Worthy is the LAMB+... 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 on the throne and unto The LAMB+ for ever and ever. Amen.
1/13/2010
MY+ INTENTIONS
1/04/2010
Only ONE Chair...
I am the LORD:
This wonderful piece of Christian "art" will never be found in art galleries of the famous. It will, however, be found in the most important places, i.e... imprinted on the heart, mind, and spirit of those who follow CHRIST.
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There is only one chair in the Throne Room of our hearts. Who will fill it during 2010 ? Who filled it during 2009 ?
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Is it time to make changes? None of us are getting younger. All of us are marching ever onward toward that inevitable appointment with The Almighty. Since the Keys to life and death are TOTALLY in HIS+ Hands, is it time to make REAL changes in the Throne Room of our hearts?
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The question is very simple, black and white: WHO RULES?
.
The answer is also very simple, black and white: Self or The LORD JESUS CHRIST?
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Whichever one we serve here on earth in this life will be the determining factor of our eternal... unceasing... continual... without end... always and forever placement the instant we close our eyes in death. Rich or poor, sick or healthy, young or old, lazy or industrious, clever or not... the same rule goes for all.
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Everyone KNOWS we cannot carry one little scrap with our soul and spirit as we fly away: not one dollar bill, not one degree, not one award nor certificate, not one license, not one piece of furniture, and not even one tiny thread of material to cover our nakedness.
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Moreover, not one friend nor acquaintance, not one father or mother or brother or sister or wife or husband or son or daughter, will accompany us at that Time Appointed. Neither minister nor church group, be they ever so faithful, will stand at the judgment with us. Each one of us WILL STAND ALONE to render an account of what we have savored during our allotted years: Self ... or... The LORD JESUS CHRIST.
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We will enter eternity covered only with one thing: The righteous Blood of The LAMB ... or ... our own stains of Self-rule. Yes, eternity DOES WAIT for us all; our entrance is really rather close. It is also quite certain.
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But, through WHICH DOOR shall we enter eternity? The one that leads Heaven-ward ... or ... the entrance into perdition?
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There is only ONE CHAIR
in the Throne Room of our hearts.
Who will rule:
Self ?
... or ...
The LORD JESUS CHRIST ?
.
Thankfully, no-one is ordained to go into perdition and no-one is ordained to go to Heaven. We can repent of serving Self and we can live to serve Our LORD... or... we can continue on serving Self, satan, and the things of this world.
.
HE+ will not force us
to follow HIM+.
.
And likewise,
we cannot force HIM+
to let us into Heaven.
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Only one life,
'Twill soon be past;
Only what's done for CHRIST
Will last.
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Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? Ezekiel 33:11
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The WORD of The LORD;
Thanks be to GOD!
+ + +
In the name of The FATHER
Who created thee;
And His Beloved SON+,
Our LORD JESUS CHRIST,
Who saves thee;
And the Blessed HOLY SPIRIT,
Who sanctifies thee.
+
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12/31/2009
A HYMN for the 9th Hour of the Morning...
12/28/2009
In Honor of Aunt Marie...
This woman, my dear Aunt, entered into Glory with The LORD
on the 17th of December... just like she lived her life: quietly and uprightly.
As soon as I heard about her death,
The LORD graciously spoke to my heart:
"She is a member in good standing
in the Body of CHRIST."
<(((><
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She was not a missionary. She spent her life tending to her family. Sometimes she helped out the slender family budget by doing cleaning and other odd jobs around her small town. So, what did Aunt Marie DO DIFFERENTLY from any regular church-attender?
.
<(((><
The family priest commended her for her serious walk throughout the years. And, in times of plenty or poverty, she quietly remained true to HIM+. She trained her children in the way they should go. She remained true to her husband when he was an invalid for a very long time, a couple of years with hepatitis... and there was no income to sustain her or the children. She didn't have to remain faithful, naturally speaking, because she was a beautiful blond of Hungarian ancestry , with beautiful skin to match and a lovely figure. She always had a delicate way about her. But she remained faithful to her husband, to her children, to her vows, AND TO HER LORD.
I remember Aunt Marie cooking over a cook-stove in the middle of winter. Life was NOT EASY for this dear woman. She always was patiently caring for her little flock of children plus her sick husband, and doing it all with good cheer and a peaceful demeanor. No nervous breakdown for this Woman of GOD. She didn't need it; she had her LORD to support her.
.<(((><
We salute you, Aunt Marie, as you leave the Church Militant and enter into the Church VICTORIOUS... in victory over temptation, sin, and heartache. May you rest in the JOY of The LORD now, and for all Eternity.
Let us join in prayer together:
Dear Heavenly FATHER,
We come before THEE in the Name of Thy Beloved SON+ JESUS to thank you for this woman's life, her wonderful example that THOU hath set before us. Grant us the desire to please THEE so earnestly that we too may turn the other cheek, go the second mile, and return good for evil as this dear Daughter of Thine+ did throughout her lifetime.
.
<(((>< <(((>< <(((><
In the name of The FATHER,
Who created thee;
His Beloved SON+,
JESUS CHRIST,
Who+ saves thee;
And the Blessed HOLY SPIRIT,
Who anoints thee.
+ + +
...Until we meet again
12/13/2009
A LIGHT+ to Lighten the Gentiles...
that cometh into the world.
~ ~ ~
A friend of mine has landed upon a new way for her to share JESUS during the Advent season. She is making a conscious and determined effort to bless someone each day... by phone, by visit, by sharing a treat, by prayer. She arises with this goal in mind: to share JESUS and alleviate some loneliness in the little corner of the world where she lives.
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If we must do Christmas, then let us do it as unto The LORD, redeeming the time, making every day count to draw someone closer to the LORD. The holy days should be CHRIST-oriented, focused upon The Coming of The LORD.
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However, many of us have much stronger memories of family get-togethers and gifts and feasts than we do of CHRIST-centered Holy Days. Thus, when family members die or families grow apart through distance or bickering, the holy days become a burden ... a battle with the blues. It is of serious proportions. Many, many persons even in the churches dread these holy days greatly. But, the people belonging to CHRIST can ferret out these individuals and turn the focus upon CHRIST!
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As someone has said, "In every pew sits a broken heart." Myself, I would change that to, "Most pews are filled with the broken-hearted."
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The many-fold activities that churches do during this season try to fill up the void. That awful void can only be filled up by CHRIST JESUS. But how shall they hear, if no-one tells them? How shall they know if no-one takes the time to reach out in a personal, quiet, one-to-one way? Was JESUS born so that we could give parties for our friends... or was HE+ born to give hope and love to a sad and lonely heart?
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Let us become Advent messengers of that hope and love. What is really needed is for CHRIST to be born in the hearts of man, and then HE+ will set the captives free... free from fear, free from loneliness, free from futility of life. And, free to focus upon the SAVIOR+ of Mankind.
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And we ourselves will be set free of Self-serving. We will be bearers of that LIGHT+, that was the TRUE LIGHT+, that lighteth every man which cometh into the world.
+ + +
In the name of The FATHER,
Who created us;
And HIS Holy SON+ JESUS,
Who+ saves us;
And the Blessed HOLY SPIRIT;
Who sanctifies us.
Amen.
12/10/2009
The Battle Against SELF-WILL...
12/06/2009
The Royal Invitation...
11/29/2009
To Bring us to CHRIST...
11/26/2009
The WORMS of CHRISTENDOM...
Worms are interesting characters. They are lowly... so lowly that they usually slip by UN-NOTICED. They forbear drawing attention to themselves, knowing most people disdain them.
~ ~ ~
Anybody important would not give a "worm" a second glance. Certainly, there is no competition, either, with a worm. A worm just quietly goes about his duties in life ...unhindered because he is unimportant... without trying to take the stage. He has no trumpet to shout out his coming. He is content with being low.
~ ~ ~
In the natural sense, every gardner knows how valuable worms are. They are the living cultivators who digest things and leave valuable soil in their wake. The natural worms loosen the soil so air and water can get through to the roots of plants. A garden without natural worms is woebegone. Worms are so important that many seed catalogues for the home gardener have worms for sale.
In GOD'S Kingdom, the lowly ones, the nobodies, the "worms" of Christendom are important... vitally important.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Worms,
like the spider in Proverbs,
can get in places
and have the freedom of movement
that others more important do not have.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Thus, Christian "worms" can minister to the hidden and hurting ones. Christian "worms" ... simply because they are lowly... are able to be used by The LORD.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
O Christian, is your life empty and seemingly bearing little fruit
for the Kingdom of GOD?
Is life a bit dull and dead-feeling for you?
Are you growing by leaps and bounds
into the likeness and image of
The LORD JESUS CHRIST...
or...
are you barely making it through the day,
facing oppression on one side and depression on the other?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Then, join the Army of Worms that The LORD is calling forth. Take HIS+ yoke upon you. That yoke is light because it is exactly and precisely fitted to worms.
Our LORD JESUS CHRIST cannot ... and will not... use the high-minded, strong-willed Believer because that person refuses the yoke of worms, HIS+ yoke.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
11/08/2009
Those 3 WILLS of GOD....
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From Romans 12:1 and 2 ~