The FATHER Loves HIS WORD+

What  Does The  FATHER Love ?   

The FATHER loves His Word+ !

HE loves those who LOVE HIS Word and honor it.

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 Lenten Meditations

. . .  Setting our Face Toward Jerusalem . . . Preparing our Hearts in Remembrance

of the Paschal Passion of The LAMB+ of GOD,The LORD JESUS CHRIST

2018

" And now, O LORD, we present unto THEE+ our selves, our souls, and our bodies to be a holy and Living Sacrifice unto THEE+ . . . which is our reasonable service."

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What DoesThe FATHER Love ?  The FATHER loves His Word+ !

HE loves those who LOVE HIS Word and honor it.

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It is the SPIRIT that quickens; the flesh profits nothing:

the Words that I+ speak unto you,

they are SPIRIT,

and they are Life.

 John 6:63

For the Word of GOD is quick*

*[ fast, yes, but this word means LIVING ] ,

and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword,

piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit,

and of the joints and marrow,

and

is a discerner of the

thoughts and intents of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12

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What makes The Word of GOD so different from every other book written ?

It is simply this: GOD has "breathed" into it. 2 Timothy 3:16.  ALL of it is in-spired by GOD. Hence it is VERY PURE; therefore my soul loveth it.

Thus it is powerful.  It is LIVING.  Because The Word of GOD is Living, pulsating with the Breath of GOD, it can indeed bring a swift and sharp conviction upon those reading it.  Likewise, it can reach into the heart and dissolve fears and strengthen the weak.

The FATHER loves it. How much does The FATHER love HIS own, living Word ?

HE loved it so much that HE made HIS Word become the WORD+ made flesh. Our LORD JESUS CHRIST embodied The Holy Word of GOD.

Whether spoken or written and yes, even Embodied+, The Word of The LORD carries this promise:  it will not return unto HIM void.  It will accomplish that for which HE sent it.

Do we LOVE what HE loves ? 

Do we honor it as the PURE WORD from The  HOLY GOD ? Do we treasure what it cost HIM to give it  . . . and to preserve it for us ?

Or , rather, are we guilty of personally "editing" The Holy Word of GOD, casting aside the parts we do not like ?

We have in the history of the church a prominent leader, Martin Luther, who did not like the book of James and called it an "Epistle of Straw."  He was in conflict with it because it crossed his "salvation by faith alone" teachings. [ See this link from a Calvinist site: https://calvinistinternational.com/2013/06/13/luther-and-the-epistle-of-straw/

So, who is right ? 

The Word of GOD or the word of fallible man ?

Martin Luther was so out-spoken that we quickly recognize his faults; what about other church leaders who are more quiet about approving changes to the Word of GOD ?  

We recall the famous Declaration-of -Independence president, Thomas Jefferson, who made his own Bible, cutting out all miracles, including the Resurrection of JESUS CHRIST, and stating that :

. . .  "Jesus did not mean to impose himself on mankind as the son of God."

Jefferson called the writers of the New Testament "ignorant, unlettered men" who produced "superstitions, fanaticisms, and fabrications". He called the Apostle Paul the "first corrupter of the doctrines of Jesus". [ See more disgusting details at :JEFFERSON'S BLASPHEMOUS BIBLE

Worse, current historians have no fear of GOD either: the Jefferson Bible is on display for all to see at the Smithsonian Institute , as though this heretical "bible" was something to be proud of !

Nor are we able to forget the pervasive influence of the Free-masonic organizations which equate the koran and the Hindu Veshni writings with The Holy Bible on their altar table.

And, how could we ever forget the kissing of the Koran by the current Pope Francis ? An act which even EX-MUSLIMS repudiated.   [ See this link:  http://www.patheos.com/blogs/hedgerow/2018/01/ex-muslims-challenge-pope-francis-islam/

With those examples, is it any wonder that the rank and file church members treat The Holy Word of GOD with casual contempt ?

A few years ago, I heard a church member in good standing say he hated the book of Luke and thought it should not be in the Bible.

At another point in time, yet another good church-goer claimed she was NOT born again and she "did not care what JESUS said" about it, she was going to Heaven !  

How do we treat the Living Word ?

Do we judge The Word of GOD 

. . . or do we allow it to judge us ?

In reality, we have no choice: It will judge us.

Hear the words of our LORD CHRIST:

 He that rejects ME+, and receives not My+ Words,

hath ONE that judges him:

the Word that I+ have spoken,

the Same shall judge him

in the last day.

John 12:48

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Let us pray:

Our FATHER WHO art in Heaven . . . please forgive me for the times I have set Your Word behind my back.

I am sorry, LORD, that I have not diligently heeded Your Words --- Your good, holy, and righteous Words --- that are able to make me wise unto Salvation.

I know YOU did not give them to me to hurt me nor to hinder me.

I have not let Your Word change me.

I have not let Your Word change my behavior. I still grow angry with those who do not agree with me. I fail to walk honestly with my brother and sister and hide my dissension  . . . and smolder.

I have not let Your Word change my critical judgments of others. I yet cling onto wrong opinions, " my thoughts " , instead of  repenting and replacing them with Your Thoughts.

I have not let Your Word change the little things I hold onto, like my food. I neglect the spiritual discipline of fasting or eating simply, neglecting the Example Your Holy SON+ has set for me in Your Holy Word.

I will not let Your word even change my manner of dress, making me somber, simple, and serious , to give the strongest, even though silent, visible witness for YOU that I can do.

Instead, I dress to be attractive to the eye ,or I dress casual or sporty because it is "comfortable." Forgive my dressing to fit in to this society; help me to separate from this world even in my dress.   

O LORD, I have not allowed Your Word which I know so well, which I quote to others, to change my values. I am conservative, yes, but is conservative synonymous with "Christian" ?

Your Word calls for radical  obedience. Yet, time and time again, I prefer to not be radical for YOU+.  I see I protect myself; after all, what would others think of me if I were a non-compromising radical for JESUS ?    

I have NOT walked in all the conviction YOU+ have given me in Your Word. I ignored Your Words so I could pursue my own interests as I deemed fit. 

Then, LORD, I have the audacity to wonder why my spiritual life is "dull" at times ! I wonder why my zeal is lagging. 

I see: it is not my zeal but my radical obedience to every Word that procedeth from The Mouth of GOD which is lacking !  

Help me, O LORD ! 

I am sorry. I repent and turn away from my deceit and error. Cleanse me and take not Your Holy SPIRIT from me.

Please restore to me the Anointing that rests upon Your Word.

Now, O LORD, I will not listen to any preacher who diminishes Your Word; I rebuke my own heart for following after such "easy" messages which tickle my ears but deaden my love for YOU+.

I will change, here and now. Help me to walk out this commitment to YOU, O HOLY FATHER.

I will honor Your Word with my Life.

Your Word is true from the beginning; and every one of Your righteous judgments endureth forever.

Please receive this prayer of repentance, O HOLY FATHER, in the Name of my LORD JESUS CHRIST, the Living Word+ of GOD.

Amen.

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