The GREAT Passover... the Time of Preparation

 

But HE+ was wounded

for our transgressions,

HE+ was bruised

for our iniquities:

the chastisement 

of our peace

was upon HIM+;

and with HIS+ stripes

we are healed.

Isaiah 53:5

+  +  +

The Lenten Season is upon us once again. It starts on Wednesday, March 1. 

It is the season observed by many Christians in many church groups to remember the GREAT Passover of the LAMB+ of GOD… the Greatest Passover … and the Last Passover… recognized by GOD. 

The Lenten Season is NOT the sole property of the Roman Catholic, the Eastern Orthodox, or any of the liturgical churches. It belongs to all Christians everywhere.

During this time on the Christian church calendar, Ash Wednesday ( arbitrarily selected)  starts the remembrance of The LORD'S journey towards Jerusalem as HE+ headed towards His+ Crucifixion.

Many churches observe this Season as a time of serious reflection upon what it cost The LORD to save us from our sins --- and the Second Death in the Lake of Fire, for all Eternity ---  and thus, as a serious season of repentance. 

During this time, Christians try to bring the body under more control of the HOLY SPIRIT. To do this, supernatural strength is required. So, Christians fast, calling upon The LORD for help. 

Some Christians choose to fast from a favorite food (coffee,  pizza, chocolate, popcorn, sweets, all snacks,  etc.) simply as a way to REMIND their flesh that the spirit is in control, not the body. When they do this, they are usually shocked at the battle such a small commitment begins between their flesh and their spirit. 

Others choose to fast from a meal or  do one or two days of total fasting. Oddly enough, THIS type of fasting actually is easier; there is no battle, once the commitment is made. The "eating" time then becomes Quiet Time of Refreshment from The LORD.

There are other types of "fasts" that some Christians do during this( arbitrarily selected ) 40-day season.

Here are some little ways one could choose to submit the body to the spirit:  

   No parties or social get-togethers.

No games.

No reading, apart from the Bible.

An hour of total silence per evening / day.

No "chit-chat" or long conversations.

No un-necessary conversations.

Limited social interaction, be it by phone, emails, or visits.

No dining out.

No DVD's, No magazines, No computer... Nothing that could be construed as "entertaining."

No music or no up-beat music.

Only dark purple clothing is worn or no bright clothing until after the Resurrection.

The purpose of fasting is not to be ascetic but to cut away worldly distractions IN ORDER TO FOCUS more fully upon The LORD JESUS.

Time with HIM+;

Stillness with HIM+.

UN-CLUTTERED TIME WITH HIM+

.... a stillness that is SO STILL

that it ceases to think about

the day's events and duties.

Some Christians have heavy work-loads. Some work in the public; some attend classes and have time-absorbing assignments and exams; some have small children in the home; some home-school.

Whatever the situation,

The LORD will

show the WILLING HEART

what kind of fast is pleasing to HIM+

... and how much

... and WHEN

it is to be done.

Even a 5-minute break with The LORD . . . 

and a brief meditation on a verse of Isaiah 53 or a verse of a Psalm --- instead of a cup of coffee and a doughnut --- will increase the closeness one has with The LORD during this season.  Much good fruit of repentance and Quietness before HIM+ refreshes the body more than coffee and doughnuts.

 

But HE+ was wounded ...

is a good place to start the Lenten Season of Meditations focused upon The LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Other good Lenten Season Meditations include: Isaiah 53, Psalm 51, Psalm 32, John 14, John 15,  and John 17. Revelation chapters 2 and 3 lend themselves to serious reflection for repentance, also.

During Lenten Season, there is no great rush ...

to finish a Psalm or Isaiah 53. Line by line, phrase by phrase of Isaiah 53 ... one phrase a day...  works well for the spirit to meditate upon WHY HE+ was wounded.

What did your life, your sins cost HIM+ ?

What are your life and your sins

still costing HIM+ ?

Is HE+ being wounded

by your sins

that you choose to hide

and not confess and turn from ?

Is HE+ again being wounded

because you refuse

to yield the controls over to HIM+ ?

Are you wounding HIM+

because you are being sovereign

over some areas of your "own" life ?

Are there any worldly values or goals

you are holding or pursuing

that are wounding HIM+ afresh ?

+  +  +

Thus, whether "your church" does the Lenten Season remembrances or not, each Christian can still choose to observe the 40-day time of preparation for the Great Passover ... the greatest Passover the world has ever had, and the last.

Thus, I pray each one of you search your heart and see if HE+ is calling you to observe this season of the preparation for the Great Passover ... not from duty, but from a sincere heart of love for what HE+ has done for you. 

~ Sr. Judith Hannah  + + +

AS IN THE DAYS OF NOAH...

A guest post by Brother Brendon  + + +

Our LORD+ warned us that as it was in the days of Noah, so it would be in the days just prior to HIS+ Return.

WE are in those days.

Evil and darkness are covering the earth. The nations are crazed. Good is called evil. Evil is called good. Human beings are yielding control of their minds and bodies over to unclean spirits. Human life is being accounted as nothing.

Because INIQUITY ( Vicious wickedness) has abounded, the love, the natural affection, normal human feelings have grown cold, and are near to death, and in some cases HAVE DIED.

In the present “days of Noah,” the followers of MESSIAH+ must separate themselves from the standards and values of the world and even of their own nation and societies.  ( As Noah did from that society.)

They must separate themselves from all that would distract them from actually following and obeying JESUS / YESHUA+, and keeping HIS+ Words.

If we do not do this and prepare ourselves for the Time of Testing (Luke 21:35) that is about to come upon the face of the whole earth, we will not know how to conduct ourselves in the Fire of Global Persecution.

The cares of this life and the deceitfulness of riches have caused the church to become complacent and spiritually dull-witted. It is time to wake up and draw near unto our LORD+ . HE+ promises that when we do HE+, will draw near to us.

Many possessions, houses, and lands will only be a burden in the coming storm. Our LORD+ has taught us to place our treasures in Heaven, where nothing can corrupt or steal them. All here is only Temporal, gone in a flash.

Evil is overtaking the earth.

The imagination of men’s hearts is only evil continually. Evil and debauchery is spreading at an epidemic rate, enhanced by modern communication. We must lift up the standard of Holiness and a Sanctified lifestyle.

We must

“Put on the Whole Armor of GOD”.

  Our battle is NOT against flesh and blood, but against “Kosmocrators and Archons,” Principalities and Powers , against spiritual wickedness in the heavenly places that move and operate in the atmosphere of this earth, that need no rest or food, and are TOTALLY MALEVOLENT, are unable to do ANY good, but can ONLY kill, steal, and destroy human beings.

Flesh and blood cannot stand

against these entities.

We MUST be

“Clothed with Power from on High“.

The times are getting VERY serious. These times will weed out the true Christians from the “Religionists” and the “Churchians”. Our LORD+ counseled Laodicia to buy from HIM+ Gold that has been tried in the Fire.

The FIRE is COMING! 

  Prepare for it as a soldier prepares for combat, by training daily. Spend time with your LORD+. Know HIS+ Voice. Obey HIS+ Orders. Do not go against HIM+ in ANYTHING!

HE+ is your Commander+ and Chief+, your great High Priest at HIS+ FATHER’S Right Hand.

HE+ Intercedes for you.

HE+ is your Life.

+++++++++++++++++++++

HEAVENLY FATHER, STRENGTHEN US,

WE PRAY,

FOR THE BATTLE.

COVER US WITH THE MOST PRECIOUS ETERNALLY-LIVING BLOOD OF YOUR BELOVED SON+, MASHIACH+, LAMB+ OF GOD, AND CLOTH US WITH YOUR MOST BLESSED HOLY SPIRIT AND FIRE.

HELP US TO OVERCOME AND TO PROCLAIM YOUR ETERNAL SON+ TO THE WORLD IN THESE LAST DAYS.

IN HIS+ PRECIOUS NAME WE PRAY,

AMEN

Upon THIS BED-ROCK, I + Will Build the Church ... of ME+ !

^{MATTHEW 16: 16 -18 , Courtesy of Bible Gateway}

And Simon Peter answered and said,

THOU+ art the CHRIST,

the SON+ of the Living GOD.

¹⁷ And JESUS answered and said unto him,

Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona:

for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee,

but My+  FATHER  which is in Heaven.

¹⁸ And I+ say also unto thee,

That thou art Peter,

and upon this rock I will build my church;

and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

+  +  +

BEDROCK: In geology, bedrock is the lithified rock that lies under the loose softer material at the surface of the Earth or other terrestrial planet. The broken and weathered regolith includes soil and subsoil.

PETRA …

in the Greek, means  a BEDROCK, a FOUNDATIONAL Bed of Rock .

PETROS… Peter

Petros, in the Greek, means a rock OF THE SIZE  A PERSON CAN PICK UP AND THROW. We would call a “petros”  a STONE. 

LOOK AT THIS…

OR THIS …

NOW,

LET’S look at Matthew 16:18 under a

GREEK microscope QQ !

Here it is in the Literal GREEK: 

,

I+ ALSO MOREOVER TO YOU ( singular “you”)

I+ say, that you ( singular)  

are PETROS (nominative-MASCULINE-singular…  a rock the size I can pick up and throw )

and  upon this ( dative-FEMININE-singular “this”)

the (dative- feminine- singular “the”)

PETRA ( dative- FEMININE -singular) … a FOUNDATIONAL BEDROCK …

.

OF ME+   ( this is a genitive or possessive pronoun usually translated "my" but the literal translation is " OF ME" .)

 .

I+ will build the church of ME+

And the Gates of Hades

will not prevail against her.

+  +  +

We plainly see that the PETRA, the Bedrock of CHRIST JESUS HIMSELF+ , is the SOLID FOUNDATION upon which HE+ HIMSELF+ builds the Church of the Living GOD  …. of HIMSELF+. 

Of HIS+ own Flesh and Blood, Our LORD builds His+ Church and places it upon the SOLID ROCK FOUNDATION of Himself+.

1 Corinthians 10:4, Courtesy of Bible Gateway

And did all drink the same spiritual drink:

for they drank of that

spiritual PETRAS+* that followed them:

and that PETRA+* was CHRIST.

* PetraS is the genitive form of petrA, i.e., the same word.

PETRA is a different word than PETROS.

+  +  +

Thus, upon a closer inspection of this passage, we see that the BED-ROCK is CHRIST+ , the SON+ of the Living GOD, as Simon Peter confessed HIM+ to be. 

Furthermore, That CHRIST JESUS will … it is determined… build His+ Church of Himself+ , through Himself+, by means of Himself+. 

Those who try to implode that Bedrock+ will only find out, in terror, that HE+ CANNOT BE MOVED.  HE+ CANNOT be moved from His+ intention to build His+ Church.  HE+ cannot be deterred from His+ determination to do it. 

HE+ cannot be vanquished because… HE+ has already met the worst that they could do to him ( humans in conjunction with the satan) …

and HE+ won !  

So, tremble, you devils and all the enemies of CHRIST JESUS… you host of wicked ones who lead the world astray … dragging as many with you into hell as you possibly can. 

TREMBLE! 

For your day of destruction is coming soon; all can see it looming on the horizon. You will terrorize NO MORE. 

And furthermore, we hereby give notice to you that the Church of The LORD JESUS CHRIST  will stand against you to defeat you in the Name of The LORD JESUS CHRIST and by all the power of His+ Blood that HE+ grants us… the least little one of us in His+ Living Church ! 

And according to His+ Will, The Living Church of The LORD JESUS CHRIST will rescue ALL we are enabled to free from the grip of the satan.

By the Power granted to us through HIS+ BLOOD and His+ Blessed HOLY SPIRIT, we will demolish satan’s lying illusions  and deliver as many as we can from the strongholds of the satan … until HE+ calls us HOME unto the Church VICTORIOUS. 

+ + +

In the Name of GOD the FATHER ALMIGHTY,

and of His+ Beloved, Eternal SON+ 

Who+ has Redeemed us by His+ Blood,

and The Blessed , Eternal HOLY SPIRIT,

Who sanctifies us.

Amen

---

NEVER AGAIN !

A Guest Post by Bro. Brendon Patrick

We also say:  "NEVER AGAIN"!

.

We say NO …

.

to the nations that would force Israel into a small corner of their own land, and then turn their backs on them! 

.

WE say NO…

.

to Judas-religious leaders that support Israel's enemies who have sworn to destroy them! 

.

We say NO …

.

to the islamic regimes who, following the orders of their False Prophet, have sworn to destroy the nation of Israel and to kill every Jew and every Follower-of-Y’SHU+ the M’SHIKHA+, the "Grafted-in" Israelites. 

.

NEVER AGAIN!   

. 

The issue will be decided and Ended Forever when the Satanic Entity that seeks to destroy the Whole House of Israel is obliterated forever on the hills and valleys of the Land of Israel  ...

.

 ... which is Protected by YHWH ELOHIM of Heavenly Armies. 

  .

Pray for the Peace+ of Jerusalem! 

.

The Peace+ of Jerusalem is seated

at the Right Hand of YHWH.

.

HE+ is the Peace of Jerusalem! 

.

GLORY BE TO THE ETERNAL GOD AND FATHER OF MESSIAH YESHUA + the coming King Who shall Reign from Jerusalem over the Whole Earth, and HIS+ Holy Ones with HIM+. Amen! 

.

To the servants of Satan we say… "NEVER AGAIN"…. And that will be FOREVER, according to Scriptures.

TARES Among The WHEAT

Tares...

... sown by the satan, 

are notoriously found

 AMONG the WHEAT. 

The good seed is sown by The LORD JESUS CHRIST.   This sowing takes place in the field of the world. 

The Good Seeds are the sons of the Kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked. 

Our LORD allows the tares to grow right alongside of the good seeds... 

BECAUSE ...

WHEN we cull the tares, 

we also UPROOT the good seeds.

ALL of the harvest would be lost then, lost long before it can even begin to bear fruit or develop to maturity.

Thus, we Followers of JESUS

 are appointed 

to grow along with the tares, according to the Word of Our LORD JESUS. 

We must be willing to develop Precious Fruit, regardless of the situations  in which we find ourselves placed by The Hand of The LORD. 

Uncomfortable, despicable, stressful, and wretched situations that are not in our power to change   may indeed be our lot.

They are only in His+ Power to change.  Some HE+ changes; some HE+ does not.  

In either case, WE are appointed TO CHANGE. We are required to CONTINUE TO HOLD onto the TRUE VINE+ so that we can grow. (John 15 )

Nothing in this dead and dying, un-redeemed world is going to become "better" ;  it is only going to grow worse ... until HE+ directs the wicked ones into the Valley of JEHOSHAPHAT  for their final threshing. 

 ( See Joel 3 and Jeremiah 51, especially verse 33.)

There HE+ will thresh them properly and they will not emerge alive.  

LET US PRAY...  

O Heavenly FATHER, 

I lay down on Thy Altar my desire to escape from the hard times approaching, as the satan tries to wipe out Thy Witness+ upon this earth. 

Help me to WATCH and PRAY, instead, and to be ready to speak Thy+ Word in season and out.   

Help me to embrace growth even when surrounded by thorns and stinging nettles. 

I thank THEE+, O LORD, for Thy Strength in time of need. Let me not shy away from the battle which lies ahead.

  

Let Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. 

This for the love I bear unto my LORD and SAVIOR+, JESUS CHRIST.  Amen. 

 

 

How Many Times... O LORD

[ Do you have a pierced ear ? ]

How many times, O LORD,

YOU+ saved me?

All honor, glory, and praise is due unto THEE+, O CHRIST. 

YOU+ have saved me from my sins, yes…. Sins which were many, sins which were both seen and well-hidden, sins which would have kept me out of Heaven. Sins which were warping and twisting my soul, making me unfit for human companionship and  unfit for Holy fellowship with THEE+, O CHRIST.

All honor, glory, and praise

is due unto THEE+, O CHRIST. 

My life is not now mine own, for YOU+ have bought it when you delivered me, over and over again in so many ways, in so many temporal matters… situations my own lusts and foolishness of Self brought upon me.The time I cheated, the times I wreaked havoc with the car, the times I did not do an honest day’s labor.

YOU+ shielded me from debilitating disgrace and life-long regrets and public dishonor … though I deserved them all. 

All honor, glory, and praise

is due unto THEE+, O CHRIST. 

This life now belongs to YOU+, for YOU+ protected me from my Self even when I did not know THEE+, O CHRIST.  Thank YOU+ for opening my eyes now to see THY+ Protection of me, back then.

All honor, glory, and praise

is due unto THEE+, O CHRIST. 

How do I love THEE+ ?  Let me count the way:  totally, with a numbing realization that YOU+ loved me enough to bear with me, to struggle with me, to wrestle my soul from self-seeking slavery. I am SO SORRY of all I put YOU+ through… just to keep me safe !

All honor, glory, and praise

is due unto THEE+, O CHRIST.

I cannot even begin to repay YOU+, LORD.

So… here is my life.

I give it to YOU+,

the Purchaser+ of my Life,

many times over.

I lay my ear on the doorpost.

Pierce it

with THY+ Divine awl ;

I am THINE+ forever.

Exodus 21:6 and Deuteronomy 15:17

The FIRST Church Caravan ... the EPIPHANY of GOD'S SON+

   Traditionally,  January 6 is celebrated in most Western ( High) churches as the EPIPHANY... the manifestation of the SON+ of GOD, our LORD JESUS CHRIST, as come in the flesh ...  the INCARNATION+ of the JEWISH MESSIAH+. 

On THIS day, 

the MESSIAH+  

was MANIFESTED, 

being worshipped by all flesh 

--- Gentile as well as Jewish --- 

as the Magi came from the East

to worship the Newborn KING+. 

HE+ 

was worshipped as

KING+ of Kings 

and LORD+ of Lords 

by the travelers from afar who had seen his GOD-APPOINTED STAR in the Heavens.   

These Magi, or Wise Men, were single of eye : They followed  only ONE PATH ... that which was ordained by the STAR of Heaven. 

They were single of eye : They set their lives in order, left the comforts of home,  and pursued the ONE TRUE KING+. 

They were single of eye : They brought their treasures with them , to bestow them on this Newborn KING+  ... for they knew His+ Royalty was established by GOD.

They were single of eye : They rejoiced to find HIM+ ! 

They were single of eye :  And when they found HIM+, They BOWED DOWN from their rich mounts and WORSHIPPED His+ Royalty!  ( Matthew 2:11 )

Somehow knowing that as they worshipped HIM+, they worshipped GOD ALMIGHTY, Maker of Heaven and earth.

They were single of eye : They listened to the Divine Instructions given them in the dream. 

Never the same, the Wise Men rejoiced to see the KING+ of Kings born to mankind and placed on planet earth for the big confrontation between GOD and the satan. 

Never the same, planet earth now had LIGHT+ bestowed upon the human race, a LIGHT+ like as never before given, a LIGHT+ which became the LIGHT+ of the world... and the LIGHT+ which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 

Never the same, the satan knew his days were numbered and he reacted in utmost wrath, whipping up his human servants to slay the innocent babes in Bethlehem. To this day, we hear the voice of RACHEL weeping, crying for the babes "who are not." 

Never the same, the human race NOW has hope... hope to become children of GOD, the one true FATHER in Heaven, Hallowed be His Name. 

Our Heavenly FATHER and HIS+, now made manifest the plan HE had to bring the human race into the flock, into the fold, of GOD.  This plan was ordained to be worked THROUGH HIS SON+, JESUS CHRIST our LORD. 

Thus, while we know The EPIPHANY celebration  itself is a tradition of man, we know ... 

The MANIFESTATION 

of the JEWISH MESSIAH+

for all peoples

is 

REAL ! 

Bless GOD: 

FATHER, SON+, and HOLY SPIRIT. 

And , blessed be His Kingdom 

both now and forever. 

Amen.  

 

The LORD'S Message for 2017

Get 

SOLID

in 

CHRIST.

Our Gift to HIM+ !

What shall I give HIM+, 

poor as I am ? 

If I were a shepherd, 

I would bring HIM+ a lamb. 

If I were a sinner, 

I would bring HIM+ my sins;

 HE+ promises to cleanse me

 without, within.

A Babe ? No, a Decision

with Divine Precision

At Time Appointed

By Our FATHER WHO art in Heaven.

HE+ brings us His+ Life;

We bring HIM+ ours.

We lay  down our strife, 

our pride, our mean-ness;

HE+ fills us with peace, 

and loving meekness.

What CAN  I give HIM+ ?

What is my part ?

My empty Self ... ? ?

O, Come, LORD JESUS,

fill  THEE+ my  heart  !

Adapted from a  poem by C. Rossetti