like as our sufferings for CHRIST abound, so does our consolation  in CHRIST abound.  That's HIS+ Grace !

AS we have suffered for others' consolation and salvation, they too will suffer for CHRIST if they become HIS+.

That is our assurance that our work is not in vain. 

And then, they too will partake of HIS+ consolation. This is HIS+ promise to them and to us. 

Now then, we are to embrace the sentence of death within ourselves, for CHRIST'S sake, BECAUSE Our LORD raises His+ dead ones. That means HE+ is able to grant us Victory over our enemies in this life, if it please HIM+... or to grant us Victory over our enemies by taking us to Heaven, if it is His+ Will at that time. Either way, we win!

~ PRAYER ~

O LORD, Who+ comforts me with special strength whenever I need it, I thank You+ for every trial and tribulation ... for they are drawing me closer to You+ ...and YOU to me! 

Worthy is the LAMB+ ! 

O, Worthy is the LAMB+ 

that was slain!

Thank You+ for coming close to me when I have sufferings of heart and body and anguish of soul.

 Worthy is the LAMB+ ! 

O, Worthy is the LAMB+ 

that was slain!

Blessed be THEE, O LORD, Who enables me to suffer alongside of my SAVIOR+.

Worthy is the LAMB+ ! 

O, Worthy is the LAMB+ 

that was slain!

Blessed be The Wisdom and Power of GOD, Who sends me the HOLY SPIRIT to come alongside of me during my sufferings. For when I am weak, You+ become my total strength.

Worthy is the LAMB+ !

O, Worthy is the LAMB+ 

that was slain

to receive power and riches

and wisdom and strength

and honor and glory 

and blessing.

Blessing and honor 

and glory and power

be unto HIM+ that

sitteth upon the throne

and unto The LAMB+ 

Forever and ever

Amen.  

For WHOM Do You EVANGELIZE ?

Circuit Preacher, from holstonlegacy.com



What?

Know ye not that your body is

the temple of the HOLY SPIRIT,

which is in you,

which ye have of GOD,

and ye are not your own?

For ye are bought with a Price+:

therefore glorify GOD in your body,

and in your spirit,

which are GOD'S.

I Cor. 6: 19-20

For WHOM do you evangelize?

What are you promoting with your life? If you are promoting the life-style of your community, then you are being "your own."

What are you promoting with your conversation, your words? If you are promoting "what you think", then you are still being "your own."

When you realize that YOU have been bought with a PRICE+ ... a PRICE+ that you can never repay with all the riches of this world... you will realize that you indeed are NOT YOUR OWN MASTER.

In the days of the slave markets in the ancient Roman world, slaves would be auctioned off, standing stark naked so their prospective owners could ascertain the value of their purchased property.

The Christians, who refused to attend theaters, sporting events, public baths, and other places that revealed the flesh, would go to the slave market and purchase one of these poor fellow humans.

For CHRIST JESUS, of course, was the purchase made.

The Christian would quickly clothe the nakedness of the new-bought slave... and set him or her free. For the love he bore to CHRIST JESUS, the Christian and his friends would provide the newly-freed slave with the means to make a living and an abode. 

The slave was FREE ! 

There were no strings attached.

The slave could take

his freedom,

his wealth,

his provision, 

...and GO. 

The slave was free to live his life however he wanted to live it. 

OR... 

the slave was welcome to attach himself to the Christian and find out WHY his life was being made so different from all the slaves he left behind in the slave market. 

As a witness for CHRIST JESUS, the Christians did this because... 

CHRIST JESUS 
DID that 

FOR THEM.

HE+ 

set the captives 

free... 

• Free from sin
• free from serving self
• free from being a slave of  human spirits and
• free from the control of the demonic forces.

  Free to follow HIM+ alone

  
  

  
  

~ WORSHIP: GUIDED MEDITATION ~ 

Response: O GOD, THOU knowest my foolishness: and my sins are not hid from THEE. I am NOT MY OWN; I am bought with a  PRICE+.

Before I was afflicted, I went astray: but now have I kept Thy+ Word+.

Response: O GOD, THOU knowest my foolishness: and my sins are not hid from THEE. I am NOT MY OWN; I am bought with a  PRICE+.

It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn Thy+ statutes.

Response: O GOD, THOU knowest my foolishness: and my sins are not hid from THEE. I am NOT MY OWN; I am bought with a  PRICE+.

I know, O LORD, that Thy+ judgments are right, and that THOU+ in faithfulness has afflicted me.

  
Response: O GOD, THOU knowest my foolishness: and my sins are not hid from THEE. I am NOT MY OWN; I am bought with a  PRICE+.

WORTHY IS THE LAMB+ !

Worthy is The LAMB+ Who+ 

has guided my afflictions;

Worthy is The LAMB+ !

Worthy is The LAMB+ Who+ 

 sets me free; 

Worthy is The LAMB+ ! 

Worthy is The LAMB+ Who+ 

allows me to be HIS+ freed slave 
...or to follow my own way;

Worthy is The LAMB+ !

 Worthy is The LAMB+ that was slain

to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor 

and glory and blessing. 

Blessing and honor and glory and power

be unto HIM that sitteth upon the Throne 

and unto The LAMB+ 

forever and ever

Amen.  

Monastic GUIDED MEDITATIONS for the Individual...

Photo by the  Order of the GOOD SHEPHERD+

The purpose of a Guided Meditation is to draw close to Our LORD JESUS. That involves becoming very still in the inner man. 

Some have done this by reading 20 Psalms a day because it takes the reading of that many Psalms in order for the stillness to seep into the human spirit. The Psalms act as a buffer to keep the distractions at a distance. 

We need a way to quickly focus on The LORD, to hear His+ still, small Voice.  We need to hear His+ Voice to guide us through the day and to keep us secure in HIM+. But, being human, we oftentimes do forsake doing the Psalms and push on with our demanding activities of the day.

The beauty of these short, guided meditations is that you can tailor make them to fit your own personal needs, to fit the areas of your life about which The LORD is speaking to you, perhaps for a week, perhaps for a season.

From doing these three sections of verses on a theme ( as you will be able to see below ), certain parts of the Word of GOD which you need will become in-grained within your spirit. The ANTIPHON helps you to worship.

The WORSHIP part (“Worthy is the LAMB+…”) also becomes personal to YOU , as you worship HIM+ for Who+ HE+ is, for what HE+ is doing in your life, for making HIMSELF+ known unto you.

When doing GUIDED MEDITATIONS, one can draw into that Quietude of Heart that is needed. 

When entering into that Quietude of Heart that is un-disturbed by distractions, it is then we “commune” with Our SAVIOR+. 

And, at that point, we are nourished in our soul by HIM+. 

GUIDED MEDITATIONS  

~ ~ ~ Supplications ~ ~ ~

( A Pattern for Meditative Worship for the Individual )

ANTIPHON: The humble shall see and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek GOD. Psalm 69:32 [The Antiphon is repeated after every verse.]

Cause me to hear Thy+ lovingkindness in the morning; for in THEE+ do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto THEE+ .  Psalm 143:8

ANTIPHON: The humble shall see and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek GOD.

What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the HOLY SPIRIT which is in you, which ye have of GOD, and ye are not your own. For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify GOD in your body, and in your spirit, which are GOD’S.    I Cor. 19,20

 ANTIPHON: The humble shall see and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek GOD.

Order my steps in Thy Word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.   Psalm 119:133

[ The Supplications may  be profitably repeated 3 X, slowly, to deepen the Meditation.]

The Worship

Worthy is the LAMB+ Who+ ….. [ To finish the three sentences, simply select an item in the above verses which speaks to your heart and insert it here, to complete each sentence of praise.  Here is an example of how to do this.]

• Worthy is the LAMB+  Who+...  speaks His+ love to me this morning. Amen and AlleluJAH. Worthy is the LAMB+ that was slain…

• Worthy is the LAMB+  Who+... has bought me by His+ Blood. Amen and AlleluJAH. Worthy is the LAMB+ that was slain…  

• Worthy is the LAMB+ Who+... orders my steps in HIS+ Word. Amen and AlleluJAH. Worthy is the LAMB+ that was slain...

Worthy is the LAMB+ 

that was slain 

to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.

Blessing and honor and glory and power be unto HIM that sitteth upon the throne and unto The LAMB+.

Amen and AlleluJAH !

Glory Be to 

The FATHER,

and to The SON+,

and to the HOLY SPIRIT.

As it was in the beginning,

is now and ever shall be.

World without end .

Amen. Amen.

... How Is it, LORD ?

PENTECOST !

Photo by The Order of The GOOD SHEPHERD+

LORD, how is it 

that THOU+ 

wilt manifest 

THYSELF+ 

unto us, 

and not unto the world? 

JESUS answered and said unto him, 

If a man love ME+, 

he will keep My+ Words;

and My+ FATHER will love him, 

and WE will come unto him, 

and make Our abode with him. 

John 14

When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

And suddenly, there came a sound from Heaven as of a rushing, mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 

And there appeared unto them Cloven Tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 

And they were all filled with the HOLY SPIRIT, and began to speak with other tongues, as the SPIRIT gave them utterance. Acts 2