ADVENT #5 -- The BRIGHTNESS of HIS Glory . . . The EXPRESS IMAGE of HIS ESSENCE

Who+ being the brightness of HIS Glory, and the express image of HIS person, and upholding all things by the word of HIS power, when  HE+ had by HIMSELF+  purged our sins, sat down on the Right hand of the MAJESTY on High: HEBREWS 1:1-3, excerpts

+  +  +

John 1:1

. . . And The WORD+ was with GOD . . .

Literally:

Furthermore, The LOGOS+ was continuously being with GOD

Expanded:

Furthermore, The Divine SON+, The LOGOS+, was continuously being in unity with The Divine FATHER, YHWH.

The WORD+ was The LOGOS+, that is: the mind, thought, wisdom, and character of GOD, YHWH, the very ESSENCE of our Heavenly FATHER. 

The LOGOS+, The SON+, revealed The FATHER’S character to us . . . constantly, consistently. Furthermore, that revelation  aligned with all the other revelations given about HIS character.

They shared the SAME character; The SON+’s character was identical to The FATHER’S, for it is written: 

Then said JESUS unto them,

When ye have lifted up the SON+ of Man,

then shall ye know that 

I+ , I+ AM ,

[ ego eimi ]

and that I+ do nothing of Myself+;

but as My+ FATHER hath taught ME+, I+ speak these things.

 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 8:28-29

The CHARACTER of The SON+, The LOGOS+, was never separated from the CHARACTER of His+ Heavenly FATHER, for The SON+ embodied the character of His+ Divine FATHER and revealed it to us.

Now, let us ponder this in a natural sense: How can we separate the character of a person from that person ? We cannot. No matter the circumstances, no matter the variety of issues, the character of a person remains the same. It is the ESSENCE of a man. 

A person’s character – the ESSENCE of who a man is --- is revealed in how he habitually thinks, talks, and behaves.  In a variety of situations, his character remains the same; it does not change. He carries it with him throughout life.

There is only ONE way to change our earthly, soul-ish character: that is when we yield our character over to The LORD JESUS CHRIST in trust, in love, as our reasonable sacrifice.

If we yield our character unto HIM+, 

The LORD JESUS will change it.  

HE+ will bring our character into line with His+ Character and into harmony with our Heavenly FATHER. The LORD JESUS will align our character with His+ Divine FATHER’S character.

But WHY, then, are we SO reluctant to yield? We know we need to change. We know we cannot do it ourselves.

Simply stated: we are afraid.

We are afraid if we yield our character over to The LORD, HE+ will destroy us. We will no longer have a “personality” nor liberty to express ourselves nor any choice at doing those things we enjoy. We fear that we will no longer be the individual “me” .

AHA ! This, fortunately, exposes our unfortunate lack of faith. What was burned away in the fiery furnace ? It was heated seven times more than what it was normally heated, slaying even those stalwart men of war who were ordered to cast the three Hebrew men into the flames.

Note well: only the ropes OF THE ENEMY were burned away from the faithful Hebrew men. Their characters were firmly anchored in The ELOHIM. 

They were un-moved in YHWH, come what may. They were delivered from their ordeal unscathed, yet the Book of Hebrews tells us there are many who choose to suffer rather than forsake CHRIST.

 Likewise, all of our works --- our basic character --- is going to be tested by fire. Now THAT is a promise not found in the popular, modern “Promises of GOD” books.

There is only ONE+ Who+ can change our character: The LOGOS+ of GOD. HE+ changes us as we submit to His+ Word, as we submit to His+ Will.

Surprisingly, as we YIELD to the Truth found in HIM+, HE+ makes us free ! We are MORE alive ! We are not destroyed --- just unbound in CHRIST!

HE+ never changes. His+ ESSENCE is always the same, the same ESSENCE that His+ FATHER has. 

The character of The ELOHIM never changes from era to era. HIS purpose never changes. HIS goal for mankind never changes. HIS goal for man is this: 

To obtain the Holy character of The ELOHIM , in order:

To be united in ONE Will in HIM+,

 in order To be AT-ONE with HIM

as we are changed by The LORD JESUS CHRIST

  in the inner man,

 in our character,

that we may be conformed

 unto His+ FATHER’S character.

Let us Pray:

Thank YOU+, LORD JESUS, for coming to reveal The FATHER’S character to me. I have lost sight of HIS Divine, Holy character, that character which is brought close to my heart through YOU+,  LORD JESUS.

LORD JESUS CHRIST, YOU+ Who+ are the ESSENCE of The FATHER’S character, YOU+ Who+ always did The FATHER’S Will . . . change me into Your+ Likeness and Image in heart.

I lay down my resistance to being changed.

I am no longer afraid that I will be unhappy if I yield over my character to YOU+, LORD JESUS.

I too want that continuous communion with Our dear Heavenly FATHER like YOU+ have, for I need HIM. I too need to be AT ONE with HIM. 

This I pray, O Gracious, Life-Giving SAVIOR+, in thanks and praise to Your+ Holy NAME. Amen.