Lovest Thou ME+ ? . . . . RECLAIMING LOST GROUND

So when they had dined, JESUS saith to Simon Peter,

Simon, son of Jonas,

lovest thou ME+ more than these?

ACCESSING GOD'S LOVE ... Passover Meditations for the Monastic-At-Heart ... Ephesians 2:4

    

Meditations  for  the Pascha Season

(The Passover Season, 2016)

Meditations for the Monastic at Heart

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Now is My+ soul troubled;

and what shall I+ say ...

FATHER,

save ME+ from this hour ?

but for this cause

came I+ unto this hour.

FATHER,

Glorify Thy Name.

Then came there a Voice from Heaven, saying,

I have both glorified IT,

and will glorify IT again.

John 12:27-28

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Meditation Verse

Ephesians 2:4

[ ... and were by nature --- that is, by our Adamic lineage and family spirits ---  the children of wrath, even as others... ]

But GOD, Who is rich in mercy, for HIS great love wherewith HE loved us,

Literal Greek:

But --- in contrast --- GOD being rich in mercy through HIS great love (with) which HE loved us

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MEDITATION

In times past, before CHRIST came to be LORD of our lives, we were conducted  , the literal Greek tells us,**  into our UnRedeemed, UnSaved, and UnRegenerated Family ways.  Our conductor, remember, was the dark and evil prince of the power (authority) of the air. (** See yesterday's post entitled "Our Conductor.")

The satan works in the children of disobedience, conducting them -- indeed, DRIVING THEM --- into the course of this world which leads to the Wrath of GOD. In times past, we followed our family spirits in this path, our Adamic lineage.

NOW, HOWEVER... with the Advent of JESUS CHRIST into our lives ... we are invited into a different existence.

NOW, HOWEVER... instead of facing GOD'S wrath, we are being over-whelmed by His great, rich, and fulfilling AGAPE LOVE.

Are we experiencing His great LOVE in a tangible way -- or -- do we know His LOVE mentally, academically, as a head-knowledge that we have been taught?

We usually AFFIRM that His LOVE is there; we usually do not feel much of it, though, as we plod on through our existence.

Most of us struggle through life trying to "see" His LOVE through the valleys and turmoil of life on planet earth.

If we SAW and EXPERIENCED His over-whelming fullness of that AGAPE LOVE, the joy  resting upon us would be so strong that we would become invincible in it.

The JOY of the LORD would be our STRENGTH. We would be able to face all difficulties with thanksgiving, praise, and a decisive  VICTORY of faith over our troubles.

SO... how do we ACCESS His great LOVE which we do not doubt is there ... and there for us?  How do we ACCESS that LOVE of GOD so that we are carried in joy over the mountains of distress in our lives ?

A FEW STEPS TO ACCESS HIS+ LOVE

1. REPENT of SELF-PITY. It is a spiritual trap which leads to depression, oppression, and worse. Self-pity is a SPIRIT.  For some, it is a family spirit which afflicts all members of the family. It torments.  That is why you know it is a spirit, not a reality. 

It will be seen in various manifestations of sadness and sorrow, but also in resentment, anger, and oddly enough, pride.

You can smell it. The spirit of self-pity usually is accompanied by thoughts of "Why doesn't  XYZ love me? I don't deserve this, do I ? "

Bitterness and feelings of mis-treatment will be there too.

All of this MAY indeed BE TRUE.  We are helpless to make anyone love us or even stop mis-treating us.

So... quickly and EARNESTLY forgive. Quickly and earnestly pray blessings upon that troublesome person or situation.

THEN LEAVE IT ALONE, COMMITTING it unto the LORD. DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR of that "room" in your mind again. If it creaks open, SLAM IT SHUT AGAIN in the Name of The LORD JESUS CHRIST.  HE+ can take care of it without your help.

2. RE-DIRECT ALL  THOUGHTS TO THE LORD, magnifying HIM+ and glorying in WHO+ HE+ is.  Bless The LORD out-loud if possible; these tormenting spirits hate to hear thanksgiving and praise. AFFIRM WHO+ JESUS is and His+ great Victory over death, hell, and the grave ... and the satan.

3. REPLACE the tormenting thoughts with The WORD+ of GOD.  Do not necessarily turn to the comforting Scriptures ... yet.  But rather, turn to the AFFIRMATION of WHO+ JESUS is Scriptures.

Try Psalm 24, Psalm 118, to start with. Out-loud is best; tormenting spirits like to block the ears of one's heart. John 14 and John 15 are excellent torment-chasers. They will HAVE TO FLEE as JESUS' Name is being lifted up.

Doing Scriptures out-loud CLEANS THE AIR.  Remember: you are doing Battle with the prince of the power of the AIR.  

For we wrestle not

against flesh and blood,

but against

principalities, against powers,

against the rulers

of the darkness of this world,

against spiritual wickedness

in high places.

Wherefore take unto you

the whole armor of GOD,

that ye may be

able to withstand

in the evil day,

and having done all,

TO STAND.

Ephesians 6:12-13

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LET US PRAY:

Dear Holy, Heavenly FATHER,

We thank YOU for Your LOVE... that LOVE which came through the Cross of JESUS CHRIST.

We thank YOU that by His+ excruciating death, HE+ beat the satan for HIM+ and for us.

We do not mean to doubt Your Great LOVE, O Heavenly FATHER, when we are in the midst of our troubles.

Forgive us for "agreeing with the satan" that we are "unloved" ...  when we feel abandoned, un-loved, rejected, and helpless to change any of our conditions.

Move us from the mental knowledge of Your LOVE to the APPLICATION of it in our lives.  Show us how to have victory over the lies the satan torments us with when we are faced with troubles.

Then we will proclaim Your name and say with the Psalmist:

" I LOVE The LORD  because  HE+ hath heard my voice and my supplications. Therefore will I call upon HIM+ as long as I live. " ( Psalm 116 )

Again and again, in peace, let us pray to the LORD: LORD have mercy,  in the Name of our Beloved SAVIOR+, the LORD JESUS CHRIST...

Who+ lived and died and Behold, HE+ said, I+ am alive forevermore, AMEN, and have the keys of hell and of death... and am seated at the Right Hand of My+ FATHER... and ever liveth to make intercession for you." 

... We pray. Amen and amen. 

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Worthy is the LAMB+.

Worthy is The LAMB+

that was slain.

Worthy is the LAMB+,

Slain from the foundation

of the earth.

Revelation 13:8

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PRAISE and THANKSGIVING

be to The FATHER,

and to His Beloved SON+

JESUS CHRIST,

and to

the Blessed HOLY SPIRIT.

ONE GOD:

FATHER,

SON+,

and HOLY SPIRIT,

both now and forever,

world without end.

Amen.

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