BEHOLD, the LAMB+ ... # 7 ... .... Preparing the CHURCH for SUFFERING

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ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SHABAQTANI

My+ GOD, My+ GOD, 

Why hast THOU forsaken ME+ ? 

Why art THOU so far

from helping me,

and from the words

of my groaning ? 

Three times I had this dream, three times in one long night. Big dormitories, with beds on cement foundations, had glaring lights beating down upon the sleeping inmates. Linoleum floors and unmovable beds with shallow mattresses and dark coverlets ... and unmerciful lady sergeants with shrill commands screamed their orders during  midnight inspection. 

+  +  + 

In sickness I awoke, grieving and hurting for the Church: How to prepare the church to suffer ?

How do I help prepare this church age of impotent activities that ALL is NOT WELL, in the eyes of HIM+ with Whom+ we have to do? 

How do I shake the Church loose from the distracting illusion that THIS society ... indeed, this civilization...  will continue on, as ever before ?

How do I convince the Church that men and women will eat, drink, marry, and be given in marriage as ever before... until The LORD rises up and says, 

"ENOUGH !"

and that THAT "enough" is right at the door ?

How do I convince the Church to prepare for suffering ? 

+  +  + 

To prepare for suffering, we look at Our Master+ Who+ suffered for us. What did HE+ do? What did HE+ NOT do ? 

HE+ did NOT concern Himself+ with the affairs of this life: clothing Himself+ in the latest styles, eating fancy, well-prepared food, or involving Himself+ with any activities but those works of His+ Heavenly FATHER.

HE+ DID concern Himself+ with going to mountains and gardens alone to pray. 

HE+ spent much time alone with His+ Heavenly FATHER, when HE+ was much spent during ministry or after attacks by the enemies of GOD. 

HE+ did not have a continual diet of "interaction" with His+ fellow man. Instead, HE+ treasured interaction with His+ Heavenly FATHER, especially as His+ hour of sacrifice drew near. 

Being The Word+ HE+ knew The Word, in Spirit and in Truth, and prayed  The Word often. 

  +  +  +

Do not think to escape the hour of testing I+ have ordained for the Church: you WILL be tested. 

Now is the time to determine to STAND for ME+ as I+ have been tested for you. Now is the time of the preparation. 

You will not be able to hold on to your houses and lands nor those you love. But prepare ALL to stand for ME+ even in the face of suffering. 

QUIET DOWN; remove yourself from fruitless activities and frivolous interaction. LEARN to interact with ME+ first and above all. 

TEACH your children to trust ME+ with all of their hearts. TEACH your children to pray and to plant the Word into their hearts; they will need it to endure. TEACH them along with yourself to be still and seek MY+ FACE. 

Take on the sole identity of "Christian"  and live by The BOOK+. 

I+ will sustain you, even in a prison camp, away from loved ones. Prepare ALL for Heaven. I+ am coming soon . 

Let not your hearts be troubled; 

neither let them be afraid.

Trust ME+; 

I+ will wipe away all tears.

+  +  +    

BEHOLD, The LAMB+ .... #6 ... Passover Meditation

A Meditation for the Passover Season ....

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A Meditation from the Invitatory

from the Morning Guided Meditation Prayers...

Let us hear the Words of Our LORD CHRIST :

" Come unto ME+ , 

all ye that labor and are heavy laden, 

and I+ will give you rest, 

For I+ 

am meek

and lowly in heart, 

And ye shall find rest unto your souls.

For My+ yoke is easy

and My+ burden is light. " 

Matthew 11 

HE+ is meek and lowly in heart, HE+ said. 

That very fact enables the least little trembling soul...  one who is "nothing" in the eyes of the world, "nothing" in the eyes of his friends or family, and "no-where" in regards to the values or standards or possessions of Middle-Class civilization...  to COME UNTO CHRIST JESUS.  

Little souls are afraid of the eyes of the world. They have felt first-hand the scorn of Middle-Class civilization who "have it altogether" and seem to have it ALL. The Little Lesser-than's cannot compete in any area at all, simply to even maintain their dignity. 

CHRIST JESUS, however, RECEIVES SUCH PERSONS !  HE+ is meek, just as HE+ said... so they have a Brother Who+ is ignored and trodden under foot, just like the world has done unto them. 

HE+ is lowly, just as HE+ said... so they have a Brother Whom+ the world has stripped of dignity, just like the world has done unto them. 

Those who are meek, down-trodden, and powerless in this world and at the mercy of others, are delighted to find the Savior+ of the World with them in their earthly struggles. 

Those lowly ones who are treated with contempt by clerks or officials or all with whom they must deal, are delighted to find the Savior+ of the World receiving them with love and joy, restoring to their hearts the dignity refused by this world. 

If we want to reach the little, hungering souls for CHRIST JESUS, then we too need to don the mantle of meekness, taking care that we do not make the little, unfortunate people of this society "afraid" of  unrighteous worldly judgment or  material standards which crush them and make them appear "value-less," robbing them of dignity.  

If we want to reach the little, struggling souls for CHRIST JESUS, then we too need to don the mantle of lowliness that Our LORD had and maintain a humble and low position of ourselves. We need to be convinced that our worldly standards are more despised in the eyes of Our LORD than any hapless poverty-stricken individual.

The little needy ones will flee from the successful, superior "Christian" and hide to protect their dignity. 

Let us therefore IDENTIFY with CHRIST JESUS in meekness and lowliness of heart so that we may BE LIKE HIM+ and win others to HIMSELF+. 

And, when we IDENTIFY with CHRIST in meekness and lowliness of heart on a continual basis, we will have communion with Our LORD on a continual basis. 

Let us pray: 

O FATHER, I am so, so little. I am so very helpless to change anything... even my own wretched self. 

Hide me under the folds of Thy+ Garments, O LORD, and receive me unto ThySELF+. 

This I pray for His+ sake, Who+ was meek and lowly and broken for me, that I need not be afraid of my welcome with HIM+... The LORD and SAVIOR+ of the World, JESUS CHRIST. 
Amen

BEHOLD, the LAMB+ ... #5

Preparation for the Passover Season

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Guided Meditations

Guided Meditations bring you into worship... private, individual communion with The LORD JESUS CHRIST.  If focused on The WORD and if the The Word of GOD is employed during the meditations, then you will enter into a closeness with The LORD that cannot be duplicated.  It is an intensely personal time... a time that exists between you and HIM+ alone.

Outline for Guided Meditations

Now, do remember that this is 

• 1) not Bible-study time, 
• 2) not Bible reading time 
• 3) not simply "prayer" time, and 
• 4) not even "quiet" time. 

Guided Meditation IS a time of worship, a time of LIVELY-THOUGH-QUIET (!) contemplation of The LORD:  Who+ HE+ is, His+ character, and Who+ HE+ is in relationship to you. 

In essence, through Guided Meditation time, you enter INTO HIS+ PRESENCE+. And there, you will be refreshed and have the restoration of your soul. 

Here is a schedule for a Guided Meditation. There are many ways to do it; this is only one schedule. 

1. OPENING PRAISES

(see previous posts for details)

• Bless GOD: FATHER, SON+, and HOLY SPIRIT, and blessed be HIS Kingdom both now and forever. Amen 
• In the Name of The FATHER, 
  HIS HOLY SON+ JESUS, 
  The LAMB+ of GOD,
  And the blessed HOLY SPIRIT. 
• Worthies: i.e., Worthy is the LAMB+
• Psalm 93: The LORD reigneth ! HE is clothed with majesty... ( continuing to the end of it )

+ + +

2.  INVITATORY 

(see previous posts for details)

• Come Unto ME+, all ye who labor and are heavy laden...
• or... Psalm 95

+ + +

3.  SUPPLICATIONS*

+ + +

4.  AFFIRMATIONS*

+ + +

5.  THREE PSALMS

• Psalm 23
• Psalm 27
• Psalm 116

+ + +

6. AGNUS DEI ( see previous posts for details)

+ + +

7. The BREASTPLATE of St. Patrick

+ + +

8.  The RENUNCIATIONS*

+ + +

9.  The BEATITUDES from Matthew 5

+ + +

10.  WORDS of CHRIST from John, chapter 14 
(all the words spoken by Our LORD but not the narrative spoken by others) 

+ + +

11.  The DISCIPLES' PRAYER ( otherwise known as The LORD'S Prayer or the Our FATHER... ) 

+ + +

12. THANKSGIVING*

During Guided Meditation time do these items of worship slowly and prayerfully, emptying your mind and quieting your soul. Refuse to think of anything else while you are with CHRIST JESUS The LORD during this time. I find I need to repeat each item 3 x in order for it to still my soul.

If you should not have the time to finish, DO NOT RUSH TO DO SO... just prayerfully end your meditation and proceed to the pressing demands of the clock; HE+ knows your schedule better than you do ! Plan to have more time to do them tomorrow.

And lastly, in between items, short LAUDS, such as "Worthy is the LAMB+" , O Come, let us adore HIM+, O Great is THY+ faithfulness!,  should be said. 

During the Passover Preparation ( LENT) season, we do not use HalleluJAH, Alleluia, or Glory in our praises. 

I will post the details of the verses for those items which are starred. 

In the Name of The FATHER, 

HIS HOLY SON+ JESUS, 

The LAMB+ of GOD,

And the blessed HOLY SPIRIT. 

Amen.  

WORMWOOD....

PHOTO from abcnews.go.com

HEAR, O ISRAEL !

from the 7 Trumpet Judgments

of the Angels sent to earth

in Revelation chapter 8

⁸ And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;

⁹ And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.

¹⁰ And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;

¹¹ And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.

No, the meteorite that terrorized and injured people in Chelyabinsk, Russia on 2-15-13 was NOT The Wormwood in Revelation 8. 

But YES, 

it was a warning sent 

unto the souls and spirits of men:

Photo of Chelyabinsk Meteorite
by www.examiner.com

TODAY

is the Day of Salvation; 

harden not your hearts 

as in the day of provocation. 

While all eyes were upon the fly-by meteor that was roughly 3 x as large as the Chelyabinsk meteorite, The  LORD sent HIS+ sign to all... to change the focus of our worship: 

REPENT

for the Kingdom of Heaven

 is at hand...

And we ALL KNOW

what will happen 

when The JUDGE+ 

of the whole earth

shall appear.

Remember: There is NO HIDING PLACE outside of The LORD, The JUDGE+ of the whole earth.

How will HE+ judge ? 

HE+ told us how: 

He that rejecteth ME+, 

and receiveth not My+ Words, 

hath one that judgeth him:  

The WORD 

that I+ have spoken, 

the same 

shall judge him 

in the last day.

+ +  +  

Photo by WWW.Ibtimes.com

This WORMWOOD that falls from the Heavens is aptly named. On earth, it is a bitter herb spoken of throughout the Scriptures and is usually coupled with GALL.  Wormwood repels parasites in the human body, among other things.  

Even more interesting is the botanical name of that herb: artemisia absinthium.  

Artemis was a Greek "goddess", equivalent to the Roman's Diana... not a wholesome character, to say the least.   

The absinthium is cited back to the Pre-Greek Pelasgian to mean : UN-enjoyable... perhaps due to the bitter taste of the herb when used medicinally. [ Information from Wikipedia: artemisia absinthium .] 

A Roman philosopher and poet, Lucretius, ( from the same article ) , spoke of tricking children to drink the bitter herb by rimming the cup with honey... which is similar to the Proverbs 7 chapter about the harlot who sweetens her bed to trap the man void of understanding.

In this grossly immoral society which extends around the globe, the society  we call "civilization" ... a civilization where school children are subjected to behavior that is even IN-APPROPRIATE for adults, in its wickedness ... we can see the appropriateness of the WORMWOOD judgment.

+  +  +

And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

And they that be wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars forever. 

Daniel 12:2, 3 

+  +  +

Behold, The LAMB+ .... #3

Preparation for the Passover Season

Photo by Sonomachristianhome. com

Rubric: 

During "Guided Meditation" times, RESPONSES appropriate for the Passover Preparation Season, ( known as Lent ), are said in between the Psalms, Scriptures, and spiritual songs.  These are mini-phrases of worship.

It is customary during the Passover Preparation Season to omit the words "glory" or "HalleluJAH" in the praises. They are added back into the Christian praises on Resurrection Day. 

Here are a few responses appropriate for the season to add to your "Guided Meditation" booklet. It is good to memorize these responses and use them after Psalms, Scripture readings, or after rising from prayers or other items of worship.

Our GOD reigneth from the Tree*, 

O Come, let us adore HIM+ ! 

And the Government shall be 

upon His+ Shoulders, 

O Come, let us adore HIM+ ! 

Worthy is the LAMB+!

 Worthy is the LAMB+ 

that was slain!
O Come, let us adore HIM+ !

( or the longer version: )

 Worthy is the LAMB+!

 Worthy is the LAMB+ 

that was slain!

  Worthy is the LAMB+ 

that was slain 

to receive power 

and riches 

and wisdom 

and strength 

and honor 

and glory 

and blessing !

Rubric: 

The Gloria is not used during this Passover or Lenten season. In its place, one can start the "Guided Meditation" with this opening, before the guided meditation begins:

Blessed be GOD: 

FATHER, 

SON+, 

and HOLY SPIRIT;

and Blessed be HIS Kingdom, 

for ever and ever. 

Amen.

+ + + 

 * ... "reigneth from the Tree" was in the original verse of Psalm 96:10, according to the early Christian writer, Justin Martyr, Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 1, chapter 73, "Dialogue With Trypho."  

Behold, The LAMB+ ... #2

Preparation for the Passover Season

Behold the LAMB+ of GOD 

that taketh away the sin of the world !

Photo by    Sonomachristianhome.com

The Invitatory

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.  

For My+ yoke is easy

and My+ burden is light. 

Matthew 11

Rubric:  

This is the Invitation to Come to CHRIST and sit with HIM+ in stillness and quietness of heart. 

Pray this aloud, very slowly, with pauses between the phrases. 

Do this 3 x until His+ Invitation becomes REAL to you. 

During this part of your daily Guided Meditation,  lay down your burdens and your yokes of bondage, and see CHRIST HIMSELF+. 

Since it is an invitation, do this near the beginning of your Guided Meditation time this Passover Season, to start out your Time with CHRIST in stillness. 

Behold, The LAMB+ .... #1

Preparations for the Passover Season...

Photo by Sonomachristianhome.com

During this Lenten Season we will be focusing on WORSHIP during times of Private, Individual Meditation... in order to draw near to The LAMB+ of GOD Who+ taketh away the sin of the word. 

In order to do this, we will learn to practice "Guided Meditation" during Quiet times of prayer. Recommended Quiet Times are early in the morning, 9 a.m., noon, 3 p.m. ( the hours of the Crucifixion ) and  / or 6 p.m. 

During this season, it is GOOD to practice fasting of some sort: fast some sleep times, some entertainments, some foods or days, fast from temporal activities and normal friendly "interaction" via emails or phone... in order to MAKE IT A PRIORITY to sit quietly with HIM+ Who+ is the LAMB+ of GOD. 

Thus, during this particular Season of the Preparation for Passover,  the posts will be about how to come into worship during devotional times within the individual prayer closet. 

The Guided Meditations may be printed out and made into a personal prayer booklet.  Each one is MOST effective if prayed aloud, very slowly, meditating on Who+ HE+ is. 

It is recommended that each Guided Meditation will be prayed through, contemplatively, 3 times. Spontaneous prayer, worship, and most likely, tears of healing will follow such a Meditation.

Psalms or other Scripture verses can be added at will. 

So, on this Ash Wednesday, our first Guided Meditation will be the familiar "spiritual song"... 

Agnus Dei... The LAMB+ of GOD. 

O  LAMB+ of GOD,  

LORD JESUS CHRIST, 

Who+ taketh away the sin of the world...

have mercy upon us. 

O LAMB+ of GOD, 

LORD JESUS CHRIST, 

Bearer of our sins... 

have mercy upon us. 

O LAMB+ of GOD, 

LORD JESUS CHRIST, 

SAVIOR of the world... 

grant us Thy+ Peace.

Rubrics: 

This is to be repeated 2 X, slowly and reverently, pausing between the phrases, in order to become quieted enough to be aware of  His+ Presence.+  

The 3rd time through, replace US with "me",  OUR with "my" or your name. 

In The Name of The FATHER, 

HIS HOLY SON+, 

Our LORD JESUS CHRIST, 

and The Blessed 

HOLY SPIRIT. 

Amen.