The 24 Days of the Advent Season
WE ARE . . .
~ Built upon the
Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets ~
with CHRIST being the Chief Cornerstone+
For through HIM+ we both have access
in one SPIRIT unto The FATHER.
Ephesians 2:18
Christmas ~ CHRIST’S mass, from the
Latin church ~ is NOT about a holiday time of gift-giving and parties
with friends and families.
It is not even about a special worship service to honor the
birth of The KING+ of kings and LORD+ of lords.
No, rather, this is the SEASON on the Christian Calendar to
recall the ENTRANCE of JESUS CHRIST into human history. It is the time to
ponder the serious purpose of CHRIST’S coming to earth as a man.
WHY did HE+ do that ?
WAS HE+ working alone to
accomplish His+ Purpose ?
WHERE did HE+ come from ?
HOW does His+ Coming change
us ?
Because our lives are very busy and we do not live in a
vacuum, it would behoove us to set aside at least 15 minutes a day to settle
down in stillness before The LORD, a time to ponder His+ personal Entrance
into human affairs.
His+ Entrance changed human history once . . . and is about to change it again as the world moans in labor pains to be delivered.
Can we hear them ?
To some, they are barely a whisper. To others, the moans are
loud, audible groans of distress. To yet others, the moans have changed to
shrieking screams of agony, bringing terror into their ears.
Births are painful and messy ordeals, oftentimes involving
unexpected happenings, fast and furious. Sometimes they are unpredictable, but they are always unstoppable : the birthing
WILL occur. The onset of labor and the ensuing struggle to bring forth new life
follows a well-known, set pattern for all women in general.
As this world moans to be delivered, this pattern of deliverance is
also well-known and is firmly SET in Scripture. Like the natural birth of a
baby, we do not know EXACTLY when it will occur; we only can tell that the due
date is nearing.
So . . . how do we prepare for the deliverance of the world from satan’s grip ?
Revelation tells us, Isaiah tells us, and the other prophets
tell us that it is going to be a
fearful, frightening ordeal, with much life-blood shed. Our familiar way of
life will be shattered, never to be re-established.
We Followers of CHRIST can only prepare one way: in total COMMITMENT to CHRIST JESUS, to be on His+ side, no matter the cost.
And, that COMMITMENT is going to COST US.
In quietness is where we sit hushed before HIM+ to prepare our
soul, spirit, and body to endure the coming ordeal. We are helpless to do
anything else. We simply do not know enough, but The LORD does.
HE+ holds it all in His+ Capable Hands.
The LORD JESUS will place the yielded soul EXACTLY where HE+
wants him to be on the battlefront. The yielded, quieted soul will hear the
Voice of his SHEPHERD+ above the raging battle. The quieted soul’s heart will
not fail him for fear of what is coming on the earth, for he is SECURE IN
CHRIST.
The crumbling, unsteady structures of society and men will
fall as is promised
because they are built on a foundation of shifting sand; there is NOTHING solid
at their base. The Foundation of CHRIST will appear more and more solid as it
is in reality, more solid than mortar and bricks . . . and money.
Instead of pampering one’s flesh this Advent Season, we might
do better to prepare one’s soul to endure the worsening and intensifying Labor
Pains of an earth groaning in travail to be delivered.
This season, choose wisely.
All Hail KING+ JESUS !
All Hail EMMANUEL+.
KING+ of kings, LORD+ of lords,
bright Morning STAR+.
Let us Pray the prayer of Daniel the Prophet, Daniel 9:19:
O , ADONAI+, hear !
O, ADONAI+, forgive !
O, ADONAI+, hearken and do !
Defer not, for THINE+ own sake, O my GOD;
For Thy City and Thy People are called by Thy Name.
O LORD CHRIST, we are called by Your+ Name, but we are not ready
for Your+ Second Entrance into human affairs . . . this time not as a LAMB+ but
as a Roaring, implacable LION+ sent from the Royal Throne of GOD, the ELOHIM.
This world sits in gross darkness once again, darkness that is
threatening once again to snuff out the LIGHT+ of CHRIST.
Prepare us to carry His+ LIGHT , no matter the cost of
possessions, of friends, or alas, even of family.
Bless this time of seeking Your Face, O LORD GOD, that we may be strengthened for the
coming days. We pray that the fruit of the stillness of our heart be pleasing
in YOUR Sight, our Strength and Our REDEEMER.
In the Name of Your Only-Begotten SON+ JESUS CHRIST, the
EMMANUEL+, we begin this series of serious meditations , in order to draw
closer to YOU, O LORD. Amen.
+ + +
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