NOT to Destroy But to FULFILL ...

ADVENT MEDITATIONS # 2

2016

JESUS CHRIST / Y'SHU+ the M'SHIKHA+

The Law Incarnate

… versus …

[ "Now I'm saved; I can sin all I want to." ]

GOD FORBID!

+  +  +

Think not that I+ am come

to destroy The Law, 

or the Prophets:

I+ am not come 

to destroy,

BUT TO FULFILL.

+

Words of Our LORD 

Matthew 5:17

+  +  +

Our LORD JESUS / Y'SHU+ spoke clearly and plainly about His+ Mission. After His+ great trial of temptation by the devil in chapter 4 of Matthew, HE+ emerged victoriously to establish the Kingdom of GOD on earth.

Leaving Nazareth, HE+ moved beside the Sea of Galilee, to Capernaum in the districts of Zebulan and Naphtali ( Mt. 4:13-17), thus FULFILLING Isaiah 9:1-2.

Nevertheless

the dimness shall not be 

such as was in her vexation,

when at the first 

HE lightly afflicted

the land of Zebulun 

and the land of Naphtali,

and afterward 

did more grievously afflict her

by the way of the sea,

beyond Jordan, 

in Galilee of the nations.

The people that walked in darkness have seen a Great LIGHT+:

they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death,

upon them hath The LIGHT+ shined.

Isaiah 9: 1-2

The LORD JESUS / Y'SHU+ the M'SHIKHA+ preached repentance and called His+ first disciples to Him+ . 

HE+ healed the sick and great crowds from the surrounding areas flocked to HIM+.  HE began teaching them in the Sermon on the Mount, chapter 5.

Think not 

that I+ am come

to destroy The Law, 

or the Prophets:

I+ am not come 

to destroy,

BUT TO FULFILL.

Mt. 5:17

The LORD honored The LAW. 

HE+ spoke often of its abuses and mis-applications by men, but The Law itself HE+ honored. It revealed His+ own Divine Character and the character of His+ Heavenly FATHER. HE+ was in agreement with it.

In fact,

The LORD JESUS / 

Y'SHU+ the M'SHIKHA+

 expanded   

The Law !

As the MESSIAH / M'SHIKHA, HE+ explained how the keeping of The Law was to GO DEEPER than the Jews' observance of it.

The Law was to be kept in the MOTIVES and inside the hidden places of the heart, where no-one could see ... except GOD. 

HE+ explained this when teaching about lusting after another was ALREADY an act of adultery in the eyes of GOD.

GOD'S standard of right vs wrong did not CHANGE at the advent of CHRIST / the M'SHIKHA+. 

The LORD JESUS 

/ Y'SHU+ the M'SHIKHA+ 

came

to restore GOD'S Law

... in Spirit, this time,  

and in Truth.

+  +  +

Let us pray:

Dear Heavenly FATHER,

Hallowed be Thy Name, O HOLY FATHER, and the Name of Thy HOLY SON+ , The LORD JESUS / Y'SHU+ the M'SHIKHA+. 

I thank THEE+ for Thy Law, for giving forth the Divine Standard of Right, for teaching me what is wrong, and that Thy Standard does not change.

I confess , O LORD, that I am ashamed for the times I have hid sins in my heart, thinking no-one could see me. 

Please forgive me and cleanse me by the BLOOD of Thy Precious SON+. Make me pure through-out. Amen. 

+  +  +

In the Name of 

The FATHER,

Who created us;

And HIS HOLY SON+

JESUS / Y'SHU+ ,

Who+ saves us;

And The 

Blessed HOLY SPIRIT 

/ RUACH ha KADOSH,

Who sanctifies us. 

+  +  +

Pre-PASSOVER Meditation ~ ~ ~ The Right Statutes of The LORD

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.