OF Whom the World was NOT WORTHY...

Of Whom the World was NOT WORTHY…

Introduction to All Saints’ Day

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During this up-coming All Saints’ Day and the dark-spirited halloween season which precedes it, let us focus our attention upon something edifying, something which engenders Life in CHRIST. Let us look at the PRICE many have paid to obtain the PRIZE of the high calling of GOD in CHRIST JESUS.

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Stephen, the first martyr for CHRIST JESUS, who loved not his life unto the death, is the first example of a CHRISTIAN dying rather than denying the LORD JESUS before men. After facing the angry mob of his fellow countrymen, Stephen gave them the Truth about their history, their sins, and their Messiah.

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This courageous and innocent lamb fell asleep in The LORD, having been stoned to death as he was sharing. On his way to The LORD JESUS, Stephen forgave his murderers… among whom was standing a zealous, angry, and implacable Pharisee by the name of Saul of Tarsus. He was powerful and dangerous. Stephen’s death was instrumental in Saul’s conversion, spiritually-speaking. Read about Stephen in Acts, chapters 6 and 7.

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Christians, during these troublous times, let us NOT be intimidated by the evil afoot, but rather let us spend our energies REDEEMING the time for CHRIST, growing secure and mature in CHRIST JESUS our LORD.

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Considering the martyrs and confessors of CHRIST JESUS, let us focus on those who were willing to PAY the PRICE. These are the worthy ones who sealed their testimony with their blood. These are the worthy ones throughout the ages who loved not their life unto the death, for their love of The LORD JESUS CHRIST.

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Instead of teaching our children and fellowman about ghosts and goblins and Charlie Brown’s Great Pumpkin, let us Christians teach our children about these fellow Christians who went before us…"for the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church."

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Why do we even want to do this?

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We want to school our hearts to go

and do likewise,

should we ever be put to the test.

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We want our children to be willing to die for CHRIST

rather than deny HIM+...

and remain for a short season

upon this troubled earth…

but lose their souls for all Eternity.

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We ourselves want

to endure unto the end

so that we may obtain the prize too.

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…from the Book of Common Prayer

Grant, O LORD, that in all our sufferings here upon earth for the testimony of Thy Truth, we may steadfastly look up to Heaven, and by faith behold the glory that shall be revealed as did Stephen.

And, being filled with the HOLY SPIRIT, we may learn to love and bless our persecutors first by the example of THEE+, O CHRIST and then, by Thy faithful witness, Stephen, who prayed for his murderers to THEE+, O blessed LORD JESUS, Who + standest at the right hand of GOD to succour [help] all those who suffer for THEE+, our only Mediator+ and Advocate. Amen.

MEDITATION on The WORD of GOD

PSALM 5:8

Lead me, O LORD,

in THY+ righteousness

because of mine enemies;

make THY+ way straight

before my face.

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MEDITATIONS on The WORD of GOD

PSALM 5:3

My voice shalt THOU hear

in the morning, O LORD;

in the morning

will I direct my prayer unto THEE,

and will look up.

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MEDITATIONS on The WORD of GOD

PSALM 4:8

I will both lay me down in peace,

and sleep:

for THOU, LORD, only [alone]

makest me dwell in safety.

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MEDITATIONS on The WORD of GOD

PSALM 4:3

But know that the LORD

hath set apart

him that is godly

for HIMSELF+:

The LORD will hear

when I call unto HIM+.

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MEDITATIONS on The WORD of GOD

PSALM 3:3

But thou, O LORD,

art a shield for me;

my glory,

and the lifter up of mine head.

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Meditations from The WORD of GOD


PSALM 2:12

Kiss the SON,

lest HE+ be angry,

and ye perish from the way,

when HIS+ wrath is kindled but a little !

Blessed are all they that put their
trust in HIM+.

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MEDITATIONS on The WORD of GOD ~~~ Our Refuge

MEDITATIONS from the WORD of GOD

PSALM 9: 9-10

The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed,

a refuge in times of trouble.

And they that know thy name

will put their trust in thee:

for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken

them that seek thee.

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MEDITATIONS on The WORD of GOD

...The Rose of Sharon...

MEDITATIONS on The WORD of GOD

Hear The Words of The LORD JESUS CHRIST:

Matthew 6:31-32
Therefore take no thought, saying,

What shall we eat?

or, What shall we drink?

or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:)

for your heavenly FATHER knoweth

that ye have need of all these things.

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Judgment seems to be falling upon the world-wide mammon-serving system, the system. IT SHOULD. It is the mammon system which keeps men enslaved, by either love of mammon ...or fear of mammon. Sadly, engendering covetousness is a multi-million dollar business in western civilization and we have all been the victims of its programmed covetousness. The well-planned system of Covetousness as well as mammon will be judged.

Therefore, it is high time we Christians extricate ourselves from mammon’s control. We can only do this through The WORD of GOD, by the power of the HOLY SPIRIT, by serving CHRIST JESUS and doing HIS+ Will. We don’t want to fall under the Divine Judgment most assuredly coming against these kings of the earth and their system of unjust weights and measures or their system of covetousness. They are over-ripe for the judgment coming.

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Let us pray:

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Forgive me, O LORD GOD, that I have taken the blessings of food and clothing and shelter for granted so much of my life. LORD JESUS, my KING, turn me away from coveting my neighbors' clothes, houses, lands, cars, modern conveniences, or life-styles.

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Forgive me for feasting my eyes upon magazines, advertisements, and even store windows which engender discontent and covetousness in me. Cleanse me of sowing to the flesh instead of unto Thy+ SPIRIT.

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Cleanse me of allowing mammon to make me afraid. Help me to put Your Kingdom and the furtherance of it above my material wants.

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Help me to live simply for Your Sake+, so that I may bear perfect witness of YOU, My LORD and MASTER+. Re-teach me how to be content and to stop lusting after the things of this world.

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Help me to lay up my security for the future into Your KINGDOM... and Yours alone. It will never fail, like the banks and retirement accounts and all the temporal securities that promise my future well-being, in the kingdom of mammon.

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I give you thanks and praise, O LORD, for removing me from this world's mammon-serving values and putting me solidly into Your KINGDOM. I pledge my allegiance unto YOU, O LORD, both now and forever. Amen.

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<(((><... swim in the waters of your baptism.

MEDITATIONS on The WORD of GOD...

Meditations for Troublous Times

from The LIVING WORD+ of GOD

Hear the Words of The LORD JESUS CHRIST:

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BUT SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD,
and HIS+ righteousness;
and all these things

shall be added unto you.

TAKE THEREFORE NO THOUGHT

FOR THE MORROW:
for the morrow shall take thought

for the things of itself.

Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Matthew 6:33-34

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Our LORD JESUS CHRIST told us how to live in regards to mammon. HE+ lived that way HIMSELF+... setting our example.

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Let us pray:

LORD JESUS CHRIST, SON+ of GOD, I worship You and thank You for providing for me from the beginning of my life unto this very day.

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Forgive me, LORD, for taking all manner of thought for the morrow. Turn me from having one eye on the Kingdom of GOD… and the other on some kind of temporal security!

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Grant me the courage, O LORD, to actually seek first the Kingdom of GOD and Thy+ Righteousness. When my hands are FULL of doing Your Will, I know securely my heart and my soul and my body shall rest, because YOU have promised and GOD is not a man, that HE+ should lie.

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Forgive me for crossing, for transgressing, Your Holy Words, LORD JESUS.

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I acknowledge that YOU+ and YOU+ ALONE are the KING of kings and the LORD of lords. Therefore, I commit my life… and my keeping unto THEE +, KING of all the ages … both now and for all Eternity.

Amen.

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<(((>< ... swim in the waters of your baptism...

ALL HALLOWS' EVE... or halloween ???

REDEEMING THE TIME... for CHRIST JESUS our LORD !

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ALL HALLOWS' EVE is coming at the end of this month. Known as “halloween” to most of us, it has become a demon’s gleeful celebration the night before the Church remembered all the martyrs and confessors in Christian history.

[Confessors, by the way, are those who were imprisoned and usually tortured in some way and/or had their goods plundered for NOT DENYING the Name of CHRIST JESUS before men. The only difference between the martyrs and confessors is that the confessors did not die (immediately) from their tortures.

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Many of them were sent home… barely alive… and died at home from their wounds for the name of CHRIST, a few years afterwards, never recovering sufficiently. Some made it through, like Brother Yun, but carried the scars, and some, the handicap of being crippled or blind or some such life-limiting handicap the rest of their natural lives.]

In the process of time, the Church began to remember these saints, these martyrs and confessors on November 1 every year. It was a day for those Christians who remained to give thanks, think soberly upon life, and re-affirm their steadfastness to STAND for CHRIST in this wicked world.

The old English name for saints was hallows… those who were hallowed. Thus, the reprobate world who loves to mock the Kingdom of GOD made a spite-filled, demonic “holy-day” [ i.e., holiday] to commemorate their dishonorable ones and their deeds of tormenting and torturing those WHO WOULD NOT DENY CHRIST.

In the demonic commemoration, uncomfortable tricks and pranks were pulled on others by people in costumes, imitating demonic pranksters… unless the victims paid off the pranksters with a treat; hence the phrase: “trick or treat!”

As children, most of us enjoyed dressing up in foolish costumes. We enjoyed getting candy from relatives and friends. We enjoyed hollering “trikkertreet”… not knowing what we were alluding to… and most of us would not have even thought of pulling a serious prank on our friends or neighbors, with or without a treat.

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If you see a church group having a halloween party for the children, avoid it. It simply teaches the youngsters to disrespect the real hallowed ones, the true saints, who laid down their lives for The LORD JESUS CHRIST. That church is not spiritually-minded but thinking on things of this world, how the "church" can entertain the youngsters instead of converting them to SERIOUS CHRISTIANITY.

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If you belong to a church or group which simply "must" do something for the young people over halloween, then why not FOCUS on stories, movies, books, and activities--- including serious discussions led by spiritually-minded Christian adults-- about the CHRISTIAN MARTYRS through the ages? Let there be a focus on martyrdom and NOT denying CHRIST. Lead the young people in the various ways of going to the cross NOW... turning the other cheek NOW... not denying CHRIST NOW, in the face of their peers who are not at church. This will redeem the time and be better for them than silly parties and pranks and masks.

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Of course, the adults must set the example first.

Yes, ALL HALLOWS’ DAY (All Saints’ Day) is coming, as well as the eve before it. As Christians… and especially, those of us who have children or work with them in some way… let’s be prepared to paint the Blood of the Passover Lamb over the lintels and doorposts of our house. Let’s remain inside, under the covering of the Holy Blood of The LORD JESUS CHRIST, that we may be found to be well-pleasing unto HIM+.

Going one step further.....

let’s consecrate BOTH the eve before and the next day as a holy day unto Our LORD with some kind of fasting, some kind of reading about the apostles and ancient (and modern) Christians who loved not their lives unto the death. Read these accounts to your children. Read Hebrews chapter 11. Offer up some special prayers …NOT TO THE SAINTS… but rather, for ourselves unto CHRIST JESUS the LORD, that we may learn never, never to deny CHRIST before men, not even in little ways.

Let’s remember the blood of the martyrs and confessors is indeed the seed of the church. Let’s pray that we may be accounted worthy, also.

THE HEAD COVERING... part 2

The Head Covering ….. part 2

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We are continuing on the Head-Covering Teaching from 1 Corinthians 11, picking up from where we stopped. In review, the first 3 verses establish the Godly governing order in the Christian home and church: man is the head of woman, CHRIST JESUS is the head of man: GOD is the head of CHRIST.

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Every man praying or prophesying,

having his head covered,

dishonoreth his head.

1 Cor.11:4

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Verse 4 today is straightforward and easy to understand… in the KJV. Some modern scholars, however, dislike this rendition BECAUSE the Greek text literally says… “Every man praying or prophesying having down over the head dishonors his head”.
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Upon careful reading, WHAT is “hanging down over the head” is missing in the Greek text. It is grammatically an “understood” element [according to the classic Greek New Testament Lexicon, BADG, p. 405, under kata.]
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It is understood to be a cloth covering and has so been understood in the Early Christian writings of the first 200 years as well as by all the Christian church up to the last few decades!
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Tertullian, a well-known Christian apologist, wrote (circa 211 A.D.) about a soldier who was somehow a Christian. He would not put the Roman laurel band or wreath as a crown on his head because he was Christian. He was martyred because he wouldn’t deny CHRIST before men. Keeping in mind 1 Cor. 11 regarding the head covering issue for both men and women, let us hear what Tertullian said to the church when he gave instruction as to wearing a “band” or crown, as awarded by the Roman government for various government honors:
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Much less may the Christian [man] put the service of idolatry on his own head — nay, I might have said, upon Christ, since Christ is the Head of the Christian man — (for his head) is as free as even Christ is, under no obligation to wear a covering, not to say a band.
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But even the head which is bound to have the veil, I mean woman’s, as already taken possession of by this very thing, is not open also to a [laurel] band. She has the burden of her own humility to bear. If she ought not to appear with her head uncovered on account of the angels, much more with a crown on it will she offend those (elders) who perhaps are then wearing crowns above.
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For what is a crown on the head of a woman, but beauty made seductive, but mark of utter wantonness, — a notable casting away of modesty, a setting temptation on fire? Therefore a woman, taking counsel from the apostles’ foresight, will not too elaborately adorn herself, that she may not either be crowned with any exquisite arrangement of her hair.
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What sort of garland, however, I pray you, did He who is the Head of the man and the glory of the woman, Christ Jesus, the Husband of the church, submit to in behalf of both sexes? Of thorns, I think, and thistles, — a figure of the sins which the soil of the flesh brought forth for us, but which the power of the cross removed, blunting, in its endurance by the head of our Lord, death’s every sting.
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Yes, and besides the figure, there is contumely [contempt] with ready lip, and dishonor, and infamy, and the ferocity involved in the cruel things which then disfigured and lacerated the temples of the LORD+, that you may now be crowned with laurel, and myrtle, and olive, and any famous branch, and which is of more use, with hundred-leaved roses too, culled from the garden of Midas, and with both kinds of lily, and with violets of all sorts, perhaps also with gems and gold, so as even to rival that crown of Christ which He afterwards obtained.
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For it was after the gall HE+ tasted the honeycomb, and HE+ was not greeted as King of Glory in heavenly places till HE+ had been condemned to the cross as King of the Jews, having first been made by the FATHER for a time a little less than the angels, and so crowned with glory and honor. If for these things, you owe your own head to HIM+, repay it if you can, such as HE+ presented HIS+ for yours; or be not crowned with flowers at all, if you cannot be with thorns, because you may not be with flowers.
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Ante-Nicene Fathers, VOL 3. TERTULLIAN, PART FIRST, SECTION 4, entitled: The Chaplet or De Corona (Of the Crown), Chapter 14, pg. 102
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But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth

with her head uncovered dishonoreth her head:

for that is even all one as if she were shaven.

For if the woman be not covered,

let her also be shorn:

but if it be a shame

for a woman to be shorn or shaven,

let her be covered.

1 Cor.11:5-6

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No woman I know is happy about going bald or being bald, as some dear ones have endured with chemotherapy treatments. Every woman who has had to endure baldness has gone to great lengths via wigs or hair-pieces or scarves or hats to avoid looking freakish. It is a great sorrow to her.
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The Apostle here is teaching the church that BEFORE GOD, a woman praying or prophesying unveiled is as outlandish TO HIM+ as a bald woman is to normal society. If she refuses to cover her head properly, then she is to be made bald. It’s a good antidote. She’ll cover her head then, and without a struggle, no doubt!
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There are some teachings out there that affirm the head covering IS hair. That cannot be because substituting “hair” in the above verses for covering makes the entire verses of no sense.
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Next blog on this topic will show WHY … the Biblical reasons… WHY The LORD governs the home and church this way.

TESTIMONY from a NEW CREATURE... in CHRIST...

Testimony from the eMail Fellowship...

"…my story…

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At age 17 I married a wonderful Christian farm boy :) I have been married 20 years. I have 3 grown children ages 20,19,18. We sold our farm 10 years ago and went into a family business.

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I was adopted and raised in the Mennonite faith. With parents that kept the faith but lost the plainness.. head covering,…etc. My siblings don't even practice the Mennonite way of life anymore. I was always convicted but never really took the time to search the scriptures on it, which looking back, is really sad. I became of this world, turning into wanting material things like cars, etc.

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Here is where my life changing story begins :)
Last year, God was working on my heart to change my materialistic ways, in the midst of it all. Our family business was buying homes and fixing them and reselling them. We were stuck with 2 houses that would not sell when the housing market collapsed. Now we were in trouble…big debt, etc.

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Then Aug 17th of last year, I woke up with extreme external bleeding and we had no insurance… so I let it go. Two days later I was almost gone. I went to the bathroom and fell over, going in and out of coma.

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I realized what matters in life are not the things of this world. My husband was there with me and I said to myself, If God brings me out of this, things will change. I was in the hospital and they discovered I had a tumor that grew so large it tore one of my organs.

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Praise God!!! He saved my life. Within the week of recovering, we sold everything!!

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I mean everything… house, truck, all earthly material that was not useful We moved in a small home that I made into a farmette, I have garden, chickens and am living the Titus 2 life.

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Now, I have a testimony for The LORD. Women that knew me before do not understand why I am so happy. God has filled me with his love… [of Him instead of worldly things.]

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At times It is hard because my earthly siblings don't understand my peace. I feel so compelled to share my story, People need to wake up before it is too late !I felt a stream of peace looking at your website. I too now do not feel alone.

Blessings, Teresa "

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Thank you, Teresa, for sharing your testimony. May The LORD bless you as you draw closer and closer every day to the ONE+ Who+ ALONE is Life... and that, for all Eternity.

Sister Judith Hannah

A MATTER for REJOICING !

Herein is a Matter for Rejoicing!

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We know a sixteen-year-old Christian girl, raised in a Christian home, who gives the heart a matter for rejoicing!

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This dear young friend of ours has a Christian heart for the poor... to be more exact, for the poor young orphans and babies who have been thrown away by parents or relatives..

O,that I had been so filled with CHRIST'S love for the little castaways on this earth when I was 16... or 26... or 36.. even.

This young daughter of the KING+ knows exactly what she wants to do with her life, however many years granted her by The LORD. Although young, her maturity is peeking through and is so very winsome.

Would that all 16-year-old Christian youth would march into adulthood like this! May The LORD bless this dear Gracie and lead her on in her work for the Kingdom+, unfailingly into the arms of her Savior, The LORD JESUS CHRIST.

For a blessing, read her refreshing blogspot at:

www.meanderingswithgracie.blogspot.com

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LAWS of NATURE...

The Laws of Nature

Established by GOD;
…Kept by GOD


GOD does not cross the laws of nature.

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In the natural scheme of events, we cannot willfully leap over a cliff and hope that HE+ will keep us from a bad landing. UNLESS HE+ SUSPENDS THE LAW OF GRAVITY JUST FOR US, we will land with a crash and likely be killed.

Yes, HE+ could send His+ angel to keep us, but we remember the Words of our LORD: Thou shalt not tempt the LORD Thy GOD.

Simply put, this law of nature means we cannot eat pizzas constantly and have The LORD lower our cholesterol! We cannot refuse to exercise our bodies and expect The LORD to make them work well. We cannot neglect to put gasoline and oil in our vehicle and expect The LORD to make it run for us.

We cannot ignore bad behavior out of our children and expect The LORD to give them a good character. Likewise, we cannot ignore sowing to the Spirit and expect The LORD to grant us closeness unto HIM+.

Now, this is NOT to discount miraculous deliveries from such things as come upon us, but in the normal run of events, the laws of nature are simply not suspended for human beings, including Christians.

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Why is this ?

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The LORD loves discipline… not punishment… but a discipline in our walk. This may come as a great surprise to most Christians; it certainly did to me! This disciplined walk functions as our training ground for spiritual things like: steadfastness, maturity, and spiritual warfare.

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Why is discipline important ?

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We have been raised to indulge our every desire, whim, and taste bud.

Our flesh demands to be served, both by the Adamic nature we inherited as humans and by the worldly culture we have inhaled.

Furthermore, this is true for every person on this earth NO MATTER how sophisticated or UNsophisticated his society may be.

Why should we be surprised? One reason is that we have been taught, in one way or another, that we are free in CHRIST… therefore, we don’t have to “DO” anything… just believe.

Yes, we are free in CHRIST: free to worship HIM+ without fear of the devil snatching us away … although we CAN WILLFULLY walk away of our own free will.

We are free from being defeated by the devil … if we hold fast to Truth in the inner man, agreeing with The Word in all things. We are free in CHRIST IF we walk in the Spirit, instead of our flesh. Our FATHER’S+ ears will not be deaf to our cry

We are free to deny ourselves, knowing CHRIST loves us… thus we are freed of self-indulging ourselves to make up for lost love which we feel we have missed.

We are free to walk away from the temporal pleasure of sin, knowing His+ Blessed HOLY SPIRIT will help us to live sin-free, victoriously.

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But…
we are NOT free from training ourselves

to follow HIM+ more closely,

more precisely,

and more fully.

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This personal training, this personal discipline, is what is missing in this current church age.

This is NOT keeping the Mosaic Law, as talked about in Galatians. This is NOT earning or working to enter into His+ Salvation.

It is being trained, as any child is trained in the ways of its parents, in order to grow into productive, fruitful, and happy maturity.

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It is a sad commentary that the military can train its personnel with more discipline than the church trains its soldiers for spiritual warfare.

It is sad that schools, colleges, and technical centers train their students to have more discipline, to pass the tests and achieve that certification, to work more skillfully on that job, than the church trains its newborns.

It is sad that high school and college bands and football teams demand more rigorous hours of rigorous training…. some, including diet and exercise workouts… than do the churches of the LIVING GOD.

Even Little League Baseball teams require training and practice by the youngsters before any baseball game gets played… not to mention the hours some of us have sat our little selves on the piano bench, training ourselves to please our parents!

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Why then does the church think

it can omit the training and discipline

for its most serious

and most purposeful warfare?

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Now, simply learning about training is NOT the same thing

as embracing the training itself.

Learning about how to do the Psalms,

how to pray,

or how to set aside time for The LORD,

is NOT THE SAME THING

as denying yourself your “free” time and

actually DOING the Psalms,

the prayer time,

the times of undistracted Quietness

before The LORD.

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None of the ungodly armies of this world put a machine gun into the hands of untrained soldiers and send them into battle and expect effective warfare… else they likely will do more harm than the enemy.

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We Christians must be trained

to use the spiritual weapons

of our warfare, also.

How and where

do we get this training?

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We seek the LORD, first, as always we do.

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Then, we let HIM+ show us how to discipline ourselves, what pleases HIM+.

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HE+ will…. if we want it.

Next, we must be trained to discipline our own flesh, by the HOLY SPIRIT. This will involve giving The LORD SOVERIEGNTY over our time, our “pet” indulgences, our entertainments, our eating, and for some, even our sleeping.

Then, HE+ will put the spiritual weapons into our hands with the instructions of how to use them.

Right now, though, the majority of us are UNtrained and a number of us could NOT even be counted as “soldiers” in the Kingdom of GOD. We will fall at the beginning of a battle and at the rumblings of persecution.

Let us pick up HIS+ yoke;
it is easy and light.

HE+ is on the other side
of the double-tree yoke,
pulling it along with us.

The Apostle’s words from 1 Corinthians 9: 24-27:

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Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

The Apostle’s words from Hebrews 1:21 :

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us…

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Therefore, with angels and archangels,
and with all the company of Heaven,
we laud and magnify Thy Glorious Name,
Evermore praising THEE+ and saying:

HOLY, HOLY, HOLY,
LORD GOD OF HOSTS,
HEAVEN AND EARTH
ARE FULL OF THY GLORY.

GLORY BE TO THEE+ ,
O LORD MOST HIGH !

Our training is to help us worship

the LORD OUR GOD

with a heart full of... HIMSELF+!

Sister Judith Hannah
+ + +

A LABOR-DAY SERMON Never Preached..RESPONSE REQUESTED

Dear READERS...

you are invited to RESPOND TO THIS VERSE.

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Please write a comment and share:

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1) what this verse SAYS TO YOU; and

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2)how we are to apply it to our lives.

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The Labor-Day Sermon Never Preached…

Labor not for the meat which perisheth,

but for that meat which endureth

unto Everlasting Life,

which the Son of Man+

shall give unto you:

for HIM+

hath GOD The FATHER sealed.

The Words of The LORD JESUS CHRIST,

recorded in John 6:27

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.Yours in CHRIST,

Sister Judith Hannah

><(((> eMAIL Fellowship Prayer schedule

><(((> For the eMail Fellowship <(((><

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A SCHEDULE of RETURNS

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It is imperative that we start to train ourselves in CHRIST. This training will help us to abide in HIM+ throughout the day. Our training will bring forth growth, a closeness to CHRIST JESUS our LORD.

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This training is called discipline. NO... we do not "spank" ourselves! It is the discipline of training our bodies, our souls, and our spirits to SUBMIT UNTO THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD. It yields TREMENDOUS spiritual fruit when we do this.

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So, to begin, we will start with a SCHEDULE to help us RETURN TO GOD EVERY 3 HOURS, in an orderly way.

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Now DO NOT PANIC! :) There are many a times I have missed my "return." When I miss a prayer stop or a RETURN unto The LORD, I am regretful and sorry... and I pick up my Self and RETURN UNTO HIM+ ...immediately... forthwith... lickety-split!

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The RETURNS are NOT long. We can all fit them nicely into our work and responsibility schedules. Most of the prayer stops or RETURNS can be done in 5 minutes, through the day. The LENGTH IS NOT IMPORTANT: stopping your day to RETURN to HIM+ IS crucial.

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Here is what we do at the Order of the GOOD SHEPHERD+ hermitage:

1. Individual Morning Vigil...

We start our day by reading and praying , usually with our cup of morning drink in our hand! We do this individually, quietly, and privately. We start thanking the LORD, lifting up our hearts to HIM+ as soon as our feet touch the floor... sometimes before our head comes off of the pillow.

2. We do morning prayer together...

Morning prayer may be long or short, depending upon our needs. At the very least, we return thanks together and the LORD'S Prayer that HE+ taught HIS+ disciples. Usually we also include a Psalm, a short reading from the Gospel and one from the Epistle. We may sing or recite the Gloria or Doxology. Sometimes we follow the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, but not always.

3. STOP OUR DAY at 9 a.m...

when The LORD was crucified. We thank HIM+. We may read Psalm 51 or do something else to show HIM+ we remember HIS+ great sacrifice for us miserable sinners, that we may enter into Life Eternal. We repent for ignoring HIM+ for so many years and even now, for ignoring HIM+ so many times... turning a deaf ear to HIS+ call to us.

HE+ heard the shofar blow at the time of the Morning Sacrifice in the Temple... knowing full well that HE+ was the Sacrificed LAMB+ of GOD.

4. At noon, we STOP OUR DAY...

and return to The LORD, to thank HIM+ for enduring hanging on the cross for us. AT noontime, the sky was darkened across the earth on the day HE+ was crucified. We repent for our whinining and murmuring and impatience when things do not go our way.We ask HIM+ to help us to endure like HE+, our Example+, endured.

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5. At 3 p.m., we STOP OUR DAY...

and thank HIM+ again, for HE+ said, "It is finished, FATHER. Into Thy hands I commit my spirit." We thank HIM+ for winning the victory... and granting to us that same victory over death, hell, and the grave. We repent that we so easily yield to doubts and fears of this present life, instead of keeping our eyes on the Victory HE+ gained for us. We rejoice in HIS+ victory, our victory which HE+ has laid up for us, ...

and the Truth in the WORD of GOD that tells us so!

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6. We do evening prayer together...

This is usually a sufficient worship time, with Scripture readings, canticles, praises, thanksgivings, repentences, intercessions. We oftentimes follow the Anglican Prayer Book, with some modifications.

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7. Before bed, we do a short compline...

(completion of the day) prayer, with thanksgiving and asking for a safe and healthy keeping through the night, that HE+ may wake us up to HIS+ morning Light.

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This is the Schedule of RETURNS that we will use in the eMail Fellowship. If you cannot do ALL of them, then do one... but do it every day. Read a Psalm if you do not have a prayer book. RETURN thanks to HIM+. RETURN praise to HIM+. RETURN worship to HIM+. RETURN and repent as often as HE+ brings things to mind. This is our goal.

You will find yourself moving through your daily chores faster, easier, with more peace, than ever before... for HE+ blesses this kind of discipline... this kind of sowing to the Spirit. Our purpose is to TRAIN ourselves to continually sow to the Spirit.

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Enter in and let us see what The LORD will do!

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In the name of The FATHER, HIS Holy and

Beloved SON JESUS CHRIST our LORD,

and the Blessed HOLY SPIRIT,

both now and forever. Amen.

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Sister Judith Hannah

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