12/02/2024

2024 ADVENT 2 ~ Abraham Saw It . . . Do We ?


 

Your father Abraham rejoiced to see MY+ Day:

and he saw it, and was glad.

John 8:56

The Patriarch Abraham saw the coming of the MESSIAH+ Who+ would save the world.  That made Abraham rejoice in heart.

Do we see it , as well ?

The Ancient People of GOD lived before MESSIAH+ came.

Now we live after  MESSIAH+ , the Anointed ONE+, the Promised ONE+ WHO+ came to earth to save man from death, hell, and the grave.

Do we STILL REJOICE to see HIS+ Coming Day … this time, the Day of Judgment, the day of reckoning ?

On this Second "Day of The LORD,"  HE+ will come not as a Babe+ in a manger, but in flaming FIRE to take vengeance on them who know not GOD nor obey The Gospel of The LORD JESUS CHRIST.

As it is written …

2 Thessalonians 1:7-10

And to you who are troubled rest with us,

when THE LORD JESUS shall be revealed from Heaven

with HIS+ mighty angels,  in flaming fire

taking vengeance on them that know not GOD,

and that obey not the Gospel of our LORD JESUS CHRIST

who shall be punished with everlasting destruction

 from the Presence of THE LORD,

from the Glory of HIS+  Power; when HE+ shall come to be glorified in HIS+ saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. 

+  +  +

Are we even looking  for that DAY , HIS+ Second ADVENT ?

If we were looking for it, we would be hard at work for the Salvation of those who know not CHRIST nor the power of His+ Rising.

For, when HE+ comes the Second time,

it will be too late  to save those who know not GOD,

according to 2 Thessalonians 1:10 !

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Are we content to celebrate His+ wonderful Birth, breaking into this world darkened by sin  . . . and forget that many still remain lost in  that SAME darkness of sin ?

Many remain who have not had one prayer of Salvation prayed for them.  Many remain whom the gods of this world have darkened their understanding.  

Many, many remain within the strongholds the evil one has put them.

YES, we are GLAD for our  Salvation and rightly so, but are we a light which has hidden itself UNDER a bushel basket ? 

Instead of shining on a hill,

are we a light shining in our OWN Kingdom

--- O, bless me, Lord ! Bless me, Lord ! ---

as we work our OWN will ?

Are we consumed with obtaining a happy life here on earth ?  

Do we flee from being near the weak, tired, poor, dirty, and unruly unredeemed ?

Those whose lives are out of order need us MOST.

Because they are the hardest people to be around, we gravitate towards those who are already cleaned up from the  excesses of sin, don’t we ?

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Let us pray:

Dear LORD JESUS,

YOU+ came for me, to clean me up, to clean me out.

Help me not to shy away from the “unclean” people who are yet in this world.

Let Your+ Loving INVITATION TO LIFE in JESUS  flow from my eyes, from my heart, and from my words, to all the “unclean” people I see or meet throughout the day.

For I know YOU+ love them as much as YOU+ love me.

Show me how to invite them into The Family of GOD … 

  • in Your+ love, 
  • through Your+ mercy, 
  • in fear of Your+ Righteous  Judgment, 
  • and by the TRUTH written in Your+ Word
  • …  all of which are given to save men’s souls.  

Help me not to shy away from speaking the Word of Conviction where it is needed which may work to save their souls.

Because YOU+ loved me before I was cleansed, I must love them… before they are clean.

Help me to be like YOU+, O precious SAVIOR+, for YOU+ came to be the SAVIOR+ of the world... the world that was lost in sin. 

In Your+ Precious, Life-Giving Name, O LORD CHRIST, I pray. Amen.

12/01/2024

2024 ADVENT 1 ~ There’s Coming a Day !

  


ADVENT 1 ~ There’s Coming a Day !

Abraham Saw It !

Your father Abraham rejoiced to see MY+ Day:

and he saw it, and was glad. 

Words of The LORD JESUS , recorded in John 8:56

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How did The LORD JESUS CHRIST  know that ?

How did HE+ know that Abraham rejoiced when HE+ came to earth ?

Abraham saw “the day” The SAVIOR+ came to earth incarnate, was crucified, and Resurrected never to die again.  “The Day” … meaning the entire course of The MESSIAH’S +  pilgrimage upon earth, it seems.

How did The LORD JESUS  know   that gladness and rejoicing transpired within Abraham’s bosom ?

HE+ tells us how:

JESUS said unto them,

Verily, verily, I+ say unto you,

Before Abraham was,

I+ AM.

John 8:58

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HE+ knew Abraham because our LORD JESUS CHRIST was with The FATHER from the Foundation of the earth.  HE+ was part of The ELOHIM ~ The Divine, Plural, 3-in-1, unified  GODHEAD.  HE+ was The WORD+  with  GOD.

The LORD JESUS was part of The ELOHIM in Genesis which created man and this world .

So when Abraham worshipped The ELOHIM, The LORD JESUS was included in Abraham’s worship. 

Whenever Abraham built an altar and worshipped, The ELOHIM,  The LORD JESUS was also worshipped because HE+ was an  intrinsic, fundamental part of  THE ELOHIM.   

HE+ knew Abraham’s heart when The ELHOHIM called Abraham away from his family  to follow HIM --- the Divine ECHAD, the Divine, Unified ONE.   

Has HIS+ ability TO KNOW the hearts of men changed ?

Does HE+ know your heart today?

Hasn’t HE+ ALWAYS known it ?

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LET US PRAY:

Dear LORD JESUS,

Yes, LORD JESUS, YOU+ know my heart also . YOU+ knew me in my Mother’s womb.

YOU+ know what makes me happy and what makes me afraid. 

YOU+ know when I’m thankful and when I am NOT. YOU+ know me when I am anxious and tied in a knot inside of my heart.

O LORD JESUS, forgive me for my lack of trust when the “unknowns” come, for YOU+ are my Shepherd+; I shall not want.

Forgive me for my unthankful spirit, for I DO LOVE YOU+, LORD JESUS; YOU+ alone are my life. 

Help me to change my ways and to become more pleasing to YOU+ in the thoughts of my heart. . .  for YOU+ understand my thoughts afar off. ( Psalm 139:2).  

Like Jeremiah, before I , too, was formed in the womb, YOU+ knew me .

Grant me a clean heart, O LORD JESUS, and renew a right , TRUSTING, spirit within me.

To YOU+ I bend the knees of my heart now, during this remembrance of Your+ first Advent.  

Thank YOU+ for calling me to be Yours+.

In Your+ Holy Name, LORD JESUS CHRIST, I lift this prayer to you.

Amen and amen.