EMMANUEL ... INCARNATION MEDITATIONS 2015... for the Monastic-At-Heart

The WORD+ Made Flesh... The Long-Awaited Incarnation... The EMMANUEL+

JOY to the world!

The LORD has COME!

Let Heaven and nature sing!

And the WORD+ was made Flesh,

and dwelt among us,

(and we beheld His+ Glory,

the Glory as of

 The Only-Begotten

of THE FATHER,)

full of grace and truth.

John 1:14

This HOLY ONE+ of Israel Who+ descended into human flesh through the Hebrew virgin Mariam came as EMMANUEL+ ... GOD-With-Us.

This is what EMMANUEL+ means, in application, for mankind.

Through JESUS ... and through HIM+ alone ... are we invited to know The FATHER.

No other entrance exists for mankind to come unto Our FATHER, hallowed be HIS Name, Who is in HEAVEN.

No other Way is open for mankind to COME unto Our FATHER, except through HIS Appointed MESSIAH+.

There is only one TRUTH+.  This is that ONE TRUTH+ given to mankind through EMMANUEL+ :

Neither is there salvation

in any other:

for there is none other name

under Heaven

given among men,

whereby we must be saved.

Acts 4:12

In JESUS, and in JESUS alone, is the Life. That LIFE is the LIGHT of men... the only Life of men.

That LIFE is the TRUE Light; none other exists for mankind.

This is WHO+  EMMANUEL+ is, for  mankind.   

Let us Pray:

Dear Heavenly FATHER,  we praise and glorify Thy Holy Name and the Name of  Thy Holy SON+ JESUS CHRIST, the Word+ Made Flesh Who+ dwelt among us.

We magnify THEE. We worship THEE for Thy Great Glory.

LORD JESUS, O LIGHT of the world, we bow down before THEE+ to be filled with Thy+ Presence.

Glorify Thy+ Name in us as we glorify Thy+ Name here on earth.

Holy art THOU+, O CHRIST; Holy is Thy+ Name, O EMMANUEL+,

Both now and forever, ONE GOD: FATHER, SON+ , and HOLY SPIRIT,  world without end to the ages of the ages. Amen

The PORTRAYED ONE+ ... Advent Meditations 2015

THAT PROPHET + .... HIM+ YE WILL HEAR ! 

Very early in the ancient writings, Scripture  portrays our Coming MESSIAH+, The LORD JESUS CHRIST, in power and authority.

That  PROPHET+....

... HIM+ ye will hear!

Deuteronomy 18:13-15

 Thou shalt be perfect 

with The LORD thy God.

For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy GOD hath not suffered thee so to do.

The LORD thy GOD will raise up unto thee a PROPHET+ from the midst of thee, 

of thy brethren like me; 

unto HIM+ ye shall hearken;

Deuteronomy 18: 18-19

I will raise them up a PROPHET+ 

from among their brethren, 

like unto thee [ Moses ],

and will put MY Words in HIS+ mouth;

and HE+ shall speak unto

them all that I shall command HIM+.

19 And it shall come to pass,

that whosoever will not hearken

unto MY Words

which HE+ shall speak in MY Name,

I will require it of him.

{8085} [m"v; — shama`, shaw-mah'; a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience)...

The Jews sought out John the Baptist to inquire of him why he was baptizing.

It seems that they were well aware of Who+ THAT PROPHET+ was Whose+ coming was imminent.

John 1:19-21

19 And this is the record of John,

when the Jews sent priests and Levites 

from Jerusalem to ask him,

Who art thou?

20 And he confessed,

and denied not; but confessed,

I am not the CHRIST.

21 And they asked him,

What then? Art thou Elijah?

And he saith, I am not.

Art thou THAT PROPHET+ ?

And he answered,

NO !

John 1:29

 The next day John sees JESUS

coming unto him,

and says,

Behold 
the LAMB+ of GOD,

WHO+ takes away

the sin of the world !

Let us pray:

O, Holy LAMB+ of GOD, WHO+ takes away the sin of the world, have mercy upon me.

Many times, O LORD, I have not heeded  THY+ call.  Many times. O LORD, I have ignored  THY+ Word.  I have no excuse, if THOU+ shouldest examine me.

Help me to walk softly before THEE+. Help me to listen for THY+ direction and to stop my Self, my head-strong will, and my mouth.

I renounce my self-will now and turn to THEE+.  With all of my heart, O CHRIST, I come to THEE+. 

Wilt THOU+ come to me ?

Yes, My+ child. Learn to listen to My+ Voice in everything you do. Go softly now, not head-strong, and await My+ direction even in little things.

Come unto ME+, follow MY+ leading, and My+ Will  gives  you rest and joy. For, My+ yoke is easy and My+ burden is light for everyone who forsakes his own will and follows ME+.

All glory, honor, and power be unto HIM+ that sitteth upon the Throne and unto The LAMB+ !  

Amen and Amen.  

The InCarnated LIGHT

.  .  .  has dawned upon Mankind.  

Advent Meditations 2014

JOY to the WORLD ! 

In HIM+ was LIFE;  

and the LIFE was the LIGHT of Men.  

And the LIGHT shineth in darkness

and the darkness comprehended it not. 

PUT ON THE ARMOUR OF LIGHT+ ! 

O Children, why walk ye longer in darkness ? 

Why have ye not cast off the works of the flesh, of sin, of the devil that are clinging to you and making you non-effective ?   

Do ye not know there is a battle RAGING for your souls, and for the souls of all men?  

Have I+ not given you MY+ LIVING, power-filled Blood to cleanse you of yourself and to grant you power to deliver others  ?

Why have ye not renounced the hidden works of darkness? 

The night is FAR spent, the day is at hand;  let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armour of LIGHT.

Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.  Romans 13:12-13

Not in rioting ~ ~ ~ Do not run with the crowd and do anything that the natural-minded crowd does, even if they are church-attenders; stay away for your own safety. 

Not in drunkenness ~ ~ ~   Do not  drink the same cup of "spiritual" spirit-water that the natural-minded drink, even if they are decent fellows, neighbors, or relatives. Their water is poisoned. It will not refresh you.

Not in chambering ~ ~ ~ Do not lay about with worldlings, mingling your seed with theirs, in ANY and in EVERY sense of the word.  If you lay with the world, you will be one body with THEM; I+ will cast you from ME+. 

Not in wantonness ~ ~ ~ Do not do excess of anything. Do NOT toss off limitations in any area of your life. Stay sober; you have no license to indulge in gluttony... of any sort whatsoever. 

Not in strife ~ ~ ~  Do not concern yourself with "your civil rights."  As followers of ME+, you have NO CIVIL rights. . . in any land.  Those who do not know this will find this out shortly, like many others of My+ children. 

Focus rather on living TOTALLY for ME+; I+ will then be able to use you against the powers of darkness swarming the habitable world now.

Not in envying ~ ~ ~  Bury it ! Put it to death ! Temporal things are just that: temporary !  They are worse than temporary; they hinder you from walking in My+ Spirit. They hinder you from hearing My+ Voice. Casting your eye upon the things of this world makes you useless and ineffectual in My+ Kingdom.  

Come OUT OF HER, My+ people and touch not the unclean thing.  

PUT ON THE ARMOUR OF LIGHT+  !

Let us cast off the dark works through the Blood of JESUS CHRIST, WHO+ was born to set us free from these yokes of darkness.  

.
Such BLOOD !  

Such LIGHT ! 

   Such LOVE !
.  

BE PREPARED TO PAY 
FOR YOUR CONVICTIONS.
.

O Gracious SAVIOR+ , WHO+ came to over-come darkness, prepare me to stand for THEE+ in the time of trial, in the time of darkness. Let Thy+ Light rest upon me in this dark and dying world, so that in Thy+ LIGHT+, we may see LIGHT+ . Strengthen me with Thy+ Divine Body and Blood, so that dying, I may live with THEE+; and by living, I may die for THEE+, 

O Holy JESUS.

Amen.

+ + + 

Pre-PASSOVER MEDITATION ~ ~ ~ BEHOLD, the TREE+

Photo by The ORDER OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD+
Our GOD reigns from the Tree. 

The Invitatory: 

CHRIST our MEDIATOR+ 

ever liveth 

to make intercession for us; 

O Come, Let us Adore HIM+.

  

Old Testament Lesson: Exodus 15:21-26 

Scriptures courtesy of Biblegateway.com

And Miriam answered them, 

Sing ye to the LORD, 

for HE hath triumphed gloriously; 

the horse and his rider hath 

HE thrown into the sea.

So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, 

and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; 

and they went three days in the wilderness, 

and found no water.

And when they came to Marah, 

they could not drink of the waters of Marah, 

for they were bitter: 

therefore the name of it was called Marah.

And the people murmured against Moses, saying, 

What shall we drink?

And he cried unto the LORD; 

and the LORD shewed him a TREE 

which when he had cast into the waters,

the waters were made sweet:

there HE made for them a statute 

and an ordinance, 

and there HE proved them,

And said,

If .  .  .

thou wilt diligently hearken 

to the voice of the LORD THY GOD, 

and wilt do that which is right in HIS sight, 

and wilt give ear to HIS commandments, 

and keep all HIS statutes, 

I will put none of these diseases upon thee, 

which I have brought upon the Egyptians: 

for I AM the LORD that healeth thee.

QUIETUDE: 

A time to Reflect about the 

TREE+ that made the bitter sweet.

RESPONSE: 

HOLY is The LAMB+. 

HOLY is The LAMB+. 

HOLY is The LAMB+ that was slain,

Blessing , glory, honor and power 

be unto HIM that sitteth upon the Throne

and unto The LAMB+ 

Amen. 

Lesson from the Epistles: 2 Corinthians 4:6-10

 Scriptures courtesy of Biblegateway.com

For GOD, WHO commanded the Light 

to shine out of darkness, 

hath shined in our hearts, 

to give the light of the knowledge 

of the glory of God 

in the face of JESUS CHRIST.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, 

that the excellency of the power 

may be of GOD and not of us.

We are troubled on every side, 

yet not distressed; 

we are perplexed, 

but not in despair; 

Persecuted, but not forsaken; 

cast down, but not destroyed; 

Always bearing about in the body 

the dying of the LORD JESUS, 

that the life also of JESUS 

might be made manifest

in our body.

QUIETUDE: A time to repent of complaining and murmuring about "our lot" in life. 

RESPONSE:  

LORD JESUS CHRIST,LAMB+ of GOD, 

Who+ taketh away the sin of the world,

have mercy upon us.

LORD JESUS CHRIST, LAMB+ of GOD,

BEARER+ of our sins, 

have mercy upon us.

LORD JESUS CHRIST, LAMB+ of GOD, 

SAVIOR+ of the world,

grant us Thy+ Peace.

AMEN.

The GOSPEL Lesson: John 1:29

The next day John saw JESUS coming toward him and said, 

"Behold! 

The LAMB+ of GOD 

Who+ taketh away 

the sin of the world!"

The WORD of The LORD.  

THANKS BE TO GOD !

Meditation ~ ~ ~

Every heart knows sorrow and bitterness. Some sorrows come from the natural consequences of our own choices; some from the choices of others which affect our life in a troublesome and difficult way. 

Some sorrowful conditions we cannot avoid throughout life, like the loss of a limb, the loss of a child or spouse, or the loss of health.

When bitterness about our condition descends upon our hearts, it only deepens the sorrow. We must look for the TREE+ which changes that bitterness into something sweet.

That TREE+ is the Cross of JESUS. 

HE+ turns all sorrow and all suffering into something sweet, if we cast that Cross of HIS+ into the midst of our troubles and hurts. HE+ is able to turn the bitterness of life into blessings ... for us, for all those around us.... if we continually bring the situation hurting our hearts to HIM+ for His+ Touch.

And the key is this: BEHOLD, The LAMB+ of GOD. We are not told to look at ourselves or even at our problems and trials. 

We are instructed to look at the LAMB+of GOD and pray without ceasing!  

If we neglect to do those two things, then we will surely stumble into sin simply from the pain of the situation.

Our words will be sharp, our patience short. 

Our judgment will be irrational, and our decisions will be fraught with error. Fear and frustration will enter in as the mistakes mount up.  

And bitterness will continue to grow.

Self-pity will rear its ugly head and INCREASE the bitterness even more. 

We try to drown our sorrows and bitterness in a bottle of alcohol... or soda pop. We eat more chocolate and sweets than we ought. We go on shopping binges and NEVER stay home... or stay quiet when we are there. 

Busyness, food, social interactions, even ministry, DOES NOT TAKE AWAY sorrow nor does it deal with bitterness. 

Only coming unto The LAMB+ will heal us... laying it all down at HIS+ feet. Yielding to His+ will... and living to please HIM+, from now on, will bring healing to our souls. 

Just as the Word says. 

Let us pray: 

O Gracious Heavenly FATHER, in the Name of Thy HOLY SON+ JESUS CHRIST,  WHO+ for the joy that was set before HIM+ endured the Cross, I come to THEE, full of hurts and wounds, sorrows and bitterness.

Dear LORD, I have not run to Thy+ Cross when I am upset, angry, or hurt. THOU+ knowest  I have avoided dealing with my un-changeable situation in a Spiritual manner, and I have ignored your invitation to "COME to YOU" with it all. 

Help me to trust THEE+ to navigate me through these dark waters and dark days. 

And I am so sorry for complaining and murmuring about my situation ... to you, to others, and always in my heart. 

Change me by Thy+ Holy power. Help me to be thankful for the Cross+ in my life; I know it will draw me to THEE+... if I embrace it as I ought.

This I pray in The Name of  JESUS CHRIST our LORD, The Eternal SON+ and WORD+ of GOD our FATHER, through the Blessed HOLY SPIRIT. 

Amen.