12/26/2015

ALL ANGELS of GOD Worship HIM+ ! ... INCARNATION MEDITATIONS 2015 ... for the Monastic-At-Heart




And suddenly, there was with the angels a multitude of the Heavenly Host, praising GOD and saying, GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST!

This True LIGHT+ which lights every man that comes into the world ... is also worshipped by Angels.

ALL of THEM !



And again,
when HE bringeth in
The FIRST-BEGOTTEN+
into the world,

HE saith, And
let 
ALL the angels of GOD

worship HIM+.

Hebrews 1:6

+  +  +



There are some created beings --- and their earth-born followers --- who do NOT worship CHRIST JESUS ... now...  but soon, VERY SOON, they will wish they would have ! 


That at the Name of JESUS 
every , every, EVERY ...


That at the name of JESUS
every knee should bow,

of beings in Heaven,
and beings in earth,
and beings under the earth;

And that every tongue
should confess that
JESUS CHRIST IS LORD,
to the glory of  GOD THE FATHER.

Philippians 2:10-11

Let us Pray:

O LORD, Glorify Thy name and the name of Thy Holy SON+ JESUS CHRIST this day across the earth.

Gladly I bend my knees in worship to The LORD JESUS and the knee of my heart to HIM+ in work, in thought, while I have my being.

O train me now to stay in Thy+ Presence constantly, so that I may bear witness to JESUS my LORD, in season or out, with words or in silence.

Glory be to GOD: The FATHER , WHO created me, HIS Beloved Only-Begotten SON+ Who+ saved me, and The Blessed HOLY SPIRIT, Who sanctifies me.

In the name of Our EMMANUEL, The LORD JESUS CHRIST, I lift these prayers to THEE.

Amen







12/25/2015

EMMANUEL ... INCARNATION MEDITATIONS 2015... for the Monastic-At-Heart





The WORD+ Made Flesh... The Long-Awaited Incarnation... The EMMANUEL+

JOY to the world!
The LORD has COME!
Let Heaven and nature sing!


And the WORD+ was made Flesh,
and dwelt among us,

(and we beheld His+ Glory,
the Glory as of
 The Only-Begotten
of THE FATHER,)

full of grace and truth.
John 1:14

This HOLY ONE+ of Israel Who+ descended into human flesh through the Hebrew virgin Mariam came as EMMANUEL+ ... GOD-With-Us.



This is what EMMANUEL+ means, in application, for mankind.

Through JESUS ... and through HIM+ alone ... are we invited to know The FATHER.

No other entrance exists for mankind to come unto Our FATHER, hallowed be HIS Name, Who is in HEAVEN.

No other Way is open for mankind to COME unto Our FATHER, except through HIS Appointed MESSIAH+.

There is only one TRUTH+.  This is that ONE TRUTH+ given to mankind through EMMANUEL+ :

Neither is there salvation
in any other:
for there is none other name
under Heaven
given among men,
whereby we must be saved.
Acts 4:12

In JESUS, and in JESUS alone, is the Life. That LIFE is the LIGHT of men... the only Life of men.

That LIFE is the TRUE Light; none other exists for mankind.

This is WHO+  EMMANUEL+ is, for  mankind.   

Let us Pray:

Dear Heavenly FATHER,  we praise and glorify Thy Holy Name and the Name of  Thy Holy SON+ JESUS CHRIST, the Word+ Made Flesh Who+ dwelt among us.

We magnify THEE. We worship THEE for Thy Great Glory.

LORD JESUS, O LIGHT of the world, we bow down before THEE+ to be filled with Thy+ Presence.

Glorify Thy+ Name in us as we glorify Thy+ Name here on earth.

Holy art THOU+, O CHRIST; Holy is Thy+ Name, O EMMANUEL+,

Both now and forever, ONE GOD: FATHER, SON+ , and HOLY SPIRIT,  world without end to the ages of the ages. Amen






12/24/2015

HE+ was PROCLAIMED # 5 ... Via the RIGHTEOUSNESS of His+ GUARDIAN, Joseph ... Advent Meditations 2015 ... For the Monastic-At-Heart





Matthew 1: 18 -25

Now the birth of JESUS CHRIST 
was on this wise: 
When as His+ mother Maryam (Aramaic/Syriac) 
was espoused to Joseph, 
before they came together, 
she was found with CHILD+ 
of the HOLY SPIRIT.

Then Joseph 
her GOWRA, her guardian-husband (Aramaic/Syriac)
being a RIGHTEOUS man, 
and not willing to make her a public example, 
was minded to put her away privily.

But of these things he was considering (Gk, literal)  
behold, the angel of the LORD 
appeared unto him in a dream, 
saying,
 Joseph, thou son of David, 
fear not to take unto thee Mariam (Gk) thy wife:

for THE ONE+ in her 
has been generated ( a one-time occurence) 
from out of the SPIRIT 
is HOLY. 
(Greek, awkward but literal)

And she shall bring forth a  SON+,
 and thou shalt call His+ Name 
JESUS:
for HE+ shall save His+ people    
from their sins.

Now all this was done, 
that it might be fulfilled 
which was spoken of the LORD 
by the prophet, saying,

Behold, 
a virgin shall be with CHILD+, 
and shall bring forth a  SON+,
and they shall call His+ Name EMMANUEL, 
which being interpreted is,
GOD WITH US.

Then Joseph being raised from sleep 
did as the angel of the LORD had bidden him, 
and took unto him his wife:

And knew her not 
till she had brought forth 
her firstborn son:
and he called  His+ Name 
JESUS.


Heart-breaking ! Our dear brother Joseph, what troubled thoughts he must have endured for several  hours after Mariam's condition was discovered.

However, Joseph was of the line of David as well as Mariam. Joseph ALSO was CHOSEN of GOD --- as well as Mariam ---  for his purpose during the Incarnation of CHRIST JESUS.

The Syriac-Aramaic Peshitta text records Matthew 1:16 like this:

"Jacob fathered Joseph, 
the guardian of Maryam
from whom 
was born Y'SHU+, 
Who+ is called the M'SHIKHA. " 


Later, in verse 19, Joseph is called Mariam's ba-al, or husband.

But the Syriac Text, which dates back to the early centuries of Christendom, tells us that Joseph was indeed functioning as a GUARDIAN for the first nine months of their marriage !

Joseph was chosen because young Mariam needed a human guardian to cover her as she carried the Divine BABE+ in her womb. Both Mariam and the BABE+  needed to be protected from the zealous righteous ones who would stone a Hebrew woman who was with child, without a husband.

When The LORD selected Joseph to protect Mariam and the Divine BABE+ in her womb, HE knew the kind of man Joseph was... and was not.

Let's ponder the righteousness exhibited by Joseph in this most trying circumstance... which, indeed, is where righteousness counts.

First of all, righteous Joseph was not willing to marry a "loose" woman who had defiled herself; he maintained the righteous standards of the Mosaic Law.

Although maintaining the Scriptural standard of righteousness, Joseph was also not willing to expose the young woman to public scorn and shunning, at best, and possible stoning. Thus, we see in Joseph that true righteousness is guided by mercy.


In a quandry, Joseph was not hasty in action, but was pondering WHAT was the right way to be righteous-yet-merciful in this harrowing situation. Joseph's integrity held him bound to doing the right thing by GOD and avoiding taking vengeance for the supposed immoral conduct of his un-faithful, betrothed wife.

In his integrity, Joseph was also bound to do that which was best for the young woman who disappointed him in her betrothal vows. 

So, Joseph's decision was this: 

He would keep the standard of righteousness, but  Joseph would "put her away" ( dismiss her, sever the betrothal bond ) privately, to cause her and the child the least amount of wounding.  

Now ... how Joseph would have been able to end the legal, public espousal covenant without exposing Mariam's condition is a puzzlement.  

Would Joseph have been able to take her to another village and legally perform the divorce, and thus keep her hidden ?

The literal Greek places the adverb "secretly" between two verbs:
"... he purposed SECRETLY to dismiss her."

Could that phrase possibly be rendered with this alternative meaning ? :

Joseph secretly determined 
( i.e., without asking counsel of another person 
or telling anyone ) 
that he would divorce her.

The LORD, however, provided  evidence to Joseph before he contacted the elders to divorce her. The LORD sent a SUPERNATURAL  dream, re-assuring Joseph that Mariam was still chaste, and in her obedience, she was chosen to carry the Long-Awaited MESSIAH.

Chaste Joseph responded 
WITH A SIMILAR level 
of faith and obedience 
to the Living Word of The LORD
unto him ! 


To his great credit, Joseph believed the Word of The LORD to him in that dream. He obeyed immediately without question... just like Mariam obeyed immediately without question. 

Joseph directly took Mariam into his home and  covered her and the BABE+ in her womb, providing for them and guarding them through nine long months of pregnancy amongst their fellow townspeople.

He took her with him on the long journey to Bethlehem during the taxation of Ceasar Augustus, which required both of them to be present at the registration for taxation, as it seemingly is phrased in Scripture. Luke 2:5. 


This man of integrity did not claim the rights of a husband until after the BABE+ had been born.

So, not only was Joseph a righteous man of the Law, he was also a man of integrity:  GOD did not have to tell him to wait until after the BABE+ was born in order to consummate the marriage. 

Joseph was compassionate as well as righteous, and walked in integrity without being commanded to do so.

In all this, 
Who 
was Joseph proclaiming?

Surely, Joseph did NOT proclaim SELF. Self was NOT on the throne through any of those mysterious days and months.

Joseph set to his seal that GOD IS TRUE and worthy to be trusted. 

Our own integrity, our standards, our compassion should testify that ... 

JESUS CHRIST 
has come 
in the flesh. 

We, like Joseph, PROCLAIM HIM+  to the World by our life ... a life lived in integrity, GOD-centered standards, CHRIST-centered compassion.  

We do RIGHT because 
of OUR LOVE FOR HIM+,

Who+ always did right 
because of His+ Love 
for His+ Heavenly FATHER... 
... and His+ love for us. 

Let us Pray: 

O FATHER ALMIGHTY, we bless THEE for Thy great power, established in Righteousness, established in Holiness. 

Help us to PROCLAIM the CHRIST+ CHILD as HE+ becomes Incarnate in our hearts by faith.  Teach us to stand firm in Thy Truth, and with Compassion and Integrity walk in righteousness all the days of our lives. 

Change whatever is amiss in the temper and disposition of our souls, 

For the sake of the INCARNATED CHRIST Who+ lives and reigns with THEE, and Thy Blessed HOLY SPIRIT, ONE GOD, both now and forever, world without end, to the ages of the ages. 

Amen.





     

12/21/2015

HE+ was PROCLAIMED #4... By a BABY ! ... Advent meditations 2015 ... for the Monastic-At-Heart







Luke 1:15 
~Words of the angel Gabriel to Zacharias, the Priest, regarding his promised son, John the Baptist ~



For he shall be great
in the sight of the LORD
and shall drink neither 
wine nor strong drink;

and he shall be filled 
with the HOLY SPIRIT,
even from his mother’s womb.
  
Luke 1:41-44

And it came to pass, that, 
when Elisabeth heard
 the salutation of Mary,
the babe leaped in her womb;
and Elisabeth was filled
with the HOLY SPIRIT

And she spake out with a loud voice, 
and said,
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is
 the FRUIT+ of thy womb.

And whence is this to me,
that the mother of my LORD
should come to me?

For, lo, as soon as
the voice of thy salutation sounded
in mine ears,
the babe leaped in my womb for joy.


Do we do as well as babe-in-the-womb, John the Baptist ?

Do we bear evidence of following JESUS... without opening our mouths ?

This babe in the womb recognized his LORD+ ... while our LORD was in the womb! The anointed human baby recognized the Divine Baby.

Mute, still, but very much alive, those babies-in-the-womb communicated by The HOLY SPIRIT the instant Mary's mouth issued forth a salutation.

Even with such limitations as being a babe in the womb, John bore witness to the CHRIST-child ... before either was born.

But, we are born and re-born from Above. How much witness do we bear, in this born and re-born state?  

We walk, we talk, we move about through our daily tasks, but how much witness do we bear for CHRIST, to the visible ones and --- possibly more importantly  --- to the invisible beings ?

Can any being know at a glance that we follow CHRIST JESUS ? 

The unseen unclean spirits know.

Those unseen watchers who dog our path know exactly what we are doing and thinking ( a scary thought )! They know they can hurt us if we are following our flesh even merely in our thinking.

They hurl "thoughts" at us and TRY to make us agree with them instead of with The LORD JESUS and His+ Holy Word.

Those unclean beings wait to trip us and lure us away from HIM+ , even for a moment. Then, they can hurt us. 

With great preciseness, they know our weak spots and how to derail us with bitterness, self-pity, and ancestral family spirits. 

They know where 
we do not stand.

They KNOW when we yearn after things for which The LORD has said, "NO!"

They also know this: 

When we RENOUNCE 
the family spirits 
and all other unclean thoughts and feelings, 
in the POWER-FILLED Name 
of JESUS CHRIST our LORD.

These unclean beings know when we repent of listening to their lies ( such as, " You are so mistreated, again, like you always have been." ).  They hate to see us repent of agreeing with those lies hurled at us by the unclean ones themselves.


They know we have power over them through the Blood of JESUS CHRIST our LORD. 

They also know 
when 
we do NOT use it


Now, what about others, our fellow humans we are around daily? Can anyone know at a glance that we follow CHRIST JESUS ?

"Preach the Gospel constantly; if necessary, use words,"  according to Brother Francis of Assisi. 


Can people who do not know us watch us for 5 minutes and realize we follow JESUS ... without us opening our mouth ?

If not, let us remedy that. Let us seek The LORD to see what we need to change. 

If a mute and still babe in the womb can bear witness to CHRIST JESUS in joy, surely, surely, we have enough of the HOLY SPIRIT to also leap for joy at the mention of JESUS.

What is stopping us… 
or rather,  
Who ? 

Let us Pray:

O Gracious Heavenly FATHER, help me to leap for joy when I hear Thy+ Word to me.

Grant me a singleness of eye, I beseech THEE, to follow Thy+ HOLY SON+ JESUS totally and without distraction.

Without a word spoken, like this babe, help me to give evidence of THEE+ to all the watchers, both seen and unseen.

In the Name of Thy+ Beloved Son+ JESUS CHRIST , Whose+ Coming will make us leap for joy forever and ever, we pray. Amen