FOUNTAIN of Favor ... Passover (Pascha) Meditations --- Ephesians 1: 2 --- The Sacrifice Lamb+

The Sacrifice Lamb has been slain
His blood on the alter a stain
To wipe away guilt and pain
To bring hope eternal
Salvation has come to the world
God's only Son to the world
JESUS the ONE+ for the world
YESHUA+ is HE ... Lyrics by Lamb, Joel Chernoff

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 1:2

Grace to you all and peace from out of GOD, FATHER of us and of LORD JESUS CHRIST.

( Literal Greek, SRJ.  + + + )

Grace to you and peace from GOD our FATHER and from the LORD JESUS CHRIST. (KJV)

 +  +  +

Either way this verse is read, we see that The LORD GOD is the fountain of favor towards us all, and HE is the place of peace.

As a matter of fact, there is NO PEACE to be had in this world --- or in the world to come --- apart from The LORD.

Additionally, there is NO FAVOR or grace to be had, in Truth, in this world --- or in the world to come --- apart from The LORD.

How, then, do we obtain this unmerited favor and un-earned peace?

WHAT?

Know ye not

that your body is the temple

of the HOLY SPIRIT

which is in you,

which 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

Our peace with GOD our FATHER and that great Favor from HIM came at the highest PRICE+ imaginable:  through The BLOOD of Our FATHER'S Only-begotten SON+.  

HE+ became the LAMB+ of GOD, the unblemished LAMB+ provided by GOD The FATHER as an ACCEPTABLE sacrifice to cover our sins... the only acceptable sacrifice, ever. 

That PRICE+ cost The FATHER, as well as HIS SON+. Even though The FATHER did not leave His Throne in Heaven ( as some teach ? ), the sacrifice of HIS dearly-beloved SON+ cost HIM. 

We see the picture shown to us through Abraham not withholding Isaac as a sacrifice, a prophetic portrayal given to us as a pattern or TYPE that we should recognize The Jewish MESSIAH+ when HE+ came. Anyone who loves his child would realize the enormity of The FATHER'S sacrifice, even from a finite, human perspective.

The FATHER loveth the SON+

and has given all things

into His+ Hand.

John 3:35

Peace and favor are unobtainable in this world.  Some may negotiate for peace with bribes, as the nations of the world do.  Some may bribe --- or belong to the right "clubs" --- in order to obtain favor in this world. Most sell their soul in one way or another to obtain favor.

However, that elusive favor and un-obtainable peace come ONLY FROM The LORD.

Peace and Grace are not obtainable with gold and silver, with money or possessions. They are not obtainable with skills or gifted abilities, either, although the world would like us to BELIEVE that they are... hence, the carrot-and-stick "motivational" force behind worldly ambition.

Belonging to the “in” group of controllers only adds to our lack of peace; these groups are NOT known for their kindness to even their fellow club members.

The richest person on earth cannot purchase his own peace and personal grace from others. Neither can the most clever, the most talented and gifted ones among us. The biographies of the world's greatest names --- from artists to scientists --- show us that truth.

Peace and Grace come ONLY from Our FATHER Who art in Heaven, ( Hallowed be HIS name ), because HE sent HIS only-begotten SON+ JESUS CHRIST to obtain peace and grace for us. 

JESUS paid the price for our Peace with The FATHER.

JESUS paid the price for our favor and grace with HIM, also. 

HE+ gives those unobtainable precious possessions to those who are bought with a PRICE+ and are not their own. 

Are you "your own" man today?

If you are, you will not be counted as His+ own.

Is your body functioning as the Temple of the HOLY SPIRIT, today ?

If not, a cleansing of the Temple is in order; recall: it has been done before.  A whip of cords was necessary that time because the users of the Temple KNEW better … but refused to cleanse their Temple themselves.

Is your spirit  earnestly living in eager pursuit of the Will of GOD ? Or... is the Will of the LORD an inconvenience imposed into your day ?   

Let us Pray:

O LORD CHRIST, forgive me for choosing my own agitation and fear over peace with THEE+. 

Help me to cleanse my temple, holding nothing back for my own comfort and indulgence of Self when I am hurting.  Help me to stop nursing my grievances and yes, even my sorrows. Help me to yield my emotions unto THEE+ ; I give THEE+ free rein to cleanse me of them.

Grant me Thy+ favor before GOD. If favor before man is Thy+ Will, then grant me the humility to know that favor actually only comes from THEE+ and that THOU+ hast a purpose in it. It is NOT for my own glory, but rather, for THINE+, O LORD.

I am indeed bought with a Price+, Thy+ Blood.  I give THEE+ back what is THINE+ by creation…  and THINE+ by purchase.

Help me to remember it.

In Thy+ Holy Name I pray these my imperfect prayers. Amen.

+  +  +

Glory 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.

+  +  +

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

KNOCKED to the Earth... Passover Meditations for the Monastic-At-Heart... Ephesians 1:1

The First BLOOD of the First PASSOVER LAMB

Meditations  for Pascha

(The Passover Season, 2016)

Commonly called the Lenten Season

+  +  +

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 1:1

Paul, Apostle of JESUS CHRIST through GOD'S Will, to the holy ones, the ones being in Ephesus and faithful in CHRIST JESUS.

From the literal Greek, Byzantine textform, translation by SJH + + +

Through GOD'S Will, Paul became an Apostle of JESUS CHRIST. He responded to The LORD when he was called. He was found to be faithful.

However, let us remember the FORCEFULNESS of that calling which was put upon "Saul" at the point of Paul's conversion.

Though a meticulously righteous man according to the Law of Moses,  Saul was such a devoted  enemy of CHRIST JESUS that The LORD called him in a special way. Saul received an over-powering vision which made him fall to the earth, trembling and astonished, Acts 9.

Are we as righteous as Saul ?  Do we ALSO need to be knocked to the earth in order to respond to the Living LORD ... totally and with all that is within us ? 

Recently we finished the season of EMMANUEL --- GOD-Who+-is-Alive With us --  coming to earth.

The LORD JESUS took on human flesh, becoming INCARNATE for one purpose: for the human suffering of death.

Undoubtedly HE+ could have vanquished the satan WITHOUT becoming incarnate. But HE+ could not have suffered human death like we do without becoming incarnate. 

And being found in fashion as a man, HE+ humbled HIMSELF+, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross. Philippians 2  

 Again... are we as righteous as that righteous man, Saul, before his conversion to MESSIAH JESUS ? 

Do we ALSO need to be knocked to the earth in order to respond to the Living LORD ... totally...  and with all that is within us ? 

Are we keeping ANYTHING back from our LORD JESUS ? 

Is HE+ The LORD of our time... our thoughts... our spirit ... our activities?

Are we accounted faithful and numbered with the "holy ones" like the Followers of JESUS in Ephesus?

LET US PRAY:

Dear Heavenly FATHER, the GOD and FATHER of Our LORD JESUS CHRIST and His+ faithful followers...

Once again, I find myself in need of Divine Help to empty myself of SELF, in order to do Thy+ Will, O LORD. 

I renounce my Self's indulgence. I renounce my unconcerned satisfaction with my own spiritual growth.  I renounce ignoring the call to Quietness with THEE+.

 Place in me the will to STRIVE to GO DEEPER with THEE+, O CHRIST.

Fearful as I am, grant me an over-whelming vision also... and knock me to the ground if so required.  Pull me to THYSELF+, O HOLY ONE+ of Israel.

Remove from me luke-warmness of heart and languishing zeal. Send the lightening of conviction into my self-satisfied soul; I rebuke my Self, in the Name of The LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Help me to embrace death to Self in every aspect of my being, like Thy+ Apostle Paul, so that I may expend  the rest of my allotted time on earth for THEE+, O CHRIST.

In Whose+ Name I pray, and by Whose+ Merits I am not destroyed in the face of Thy HOLINESS, O Gracious FATHER.  Amen.

+  +  +

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.

+

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

PASTOR ABEDINI.... HERE, at LAST !

RE-BLOGGED THIS FROM Wordpress blog:  www.iamnotashamedofthegospelofchrist.com

Pastor Saeed landed on American soil onto the waiting arms of his mother!  His feet flew not touching the ground as he fell into his loving mothers arms.  

As we all know the prayers of a godly mother are powerful.  And God's will WILL be done!

Pastor Saeed is with Franklin Graham and his loving family.

No human can understand the evils he suffered at the hands of demonic peoples.   The dark spirits of that region are unimaginable to us in the West.

We at I Am Not Ashamed will stand by Pastor Saeed, and remain vigilant in our prayers for peace and comfort.  It will be a long road but God is just beginning His miraculous work through this man of God.  

No works of darkness will prevail as our Lord and Savior intervenes for His servant.  Darkness will not prevail, join with us in welcoming this man of God home.

Remember the Words of Our LORD JESUS CHRIST:  

Come to ME+ all you who 

are weary and heavy laden, 

and I+ will give you rest.

When the SALT Has LOST its SAVOR....



Ye are the SALT of the earth;
but if the salt have lost his savour,
wherewith shall it be salted ?

 it is thenceforth good for nothing,

but to be cast out,

and to be trodden under foot of men.

Matthew 5:13

.

We human beings ALWAYS have freedom to worship.

.

What we do NOT always have is the freedom to worship... without persecution.

.

When we speak of "religious freedom" we usually mean freedom for CHRISTIANS to worship AND participate in society without persecution.

.

That was the reason Puritans fled England: they could worship... but not own property or engage in other "normal " societal functions. They were out-casts and some were persecuted by not having a means to earn a living.

.

Historically, The LORD alone grants Christians from time to time, from era to era, from one country or another, the freedom to worship JESUS CHRIST without persecution.

.

However, historically, it has never been a PERMANENT CONDITION or state of being for Christians.

.

Constantine was a famous example of a ruler who "gave" Christians the right to worship AND function in society without persecution. Different rulers throughout history is a variety of lands have been so appointed by The LORD to grant Christians the freedom to worship AND function normally in society.

.

This "appointment" has NOTHING TO DO with the ruler's qualifications, but rather, it has to do with The LORD'S GOOD WILL ordaining a season for Christians to live without persecution. But, it is ONLY for a season.

.

We see this, for example, in Thomas Jefferson. He was a deist, at best. He made his own "Jefferson Bible" by cutting away the parts of the Holy Bible he found offensive. This included all things referring to the Divinity of JESUS CHRIST. [ See the Wikipedia article on "Jefferson Bible" for Mr. Jefferson's horrendous views regarding Our LORD JESUS CHRIST.]

.

Yet, The LORD used this apostate man to establish a statute for religious freedom which would benefit Christians, allowing them to function in society.

.

Mr. Jefferson, who did NOT honor The LORD JESUS CHRIST, was prominent in establishing "religious freedom" for all... precisely BECAUSE he was not a Christian and did not wish to live under religious rule: Let every man choose his own "god."

.

Thus, when we give thanks for religious freedom of choice, let us keep in mind The ONE+ Who+ actually does this: giving His+ Followers a reprieve --- for a season --- so that we may function normally in society.

.

But keep in mind: 

the reprieve 

is ONLY for a season.

.

As soon as Christians assimilate into society so that the distinction between Christians and worldlings no longer exists, PERSECUTION COMES. The LORD Himself+ removes the "freedom" to be a Christian AND to function normally in society , at the same time.

.

Oh yes, we will STILL have freedom to worship CHRIST JESUS... just like the strong and living Church does under persecution in North Korea. Man does not have in him the ability to force us to stop worshipping CHRIST. We simply will not have the freedom to function in society AND to serve CHRIST JESUS , as before.

.

Thus, we will have to choose.

.

That is what PERSECUTION does for the church: it makes each person choose deeply and irrevocably to whom his allegiance lies: to the world or to CHRIST JESUS.

.

We cannot have both.

.

Pastor Saeed Abedini made his choice. He paid dearly for it, but great will be his reward. He remained "the salt of the earth."

.

Will we ? 

.

.

Ye are the salt of the earth:

but if the salt have lost his savor,

wherewith shall it be salted?

it is thenceforth good for nothing,

but to be cast out,

and to be trodden under foot of men.

Matthew 5:13

.

Persecuted Pastor ABEDINI FREED !



Pastor Saeed Abedini, held and tortured in an Iranian prison for being a Christian, has been released on Saturday, January 16, 2016.  His release, by the Hand of GOD, was included in the prisoner swap of 7 Iranians for 4 Americans.

All GLORY, HONOR, and PRAISE BE to The LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, Our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, Who+ lives and reigns with THEE, O HOLY FATHER, in the unity of Thy HOLY SPIRIT,
ONE GOD,
now and forever, world without end. Amen !

PS--- We believe that Pastor Abedini's release was by the Hand of The LORD, not by the hand of man, in answer to the prayers of HIS+ Followers... with the added blessing of 3 other captives released at the same time.

Glory be to THEE+, O LORD.



LEFT BEHIND...



RACHEL'S TOMB
in old Bethlehem
Rachel... still weeping for her children
because they are not.

 LEFT BEHIND...

From Cradle to Cross

HE+ suffered loss in lowest garb allowed,

HE+ wrapped HIMSELF+

in Swaddling Clothes

and then, in human Shroud.

.

From rented manger

to borrowed Tomb

HE+ had not where

His+ Head to lay.

HE+ owned no Colt nor Room,

it seems,

though Temple tax ,

exacted,

paid. 

Fleeing sword 'ere HE+ could walk,

Egypt hid the Royal BABE+

from death by HIS+ own nation

at His+ birth

with Wise Men's laud and adoration.

Glory LEFT BEHIND, 

not grasped,

for us HE+ emptied Himself+

for FATHER'S Will

and by Obedience 

forged a path for us to trod BEHIND HIM+ still. 

By imitation of HIS+ loss

we accept the limitations

HE+ sets upon our brow

that we might come before Our FATHER,

embracing HIS+ Salvation

now.

 

Meditation Poem by Sr. Judith Hannah + ,

Order of the GOOD SHEPHERD+

Year of Our LORD,

1.14.2016