THE TEST --- Passover Meditations for the Monastic-At-Heart ... Ephesians 2:2

HIS+ Test ... and ours.

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 2:2

[ from verse 1... in trespasses and sins... ]

Wherein in time past ye walked

according to the course of this world,

according to the prince

of the power of the air,

the spirit that now worketh

in the children of disobedience:

Literal Greek:

... In which [trespasses and sins]

in time past you all walked

according to the age of this Kosmos (world)

according to the FIRST HIGH RULER

of the authority of the air , of the spirit

of the one now energetically working

in the sons of disobedience.

+  +  +

Meditation

THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS; NO , NOT ONE.

We ALL have had our behavior controlled by the evil one, the evil prince of the authority of the very air surrounding planet earth.

The evil high prince tries to control the ages, the eras, the eons,  of this world. The satan is energetically and actively working to control ALL flesh, in order to destroy GOD'S highest creation.

The control is given to him through the sin of Adam, when Adam and Eve agreed with the satan in their behavior instead of agreeing with the LORD. 

It continues. 

Daily, in every age, the control is yielded over to the evil high ruler  by the sons of Adam who will not yield unto The LORDSHIP of JESUS CHRIST.

True, some have never even heard the name of JESUS CHRIST... to the shame of the church proper.

But of those who have --- including the global leaders as well as the common people of the "civilized" world --- the vast majority refuse to YIELD to being controlled by JESUS CHRIST.

Sadly enough... much of the church proper also REFUSES to AGREE with Our LORD JESUS CHRIST. Many in our congregations fall short of giving JESUS the control over their thoughts, their tongues, or their time.

Thus, their lives are NOT UNDER HIS+ LORDSHIP.  They do not call HIM+ "Master" in their hearts.

The result?

All who are NOT controlled 

by the LORD JESUS 
are then controlled 
by the satan. 

Every act of DIS-obedience brings a further strengthening of the power of the disobedient prince of the power of the air.

As more and more people agree with the satan, the spirit of disobedience is strengthened and pits itself against the Followers of JESUS.

Even "decent" and "up-right" persons who refuse to YIELD to the LORDSHIP of JESUS CHRIST ... are actually under the control of the satan ! 

Like the pharisees of old, they are good "enough" as is and simply do not need a Savior+ ... because they have no sin; they are righteous in and of themselves.

Our LORD JESUS told the very righteous Pharisees who knew the Scriptures and kept the Law of Moses meticulously ...

"You will die in your sins."

The only person born without sin was Our LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Even so, Scripture teaches, HE+ had the power TO CHOOSE TO SIN if HE+ had wanted.

The LORD JESUS could have agreed with the satan during His+ temptation after 40 days of fasting, when HE+ was so very, very weakened in His+ body. 

Even unto the very END of His+ ministry, JESUS was tested. HE+ had the free will to call to His+ Heavenly FATHER and receive more than 12 legions of angels ... instead of taking up the Cross of Crucifixion.

No, The LORD JESUS CHRIST 
did not come 
as an automaton... 
a "Righteous Robot."

Rather, HE+ came in the form of a Servant --- a Servant of the Most High GOD --- and was made in the likeness of men.

HE+ was tempted --- tested --- in all areas like as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15 ...

For we have not an HIGH PRIEST+

WHO+ cannot be touched with the

feeling of our infirmities;  
but was in all points tempted
 like as we are, 
yet without sin.

Our LORD had the same choices as we do, facing HIM+ constantly, when HE+ walked on earth:  to do The FATHER'S will ... or to go His+ own way.

Because HE+ came as the Second Adam and was made in the likeness of men, HE+ constantly had a choice:

What was easier on His+ flesh, His+ emotions, His+ Self...

--- OR ---

to do what The FATHER 

wanted HIM+ to do 
to accomplish the Work 
to beat the satan, 
loosening man from 

the satan's IRON-CLAD grip.

What did HE+ choose ?

And HE that sent ME+ is with ME+:

The FATHER hath not left ME+ alone;

for I + do always those things

that please HIM.

John 8:29

I do always those things that please My+ FATHER, is what JESUS said.

And being found in fashion 
as a man

HE+ humbled Himself+

and became obedient 
unto death,

even the DEATH 
of the CROSS.

How often do WE deny the flesh in order to please The FATHER?

How often do we seek the UNcomfortable conditions surrounding our FATHER'S Will rather than  what is comfortable for us ?

+  +  +

Let us pray:

Dear Heavenly FATHER, we say "Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven," but we do not do it, neither collectively nor individually.

We labor so strenuously at our jobs that we do not have any strength left over to do Your Work , Your Will, Your Way.

We hide our faces from the hard choices we must make in order to do Your Work, O FATHER. 

We have neglected to do even the easy, at-home tasks of fasting, praying, and sitting in QUIETUDE before THEE... much less doing anything more that would require a denial of our comfortable, chosen life-style.

O LORD, we badly need the fire.

Help us --- help me --- to choose Thy Will, to choose the Cross with its rough conditions, for Thy Name's sake.

Help me ... help us all ... to deny our Self in order to expend our lives in labor for Your Kingdom, in accord with Your Will and purpose for our lives.

In the Name of JESUS CHRIST Thy SON+ Who+ chose the rough Cross for my sake, I pray.  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

+  +  +

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.

WHOSE CHARACTER Do You Reflect ? .... Passover Meditations for the Monastic-At-Heart ... Ephesians 2:1

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 2:1

And you hath HE+ quickened,

who were dead in trespasses and sins;

Literal Greek:

And you all being dead in the transgressions and in your sins...

NOTE: 
The words " ... hath HE+ quickened " ( made alive ) is not found in the Greek text in verse 1 as it is in the KJV but rather down in verse 5.  The concept is there because verses 1 through 5 are actually one LONG sentence with many qualifying phrases. KJV translators decided to move that phrase ( "... hath HE+ quickened") to the beginning of the sentence. It is repeated in verse 5, where the Greek Text has it.

+  +  +

Meditation

We all know we are DEAD in our trespasses and sins ... until we repent and are washed clean by The Blood of the LAMB+ in the cleansing waters of Holy Baptism. ( See Acts 2:38, John 3:5, Romans 6:3-4, 1 Peter 3:21).

The Washing of our souls of dead matter is a Supernatural washing, indeed, and is when our spirits are born anew, from above. Then we experience TRUE Life and that Life is in CHRIST JESUS.

There is no other way to move from death unto Life, except through CHRIST.

But, what we may NOT know is:

what is sin. 

For instance, persons who practice same-gender physical intimacy may realize the Bible says it is wrong and churches (some) teach it is wrong. 

What they do not grasp is WHY it is morally wrong. Simply because "GOD said so" is not reason enough for sinners. 

Sadly, "because GOD said so" is not reason enough for a large majority of the church proper across the earth today.

SIN, however, is defined by GOD not man. HE Who shuts up Heaven against sinners is the ONE we need to hear !

So, let's hear.

The word sin is formed from the word MARTYR.  A martyr is one who bears a correct witness for The LORD. A martyr shows WHO+ The LORD is, in Spirit and in Truth. He reflects the true character of GOD.

With a negative particle prefixed to the front of martyr, making it amartyr, we have the Greek word for SIN.

SIN, then, is DOING something or BEING something that does NOT give a TRUE witness as to the character of The LORD.

That is the basis of all morality as found in Scripture. The reflection of GOD'S character is what makes RIGHT "right" and the inaccurate reflection of Our LORD'S character makes WRONG "wrong."

When we besmirch the character of The LORD in our words, our behavior, and our life-styles... we sin.

The First Covenant, known as the Old Testament by some, is full of commandments which instruct us on how to behave so that righteousness prevails in society and GOD'S character is reflected to the world .

When we defame the character of GOD in our thoughts, in our attitudes, in our values... we sin.

The New Covenant, as well as the First, is replete with instructions on how to forgive, how to deal with our tongues and hearts, how to treat our neighbors as well as our enemies. 

The New Covenant reveals that correct outward "behavior" must be accomplished inwardly.

Even if our neighbor does not see our hidden lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and our PRIDE of life, these sins are NOT HIDDEN to our LORD... and to the invisible Watchers.

[ Satan's evil spirits await our every mis-step in order to make us sin even more . Then, when in sin and out from under The LORD'S protection, the satan will steal from, kill, and destroy us in one way or another ... and  then, accuse us himself for not being obedient to GOD!]

Mankind was MADE in the likeness and image of GOD.

We must reflect that image in the purity in which it was given to us... or we will die in our SINS.

We must NEVER turn a deaf ear to the conviction of the HOLY SPIRIT when HE is nudging our conscience about sins. HE is working for our good, alerting us to a danger lurking ahead, trying to ensnare us in sin and then, injury. 

When conviction falls, we must immediately run to ... not away from... The LORD.

Only through the LORD JESUS CHRIST can our filthy souls be cleansed.

Being a martyr --- bearing witness, that TRUE reflection, of The LORD'S character --- is required of us. Indeed, it is required at the hand of ALL mankind. It is a pre-requisite for entering Heaven.

I+ am HE+ that liveth and was dead,

and behold,

I+ am alive forevermore,

AMEN,

and have the keys of hell and of death.

Revelation 1: 18

+  +  +

Let us pray:

O FATHER GOD, YOU have given us a Way to stop our offenses against Your HOLY nature.

Indeed, it is the only Way not to offend YOU.

In my sins, I have defamed Your character.

In my sins, I have besmirched Your person. I have borne a false witness to the world as to WHO You are, O Heavenly FATHER.

Forgive me for ignoring the Conviction of sin SO MANY TIMES which You have sent me through the HOLY SPIRIT.

Help me ... increase the heat, make me hasten ... to admit my sin to You. Forgive me for covering up my impurity.

Thank You, Holy FATHER, for giving us Your SON+ JESUS CHRIST so that we have a Way to become clean and new.

Help us walk in Your purity, now.

This we ask in the Name of Thy Pure SON+, our LORD JESUS CHRIST, Who+ shows us Thy True character. 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

+  +  +

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.

HIS+ Fullness .... Passover Meditations for the Monastic-At-Heart ... Ephesians 1:23

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 1:23

1:22 And  [ The FATHER ] hath put all things under HIS+ Feet, and gave HIM+ to be the Head over all things to the church, 

which is His+ Body, 
the fullness of HIM+ 
that  filleth all in all.  

The Literal Greek:

 Which is His+ Body,

the Fullness of The ONE+

filling all, in ALL.

+  +  +

Meditation

This verse tells us two facts.

The first fact is that the Church is the Body of CHRIST.

The second fact is the Church is the FULLNESS of JESUS CHRIST Who+ is filling and completing everything ... in HIMSELF+.

If Our LORD JESUS CHRIST is the head ... and the FULLNESS ... of the Church,  the Church should be full of life, of miracles, of healings, of Holy Fear, of power against the evil tide rolling across the earth.

As the Body of CHRIST, are we full ?

NO.

We know that CHRIST JESUS has not changed. We know that the HOLY SPIRIT has not changed.  We know that Scriptures can not lie and do not change. And certainly, Our FATHER Who art in Heaven has not changed !

So... what HAS changed ?

The Church.

Why is "the church," changing ... changing so much that The FATHER does not recognize it ?

Why is "the church" changing so much that The HOLY SPIRIT flees from it ?

Why is "the church" changing so much that there is only an excess of programs, activities, teachings, and singing ... and not the FULLNESS of CHRIST resting upon it ? 

The answer is this: The Called-Out ones are refusing to be called-out from the world. 

The individuals who make up the congregations of the church proper are not YIELDED unto the leading of The HOLY SPIRIT to separate from the world.

Church attenders look like the world, talk like the world, act like the world and sometimes, they cheat like the world.

The world CANNOT tell them apart from other worldlings.

The Believers have followed the world instead of the Cross. They do this because they are "under Grace."

And "Grace" means being "excused" from the discipline of the Cross... right ?  

NO. Wrong.

The Cross means only one thing: putting Self to death in order to Follow CHRIST JESUS.

True Followers of JESUS do NOT look like the world; even a child can spot a TRUE Follower of JESUS because they look differently than the rest of the public.

True Followers of JESUS do NOT act like the world. Store clerks, bank tellers, neighbors, and all the ones that have contact with them will KNOW something is different because they do not act the same as "everybody else" acts.

They are not loud and rowdy. They mind their own business. They do not become belligerent if something goes wrong in a commercial transaction.

Nor, do true Followers of JESUS talk the same. Their speech is clean. Their speech is salted with Truth about The LORD JESUS. Their speech is kind and gentle towards others.

The Cross, to true Followers of JESUS, is followed by discipleship. 

Nominal church attenders NEVER pick up discipleship; they think it curtails their freedom.

Church attenders disdain discipleship; coming on Sunday and to the mid-week meetings...  isn't that enough of the Cross ?

Worldly Christians detest discipleship, calling it law ... and His+ Grace allows me to escape all demands to curb my appetite, my zeal for sports, my zest for shopping, and I am FREE to dress in the public-approved fashions because HE+ wouldn't want me to be an odd-looking spectacle, would HE+ ?  

So, where is His+ FULLNESS in the Church, that Holy Fullness which fills all with ALL+ ? 

Sadly, that cavity is filled with the world.

Here is TRUTH that you can count on: 

The LORD JESUS

will not share

His+ FULLNESS

with the world.

NEVER.

+  +  +

Let us pray:

Heavenly FATHER,  I said I believe in YOUR SON+ JESUS CHRIST.  I have been baptized and received into His+ flock. 

But, I am not FULL.

Well... I am not full of YOUR SON+, that is, just like the church.

Help me to embrace discipleship ... and that in all areas of my life.

Show me , O CHRIST, where to start. Show me where to slow down, where to eliminate, where to change.

Show me how to dress as a Follower of JESUS so that no-one has to guess if I am Your+ Follower or not.

And, change my speech; O LORD JESUS, change my heart ! 

I am sorry for my worldly witness; change me .  I will listen to YOU+ now.

This I pray, O FATHER,  in The Holy and Precious Name of our LORD JESUS CHRIST. 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

+  +  +

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.