The INTERCESSOR+ ... Passover Meditations for the Monastic-At-Heart ... Ephesians 1:16

Take the Name of JESUS with you !

Meditations  for Pascha

(The Passover Season, 2016)

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Meditations for the Monastic-At-Heart

Now is My+ soul troubled;

and what shall I+ say ...

FATHER,

save ME+

from this hour ?

but for this cause

came I+ unto this hour.

FATHER,

Glorify Thy Name.

Then came there a Voice from Heaven, saying,

I have both glorified IT,

and will glorify IT again.

John12:27-28

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Meditation Verse 

Ephesians 1:16

[ I, Paul ]

Cease not to give thanks for you,

making mention of you

in my prayers;

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Meditation

Our dear Brother and Apostle Paul !

Why did Paul’s prayers have SO MUCH POWER ? Let us look at his life briefly to find the power of prayer, always remembering:

EVERY OBEDIENCE

BRINGS

A FURTHER ANOINTING.

2 Corinthians 11 relates some ... just some... of his sacrifices for the New-Born Church.  Verses 23 to 28 --- five short verses --- records a LIFE-TIME of suffering.

Are they ministers of CHRIST?

(I speak as a fool) I am more;

in labors more abundant,

in stripes above measure,

in prisons more frequent,

in deaths oft.

Of the Jews

five times

received I forty stripes save one.

Thrice was I beaten with rods,

once was I stoned,

thrice I suffered shipwreck,

a night and a day I have been in the deep;

In journeyings often,

in perils of waters,

in perils of robbers,

in perils by mine own countrymen,

in perils by the heathen,

in perils in the city,

in perils in the wilderness,

in perils in the sea,

in perils among false brethren;

In weariness and painfulness,

in watchings often,

in hunger and thirst,

in fastings often,

in cold and nakedness.

 Beside those things that are without,

that which cometh upon me daily,

the care of all the churches.

We see this same Apostle who had been transported into the Third Heaven and heard unspeakable words that were "unlawful for man to utter" ...

saying this: 

 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.

For I could wish that myself

were accursed from CHRIST

for my brethren,

my kinsmen according to the flesh:

Romans 9:2-3

Thus we see this great Apostle and mighty Confessor of The LORD JESUS CHRIST not only "simply prayed for "... but he ALSO  made intercession for the other followers of JESUS.

What is intercession?

How does INTERCESSION differ

from supplications

and other prayers ?

It is what Our LORD JESUS CHRIST did for each one of us: 

HE+ came

between

the satan and us.

HE+ intervened --- placed HIMSELF+ between the destroyer and us, his victim  --- and protected us from destruction by the satan.

HE+ took the satan's blows, meant for us. The LORD JESUS fought the devil and won.

The LORD JESUS came as a man but lived in unity with His+ Heavenly FATHER, pleasing HIM in all things.

As the SECOND ADAM+ , JESUS fought the devil ... and beat him FOR US.

His+ Divine intercession entails more than supplications and requests to Our FATHER for us.

It is interVENTION.

JESUS INTERVENES --- placing Himself+ directly between us and the satan --- for us. Furthermore, CHRIST ever liveth to make intercession for us... which takes effect when we submit our lives unto HIM+.

Hebrews 7:25

Wherefore HE+ is able also to save them to the uttermost

that come unto GOD

by HIM+,

seeing HE+ ever liveth

to make intercession for them.

HE+ not only delivered the victims from the satan's domain once

"taking captivity captive"

at the Resurrection,

but HE+ is living -- abiding, staying, remaining constant forever --- in that VICTORY, winning  over the satan  daily in the  battles, traps, and wiles the devil sets for our souls.

The satan loses and loses and loses... over and over again ... because of HIS+ INTERCESSION, the intervention, of our LORD JESUS on our behalf.

The Apostle Paul knew how to intercede.  He knew how to make supplication to Our Heavenly FATHER for the New-Born Church.

But also...

that dear Apostle did not hold himself back from all manner of suffering for the sake of the church.

He wrestled with the evil spirits IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST in order to deliver them from the satan's grip.

Remember Acts 19 and the sons of Sceva ?

19:13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the LORD JESUS, saying, We adjure you by JESUS Whom+ Paul preacheth.  And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.

19:15

And the evil spirit answered and said,

JESUS I know,

and Paul I know;

but

who are ye?

That was the real question then.

Here is the real question today:

Who are we ...

to the evil spirits, when we pray ?

Are we so in unity with the Will of Our LORD JESUS, with the Blessed HOLY SPIRIT, and our Heavenly FATHER ...

that the evil spirits

tremble when we pray   ?

Have we the commitment to turn away from self indulgence ... in all the little ways we employ... to do like the Apostle Paul and bring our bodies into subjection daily ? (1 Corinthians 9:27 ) 

Are we willing and able to  endure suffering for the sake of wrestling individuals from the grip of the satan ?

Are we as certain that The LORD JESUS will honor our suffering for the Kingdom of GOD as was this Apostle who followed JESUS' example?

The Apostle Paul did not cease to give thanks for the Brethren.

Nor...

did he cease to labor and embrace suffering for the New-Born Church. 

What a good example !

Our LORD JESUS is the Great Intercessor+. Our Brother and Apostle Paul simply followed The LORD'S example in his heart, in his life ... and in his daily dying to himself.

That, dear brethren,

is how we resist the devil .

REMEMBER: 

EVERY OBEDIENCE

BRINGS A FURTHER ANOINTING

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Let us pray:

Thank YOU+, LORD CHRIST, for going to the Cross, coming between me and the satan, for my deliverance.

Forgive me for forsaking the Cross when it is uncomfortable. Help me to embrace the Obediences YOU have called me to embrace.

Help me, O LORD, to embrace true intercessory prayer. Strengthen me to die daily to my flesh for the sake of Your Kingdom.

And in that death to Self, help me, LORD, not to be afraid. Help me to entrust my happiness and my well-being unto YOU, my LORD and my KING+.

For the sake of Your Holy SON+, the LAMB+ of GOD Who+ takes away the sin of the world, I offer You my life through JESUS CHRIST my LORD. 

Amen.

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Worthy is the LAMB+.

Worthy is The LAMB+

that was slain.

Worthy is the LAMB+,

slain

from the foundation

of the earth.

Revelation 13:8

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PRAISE and THANKSGIVING

be to The FATHER,

and to HIS Beloved SON+

JESUS CHRIST,

and to

the Blessed HOLY SPIRIT.

ONE GOD:

FATHER,

SON+,

and HOLY SPIRIT,

both now and forever,

world without end.

Amen.

WHAT Does Our LORD Hear? ... Passover Meditations for the Monastic-At-Heart ... Ephesians 1:15

 Our LORD Hears...

Meditations  for Pascha

(The Passover Season, 2016)

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Meditations for the Monastic-At-Heart

Now is My+ soul troubled;

and what shall I+ say ...

FATHER,

save ME+

from this hour ?

but for this cause

came I+ unto this hour.

FATHER,

Glorify Thy Name.

Then came there a Voice from Heaven, saying,

I have both glorified IT,

and will glorify IT again.

John12:27-28

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Meditation Verse 

Ephesians 1:15

Wherefore I also,

after I heard of your faith

in the LORD JESUS and

love unto all the saints…

The literal Greek:  For this reason , I also hearing the faith concerning you all in The LORD JESUS and the love towards all the saints,

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Meditation

Reports came to the Apostle Paul regarding the Followers of JESUS in Ephesus.

Here, then, were the reports:

The Ephesian Followers of JESUS were KNOWN for their faith in CHRIST.

They were also KNOWN for the AgapA love they issued toward all the saints... their fellow brethren in CHRIST.

Can this be said of us?

What kind of report about us would the Apostle Paul hear if he were alive on earth today ?

Are we supportive of the Brethren in CHRIST whom we know ? Are we supportive individually as well as collectively ?

Do we love the Brethren enough to warn them when they go astray from the Narrow Way that leads unto Life Eternal?

Do we kindly and gently, with support, issue correction when Brethren walk or talk against Scripture ?

Or rather, do we play at love and try to keep everybody "happy" with that  "warm and accepted" feeling …  at the expense of CHRIST ?

Do we indulge in "friendship evangelism" ... i.e., "just come to our church and we will love you into the Kingdom of GOD"... while not requiring true repentance and conversion and amendment of life ?

Are we known for our faith in CHRIST when the presses of life occur ?

Is our faith of SUCH depth that we can stand firm in the face of depression and oppression    ?

Is our faith dependant on wealth? On our health ? On others ? On our family being intact ?

Hard times, troublous times, turbulent times --- beyond those normal things that come upon all persons --- are at the door.  They have already descended in horror upon many in the rest of the world.

It is a living nightmare what the Followers of JESUS are enduring in North Korea, Syria and the Middle East, Pakistan, Nigeria, the Sudan, and other African nations…  and now it is beginning in Europe.

Persecution is coming closer to home.

It is reported that one well-known Western nation's current leader covers the Cross of JESUS if he must enter into a building or room where it is hanging.

It is a fact that that same leader refused to attend the funeral of a Supreme Court judge because the funeral service was in a Church and the LORD JESUS CHRIST was proclaimed.

There is an abundance of politicians vying for leadership who openly, proudly, and stridently support ungodly life-styles and Agendas, including the killing of babies in the womb and "harvesting" their "valuable" organs. ( An unthinkable, grotesque form of humanity trying to play "god." )

As a matter of fact, KILLING HUMANITY is the hidden but primary Agenda of most of these programs... from GMO seeds to enforced "health care" from the cradle to the grave.   

Any one who refuses to personally participate in any of these unrighteous programs that go against GOD'S WORD  will make himself a target.

One report from a reputable ministry stated that the Agenda is to remove all Christian witness from the public eye.   This has already taken place in some countries in Europe; it is only a matter of time before it occurs closer to home.

Take HEED, Church:

We CANNOT correct

SPIRITUAL problems

with political solutions,

so guns and voting

and civil "movements"

are NOT the realm

for Followers of JESUS. 

There are
NO POLITICAL solutions
to SPIRITUAL problems. 

JESUS is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. HE+ alone is able to correct the spiritual sickness engulfing this world.

Instead of standing for guns, voting rights, civil movements, and weeping over the flag, we must stand for JESUS.

We must weep

over this Sin-Sick World. 

And the Sin-Sick Worldlings,

both in control and out-of-control, 

are not going to like that.

Will our faith stand in the face of persecution ?

Will our faith stand when the enemies of JESUS CHRIST make us choose to conform to their ungodly programs and accept un-holy life-styles ... or face persecution ?

Will we love the Brethren… or turn them in if they preach a righteousness based on Scripture instead of the ever-changing societal norms ?

What will

our LORD and SAVIOR

JESUS CHRIST

be hearing about us ?

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Let us pray:

O, LORD JESUS, we need help. YOU+ know what is coming before YOU+ arrive to re-claim the earth.

We are weak and shallow; we have not been tested as our Brethren have across the sea.

We think if we don't have the right food at the right time or the right house we are bearing a cross.

We know the Refiner's Fire is determined upon all the earth.  Help us to grow solid in YOU+.

LORD JESUS, I say I love YOU+; help me to pick up the Cross of discipleship before the Cross of Persecution comes.

Help me NOT to shy away from spiritual discipline; I will not be ABLE to shy away from persecution.

Show me, O LORD JESUS, how to stand against my own flesh and submit myself unto Your+ Word.

I accept that the Time of Preparation is NOW to train myself to deny my flesh... so that I do not deny YOU+ when my hour of testing comes.

YOU+ went to the Cross -- alone --- so that I would not have to go through ANYTHING without YOU+.

Help me, LORD JESUS.

For Thy+ Name's sake, I pray. Amen.

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Worthy is the LAMB+.

Worthy is The LAMB+

that was slain.

Worthy is the LAMB+,

slain

from the foundation

of the earth.

Revelation 13:8

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PRAISE and THANKSGIVING

be to The FATHER,

and to HIS Beloved SON+

JESUS CHRIST,

and to

the Blessed HOLY SPIRIT.

ONE GOD:

FATHER,

SON+,

and HOLY SPIRIT,

both now and forever,

world without end.

Amen.

x

EARNEST of Our Inheritance ... Passover Meditations ... Ephesians 1:14

Meditations  for Pascha

(The Passover Season, 2016)

+  +  +

Meditations for the Monastic-At-Heart

Now is My+ soul troubled;

and what shall I+ say ...

FATHER,

save ME+

from this hour ?

but for this cause

came I+ unto this hour.

FATHER,

Glorify Thy Name.

Then came there a Voice from Heaven, saying,

I have both glorified IT,

and will glorify IT again.

John12:27-28

+  +  +

Meditation Verse 

Ephesians 1: 14

WHO is the earnest

of our inheritance

until the redemption

of the purchased possession,

unto the praise of HIS glory.

Note: WHO is referring to the HOLY SPIRIT , keeping in context with the previous verse. REDEMPTION is "loosening away" in the literal Greek.  Followers of JESUS are the "purchased possession."  HIS may be understood to be the GODHEAD.

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Meditation

This special earnest, the deposit, the down-payment ( as it were ) has been given to us, to secure or hold our promised inheritance in the Kingdom of GOD.  This DIVINE DEPOSIT or Pledge to us  is the HOLY SPIRIT Who indwells within us at our conversion to CHRIST.

Then Peter said unto them,

Repent, and be baptized

every one of you

in the name of JESUS CHRIST

for the remission of sins,

and ye shall receive

the Gift of the HOLY SPIRIT.

Acts 2:38

This Divine Guarantee-or has marked us as legal RECEPTORS for an inheritance in the Heavenlies with our name on it. No-one can steal that inheritance from us. No-one can cheat us out of our inheritance, nor do we have to share our portion with another.

However, there is a Divine characteristic of this DIVINE Earnest or down-payment which makes it different than the usual legal transaction of goods or money given for a down payment:  This Divine Earnest  happens to be LIVING!

HE is ALIVE !

  But when the COMFORTER is come, WHOM I+ will send unto you

from The FATHER,

even the SPIRIT of Truth,

WHO proceedeth from The FATHER,

HE shall testify of ME+:

John 15:26

Now, this Living "Breath" from GOD has another Divine characteristic: HE does not speak of Himself, but of JESUS CHRIST. 

Howbeit when HE,

the SPIRIT of Truth, is come,

HE will guide you

into all Truth:

for HE shall not speak of Himself;

but whatsoever HE shall hear,

that shall HE speak:

and HE will shew you things to come.

John 16:13

Now, it is true that no-one can steal our inheritance from us because of this Divine Deposit of The HOLY SPIRIT living within us.

However... we can lose it.

What?

Know ye not

that your body

is the Temple of the HOLY SPIRIT

WHO is in you,

WHOM ye have of GOD,

and ye are not your own?

For ye are bought with a price:

therefore glorify GOD

in your body,

and in your spirit,

which ARE GOD'S.

I Corinthians 6:19-20

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Let us pray:

O LORD, we have been so foolish. We have played the harlot with the world.

We have desired things  ... and persons... who have drawn us away from THEE+.

We are finely tuned to our distractions but barely able to discern Thy+ Voice when we need it. 

We are led about by our bodies, our flesh, our earth-centered minds instead of by our Divine Earnest WHO is to lead us into ALL Truth.

We have NOT given to THEE+ Thine own: our body and our spirit. Rather, we have squandered THY goods. We have not been good stewards of what is rightly Thine.

Standing in sore need of cleansing, we ask that THOU wouldst be pleased to restore us unto THEE and take not Thy+ blessed HOLY SPIRIT from us.

We commit anew our bodies and our spirits unto THEE+ , to be filled with Thy+ SPIRIT and used for Thy+ purposes. 

We accept the call to Quietness and Separation from this world and its values and its ways and its activities... distractions, all.

Grant us this cleansing, this renewal, that we may bring praise to Thy+ Glorious Name... and not lose our inheritance.

These things we ask of THEE+, in Thy+ HOLY Name, O CHRIST. Amen.

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Worthy is the LAMB+.

Worthy is The LAMB+

that was slain.

Worthy is the LAMB+,

slain

from the foundation

of the earth.

Revelation 13:8

+  +  +

PRAISE and THANKSGIVING

be to The FATHER,

and to HIS Beloved SON+

JESUS CHRIST,

and to

the Blessed HOLY SPIRIT.

ONE GOD:

FATHER,

SON+,

and HOLY SPIRIT,

both now and forever,

world without end.

Amen.