SEAL of CHRIST .... Passover Meditations... Ephesians 1:13

Meditations  for Pascha

(The Passover Season, 2016)

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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

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Meditation Verse

Ephesians 1: 13

In WHOM+ ye also trusted,

after that ye heard the word of truth,

the gospel of your salvation:

in WHOM+ also after that ye believed,

ye were sealed

with that HOLY Spirit of Promise,

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Meditation

ALL of us were SEALED...

·                   "ALL"  being those who trusted in JESUS CHRIST

·                   ALL being those hearing the Word of TRUTH in JESUS and about JESUS

·                   ALL being those who trusted in HIM+ as the First Followers did

·                   ALL who personally repented, trusting that The LORD would NOT destroy them if they confessed their sins to HIM+

·                   ALL who personally received the "good news" of the plan of Salvation through JESUS for mankind

SEALED...

In ancient days, important and official documents were sealed with drops of hot, melted wax and then stamped with an engraved implement, oftentimes a ring. This was called a signet ring.

These days, a notary public will stamp official documents oftentimes with an impression in the paper itself as well as the ink stamp for signatures. 

The seals, both then and now, place the LEGAL AUTHORITY of the State, the one in charge, upon that document.

In Ephesians 1:13,

the document being sealed is

... us !

We Followers of JESUS become the letter of CHRIST, the Epistle written by the SPIRIT of the Living GOD , known and read of all men. ( See 2 Corinthians 3:2-3).

WAX...

The properties of WAX vary according to the degree of heat put to it.

When melted, wax can become a runny,  fluid liquid if the heat is too hot or too much.  No-one can stamp an insignia in hot, liquid wax; like water, liquid wax is not solid enough to receive the seal.

If the wax becomes too cold, it hardens and likewise will not take the stamp. The wax simply breaks away, if the stamp is too forceful.

But, when melted to the correct temperature, the wax can be masterfully handled.

At this point when the conditions are right, the melted wax can be dropped or placed upon the scroll or document and stamped with a signet ring or engraved seal... and it will receive the insignia properly.

 RECEIVING the Insignia...

Our conversion to CHRIST is sealed by the HOLY SPIRIT of Promise. We receive HIS+ Insignia upon our spirit... if the conditions are right.

We cannot receive that Divine Seal, 

however, 

if the conditions are not right.

Are we willing to become PLIABLE in Our LORD'S hands, letting HIM+ do with us as HE+ wills ? 

Or... do we tell HIM+ , " Yes... to a point" ... and harden ourselves after a season of yieldedness,  against His+ calling to discipleship  ?

Do we tell HIM+, "Yes..." , but never sit still with HIM+ long enough to learn to recognize His+ Voice over the clamor of our flesh and other "worthy"  distractions ? In our constant running about, we will not be able to receive His+ seal.

Soft, teachable, pliable in His+ Hands... these are the conditions needed to receive the Royal Insignia.

How pliable are we , in Truth ?

If we want to receive the HOLY SPIRIT'S seal of Promise, then we must meet those conditions.

We, alas, will not make it Home without it.

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Let us pray:

Dear Heavenly FATHER, we see we are un-pliable and un-yielded to going deeper with CHRIST.

We say we want to do Thy Will, but we want it only as far as is comfortable for us, only as far as "we" can handle.

Help us, O LORD, to yield the controls to Thy SON+ our LORD.

We do not want to hear those words: "Why do you call ME+ 'LORD, LORD'... but do not do the things I+ say ? "

We yield to THEE+, O CHRIST, all those areas we have with-held from THEE+.

Teach us to say, "Not my will, but THINE+, O LAMB+ of GOD."

In the Name of JESUS CHRIST, the Sacrificial Passover LAMB+ Who+ died for me, I pray.  Amen.

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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

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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.