~ or~An ADVENT Message for us
to "Prepare Ye the Way of The LORD"
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It was a sweet card... a Christmas card from an old school chum with the appropriate message about the birth of Our SAVIOR on it. She signed it with "love and prayers" because she fancies herself to be a Christian, having come through a battle with cancer with the help of The LORD.
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So glad she is for the Hand of The LORD touching her life that she has found energy for a new life... by locating a man "who has her interests now" and buying a house together with "her new friend" ... outside the bounds of holy matrimony. Because she is beyond the age of child-bearing, all is well... she thinks.
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Now, she was un-churched growing up and although she is a mother, grand-mother, and great-grandmother, my old school chum DOES know the difference between right and wrong.
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The real problem is she calls herself a Christian.
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Her man friend, whom I do not know, was raised in the Roman Catholic church. At least he knows that confession and repentance are needed before taking of The LORD'S Body and Blood at Communion.
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In another situation, a young man was a musician in a local church. He loved to play on Sundays. They love to have him. His dear mother, a Christian anointed with the HOLY SPIRIT, confided to me that this son is doing well, out of jail, off drugs and alcohol. The only problem is that he is choosing not to live with Mom but rather with his girl friend.
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The minister of his church counseled him about unrepentant sin. But, the young man wouldn't turn from it. So, the church forbade him to play for the worship service [ Bless GOD! ] ... and the minister cried! He urged him, however, to keep on coming to church, but the young man is toying with it.
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The real problem is he calls himself a Christian.
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In yet another situation of a totally different caliber, a Godly, well-seasoned and experienced church leader is pursuing a building scheme to establish his ministry with a name. At one point, this minister LEFT the helm of a huge church in order to reach out to the little poor unreached tribes. Everyone scoffed at him, but Pastor followed The Will of GOD. He now has more than 200 native missionaries under his wing, going to the unreached tribes.
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What happened to this dear Pastor? He became ambitious and full of Self-Will. Problems soon developed as he pursued his will and not GOD'S will. Many words of warning have been lovingly given him. Several Christians have now distanced themselves from him and his ministry. Certain shipwreck is looming on the horizon if this Pastor pursues his self-willed course.
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The real problem is that he calls himself
following CHRIST JESUS.
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In all of these cases, Self-Will is ruling. In all of these cases, the delusion is strong that the pursuit of Self-Will will bring happiness.
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The TRUTH is that Self-Will
will destroy anyone...
...in the Kingdom or out.
The pursuit of GOD'S WILL
is the only way
to avoid certain destruction.
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That is why a daily, private, disciplined time of worship and Scripture reading is so important: it will open one's ears to know His+ Will. That is why seasons of repentance practiced by the ancient church are important for us to re-install today.
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The original intent of the not-so-ancient Advent Season was to establish a season of repentance for the Church awaiting the Incarnation remembrance*. Anything to bring to mind repentance from the human condition is GOOD.
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We all need it.
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O HEAVENLY FATHER, we have erred from Thy Way like lost sheep. We have wandered too far from Thy Fold. We have allowed our hearts to lie to us about "what" makes us happy. Help us to worship THEE+ in Spirit and in Truth in the inner man. Turn us again, O LORD GOD of HOSTS, and we shall be saved.
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*[ We KNOW this day was arbitrarily chosen for less-than-holy purposes. Even so, we unite with the Western Church in remembering the Incarnation of Our LORD simply so the Church's witness to the Unredeemed ones doesn't become more confused than it already is. ]
