3/07/2014

Pre-PASSOVER MEDITATION ~ ~ ~ BEHOLD, the TREE+

Photo by The ORDER OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD+
Our GOD reigns from the Tree. 


The Invitatory: 
CHRIST our MEDIATOR+ 
ever liveth 
to make intercession for us
O Come, Let us Adore HIM+.
  
Old Testament Lesson: Exodus 15:21-26 
Scriptures courtesy of Biblegateway.com

And Miriam answered them, 

Sing ye to the LORD, 
for HE hath triumphed gloriously; 
the horse and his rider hath 
HE thrown into the sea.

So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, 
and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; 
and they went three days in the wilderness, 
and found no water.

And when they came to Marah, 
they could not drink of the waters of Marah, 
for they were bitter: 
therefore the name of it was called Marah.

And the people murmured against Moses, saying, 
What shall we drink?

And he cried unto the LORD
and the LORD shewed him a TREE 
which when he had cast into the waters,

the waters were made sweet:

there HE made for them a statute 
and an ordinance, 
and there HE proved them,

And said,

If .  .  .
thou wilt diligently hearken 
to the voice of the LORD THY GOD
and wilt do that which is right in HIS sight, 
and wilt give ear to HIS commandments, 
and keep all HIS statutes, 

I will put none of these diseases upon thee, 
which I have brought upon the Egyptians: 

for I AM the LORD that healeth thee.


QUIETUDE: 
A time to Reflect about the 
TREE+ that made the bitter sweet.

RESPONSE: 

HOLY is The LAMB+. 
HOLY is The LAMB+. 
HOLY is The LAMB+ that was slain,

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

Amen. 

Lesson from the Epistles: 2 Corinthians 4:6-10
 Scriptures courtesy of Biblegateway.com

For GOD, WHO commanded the Light 
to shine out of darkness, 
hath shined in our hearts, 
to give the light of the knowledge 
of the glory of God 
in the face of JESUS CHRIST.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, 
that the excellency of the power 
may be of GOD and not of us.

We are troubled on every side, 
yet not distressed; 

we are perplexed, 
but not in despair; 

Persecuted, but not forsaken; 
cast down, but not destroyed; 

Always bearing about in the body 
the dying of the LORD JESUS, 

that the life also of JESUS 
might be made manifest
in our body.

QUIETUDE: A time to repent of complaining and murmuring about "our lot" in life. 

RESPONSE:  

LORD JESUS CHRIST,LAMB+ of GOD, 
Who+ taketh away the sin of the world,
have mercy upon us.

LORD JESUS CHRIST, LAMB+ of GOD,
BEARER+ of our sins, 
have mercy upon us.

LORD JESUS CHRIST, LAMB+ of GOD, 
SAVIOR+ of the world,
grant us Thy+ Peace.

AMEN.

The GOSPEL Lesson: John 1:29

The next day John saw JESUS coming toward him and said, 

"Behold! 
The LAMB+ of GOD 
Who+ taketh away 
the sin of the world!"



The WORD of The LORD.  
THANKS BE TO GOD !

Meditation ~ ~ ~

Every heart knows sorrow and bitterness. Some sorrows come from the natural consequences of our own choices; some from the choices of others which affect our life in a troublesome and difficult way. 

Some sorrowful conditions we cannot avoid throughout life, like the loss of a limb, the loss of a child or spouse, or the loss of health.

When bitterness about our condition descends upon our hearts, it only deepens the sorrow. We must look for the TREE+ which changes that bitterness into something sweet.

That TREE+ is the Cross of JESUS. 

HE+ turns all sorrow and all suffering into something sweet, if we cast that Cross of HIS+ into the midst of our troubles and hurts. HE+ is able to turn the bitterness of life into blessings ... for us, for all those around us.... if we continually bring the situation hurting our hearts to HIM+ for His+ Touch.

And the key is this: BEHOLD, The LAMB+ of GOD. We are not told to look at ourselves or even at our problems and trials. 

We are instructed to look at the LAMB+of GOD and pray without ceasing!  

If we neglect to do those two things, then we will surely stumble into sin simply from the pain of the situation.

Our words will be sharp, our patience short. 

Our judgment will be irrational, and our decisions will be fraught with error. Fear and frustration will enter in as the mistakes mount up.  

And bitterness will continue to grow.

Self-pity will rear its ugly head and INCREASE the bitterness even more. 

We try to drown our sorrows and bitterness in a bottle of alcohol... or soda pop. We eat more chocolate and sweets than we ought. We go on shopping binges and NEVER stay home... or stay quiet when we are there. 

Busyness, food, social interactions, even ministry, DOES NOT TAKE AWAY sorrow nor does it deal with bitterness. 

Only coming unto The LAMB+ will heal us... laying it all down at HIS+ feet. Yielding to His+ will... and living to please HIM+, from now on, will bring healing to our souls. 

Just as the Word says. 




Let us pray: 

O Gracious Heavenly FATHER, in the Name of Thy HOLY SON+ JESUS CHRIST,  WHO+ for the joy that was set before HIM+ endured the Cross, I come to THEE, full of hurts and wounds, sorrows and bitterness.

Dear LORD, I have not run to Thy+ Cross when I am upset, angry, or hurt. THOU+ knowest  I have avoided dealing with my un-changeable situation in a Spiritual manner, and I have ignored your invitation to "COME to YOU" with it all. 

Help me to trust THEE+ to navigate me through these dark waters and dark days. 

And I am so sorry for complaining and murmuring about my situation ... to you, to others, and always in my heart. 

Change me by Thy+ Holy power. Help me to be thankful for the Cross+ in my life; I know it will draw me to THEE+... if I embrace it as I ought.

This I pray in The Name of  JESUS CHRIST our LORD, The Eternal SON+ and WORD+ of GOD our FATHER, through the Blessed HOLY SPIRIT. 
Amen.   


   





3/06/2014

Pre-Passover Meditation ~ ~ ~ The LIFE of the Flesh


 Photo by The ORDER OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD+
The Way of the CROSS Leads Home


The Invitatory: 
CHRIST the KING+ has suffered for us; 
O Come, Let us Adore HIM+






Old Testament Lesson: Leviticus 17:12-14
Scriptures courtesy of Biblegateway.com

12 Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood.

13 And whatsoever man there be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, which hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust.


14 For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.


QUIETUDE: A time to Reflect about the BLOOD+

RESPONSE: 

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! 
Amen. 

Lesson from the Epistles: 2 Corinthians 5:10-11
Scriptures courtesy of Biblegateway.com

10 For we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of CHRIST; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
11 Knowing therefore the terror of The LORD, we persuade men; 

but we are made manifest unto GOD; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

QUIETUDE: A time to repent.

RESPONSE:  

LORD, have mercy upon us. 
CHRIST, have mercy upon us. 
LORD, have mercy upon us. 

And let not the enemy exact upon us, 
for our trust is in THEE+. 

AMEN.

The GOSPEL Lesson:
 Mark 9:45- 46  ~ ~ ~ 


The Words of Our LORD JESUS CHRIST ~ ~ ~

"And if thy foot causes you to sin, cut it off: 

it is better for you to enter into LIFE lame, than having two feet to be cast into hell, 

into the fire that never shall be quenched:  

Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."


The WORD of The LORD.
  
THANKS BE TO GOD !

Meditation ~ ~ ~

Running with the crowd, doing what "everybody else" is doing, having to run to the store to buy the up-to-date and latest item... reflect values not based on The LORD, nor the values of His+ Kingdom, nor ways that please HIM+, our Judge+.

Yet, running... doing.... having...  consume most of our time and energies and thoughts. 

We focus on JESUS our LORD during our 1 of prayer time, perhaps.... and on temporal issues during all the other 15 hours of our wakeful time !

So, we give HIM+ a crumb of our time, a nod each day.

Fasting? Yes. Let's try fasting our time... or better yet, our thought patterns, our focus. 

Do we tithe our TIME? 

HE+ grants each of us 24 hours every day. If we focused only on JESUS the LORD for a "tithe" of our day, we would be in FOCUS ( i.e., prayer, meditation, Bible reading,) for 2.4 hours each day. Powerhouse Christians!

If our focus is on JESUS as LORD, we would be much better equipped to avoid doing things displeasing to The LORD, like eating meat with the blood still in it.

( Remember: HE+ has not changed the rule; we have, in our casual, modern life-style. HE+ still regards the blood of any living creature as sacred. )

If our focus is fixed steadfastly upon JESUS the LORD, our only Mediator+ and Advocate+, then we will truly KNOW the "terror" of The LORD and be willing to pay the price to convince others of the terror of Judgment Day... and the Judgment Seat of CHRIST+  because...  

It is there.

It is real.


It awaits each one 
who professes  
to follow JESUS.

The white throne judgment
awaits all those
whose names 
are not written
in The LAMB'S + 
Book of Life.
( Rev. 20:15 )    





Let us pray: 

O Gracious Heavenly FATHER, in the Name of Thy HOLY SON+ JESUS CHRIST,  WHO+ for the joy that was set before HIM+ endured the Cross, I come to THEE, confessing my negligence of my calling. 

O LORD, THOU+ hast given me every help I need to walk well-pleasing with THEE+.  I have Thy+ Holy Word; every word in it is GOD-breathed, yet I have taken your words casually and not laid them to heart. 

I confess my negligence in persuading those around me of the terror that awaits a person who continually and persistently walks contrary to THEE+, O LORD.

THOU+ art clear when You judge and justified when You speak. 

How can I thank THEE+ enough for providing me a refuge from Divine wrath through Thy+ HOLY BLOOD, as I confess my sins and sincerely amend my ways through the Help of Thy+ Countenance.

With Thy+ Help, O LORD, I will walk well-pleasing in Thy+ sight. 


This I pray in The Name of  JESUS CHRIST our LORD, The Eternal SON+ and WORD+ of GOD our FATHER, through the Blessed HOLY SPIRIT. 
Amen.      





3/05/2014

ASH WEDNESDAY MEDITATION 2014

Photo by The ORDER of The GOOD SHEPHERD+

Azaleas Hidden in The Woods

Ash Wednesday Meditation
the first day
of the Pre-Passover Preparations 
for the sacrifice of the Passover LAMB+
commonly known as "Lent"

The Collect from 
The Book of Common Prayer... 

Almighty and everlasting GOD, 
Who hatest nothing that THOU hast made, 
and dost forgive the sins of all those who are penitent; 

Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, 
that we, 
worthily lamenting our sins 
and acknowledging our wretchedness, 

may obtain of THEE, The GOD of all mercy, 
perfect remission and forgiveness; 
through JESUS CHRIST our LORD. 
Amen.

Old Testament Lesson: Leviticus 17:11

For the Life of the flesh is in the BLOOD, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an ATONEMENT for your souls; for it is the BLOOD that maketh an atonement for the soul. 

QUIETUDE: A time to Reflect about the BLOOD+

RESPONSE: 

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! 
Amen. 

Lesson from the Epistles: 2 Corinthians 5:9,10

Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent to be well pleasing to HIM+.  

For we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of CHRIST, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 

QUIETUDE: A time to repent.

RESPONSE:  

LORD, have mercy upon us. 
CHRIST, have mercy upon us. 
LORD, have mercy upon us. 

And let not the enemy exact upon us, 
for our trust is in THEE+. 

AMEN.

The GOSPEL Lesson: Mark 9:43- 44  ~ ~ ~ 
The Words of Our LORD JESUS CHRIST ~ ~ ~ 

"If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. 

It is better for you to enter into LIFE maimed, 
rather than having two hands, 
to go into Hell, 

... into the fire that never shall be quenched, 

... where their worm dieth not 
and the fire is not quenched."

The WORD of The LORD.  
THANKS BE TO GOD !

Meditation ~ ~ ~

Just how AWFUL is sin ... to you ? Your sin is worse than others' sins, you know.  Do you hate sin in your life so badly that you are willing to cut off your own hand rather than to keep sinning ? 

Few of us are willing to do this. 

Yet, the Promise of Life to those who hate their own sin rightfully is this: your hand will be RESTORED WHOLE again when you Enter the Kingdom of Life Eternal with JESUS ! You will lose nothing that you have discarded in fighting your own sinful flesh when you pass into the Heavenlies. You will be rewarded for every stand you have taken against your own sin. 

As a matter of fact, you WIN ! 

Let us pray: 

O Gracious Heavenly FATHER, in the Name of Thy HOLY SON+ JESUS CHRIST,  WHO+ for the joy that was set before HIM+ endured the Cross, I come to THEE, afraid of the consequences of my own sin in my own life.  

I have not loved THEE+ as I ought.
   
I have not forsaken all.
  
I have harbored things in my heart 
that I KNOW are unworthy of a follower of THEE+.
   
I have lifted up my "know-it-all" spirit 
and done presumptuous sin.

I acknowledge myself to be in need of Thy+ cleansing 
and reformation power.

O, LORD, I am in desperate need of Thy+ cleansing. Change me, O LORD. Have mercy upon me. Extend Thy+ mercy with Thy+ Cleansing BLOOD unto me, a sinner.

This I pray in The Sight of The FATHER, The SON+, and The HOLY SPIRIT. 
Amen.      



3/04/2014

SNAKE-Handlers of The World ..... Arise !

... and follow 
JESUS , 
our EXAMPLE+
in all things...

Photo courtesy of  the-big-picture.org. uk
The Brazen Serpent Monument 

over-looking Mt. Nebo, Jordan
... and rightly discern 
the Word of the LORD. 

A tragedy occurred amongst a group of Christians in Kentucky (USA), on February 15 of this year.  A pastor was bitten by a rattlesnake and died.  He was not bitten while hunting or cleaning brush from a field or stacking fire wood. 

NO.

This pastor and father was bitten by a rattlesnake that he was "handling" as part of the church service! He refused medication for the snake bite and soon died.

Furthermore,

this pastor was a 3rd generation "snake-handler" in his church group... and his grown son is continuing the tradition now that his father has died.  

The basis of this tradition of handling venomous snakes is supposedly found in Mark 16:18, Words of our Risen LORD JESUS CHRIST, as recorded by Mark.

Starting with verse 17: 

" And these signs shall follow them that believe: In MY+ Name shall they cast out devils: they shall speak with new tongues: 

18)  They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them:  they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." 

So, if snake-handling is in Scripture, spoken indeed by our HIGHEST AUTHORITY, The Risen LORD JESUS CHRIST... what went wrong ?

THIS IS "WHAT WENT WRONG" :  

They did NOT  follow our HIGHEST EXAMPLE+, Our LORD JESUS CHRIST, when dealing with serpents. 

They did NOT follow our next examples, The Apostles, when dealing with serpents.

They did NOT follow the teachings or practices of the Prophets, when dealing with serpents.

They did NOT follow the teachings or practices of the Patriarchs and Righteous men of old, when dealing with serpents. 


Thus.... they did NOT follow the HOLY SPIRIT nor even the Word of GOD in Mark 16:18... when dealing with serpents. 



For, the HOLY SPIRIT does NOT contradict Our EXAMPLE+, The LORD JESUS CHRIST. The HOLY SPIRIT does not contradict our other examples, the Apostles, of so long ago. The HOLY SPIRIT never contradicts His+ Word, either. 

Furthermore...

The Snake-Handlers did NOT closely examine the Word of GOD in a diligent manner. That VERY WORD of GOD which they claim to follow to the Nth  degree... they let lie fallow on the page. 

So let us do 
what the Snake-Handlers neglected to do: 
examine Mark 16:18 
in the original language. 

( And yes, there are enough resources available to allow ANYONE to fruitfully use the Greek New Testament, even if the reader does not know Greek, starting with Strong's familiar  Concordance, number 3789.) 

  ( more to come... )

3/03/2014

Pre-Passover MEDITATIONS for the Lenten Season

Photo by The ORDER of The GOOD SHEPHERD+
 Azaleas Hidden in the Woods
The season known commonly as Lent in the Christian church calendar is the season of fasting and repenting of one's sins during a 40-day period preceding Holy Week and The Resurrection.  

The word "lent" itself is from the German, according to Wikipedia, and it simply means "spring" ~ ~ ~ derived from the Germanic word "long" , relating to the "longer" days when springtime arrives after winter. 

Thus, the word "lent" or "lenten" is a secular term and the name LENT has nothing to do with Christianity, in and of itself, nor does it even mean "repentance." 

Therefore, we at the Order of the GOOD SHEPHERD+ have re-named this season of repentance with a term associated with What Happened at this season of the year in the ancient Holy Calendar: "Pre-Passover Preparations."    

Repentance --- removing the old leaven as was commanded before the Passover Season --- is certainly the central theme of this important Christian season leading up to Holy Week.

During Holy Week, we remember Our LORD'S death and sacrifice for our transgressions, HIM+ being bruised for our iniquities. We remember the chastisement of our peace was upon HIM+, and that with HIS+ stripes --- not ours --- we are healed.

During this season in which we remove the old leaven of malice and wickedness, we search our hearts before GOD, asking HIM+ to show us areas hidden to our own deceitful hearts, areas where we need to repent.

It starts with Ash Wednesday, with the acknowledgement that WE INDEED ARE SINNERS... and have need of a SAVIOR+. 

CHRIST OUR PASSOVER 
IS SACRIFICED FOR US
THEREFORE, LET US KEEP THE FEAST. 

Not with old leaven, 
neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness
but with the un-leavened bread 
of purity and Truth. 

Let us search our hearts... beginning now.