Showing posts with label Psalm 24. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Psalm 24. Show all posts

3/15/2014

Pre-Passover Meditation ~ ~ ~ But, Whom Do You Say that I+ am ?

Photo Courtesy of Astrophotographer Juan Carlos Casado,
3.10.2014 at 5:30 a.m., published on Spaceweather.com
Saariselka, North Finland
Aurora Borealis
The Invitatory:

CHRIST the KING+ 
has suffered for us; 
O Come, Let us Adore HIM+.

THOU+ art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; for THOU+ wast slain and hast redeemed us to GOD by Thy+ Blood out of every kindred, tongue, people, and nation. 


Old Testament Lesson: Leviticus 18:6-25
Scriptures courtesy of Biblegateway.com

None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I AM The LORD.

The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

Thou shalt NOT uncover the nakedness of: 
 thy father's wife 
 thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, ...
10 thy son's daughter, or of thy daughter's daughter, ...
11  father's wife's daughter, begotten of thy father, 
12  thy father's sister: ...
13  thy mother's sister: ...
14 thy father's brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife: 
15  thy daughter in law: 
16  thy brother's wife: 
17  a woman and her daughter, neither shalt thou take her son's daughter, or her daughter's daughter, 
18 a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life time.


19 Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness.

20 Moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour's wife, to defile thyself with her.

21 And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I AM The LORD.


22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

23 Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.


24 Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you:
25 And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.

QUIETUDE: A time to Reflect about the HOLINESS of GOD and His+ requirement of Holiness of mankind. 

RESPONSE: Psalm 24 

Who is this KING+ of Glory?
The LORD strong and mighty,
The LORD mighty in battle !

Who is this KING+ of Glory? 
The LORD of HOSTS. 
HE+ is the KING+ of Glory! 

Lesson from the Epistles: 1 Peter 1:15-16


 15 But as HE+ Who+ 
has called you is HOLY, 
so be ye holy 
in all manner of life-style;

16 Because it is written, 
Be ye holy; for I AM HOLY.


QUIETUDE: A time to repent.

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: Mark 8:27-29  ~ ~ ~ 
Scriptures courtesy of Biblegateway.com

The Words of Our LORD JESUS CHRIST ~ ~ ~ 


And JESUS went out, and His+ disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way HE+ asked His+ disciples, saying unto them, 

Whom do men say that I+ am?

And they answered, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets.

And HE+ saith unto them, 

But whom say ye that I+ am? 

And Peter answereth and saith unto Him+, 

THOU+ art .... The CHRIST !

+  +  +

The WORD of The LORD.  
THANKS BE TO GOD !

Meditation ~ ~ ~

Whom do you say ... with your life-style, with your values... that The LORD is ? 

We are REQUIRED to walk in ways of Holiness. Holiness is precisely defined throughout Scriptures... doing those things that please GOD.  

Those ways show to the world exactly WHO+ CHRIST JESUS is. We are entrusted with being precise replicas of the character of Our LORD JESUS CHRIST. 

HE+ has shown us EXACTLY what behavior pleases HIM, the HOLY FATHER, and what behaviors are repulsive to Our FATHER Who art in Heaven. 

The laws and rules established in Leviticus and other books of Scripture, both Old and New, define what holiness is, in exact terms, in concrete behaviors.  

The LORD JESUS has NOT changed HIS+ FATHER'S rules!  

Yes, Our LORD fulfilled all the sacrifices listed in Leviticus and other places: the sin offering, the burnt offering, the heave and wave offerings, the grain offering, the peace offering, and the libation offering of wine.

But, His+ Sacrifice did NOT remove from us the necessity for walking in HOLINESS. 

Now, we see, we CAN keep the holy ways of The LORD because of His+ Sacrifice

Yes, because HE+ sacrificed His+ Life for us, we NOW can receive the Blessed HOLY SPIRIT... Who helps us keep those Holy ways of The LORD. 

No longer are they merely a set of ancient rules and regulations put upon HIS people.

Because of Our LORD'S Sacrifice of HIMSELF+, these rules and laws are written on our hearts... 

... or should be.


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, in repentance for casting aside Thy ways.  

Help me to honor THEE, O FATHER, through obedience to Thy SON+ JESUS CHRIST in hallowing Thy Holy Words throughout Scriptures. 

I am sorry I have ignored thy Words. 

I am sorry I have lived by modern "standards" instead of  Thy ways. 

I am so, so sorry I have besmirched the character of THEE in front of the world, Oh my Precious GOD, and Thy Holy SON+ JESUS, Who+ died for me. 

I see and do acknowledge that my ways, society's "standards," and modern morals ( or lack thereof ) are SIN in your eyes, according to Thy Words. 

Cleanse me O LORD, and I shall be clean.  Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. 

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.   


12/28/2008

Day 4 ~~~ Season of the Incarnation




Season of the INCARNATION
Day 4
Year of Our LORD,
12.28.2008

“O ye Gates…”

Lift up your heads, O ye gates;
and be ye lift up,
ye everlasting doors;
and the King+ of Glory shall come in.

Who is this KING+ of Glory?
The LORD strong and mighty,
The LORD mighty in battle.

Lift up your heads,
O ye gates;
even lift them up,
ye everlasting doors;
and the KING+ of Glory shall come in.

Who is this KING+ of Glory?
The LORD of Hosts,
[ of divine, Heavenly Armies]

HE+ is the KING+ of Glory.

Psalm 24:7-10

<(((><
.
.
In the natural realm, GATES are found throughout the Bible. Gates are fortified to open and close to protect a city compound during Old Testament times. Gates are found around animal enclosures, to let the flock in and out. Gates differ from doorways, also. Doorways indicate openings or entrances, but gates indicate barriers in that opening that can be opened or shut, being the only way to get in or out of an area fortified by a wall.
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In Psalm 24, the GATES have heads.
These GATES also are placed at the entrances of the EVERLASTING DOORWAYS. This, of course, brings to mind the GATES of the Heavenly New Jerusalem which comes down out of Heaven as a Bride. Here is a description of these wonderful GATES, from Revelation 21:
.
And had a wall great and high,
and had twelve gates,
and at the gates twelve angels,
and names written thereon,
which are the names
of the twelve tribes
of the children of Israel:
Rev. 21:12
.
.
And the twelve gates were twelve pearls:
every several gate was of one pearl:
and the street of the city was pure gold,
as it were transparent glass.
And I saw no temple therein:
for the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY
and the LAMB are the Temple of it.
Rev. 21:21,22
.
.
.
If these are the gates David refers to in Psalm 24 as the fortified entrances into the Heavenly Jerusalem, then it would stand to reason that the angels at these gates would be the “heads.”
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If, howver, Psalm 24’s gates ALSO refer to something on earth… where Heavenly Armies and the KING+ of Glory will enter… then we can see this type of gate in Genesis 28:10-17. Jacob had a dream or vision. In it, Jacob saw angels ascending and descending a ladder from the earth to Heaven. At the top of the ladder was standing the LORD GOD of Abraham and Isaac. Jacob called that place Bethel, and said, “This is none other but the House of GOD (Beth-el) and this is the GATE OF HEAVEN.”
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From these Scriptures, Old and New, we can see the many ways gates are used in the Bible to indicate natural as well as supernatural places. Our Incarnate LORD came to break open the GATES of HELL/HADES/SHEOL.
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HE+ did that, as we all know, most valiantly.
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But when HE+ returns at His+ SECOND ADVENT, HE+ will OPEN and SHUT supernatural gates which are still in operation today upon this earth and in the heavens.
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Have you ever wondered why some homes, some neighborhoods and towns, some schools and alas, even some churches, have a “dark” or “dirty” feel about them? The people inhabiting these places have opened up themselves to the spirits of sin and darkness and demonic activities. Thus, the GATES are opened in that area to evil beings.
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When the people of The LORD walk in obedience, stay steadfast in prayer, and pick up their cross daily… the gates of that home, town, school, or church are opened to the Host of Heaven.
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So, we REJOICE when we remember the LORD’S Incarnation because it brought forth spiritual victory into the realm of mankind.
.
Lift up your heads,
O ye gates;
even lift them up,
ye everlasting doors;
and the KING+ of Glory
shall come in.
.
.
Who
is this KING+ of Glory?
The LORD of Hosts,
[ of divine, Heavenly Armies]
HE+ is the KING+ of Glory.
.
.
<(((><
.
Bless GOD, FATHER, SON+, and HOLY SPIRIT!
and Blessed be HIS+ Kingdom
forever and ever!
Amen.
+ + +




12/27/2008

Day 3 ~~ Season of the Incarnation

Season of the INCARNATION
Day 3
Year of Our LORD,
12.27.2008

“Lift up your heads…”

Lift up your heads, O ye gates;
and be ye lift up,
ye everlasting doors;
and the King+ of Glory shall come in.

Who is this KING+ of Glory?
The LORD strong and mighty,
The LORD mighty in battle.

Lift up your heads,
O ye gates;
even lift them up,
ye everlasting doors;
and the KING+ of Glory shall come in.

Who is this KING+ of Glory?
The LORD of Hosts,
[ of divine, Heavenly Armies]

HE+ is the KING+ of Glory.

Psalm 24:7-10

<(((><
.
.

“Lift up your heads…” we can feel the marvelous victory of this elated phrase, but do we realize all that it entails?
The word head is ROSH in Hebrew. That word and its related form, RAYSH, appear about 596 times in the Old Covenant (Old Testament), according to William White, Jr.* Yes, it does mean a head of a body, animal, or statue, but it has several other usages in the Hebrew Bible.

Interestingly, to “lift up the head” is a figure of speech used often in the Psalms and indicating an intention to begin a war, the most violent kind of self-assertion, according to Mr. White.

With the coming of Emmanuel, GOD-with-us, The LORD declared war on the kingdom of darkness entrapping the human race. Even more, The LORD declared His means of victory: HIS+ Only-Begotten SON.

That… or more accurately stated, HE+… was HIS weapon of warfare. HE+ was all that was needed to deliver mankind from the traps and lies of the adversary… the same adversary who was walking about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

PEACE, yes, was announced to mankind upon the Birth of JESUS CHRIST, not simply to all men, but rather to all who would respond to His+ invitation to repent and follow HIM+.

But at His+ Birth, WAR was announced to His+ enemies, the enemies of GOD. WAR was announced to the rulers of the darkness of this age and to the keepers of the gates of hell [Hades].

Thus, at the remembrance of His+ Incarnation, we need to remember BOTH of His+ announcements: a promise of WAR and a promise of PEACE. Both promises are a matter of great rejoicing! Both promises are for our benefit. And indeed, we cannot have one without the other.
.
.

Bless GOD,
FATHER, SON+, and HOLY SPIRIT!
Blessed be HIS+ Kingdom
forever and ever!
Amen.
+ + +






*Information about head is from William White Jr., editor of the Hebrew section of W.E. Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, pp. 105-106; Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville; 1996.

12/26/2008

Day 2 ~ Season of the Incarnation




Season of the INCARNATION
Day 2
Year of Our LORD,
12.26.2008



WHO
is this KING+ of Glory?
The LORD strong and mighty,
The LORD mighty in battle.

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a SON+ is given: and the government shall be upon HIS+ shoulder…

Lift up your heads,
O ye gates;
even lift them up,
ye everlasting doors;
and the KING+ of Glory shall come in.

Who is
this KING+ of Glory?

…and HIS+ name shall be called
Wonderful Counsellor…
Emmanuel, GOD with us…

…The mighty GOD…
The LORD of Hosts…


…The everlasting FATHER…
I and my FATHER are One.
John 10:30

…The Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6

Peace
I leave with you,
My+ peace I give unto you:
not as the world giveth, give I unto you.
Let not your heart be troubled,
neither let it be afraid.
John 14:27

Who is
this KING+ of Glory?

The LORD of Hosts,
[of Divine, Heavenly Armies]

JEHOVAH SABBAOTH

HE+ is the KING+ of Glory.

Psalm 24:8-10

Glory be to The FATHER, and to The SON+, and to the HOLY SPIRIT. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, Amen!
+ + +

12/25/2008

Day 1... Season of the Incarnation

Season of the INCARNATION
Day 1
Year of Our LORD,
12.25.2008

Who is this KING+ of Glory?
The LORD strong and mighty,
The LORD mighty in battle.

Lift up your heads,
O ye gates;
even lift them up,
ye everlasting doors;
and the KING+ of Glory shall come in.

Who is this KING+ of Glory?

The LORD of Hosts,
HE+ is the KING+ of Glory.

Psalm 24:8-10
.
.


JOY… yes, true and ever-lasting JOY is slated for us earthlings… for all of us who hear AND RESPOND to HIS+ Invitation to come to the Water of LIFE+.
.
.

Bless GOD,
FATHER, SON+, and HOLY SPIRIT!
Blessed be HIS+ Kingdom
forever and ever!
Amen.
.
.

On this day picked by most of the Christian world (arbitrarily, not historically with any amount of accuracy), we remember the wondrous INCARNATION of Our LORD. GOD’S Only-Begotten SON+ was made flesh and dwelt among us. We never forget that HE+ was born to die… so that we might have life… and that life, more abundantly.
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Bless GOD,
FATHER, SON+, and HOLY SPIRIT!
Blessed be HIS+ Kingdom
forever and ever!
Amen.
.
.


In this, we rejoice with personal joy, the joy that is unspeakable and full of glory! But, as we read this great Psalm 24, we get a picture of His+ global and Heavenly victory. The LORD of Hosts, as HE+ is often referred to in the Old Testament, does NOT mean the LORD of the twinkling stars in space… although HE+ is ruler over them also.

The LORD GOD of SABBAOTH means in Hebrew the LORD of the divine, Heavenly armies.
Who, indeed, will be able to stand when HE+ returns with this mighty host? Recall that just one angel slew 185,000 men when Israel was besieged by Sennacherib of Syria, with no hope for survival (2 Kings 19). [ One night’s work for Him.]

Night is drawing nigh for this earth and the final showdown between The LORD and the powers of darkness is taking shape. We REJOICE to see that HIS+ Day is coming ONCE AGAIN. Even though as long as we are on this earth we must follow our Example+ as meek Lambs of GOD, the LAMB+ will soon return as a Ruling LION ! At that time, HE+ will bring victory over BOTH the earthly kingdom of sin and the spiritual kingdom of darkness. HE+ will rule both with a Rod of Iron.
.
.


Hallelujah! Our GOD reigns!

Bless GOD,
FATHER, SON+, and HOLY SPIRIT!
Blessed be HIS+ Kingdom
forever and ever!
Amen.
+ + +