Worthy is the LAMB+... worthy is the LAMB+... worthy is the LAMB+ that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing! Blessing and honor and glory and power be unto HIM that sitteth on the throne and unto The LAMB+ for ever and ever. Amen.
12/15/2008
Advent Meditation ~ Day 15
12/14/2008
ADVENT MEDITATION ~ Day 14
How is it, then, that we are to fear the ONE+ Who+ loves us most... the ONE+ Who+ loves us so much that HE sent HIS Only-Begotten SON+ into this woeful world to die for us?
Could it be that The LORD is not a respecter of persons? ... that HE+ is not impressed by our knowledge... our skills.... our abilities ? [since HE+ gave them all to us in the first place.]
What The LORD requires of each one of us is simple:
our ALL.
It is the only gift
we can lay on the altar of HIS+ love
... that will be accepted by HIM+.
O LORD of my Life, I thank you for Your GLORY and Your MAJESTY; I rest in Your HOLINESS. Help me to lose my life in THEE+... completely, utterly, with no looking back. I lay my life on the altar of Your LOVE, O HOLY ONE+. In the name of the Beloved SON+, Our LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, I offer these, my imperfect prayers.
Amen
+ + +
12/13/2008
ADVENT Meditation... Day 13
The Journey Towards Bethlehem
Year of Our LORD, 12.13.2008
If THOU, JEHOVAH ADONAI,
shouldest mark iniquities,
who shall stand?
But there is forgiveness with THEE,
that THOU mayest be feared.
I wait for the LORD,
my soul doth wait,
and in HIS+ Word do I hope.
Psalm 130:3, 4, 5
Did Our LORD come to mark our iniquities?
O RIGHTEOUS SAVIOR, thank YOU+ for not marking my iniquities. Help me not to mark the iniquities of my friends and relatives, if I say I love them.
+ + +
12/12/2008
Advent Meditation... Day 12
The Journey Towards Bethlehem
Year of Our LORD, 12.12.2008
Lord ADONAI, my heart is not haughty,
nor mine eyes lofty:
neither do I exercise myself
in great matters,
or in things too high for me.
Surely I have behaved
and quieted myself,
as a child that is weaned
of his mother:
my soul is even as a weaned child.
Psalm 131:1, 2
When do we get in trouble? It is when we over-step our boundaries and erroneously enter into a battle… to revenge a “wrong” done by others to us or to evince our own “righteousness,” perhaps.
It is good to leave the battle… the revenge… to The LORD. Yes, we stand in our person for HIM+. Yes, we do HIS+ Way. And yes, we can expect discomfort to come for it. Our reaction shouldn’t be one of surprise but of a certainty that we are going to enter into a season of exercise. Our exercise is to behave and quiet ourselves, nestling in closer to the ONE+ Who+ came to restore what the locusts have eaten. HE+ will take care of it… if we leave the righting of the wrong in HIS+ hands.
12/11/2008
Advent Meditation... Day 11
The Journey Towards Bethlehem
Year of Our LORD, 12.11.2008
I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes:
I hate the work of
them that turn aside;
it shall not cleave to me.
Psalm 101:3
.
How are we measuring up … to the LORD’S standard of holiness? Most of us (hopefully) would not go to see rank movies or read trashy novels and magazines that are fleshy. Hopefully, Christians would also not be feeding their souls on music that had unholy themes, also. What about those things we listen to… gossip, TV’s [sic] “values”, the internet’s conglomeration of fleshy news and even more fleshy ads ?
The Psalmist said that he would set nothing wicked before his eyes. He shook off the works not worthy of The LORD when he had to pass near them. May we go and do likewise.
O LORD GOD of My Salvation… help me guard the windows of my soul. Help me turn my face and my hearing away from those things which cause YOU+ pain. Incline my heart to Thy testimonies and not to anything unworthy of YOU+. I do love THEE+, O ROCK+ of my soul. May my interests reflect my love for THEE+. This I pray in the name of The FATHER, Who created me… The SON+, Who+ saves me, and The HOLY SPIRIT Who sanctifies me. Amen
+ + +
12/09/2008
ADVENT MEDITATION... Day 9
Year of Our LORD
12.9.2008
12/08/2008
ADVENT MEDITATION... DAY 8
Only one life...
"twill SOON BE PAST...
Only what's done for CHRIST
will last.
(from an unknown Christian sage).
+ + +
12/07/2008
ADVENT MEDITATION... DAY 7
12/06/2008
ADVENT MEDITATION... DAY 6
The Journey Towards Bethlehem
Year of Our LORD, 12.6.2008
But My people would not hearken to My voice;
and Israel would none of ME.
So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust:
and they walked in their own counsels.
Oh that My people had hearkened unto ME,
and Israel had walked in My ways!
I should soon have
subdued their enemies,
and turned My hand
against their adversaries.
Psalm 81:11-14
<(((><
O Gracious Heavenly FATHER,
(adapted from the BCP, Communion Service).
+ + +
12/05/2008
ADVENT MEDITATION... DAY 5
The Journey Towards Bethlehem
Year of Our LORD, 12.5.2008
And they tempted GOD in their heart
by asking meat for their lust.
Psalm 78:18
And HE+ gave them their request;
but sent leanness into their soul.
Psalm 106:15
How do we pray? How often do we pray for the things we desire but not need… for food for the lust-of-the-eye, lust-of-the-flesh and / or the pride of life? How many times do we beseech The LORD to provide for our carnal appetites, our temporal comforts… far beyond necessity?
Doesn’t an old faded towel work as well as a new, brightly-colored one to do the job intended? Is the towel’s primary function to adorn or to dry our wet bodies? Must we really have the top-of-the-line items for the house, the vehicle, the shop, the bookshelf, the music room… and even the ministry? Do we truly need to cover our bodies with whatever are the “in-clothes” and have our feet shod with the same?
If we have an eye towards these things, the spirit of covetousness is at work. The advertising world is good at making us covet. We may indeed clamor for these things and see nothing wrong with it, but do we want the spiritual price-tag… LEANNESS UNTO OUR SOULS ??
Let Us Pray:
Most Loving Heavenly FATHER, I thank Thee for providing for me from the beginning of my life unto this very day. Help me to turn away from craving dead meat. Lift mine eyes towards Heaven that I might request Eternal gifts through Thy Life-Giving SON+… Who+ came into the world to give Light unto people who walked in the darkness of temporal desires. Help me to set my affection on things above, where Your Beloved SON+ is seated at Your Right Hand. In the name of Thy Life-Giving SON+ JESUS CHRIST I pray.
12/04/2008
ADVENT MEDITATION ... DAY 4
The Journey Towards Bethlehem
Year of Our LORD, 12.4.2008
And might not be as their fathers,
a stubborn and rebellious generation;
a generation that set not their heart aright,
and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.
Psalm 78:8
How many times we flounder! How many times do we drop our Spiritual discipline? How often do we let everything and everybody take priority over our established quiet time with The LORD? We think holiness comes by good intentions, by biblical knowledge, or by osmosis, perhaps.
Or maybe… we haven’t even begun to embrace the discipline of commitment to a quiet time with Our SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST… that very ONE+ Who+ loved us and washed us from our sins in His+ own Blood. Our prayers and Bible reading are by happenstance… whenever I happen to feel like it.
Yes, Our LORD desires us to come to HIM+ whenever we feel like it… and whenever we DON’T particularly feel like it, also.
HE+ does want to see good intentions established in us… so much so that we will repent when we drop them aside.
Biblical knowledge is important so that we know how to walk in HIS+ ways… and then DO them.
Furthermore, holiness does come by osmosis of sorts… our closeness to HIM+. Our oneness with our SAVIOR, our homologia, being of the same word, the same mind, the same thought… in total agreement with The LORD JESUS CHRIST ---about everything--- is the only path of holiness available.
Therefore, my beloved brethren,
be ye stedfast, unmoveable,
always abounding in the work of the Lord,
forasmuch as ye know
that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
I Corinthians15:58
LET US PRAY:
O Gracious Holy FATHER, I come to Thee ashamed of mine own lack of steadfastness. I admit am more steadfast on my job before the eyes of man than I am in the secret prayer chamber with Thee. I see I am more steadfast with my family and friends than concerned about what You will think of me. I have taken advantage of Thy Grace. I am sorry LORD+.
LORD, change me. I bring my slovenly discipline, which dishonors Thee, for correction. Your Word tells me that my Spiritual Labor is truly NOT in vain. Help me to bring Glory unto Thee, through the power of Thy HOLY SPIRIT, in the Name of Thine Incarnate SON+ JESUS CHRIST, Whom+ I call LORD and MASTER.
Amen. + + +
12/03/2008
ADVENT MEDITATION... Day 3
The Journey Towards Bethlehem
Year of Our LORD, 12.3.2008
But it is good for me to draw near to God:
I have put my trust
in the Lord GOD,
that I may declare all thy works.
Psalm 73:28
+
+
+
Drawing near to the heart of GOD… the place of perfect rest… is the goal. Sometimes, though, in the middle of tension peace seems nigh unto impossible. That is why Christians have stress the same as worldlings do. However, our “stress-tests” are designed specifically to bring us into His+ Presence instead of to the doctor’s.
The wise Apostle James tells us something startling: we have steps …concrete steps… to take in order to GET close to His+ heart! It is something anybody can do, at any place, at any time, and at any point in history.
Furthermore, if we DO these things, GOD will respond! [A good example is the conversion scene of Sally Beth Roe in Frank Peretti’s Piercing the Darkness!!]
Draw nigh to God,
and he will draw nigh to you.
Cleanse your hands,
ye sinners;
and purify your hearts,
ye double minded.
James 4:8
Oddly enough, the Apostle James is not speaking here to the pagans, heathen, nor to the worldlings. The Apostle is addressing Christians . In every chapter of his general letter to the Christian community at large, he specifically addresses the recipients of his counsel as my brethren.
But it is good for me to draw near to God:
I have put my trust
in the Lord GOD,
that I may declare all thy works.
Psalm 73:28
The Psalmist tells us whenever we draw near unto GOD, we can perfectly trust HIM+ not to destroy us when we confess our failures, short-comings, weaknesses, and sin. HE+ simply holds our peace until we bring these things unto HIM+. That’s one reason HE+ came … to rescue us from ourselves.
Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts:
for the coming of the Lord
draweth nigh.
James 5:8
O Gracious Heavenly FATHER…establish my heart in Thee. I’m sorry for my fears; I know You already see all that I am. You already know how I’ll re-act, even the words on my tongue before I say them.
Grant this day I do not fall into sin but rather, into Thy Loving Hands. I trust in You to make me right. I trust You not to reject my pitiful, needy, and warped heart. I love Thee+, O Holy ONE+ who tookest upon Thyself+ flesh to become man, in order to help me, from the inside out. Thank you, LORD JESUS CHRIST, for becoming my MESSIAH at such great cost to You. I thank you with all my heart. Amen.
12/02/2008
ADVENT MEDITATION... DAY 2
Year of Our LORD, 12.2.2008
I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD,
Adonai JEHOVAH:
I will make mention of Thy+ righteousness,
even of Thine+ only.
No, we will not blaspheme.
If we wish to go in the strength of Adonai JEHOVAH, the Psalmist tells us how to do this: we must forget what we have done and make mention only of the righteousness of The LORD our GOD.
But HE+ giveth more grace.
Wherefore HE+ saith,
GOD resisteth the proud,
but giveth grace unto the humble.
James 4:6
Humble yourselves
in the sight of the LORD,
and HE+ shall lift you up.
James 4:10
Let us pray:
O GOD our FATHER, I have done foolishly.
12/01/2008
ADVENT MEDITIATION... Day 1
Year of Our LORD,
If I regard iniquity in my heart, the LORD will not hear me:
Psalm 66:18
John 9: 30-33
The man answered and said unto them,
Let us pray:
O LORD, Heavenly FATHER, open up my blind eyes to mine own failings before Thee… help me not to hide them from myself. For surely, LORD, Thou seest both where, in my weakness, I cannot see and where, in my stubbornness, I do not wish to look .
In Thy Mercy, look upon me with favor. Lead me to That Rock that is higher than I. Draw me to Bethlehem once again, to Thyself, with cords of Truth and Love. Feed my starving soul once againg with Thy Divine Bread+, that TRUE BREAD+ from Heaven. Through the merits of Thine Only-Begotten SON+, Our LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST. Amen
11/29/2008
ADVENT... The Journey TOWARDS Bethlehem...
Meditations
As we begin Advent 2008, we do so with the ever-present hope of His+ Second Advent … The Second Coming of CHRIST JESUS
.
Thus, at this point in time, during our Journey Towards Bethlehem… the House of Bread Divine… we have one eye on the ground and one eye on the sky.
But, as with all journeys, we must make preparation.
Therefore let us begin Advent 2008 with the SORE acknowledgement that we have fallen short of the Glory of GOD. Our Journey Towards Bethlehem is our craving to regain that glory… somehow, someway.