Awake Out of Sleep ! CHRIST the KING+ Ever Reigns on High +

O Come, Let Us Adore HIM+ !

Advent Meditations for 2014

Photo courtesy of  www.pravoslavie.ru

Scriptures selected from the listings in the  Three-year Cycle of Readings, Year A, New American BIBLE; Scripture portions quoted from KJV courtesy of Biblegateway.com .

ROMANS 13:11 

And that, knowing the time, 

that now it is high time 

to awake out of sleep: 

for now is our salvation

nearer 

than when we believed.

[ A note from Sr. Judith Hannah  + + +  :   Not being Roman Catholic, I thought it odd that this passage was included in the readings for the year involved Romans 13. In pondering this before The LORD, I realized that HE+  is indeed speaking to His+ Body about the current season of humanity upon this earth. ]

May The LORD add His+ blessing to the reading of His+ Holy Word.  

Let me tell you WHO IS awake .... the 10 kings ( aka the 10 horns ) of Revelation 17:12 !

Yes, the enemy --- empowered by these 10 wicked beings --- is coming in like a flood.  

Yes, the days of Noah are upon us, but where is the Ark of Salvation going to be found during this flood?  

And yes again, this will be a WORLD-WIDE FLOOD of evil engulfing the globe. 

Salvation in Traditions ? 

Traditions will shatter with the first blast of persecution. They will cripple those whose security is based on traditions. Christmas traditions will not carry anyone through a beheading or the torture chamber. 

Awake out of sleep !  the Word says. 

Salvation in the Organized Religious Systems ?

Unfortunately, the organized religious systems have HISTORICALLY been in the forefront leading the persecution of followers of JESUS, turning traitor to extend its own life. 

They have done it in the past; they will do it in the future. Ichabod has long been stamped on these systems, easily identified by their ignoring, distortion, and avoidance of The Word of GOD  .... in practice .  

The Ichabod organizations include those 

• who never stand against abortion, 
• who tolerate same-sort marriages, 
• who promote women in the pulpit, and 
• whose elders "prudently" invest their funds in the Mammon-serving stock markets. 

Ichabod organizations are those who USE the Name of CHRIST, preach HIM+ on the street and across the air-waves, dissect, analyze, and study His+ Word in all the original languages. 

Yet, these same Ichabod religious systems --- knowing well the Word of GOD --- will not take a step towards non-resistance but rather honor the killing-machines of the uncivilized Western "civilization." 

And men loved to have it so ! 

Awake out of sleep !  the Word says.

From LUKE 21:28  

 And when these things begin to come to pass, 

then look up, 

and lift up your heads; 

your REDEPTION+ draweth nigh.

Yes, look up to JESUS+. Firmly fix yourself on HIM+. Firmly afix yourself onto His+ Cross. 

Finding Salvation in your house and land ?

Aha!  Do you think you own your "own" house and land? 

Better look at reality. 

Don't pay your taxes and you will discover the hidden truth about property ownership. 

If you cannot pay your property taxes because the money system fails OR you wisely refuse the mark of the beast ~  you will soon find out that certain agencies ( not "we the people") own ALL the land and property ! 

Owners are simply renters too,  ~ high-cost renters ~  renting their property from the tax collectors .... or rather, from agencies acting under higher agencies established years ago by those 10 kings in a well-oiled system.

And NO... you will not be able to pay your property tax in onions or chickens .

Awake out of Sleep, the WORD says !

But let us look up.  We cannot ~ we do not dare ~ look unto earthly men nor earthly religious organizations nor earthly civil systems for our security and Salvation. 

Yes, Eternity IS costly. It has cost Our REDEEMER+ His+ Life to bring it to us.  It will also cost us our lives, to obtain it. 

But, let us LOOK UP !  

JESUS told us, 

"There shall not an hair of your head perish ! "

O Precious REDEEMER+, WHO+ laid down Thy+ Head not only in a manger but also upon the Cross, we thank THEE+ for making a way out of the destruction of mankind for us. 

O Precious LAMB+ of GOD, slain from the foundation of the world, THOU+ didst come, knowing full well what awaited THEE+.  THOU+ knowest what awaits us ! 

We thank THEE+ for preparing us a place in Thy+ FATHER'S House.  

And by THY+ coming to be slain, THOU+ has made us Thine+ own brethren.

And by Thy+ coming to be slain, we can say, "Our FATHER WHO art in Heaven, " also. 

And by Thy+ coming to be slain, we live.

CHRIST The KING+ has descended from on High;

O COME, LET US ADORE HIM+  ! 

xxx

Over-Ruling the 10 Kings... CHRIST the KING+ Ever Reigns on High !

Advent Meditations for 2014

The Star of Bethlehem 

Photo courtesy of  WWW.PRAVOSLAVIE.RU   

Matthew 24: 37-39 

Scriptures courtesy of Biblegateway.com 

But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,  And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

The Days of the Rule of the 10 Kings

of Revelation 17:12 

And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, 

which have received no kingdom as yet; 

but
 receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

The days of Noah are upon us. 

The darkness of sin engulfs the world. Men's pride is hardening their hearts. Devilish controlling spirits are ruling over the entire globe ~ and men love to have it so. 

The days ~ the season of human history ~ when men love darkness rather than light   because their deeds are evil   are upon us in full force. 

The WORD of GOD says in THAT SEASON, men who love righteousness make themselves a target,  Isaiah 59:15 ,  as in the days of Noah. 

Our LORD JESUS tells us this age will have the same character and consorts as Noah's age:  hedonism to the extreme, base entertainment, lovers of pleasure , lovers of self, lovers of same-sort partners, lovers of wee children, and lovers of beasts... lovers of death.  

Then comes the mingling of human seed with nephillim or animals and the lust for aborted LIVING babies as evil dreamers try to create life at the DNA basics in order to be in control of the universe. 

The 10 Kings of Revelation 17 love to have it so and are NOW DIRECTING these activities across the globe, headed by the richest countries in the world. 

Why ? 

They wish to destroy GOD'S creation, to destroy the human race. 

Why ?

They aim to destroy the human race BECAUSE through JESUS CHRIST, the human race has beaten satan, the nephillim, the fallen watchers .... AND THE 10 KINGS ! ...  when humans obey The LORD JESUS CHRIST in every fiber of their being. 

As a matter of fact, an obedient, faith-filled people who love The LORD JESUS more than their own life is the ONLY barrier that stands between satan and the destruction of the ENTIRE human race. 

For, if left to itself, the human race will destroy itself. 

If left to satan, the human race will be destroyed through lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. 

If left to the 10 Kings of Revelation 17, the followers of the LORD JESUS CHRIST would be exterminated --- wiped off --- the face of the globe, along with their Jewish fore-bearers. 

Then the wicked tenants/ husbandmen of the vineyard will think,   after they have exterminated  His+ Servants,   the world will be theirs. 

( This has been tried before. See Matthew 21. )

But... surprise, surprise !

What will the True Owner+ of the world do 

to those wicked ones 

when HE+ arrives 

with His+ armies from Heaven ? 

They all forgot one thing... one MAJOR fact: 

All were created through HIM+

All were created for HIM+

and HIS+ good pleasure ! 

Yes, even the fallen angels, like mankind, were created by HIM+ and for His+ pleasure, to do HIS+ will. 

O, what a fearful thing to fall into the Hands of the Living GOD... when in a state of rebellion against His+ Rule.   

Let us pray: 

CHRIST the KING+ ever reigns on High! 

O Come, let us adore HIM+ !  

O come, let us worship and fall down and kneel before The LORD our Maker...  Our LORD, Who+ humbled Himself+ to take on a robe of flesh in order to rescue us from the slavery of sin, the slavery to satan.

We thank THEE+ O LORD for Thy+ great, well-planned deliverance through Thy+ Incarnation, set in motion from the fall of Adam, promised in the Garden to crush satan's head. 

Bless GOD: FATHER, SON+, and HOLY SPIRIT! 

And, blessed be HIS+ Kingdom, 

now and forever, 

world without end. 

Amen.  

xxx

CHRIST The KING+ Ever Reigns on High !

Advent Meditations for 2014

The Star of Bethlehem 

Photo courtesy of  www.pravoslavie.ru

Hear the Words of Our LORD .... 

Matthew 24: 42-44  

Courtesy Biblegateway.com

Watch therefore: 

for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

But know this,

 that if the goodman of the house had known 

in what watch the thief would come, 

he would have watched, 

and would not have suffered his house 

to be broken up.

Therefore be ye also ready: 

for in such an hour as ye think not 

the SON+ of MAN cometh.

+ + + 

The opening words of Our SAVIOR to you in this Advent Season is: 

 Watch !  Be ye ready ! 

For what, exactly, are you watching ? 

Are you awaiting... simply putting in time ... treading spiritual water in one spiritual place ... until you are snatched out of here, away into Heaven ? 

NO !

Our coming LORD told us to be alert and at-the-ready for battle... a battle for souls !  And this battle is a fight for YOUR soul and mine. 

We must be watchful, lest at any time our steadfastness loosens. We must be alert lest we fall. 

The apostle Paul --- yes, even that great Apostle --- has warned us to take heed for our souls, like he did for his. 

 I Cor 9: 27 

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.

Disciplining your body and bringing it into subjection to the WORD OF GOD strengthens you in the spiritual warfare. 

Are you ready for the great testing ? JESUS told us to WATCH AND PRAY, lest we fall.  TESTING is promised. 

How is your strength tested ?  

Strength is tested when an adversary challenges you to a match. 

This match, however, is not of your own choosing and it will not be put off for a more convenient time. It is Divinely Appointed and it will test your faith to the utmost. Will you stand or fall ?  

You will not have time to return to the gymnasium and train for  this match, however. 

This training occurs daily as you pick up your Cross and die to Self. There is no cramming possible for this exam.

Yes, we do indeed watch for His+ 2nd Coming, but before that... the battle will be with the demonic thief who comes to steal our faith and our souls. 

Are you ready ? 

Let us pray:

O Christ our ROCK+, WHO+ came to ready a people for THYSELF+, help me to stand for THEE+.  

Help me to stand for THY+ glory, in the face of all opposition to Thy+ Name. 

Let Thy+ Truth live in me strongly so that I cannot yield and kiss the dirt, when demon-led people tell me to bow to their activities and proclaim them "right." 

O ROCK+ of Ages, I hide myself in THEE+. Cover me there with Thy+ Hand, O Blessed Savior.  

CHRIST The KING+ ever reigns on High; 

O Come, Let us adore HIM+ !

   

Need a SIGN like Gideon's FLEECE ? .... Judges 6

Placing a fleece before The LORD....

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The Importance of Gideon's Fleeces

When Gideon put forth fleeces asking The LORD for confirmation of His+ will, many men's lives were at stake, as well as their defenseless wives and children.

   

Israel's oppressors, the Midianites, were ruthless towards the Israelites.  The Israelites were hiding out, living in caves ( 6:2-6 ). It seems this fear was based in reality,  substantiated by the treatment the people of Israel had been receiving. [ Chapter 7 points out that great fear also.]

Any Other Examples ?

We know, though, that The LORD did NOT honor OTHER folks who asked , " How can this be?"  ... such as Zachariah who was struck dumb because he did not believe the Word of the LORD to him via Gabriel. 

Part of growing requires TRUST... a foundational, personal security ... that HE+ will do it,  that HE+ will perform exactly what HE+ says HE+ will do... and whatever HE+ requires us to do, HE+ WILL ALSO PERFORM! 

Why Did the Fleeces "Work" for Gideon ?

Gideon seemed to be a man after GOD'S own heart, like David was. And, Gideon was so very, very humble and little in his own eyes, endearing himself unto The LORD.  

Also,  Gideon had asked earlier for a sign that he himself had found grace in The LORD'S eyes in verse 19, and The LORD honored that request .

The Key to Answered Prayer

The key to everything that happened in Judges 6 , included putting forth the fleeces 2 times, is found in verse 6:34. 

[ Courtesy of Biblegateway.com ]

  ³⁴ But the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him.  

Even more striking is the Hebrew of  verse 34 of Judges 6:  

" And the SPIRIT of JEHOVAH clothed GIDEON ( with HIMSELF ) " … 

The "with HIMSELF" is understood in the verse, according to JP Green’s Interlinear.

Needing a SIGN for Confirmation

of The LORD'S Will ? 

We are always desiring The LORD to give us a CERTAIN AND SURE sign of confirmation, if we need to do something. The more major the decision, the more we yearn for certainty about it, right?  

The problem is: signs are easily duplicated by satan to a doubting heart, and mankind is easily duped. 

There IS a way to know The LORD'S Will, however, and The LORD shows us how to do this in Judges 6. 

However, Gideon’s 2 fleeces, as miraculous as they were, ARE NOT THE MAIN message in Judges 6 that The LORD wants us to see ! 

Two Main Points 
--- not fleeces --- 
in Judges 6 

The First:  OBEDIENCE 

One of the MAIN points of this chapter reveals the utter obedience no matter the cost , on Gideon's part.  

Gideon must have determined inwardly to obey WHAT THE LORD TOLD HIM TO DO . 

And, Gideon obeyed The Word with his whole heart, even unto death,  and The LORD knew it... hence the blessings that followed.   

The Second:  REMOVING SIN

The OTHER main point was that SIN had to be knocked down, shredded asunder, and burnt as an offering unto The LORD (vs 26 ) before... yes, before... any deliverance would be forthcoming. 

In order to do that, Gideon had to go against his own father's household and the men of his own community !  In order to shred the enslavement to sin in his own father's household, Gideon  had to lay his own security and well-being on the altar  too.

Do we realize HOW HARD that was, since he was the youngest, least-in-authority son of his father?  In addition to that... he used his father's bullock for a sacrifice ! Without asking Dad !

Do we take into account that Gideon likely jeopardized his entire family's lives by angry towns-folks when he destroyed the grove and altar / pillar of Asherah ? Israel was involved in idol worship and its accompanying immorality. 

 THIS IS THE TRUE LESSON  of this passage...   

SIN must be forcibly and determinedly removed  .... before The LORD will grant any victory..... and indeed, any request.

Yes, ( yawn, ho-hum, ) we "know"  we must remove sin...  

... but we fail to realize when our troubles pile up and our requests are going awry that HE+ sees something in our midst that is dis-pleasing to HIM+. 

Something that is stifling our growth. 

Something that is hindering our nearness to HIM+. 

   

HE+ wants THAT “something” removed. And furthermore, HE+ will not budge until we remove it.

It is STILL TRUE... 

 "No good thing will HE+ withhold 

from those who walk uprightly,"  

  

GIDEON WON GOD'S APPROVAL !

GOD showed HIS great good approval to Gideon and granted him his requests because Gideon FACED CERTAIN DEATH in order to obey GOD. 

Gideon worked immediately and effectively to remove the sin in their midst,  which could have cost Gideon his life.

This is why it is SO IMPORTANT to read the Scriptures.  Men are fallible but The WORD of The LORD is not, and it usually explains itself , if we will just let it reign over the thoughts of man.

If we could simply still our own thoughts and WAIT upon the blessed HOLY SPIRIT,  HE+ will reveal the real message of  Scriptures to us.

Instead of being enraptured by putting out fleeces, then, our focus should be to REMOVE the sinful things from our midst that we have drifted into, in order to fight against sin within our own lives. 

Then  --- and only then ---  would we be able to hear and know ... and yes, even ABLE to follow ... the Will of The LORD for our lives. 

 We do not need fleeces; we need repentance.

Deep, utter, cleansing repentance of our motives and priorities... our double-mindedness... our sneaking ways of serving Self.

 No, we do not need fleeces.  

We need oneness with GOD. 

We need to walk in ONENESS with The LORD JESUS… so closely that our hearts throb in unity with HIS+ heart , in unity with His+ Will.

His+ thoughts replacing our thoughts. 

His+ desires, our desires.

His+ concerns, ours.

Then, there will be no desire to put out fleeces because there simply will be no need to do so.  

  

THIS is the true lesson of Gideon in Judges 6.

Let us pray: 

O LORD JESUS CHRIST!  I call THEE+ "LORD, LORD," but I set my own priorities.  

Forgive me, LORD, and renew a right spirit within me. I turn over to THEE+ my plans, my desires, and yes, even my daily concerns.  

Turn my heart to do Thy+ Will, O CHRIST.  Make  me ONE WITH THEE+, precious SAVIOR.  

Then, LORD, I will know that I please THEE+... THOU+ joy of my heart. 

In the Name of THE FATHER

WHO created me;

HIS Beloved SON+

WHO+ saves me;

And the blessed HOLY SPIRIT, 

WHO sanctifies me. 

Amen.