Advent Meditation #23

Behold... The Lord, Whom+ ye seek...

shall suddenly come to His+ Temple...

Even the Messenger of the COVENANT
Whom+ ye delight in...

HE hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich HE hath sent empty away. 

HE hath holpen His servant, Israel,

in remembrance of His mercy; 

As HE spoke to our fathers,

to Abraham,

and to his seed forever. 

Luke 1: 53-55

Blessed are they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled.

Bless GOD that HE has made a way to fill up the hungry of heart !  HE knows   who calls upon HIM in hunger, in thirst, in anguish of heart.  HE knows  ... and thus, HIS Holy SON+ JESUS knows.  His Beloved SON+ JESUS comes to those who call upon HIM+ in Spirit and in Truth, for The FATHER seeketh such to worship HIM.



What CHILD+ is this ?

GOD, Who at sundry times

and in diverse manners

spoke in time past

unto the fathers by the prophets,

Hath in these last days

spoken unto us by

HIS SON+,

Whom+ HE hath appointed

heir of all things,

by Whom+ also

HE made the worlds;

WHO+,

being the brightness of HIS glory,

and the express image

of HIS ESSENCE,

and upholding all things

by The WORD of HIS power, 

When HE+ had by HIMSELF+ 

purged our sins,

sat down on the right hand

of the MAJESTY

on High, 

Being made so much better

than the angels,

as HE hath by inheritance

obtained

a more excellent Name

than they. 

Hebrews 1: 1-4

The promises of The GOD Who cannot lie are more solid than anything our senses can experience or hearts imagine. 

Those promises are found in His Word and are made true by the Living WORD+ of GOD made flesh, Who+ dwelt among men, at the exact season appointed by The FATHER. 

Since only man is locked into a time frame on planet earth, The LORD's promises to Abraham were and are as living and valid as the day HE made them ! 

Meditation

O Great and Magnificent LORD of HOSTS, we praise THEE and thank THEE for providing a way out of sin and darkness since the beginning of the transgression in the Garden of Eden. 

O LORD, my Life+, help me to trust in Thy fore-knowledge in things concerning my life on planet earth. 

Let my trust become so great that I lose all fear of the loss of everything... except the loss of THEE+, O Great SAVIOR+. 

Come and fill this little temple of my soul with THEE+ , Precious REDEEMER+, and make me ready to meet the last great struggle on planet earth... the world-wide persecution of  Christians.

Grant me Thy+ Grace ... enough Grace to look upon the Promises of GOD and to KNOW WITHOUT A DOUBT that Thy+ Kingdom will certainly be established by the power of Thy Right Hand ... that same Right Hand+ which hath gotten THEE the Victory ! 

Amen. Maranatha.

Come, LORD JESUS. Come.   

Advent Meditation #22

To this end was I+ born

and for this cause came I+

into the world...

...that I +  should bear witness
unto The Truth.
Every one that is of
 the Truth heareth My+ Voice.



HE hath shown strength with HIS arm;

HE hath scattered the proud

in the imagination of their hearts.

HE has put down

the mighty from their seats,

and exalted them of low degree.

Luke 1: 51, 52

Amen and Amen !

Listen to the Word of The LORD, from the Prophet Obadiah, chapter 1:3,4 ...

The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou, who dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high, who saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground ?

Though thou exalt thyself like the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, from there will I+ bring thee down, saith The LORD.

And from the Prophet Joel, chapter 3: 

Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision; for the Day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. 

The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. 

The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter His Voice from Jerusalem, and the Heavens and the earth shall shake; but The LORD will be the hope of His people, and the strength of the children of Israel. 

And from the Prophet Zachariah, chapter 12... 

And in that day will I+ make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all peoples; all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the nations of the earth be gathered together against it. 

And it shall come to pass,in that day, that I+ will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. 

And from the Prophet Malachi, chapter 3...

But who may abide the day of His+ Coming? And who shall stand when HE+ appeareth?  For HE+ is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap. 

MEDITATION

Come, O  come, and fill this temple with the Glory of The LORD!

We are hungry for Your+ Touch; we love YOU+ very much. We delight to proclaim the Name of JESUS.

 Forgive us, LORD,  for grieving YOU+ and make our hearts anew with the fire and power of Pentecost.

Come, YES, COME... and fill this temple with the Glory of YOU+ , LORD !  

Advent Meditation #21

Behold, The LAMB+ of GOD!

The soldiers... plaited a crown of thorns
and put it about HIS+ Head...

And the mercy of HIM is

unto generations of generations,

to the ones having feared HIM.

Luke 1:50 ( literal Gk)

Fear is the assurance that GOD is bigger than I am. Fear is the assurance that I cannot hide my thoughts or motives from HIM.

Fear is the absolute assurance that HE is not going to excuse my disobediences just because HE loves me !

My parents loved me, but they exacted disciplinary measures when I needed to be corrected and WORDS were not bringing forth the desired obediences. 

HIS WORD does not always change us,

does it ?

His WORD will not change us if we refuse to be corrected by it. 

• If we refuse to line up our lives according to HIS WORD...
•  
• if we set at naught the instructions HE has written in His inspired Word...
•  
• if we think HE will set aside His written Word and not hold us to obeying it...
•  
• if we think HE will excuse us from following the words of The Living WORD+ made flesh...

... then we are headed for disciplinary measures.

Those measures will not be comfortable nor will they stop until the corrections are thoroughly in-grained in us and we have developed the proper fear of GOD. 

As a matter of fact, every facet, every group, in the entire Christian church system will not be excused for teaching as doctrines ANY THINGS that go against HIS WORD or HIS SON+ 'S Words. 

And, there are many. 

JESUS said, " .... Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 

" But I+ will forewarn you WHOM ye shall fear:  Fear HIM Who, after HE hath killed, hath power to cast into hell: yea, I+ say unto you, fear HIM."

Luke 12: 4, 5 and Mt. 10:28 

MEDITATION

Gracious and Most Merciful GOD, Our FATHER, extend Thy mercy unto me.

I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me.

I have ignored Thy Word and refused to apply it to myself. I have refused to be changed by Thy Word and lightly tossed it aside.

I have done the things I ought not to have done and did not do the things I should have done, and there is no righteousness in me.

Behold, THOU desirest truth in the inward parts and in the hidden part THOU shalt make me know wisdom, which begins with the fear of THEE, O GOD.

O LORD, I call upon Thy mercy to wash me so that I shall be whiter than snow... then the bones which THOU hast broken may rejoice.

Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy SPIRIT from me. Create in me a clean heart, O GOD, and renew a right spirit within me.

These things I pray in the Name of the Un-Blemished LAMB+ of GOD, Who+ taketh away the sins of the world.

Behold, The LAMB+ of GOD!

+  +  +

Advent Meditation #20



And she... brought forth her firstborn son
and wrapped HIM+ in swaddling clothes
and laid HIM+ in a manger...

and when HIS+ hour had come...
the whole band of soldiers...
stripped HIM+ 
and put on HIM+ a scarlet robe...


For The MIGHTY ONE did for me  great things and HOLY is HIS Name.

Luke 1:49 ( literal Gk)

Blessed are the poor in spirit;

for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.

Are we seeking first the kingdom of Self... or of GOD ? Do we clamor and fight for "our rights" when we are stepped upon... or do we yield, yield, yield at every  opportunity... in order to bring about GOD'S Kingdom ?

[ No, we do NOT yield our members unto sin, and if forced to participate in actual sin, we YIELD NOT and prepare to take the hate, rejection and opposition.]
  

Are we SO poor in spirit, so lacking in Self-seeking, that GOD can do great things for us , to us, and with us ?

If not, then we are not low enough to be used by GOD.

We will never be able to echo The Hebrew virgin Mariam's song:

For HE that is MIGHTY hath done great things for me and HOLY is HIS Name.

MEDITATION

O Gracious LORD of the Poor in Spirit,  I praise THEE+  for being poor in spirit but rich in Grace when THOU+ walked the earth as a man.  Help me to go and do likewise. Amen.  

Advent Meditation #19

This is My+ Body,
Which is given for you...

For HE looked upon the low estate [ humiliation ] of HIS maidservant  for behold from now on all generations shall declare me blessed.

Luke 1:48 ( Gk.) 

 Indeed, all generations shall declare us blessed also, who receive humiliation now when we obey JESUS CHRIST. 

Humiliation is the portion we should expect to receive on earth, before being glorified.

If Our KING+ was rejected, why should we expect any different treatment from the enemies of our LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST ? 

MEDITATION

O LORD our GOD, KING+ of kings and LORD+ of lords, I bless Thy+ Holy Name... The WORD+ of GOD made flesh.

O Great KING+ Who+ didst don a robe of common flesh to dwell amongst your subjects, look upon my lowliness with compassion and mercy.

My heart, O Sovereign KING+, is needful and pitiful... yet with a hard pride do I cover myself before the eyes of man. I also know my pride is at the root of my anger; I cannot please THEE+ with pride in my heart.   

Help me to exchange this covering of pride and replace it with a quiet ... and deep .... humility.

LORD JESUS, I want nothing to come between me and THEE+... especially this proud bearing.  

I do choose to follow THEE+, my MASTER+ and KING+, Who+ received rejection and humiliation at the hands of high and low, polished and base, Jew and Gentile, strangers and even family. 

I thank THEE+, O blessed REDEEMER, for loosening the grip of pride from my heart, the foundation of my anger. 

I thank THEE+ for Thy+ magnificence... which will be extended unto me ... yes, even to me... if I steadfastly embrace the Cross of my humiliation here on earth. 

My soul doth magnify The LORD and my spirit doth rejoice in CHRIST my SAVIOR ! For HE+ that is mighty hath done great things, and Holy is HIS+ Name ! 

Blessed be GOD: FATHER, SON+ , and HOLY SPIRIT. And , blessed be HIS Kingdom, both now and forever. Amen. 

+  +  + 

Advent Meditation #18




The Crown of Thorns....  red as blood...

 

And exults my spirit over GOD,

The Deliverer of me.

Luke 1:47 (Gk)

... Of me... yes, even of me. 

Young and chaste, Mariam was blessed, yes, but because she chose the Will of GOD, she faced the accusations of impurity... with ramifications.   Those ramifications were so serious that they could lead to her stoning, at worst.

At best, those accusations of impurity could bring her a life-time here on earth of bitterness and grief, which were at the very root of her name.

The bitterness and grief of accusations of impurity... of separation from family and kinsmen ... of a future filled with shame and innuendos... this was the portion for Hebrew young women who were truly un-chaste... if they were not stoned to death first, that is. 

Then, there followed the bitterness and grief that no decent young man -- or old --- would ask for her hand in honorable marriage. A castaway and ostracized even from Temple worship and the Passover meal awaited an un-chaste Hebrew woman.

This is what Mariam faced for her obedience to The Will of GOD. 

Did she HAVE to accept GOD'S plan? In other words, did she have a choice? 

Scripture is silent about that. But Scripture is not silent about this: JESUS HIMSELF+ had a choice to accept the death of the cross or not. 

What bitterness and grief awaited her? What would obedience to the Will of The LORD cost this chaste young Hebrew woman?

Yet, she gloried in GOD Who purposed this pathway for her entire life. 

Meditation ~~~

Our FATHER, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will on earth be done... as it is being done in Heaven, O LORD GOD of the Divine Heavenly Armies. 

Train me also, O LORD, unto the obedience that pleaseth THEE. 

Train me, O REDEEMER, to exult in THEE+ when I am given a path of obedience to walk which I would not choose.

Help me not to shrink back and to pretend I did not hear Thy Word to me, to feign I did not see Thy direction pointers, to become dull and unresponsive when Thy Spirit nudged me. 

O Great REDEEMER, I thank THEE+ for setting my feet on a road towards Thy+ Kingdom --- no matter the cost to me --- so I might be saved from the kingdom of darkness. 

Purge me with hyssop --- that bitter herb --- and I shall be clean; wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones which THOU hast broken may rejoice. 

Yea, my soul doth magnify The LORD and my spirit doth rejoice in CHRIST my SAVIOR+. For HE+ Who+ is mighty hath done great things and Holy is His+ Name ! 

+  +  + 

  

 

Advent Meditation # 17

My soul doth MAGNIFY The LORD...

And Mariam said,

My soul doth

MAGNIFY The LORD...

Luke 1:46

Mariam's response to Elisabeth's blessing was to ENLARGE

upon the GLORY of The LORD,

her LORD,

within her young soul.

Her heart and mind were over-flowing like Elisabeth's with laud and praise of 

Glory to GOD in the Highest !

She could hold no more; her cup was running over. Praised POURED out of her very being.  Praises to GOD MOST HIGH. 

We know some of the martyrs did too.

Stephen, the first martyr,

magnified The LORD

even as his murderers

gnashed upon him with their teeth. 

"But Stephen, being full of the HOLY SPIRIT, looked up steadfastly into Heaven,

and saw the glory of GOD,

and JESUS standing

on the right hand of GOD, and said,

BEHOLD, I see The Heavens opened,

and the SON+ of Man

standing on the right hand of GOD ! "  

Acts 7:55-56

MEDITATION

O FATHER GOD, SAVIOR of all Christian martyrs and faithful and true confessors,

I thank THEE for sending

Thy blessed HOLY SPIRIT

to fill the very souls of Thy+ children

with praise. 

We take no glory unto ourselves, O LORD.

Our goodness is nothing apart from THEE+.

We laud and magnify Thy+ HOLY 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. 

Blessed is HE+ that cometh

in the Name of The LORD. 

HOSANNA

IN THE HIGHEST! 

AMEN.  

ADVENT MEDITATIONS #16

...And HIS+ Name is called
The WORD+ of GOD  ...

And blessed is she that believed; for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from The LORD.

Luke 1:45

When The LORD speaks,

IT HAPPENS!

HE+ is the LOGOS+ of GOD... the Living WORD+.  

And HE+ was clothed with a vesture dipped in Blood; and His+ Name is called The WORD+ of GOD. 

Rev. 19:13

The WORD+ of The LORD has been tried... tested and proved to be FAITHFUL and TRUE !

HE+ was FAITHFUL and TRUE to His+ FATHER.

HE+ was FAITHFUL and TRUE to His+ Disciples.

HE+ is FAITHFUL and TRUE to all who follow HIM+ in SPIRIT and in TRUTH.

MEDITATION

O FAITHFUL and TRUE LORD,  The Holy ONE+ of Israel who cannot lie, blessed art THOU+ for being the tried and tested Living WORD+ of GOD. 

I worship THEE+ for remaining FAITHFUL and TRUE to Our Heavenly FATHER during Thy+ Passion on the Cross. 

I thank THEE+ for remaining FAITHFUL and TRUE to Thy+ Disciples and followers throughout the ages. 

I bless THEE+ for being FAITHFUL and TRUE to me...  the one who has not always been faithful and true to THEE+. 

Work in me, O LORD, Thy+ great salvation every day... saving me from my Self,  my deadliest enemy.  

These things I pray in the ONE+ Name given under Heaven among men whereby we can be saved... The LORD JESUS CHRIST.   

Advent Meditation # 15



The lame shall LEAP as an hart... when HE+ comes. 



For lo, as soon as the voice of thy greeting sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

Luke 1:44

Leaped the miraculous babe John growing inside of Elisabeth !

Walking and leaping and praising GOD was the crippled man healed in the Name of Our LORD JESUS CHRIST ! 

At Lystra, The Apostle Paul perceived a cripple from birth had faith to be healed.  This one also leaped and walked !

THEN... shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf un-stopped, than shall the lame LEAP as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb, shall sing !

Isaiah 35:6-7

Now... the Words of CHRIST JESUS Himself+  :

Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the SON+ of Man's sake. 

Rejoice ye in that day, and LEAP for JOY; for behold, your reward is great in Heaven; for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

Luke 6:22-23

MEDITATION

O GOD Who inhabitest the praises of Thy People, inhabit my praises too that I bring to you with a full, full heart.

I am hungry for Thy+ touch; I love THEE+ very much. I exult in Thy+ great salvation for me and for whosoever will come. THOU+, O Gracious SAVIOR, turneth no hungry soul away from Thy+ Table.

Fill me, O LORD, fill me anew with Thy Blessed HOLY SPIRIT so my heart and soul -- yea, even my body -- will leap for joy.

I rejoice with Mariam: My soul proclaims the greatness of The LORD and my spirit exults in CHRIST my SAVIOR.

Blessing, honor, glory, and power be unto HIM that sitteth upon the Throne, and unto The LAMB+ !

LEAP for JOY for your REDEMPTION+ draweth nigh!

Advent Meditations 2012 #14

The SPIRIT and the BRIDE ( of CHRIST) say: COME!

And why is this granted to me, that the mother of my LORD+ should come to me?

Luke 1:43

Recognition! Elisabeth recongnized who Mariam was... because... she recognized Who+ her LORD+ was!

Due to her immediated filling of the HOLY SPIRIT, Elisabeth had a Word of Knowledge--- she comprehended without figuring it out -- two exciting , prophetic events before any human mouth spoke them to her.

Elisabeth knew via the HOLY SPIRIT that: 

• The MESSIAH+ for the human race was being robed in flesh and about to burst upon the human scene,

• The Hebrew virgin Mariam, her young kinswoman, was selected by GOD for the practical necessities of bringing The MESSIAH+ into the human race

MEDITATION

O Ruler of the universe, great deeds are they which THOU hast done, surpassing human understanding. O THOU WHO intervenes in the affairs of men, bring about Thy Holy Will on earth, as it is in Heaven... and bring in about in me.

O, make me a fit vessel for Thy+ purpose, O LORD. As we see the armies surrounding Jerusalem for "other" purposes supposedly, help me to look up and be found watching, for our REDEMPTION+ draweth nigh.

(Luke 21:20-28) 

That REDEMPTION+... our LORD JESUS CHRIST+... the only name given under Heaven among men whereby we can be saved. 

The SPIRIT and the BRIDE ( of CHRIST) say: COME!  Let him who heareth say, COME! Let all who are athirst say, COME!  And whosoever will, let him take the water of Life freely.

COME, LORD JESUS, COME ! 

Advent Meditations 2012

Blessed art THOU+, LORD GOD of our FATHERS...

And Elisabeth spoke out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. Luke 1:42

His+ favor rests upon you --- BLESSED --- is a wonderful confirmation from cousin Elisabeth that Mariam was central in the Will of The LORD, as she carried the HOLY CHILD JESUS in her virgin womb.

This confirmation was precious for Mariam, you see, had no time to tell Elisabeth about the situation before she saw her.

So... how did Elisabeth know to so loudly proclaim such blessings being bestowed upon young Mariam ?

Elisabeth knew because she was immediately filled with the HOLY SPIRIT.  This happened upon hearing even the voice of her kinswoman Mariam who was with child.

Now, recall, Elisabeth knew all about miraculous babies already... for she herself was carrying John the Baptist in her womb during her old age. She who was barren !

Meditation

O GOD Who bringeth forth all manner of impossibilities, bring forth new growth also:  an intense desire to do Thy+ will.

I am painfully aware of when I follow my own desires; have mercy  upon me; I repent.  Please cleanse my heart of self-interest, self-love.

O LORD, help me to guide those little lives  THOU+ hast entrusted unto me to set Thy+ will always before their eyes . Then they will have no regrests --- like I do --- as they walk through life, living for JESUS instead of Self. 

Blessed art THOU+, O LORD GOD, King of the universe! THOU+ Who +  hast shown us the path of Life+.  Amen.  

Advent Meditations 2012



JOY+ to the world...



MEDITATION 12

And Mariam arose in those days

and went into the hill country with haste,

into a city of Judah;

and entered into the house of Zacharias,

and saluted Elisabeth.

And it came to pass that,

when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mariam, the babe leaped in her womb;

and Elisabeth was filled

with the HOLY SPIRIT.

Luke 1: 39-41

Do we leap for joy when we hear the name of JESUS .... when we hear someone exalting HIM+ ?

Do we rejoice so much that we are filled with the HOLY SPIRIT, as Elisabeth was ?

O House of Joy ! For even the babe in Elisabeth's womb knew when to leap for joy!

Meditation

O LAMB that was slain.... for the joy that was set before THEE+ , THOU+ didst endure the Cross, despising the shame.

Me, I am lacking endurance, O LORD , as THOU+ knowest. Instead of enduring, I run and hide. I turn my attention to "other important things". I hide in books, DVD's, duties, and even fellowship.

Increase my steadfastness, O MIGHTY ONE+, and help me to engage the battle against my flesh, to endure until the victory is sure and certain. Keep me from avoiding the Cross THOU+ hast chosen for me.

When I have endured, Thy+ Joy will be my portion and THEN, my joy will be full. 

I thank THEE+ for enduring the Cross so that I, when I endure my little cross, I may have JOY, also. 

Joy to the World!  Yes, JOY cometh by the means of the Cross. Yes indeed, JOY+ to the world!

In the name of JESUS I pray. Amen. 

Advent Meditations 2012



Oh, Come! Let us adore HIM+ !

 Meditation  11

And Mariam said, Behold the handmaid of the LORD; be it unto me according to Thy Word. And the Angel departed from her. Luke 1:38 

Behold, a true Servant of The LORD.  Called to receive ignominy, condemnation, and accusations , the Hebrew virgin Mariam gave herself over to do The LORD'S Will.

Her intent:  to please The LORD... no matter what happened to her in the future. Stoning. Rejection. Loneliness. No home of her own amongst "decent" society. No husband. No income. Raising a child who would be an outcast, also... even among family.

Yes, The Holy CHILD JESUS growing in her womb as a normal baby would become  The Outcast+ of all outcasts.  

That is why HE+ could say :

 "Come unto ME+ all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I +  will give you rest.  Take My+ yoke upon you and learn of ME+.  For I+ am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

Meditation

O Chief SHEPHERD and BISHOP+ of our souls, form in me an unshakable intent to please THEE+, no matter the cost to Self.

Remove from me the lust to control. Make me soft and pliable in Thy Hands. Thy+ Will, O LORD, Thy+ Will ... my goal in Life.

Bless THOU+ O Perfect Savior, Who+ learned obedience by the things THOU+ didst suffer.

Bless THOU+, O Holy ONE+, Who+ was an outcast so that THOU+ couldst welcome all outcasts  unto THEE+.

Bless THOU:  O FATHER, SON+, and HOLY SPIRIT.

Advent Meditations 2012

Advent Meditations

Luke 1:36-37

And behold, thy cousin, Elisabeth,

hath also conceived a son in her old age;

and this is the sixth month with her,

who was called barren.

For with GOD

nothing shall be impossible.

Unexpected comfort is given to the Obedient Servant of GOD, the Hebrew virgin Mariam.  Although being found with child out of wedlock would bring a certain and sure condemnation from others, The LORD planned a way to comfort the Obedient One, confirming His+ Word to Mariam. 

Herein is a lesson for us: No matter how bitter the obedience, The LORD will always send a confirmation to those obeying him.

How sweet that confirmation is in the midst of cross-carrying!

As the Obedient Servant commits his / her life unto the Hand of The LORD, and rejoices,  then The LORD will send His+ Comforter to the suffering, Obedient Follower of His+ will.

And to him [ Gamaliel ] they agreed; and when they had called the Apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of JESUS, and let them go .

And they departed from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for HIS+ name.

And daily in the Temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach JESUS CHRIST. Acts 5: 40-42

Meditation

Gracious Heavenly FATHER Who maketh the bitterest obedience endurable, help me to embrace the bitter Way of The Cross.

As our SAVIOR embraced the bitter sting of death to open the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers, help me to embrace Thy will when it involves sorrow, suffering, ignominy, and pain.

And, O FATHER, in The Name of Thy Suffering SON+ JESUS, help me to comfort those who mourn and suffer as the result of  preaching Thy Word, as the result of doing Thy Will.

Let me never, ever close my eyes to the suffering of my brothers and sisters who bear in their bodies the scars of the cross... the Cross THOU+ has brought for them to bear.

I thank THEE for allowing me in some small way join our SAVIOR in His+ suffering; I know at the appointed time, HE+ will wipe away all my tears. 

Glory to THEE+, LORD GOD of our fathers; THOU+ are worthy of praise. Glory to THEE+ !