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| Aurora Borealis / Northern Lights Year of Our LORD 3.4.2014 at 5:52 p.m. Tromso, Norway, Photo by Harald Albrigtsen Courtesy of spaceweather.com |
The Invitatory:
CHRIST the KING+
Ever Reigns on HIGH;
O Come,
Let us Adore HIM+.
Old
Testament Lesson: Psalm 19: 1-3, 7- 8
Scriptures
courtesy of Biblegateway.com
The Heavens declare the glory of GOD;
and the
firmament sheweth his handywork.
Day
unto day uttereth speech,
and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
There
is no speech nor language,
where their voice is not heard.
+ + +
The LAW of the LORD is perfect,
converting the soul:
the testimony of the LORD is sure,
making wise the simple
The STATUTES of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart:
the commandment of
the LORD is pure,
enlightening the eyes.
QUIETUDE:
A time to Reflect about His HOLINESS.
RESPONSE:
Holy, holy, holy, LORD GOD of Sabaoth;
Heaven and earth are full of Thy Glory;
Glory be to THEE, O LORD MOST HIGH.
Blessed is HE+ that Cometh
in the Name of The LORD.
Hosanna in the Highest.
Amen.
2nd Lesson from the Old Testament: Leviticus 19: 1-3, 32
Scriptures courtesy of Biblegateway.com
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak
unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them,
Ye shall
be HOLY:
for I the LORD your GOD am HOLY.
~ ~ ~
Ye
shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep MY sabbaths: I am the
LORD your
GOD.
~ ~ ~
32 Thou
shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and
fear thy GOD: I am the LORD.
QUIETUDE:
A time to repent for my lack of holiness in life-style, my lack of holiness before The LORD.
RESPONSE:
Scriptures courtesy of Biblegateway.com
Psalm 51
Against THEE, THEE only, have I sinned, and done this
evil in Thy sight: that THOU mightest be justified when THOU speakest, and be
clear when THOU judgest.
Create in me a clean heart, O GOD; and renew a right
spirit within me.
Cast
me not away from Thy presence; and take not Thy HOLY SPIRIT from me.
AMEN.
The GOSPEL
Lesson: Matthew 5:17
Scriptures courtesy of Biblegateway.com
The Words of Our
LORD JESUS CHRIST ~ ~ ~
Think not that am come to destroy the law, or the
prophets: I+ am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
+ + +
The WORD of The LORD.
THANKS BE TO GOD !
+ + +
Meditation
~ ~ ~
The LORD JESUS CHRIST fulfilled the Law by being the perfect sacrifice, acceptable to The FATHER, for our sins.
As HE+ lives ... and REIGNS ... in our hearts, HE+ helps us keep the other commandments and statutes (laws) of GOD ... that is, those things The LORD GOD orders humans to do to walk well-pleasing unto HIM.
His Laws become "written in our hearts" now... if ... if .... if .... we live to please JESUS The LORD.
To do the opposite of those Laws constitutes sin.
As we work our way through Leviticus during this mediation, let us ask ourselves:
Do we DO
those things written
that GOD takes pleasure in ?
For instance, let's look at ONE SIMPLE commandment written in the LAW, from Leviticus 19:32.
Do we rise up before the hoary ( white-headed) man?
Do we teach our children to rise up before the elderly?
How many years has it been since we have witnessed such outward respect towards an elderly person?
What is the problem with keeping this simple and easy commandment of The LORD?
The problem is this:
- We do not lay to heart the Word of The LORD.
- We do not lay to heart the keeping of HIS Commandments.
- We do not lay to heart the importance of doing those things HE has told us plainly and clearly to do.
How much louder
must HE speak
to let us know
HE means what HE says ...
and says what HE means ?
Yes, the Heavens DO DECLARE the Glory of GOD.
Do we ?
HE Who made those fantastic Northern Lights that move and undulate and crackle with frightening intensity in the Heavens, also made rules to be followed by mankind.
Those rules are for our benefit, to keep the human race safe from destruction by the enemy ! The rules teach us WHAT CONSTITUTES "holy" living before GOD, our LORD and our Maker.
What about "Grace?"
Isn't "Grace" all that is needed
to please GOD ?
Isn't "Grace" enough ?
Grace is what GOD gives to us; it is NOT how we serve HIM+.
Grace is NOT an excuse to neglect a HOLY walk.
Enough "Grace?" Yes, we have ENOUGH Grace from GOD to enable us to walk in His ways.
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let
us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting HOLINESS in the fear of GOD. 2 Cor. 7:1,
courtesy of Biblegateway.com
Let us
pray:
Gracious Heavenly FATHER, I have sinned against THEE even while saying I was following JESUS!
I repent with all of my heart for setting my own "standard" of righteousness... instead of following Your rules and laws in my heart and in my behavior.
O LORD, You clearly marked out in Your Word the way I should walk, to be well-pleasing unto You. I have not laid Your Words to heart.
Forgive me for following the ways of this world instead of the ways of HOLINESS that You have instructed me to do in Your Word.
Cleanse me, and I shall be clean. Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.
Create in me a clean, clean heart and renew a right spirit within me, O LORD.
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.
