NOT ASHAMED OF ... US ? ... RESURRECTION WEEK, Day 5 ... MEDITATIONS

Touch ME+ not; I+ am not yet ascended... 

[ The Resurrection Season was not limited to Resurrection Sunday. It lasted until Ascension Day.  This Resurrection "season" was the 40 days and 40 nights the Resurrected LORD JESUS CHRIST  spent with His+ disciples--- in His+ glorified body ---, teaching them things and opening their understanding unto the Scriptures  which told about HIM+. 

These Scriptures, of course, were the Prophets and Patriarchs and Psalms found in the Old Covenant because ... the New had not yet been written. ]

John 20:17

JESUS said unto her

Touch ME+ not;

for I+ am not yet ascended

to My+ FATHER:

but go to My+ brethren,

and say unto them,

I+ ascend

unto My+ FATHER,

and your FATHER;

and to My+ GOD,

and your GOD.

   +  +  +

But we see JESUS,

WHO+ was made

a little lower than the angels

for the suffering of death,

crowned with glory and honor;

that HE+

by the grace of GOD

should taste death for every man.

For it became HIM,

for WHOM are all things,

and by WHOM are all things,

in bringing

many sons unto glory,

to make

the CAPTAIN+ of their Salvation

perfect through sufferings.

For both

HE+ that sanctifieth

and they who are sanctified

are all of one:

for which cause

HE+ is not ashamed

to call them Brethren.

HEBREWS 2:9- 11

+  +  +

MEDITATION

HE+ is not ashamed of us ? 

How can that be ?

HE+ is not ashamed of us ? …  who whine and murmur, groan and complain through-out our day ?

HE+ is not ashamed of us ? … who are so concerned about our own family's salvation but do not have time to concern ourselves about the salvation of strangers ... whether they be nearby or across the sea ?

HE+ is not ashamed of us ? … who refuse to don a head-covering ( 1 Cor. 11) , who refuse to forsake looking like the world, talking like the world, and behaving like the world ?

HE+ is not ashamed of us ? …   who are too tired and busy to stop our day to come before HIM+ ... in humility and thanksgiving ?

NO, rather...  the truth of the matter is this:  

HE+ is NOT ASHAMED

of those…

who are NOT ASHAMED

of HIM+.

Those who confess HIM+ before the  hidden, Unseen Watchers and put to chase the spirits of Self, complaining, and grumbling … HE+ is openly not ashamed of these Blood-washed Believers.

Those who make a sacrifice of thanksgiving and with determination maintain their trust in HIM+ to utterly conduct their affairs as HE+ sees fit --- even when adversity arrives --- HE+ is unreservedly not ashamed of these Faithful ones who lift HIM+ up in their hearts.

Those who care about the dying souls who have never heard the Word+ of GOD or those who care about the many souls who have never understood clearly the CHOICE between Eternal Life and Eternal Damnation... HE+ is joyously not ashamed of these Laborers in His+ Kingdom.

Those Followers who have forsaken the world, its ways, and ALL of its values and have maintained a distinct separation... so distinct that the worldlings may see at a glance a glimmer of the Essence of GOD... ah, no, HE+ is definitely not ashamed of these Separated ones who follow HIM+ boldly and unashamedly !

Those who pay the price that the world exacts on those who REFUSE to allow "the requirements" to absorb their entire life's energy --- for a job, a career, for fine housing and all the amenities of this life --- in order to have SOME QUALITY energy to devote to CHRIST JESUS ... YES ! HE+ is delightedly not ashamed of these Single-of-Eye Followers. 

For both

HE+ that sanctifieth

and they who are sanctified

are all of one:

for which cause

HE+ is not ashamed

to call them Brethren.

Are we His+ Brethren ? 

Yes, we are ... when we live in ONENESS with Our LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Both a babe in CHRIST and a mature Follower of JESUS can live in ONENESS with CHRIST ... if that Follower determines to do so.

It is simply a matter of priorities.  

When we yield our lives unto His+ rule, HE+ sanctifies us daily.

HE+ is NOT ASHAMED 

of those HE+ sanctifies.

Furthermore, HE+ confesses us as "His+ Brethren" before Our FATHER WHO art in Heaven, hallowed be HIS Name, and before His+ Holy Angels.

+  +  +

Let us pray...

Dear Heavenly FATHER,

We are not ashamed of Thy+ Holy SON+ JESUS CHRIST !

We are not ashamed of HIM+ before our family, before our relatives, before our neighbors and friends. 

And we are not ashamed of JESUS CHRIST before our enemies... both visible and invisible.

Help us to STAND for JESUS in the inner man when the fear of the face of man raises its ugly head. 

Help us to STAND for JESUS in the inner man in spite of our aching bodies and hurting hearts.

Help us to STAND for JESUS in the inner man in the face of  adversities... knowing YOU are working in us a far greater maturity in CHRIST.

We thank THEE , O CHRIST, for calling us Thy+ "brethren."  Fit us for this calling, as only YOU+ can do.

For Thy+ Glory we pray this, O LORD, through the Name of JESUS CHRIST, our Risen LORD and SAVIOR.  Amen.

+  +  +

I+ am the resurrection,

and the life:

 he that believeth in ME+,

though he were dead,

yet shall he live:

And whosoever liveth

and believeth in ME+

shall never die.

Believest thou this?

Yes, LORD, I+ believe

 that THOU+ art the CHRIST,

the SON+ of GOD,

 WHO+ should come into the world.

+  +  +

That Ye Might BELIEVE.... RESURRECTION WEEK ... Day 3 ... ETERNAL LIFE or ETERNAL DAMNATION ?

ETERNAL LIFE 

 The Resurrection Season was not limited to Resurrection Sunday. It lasted until Ascension Day.  This Resurrection "season" was the 40 days and 40 nights the Resurrected LORD JESUS CHRIST  spent with His+ disciples, coming and going among them --- in His+ glorified body ---, teaching them things and opening their understanding unto the Scriptures  which told about HIM+. 

( See Luke 24:27,  Luke 24:44-45,  Mark 16:20, Acts 1:3. )

These Scriptures, of course, were the Prophets and Patriarchs and Psalms found in the Old Covenant because ... the New had not yet been written. 

... That Ye Might Believe ............

But these things have been written,

in order that ye might believe

 that JESUS is the CHRIST,

the SON+ of GOD;

and that believing,

LIFE

ye might have 

through His+ Name.

John 20:31

 *** Literal Greek

+  +  +

MEDITATION

All the flurry of events recorded in the Gospel accounts of when the Followers of JESUS first saw HIM+ in His+ glorified Body --- including the crucifixion scars --- were recorded for one purpose: THAT WE ALL MIGHT BELIEVE IN JESUS.
 

Now,  BELIEVE ... that particular Greek verb is a familiar word,  pisteu0 # 4100 in Strong's.

It normally is translated as "believe." It means to credit with faith or to trust. 

Let's replace "believe" with "trust" in this verse.

But these things have been written,

in order that ye might

TRUST

that JESUS is the CHRIST,

the SON+ of GOD;

and that TRUSTING,

ye might have

 LIFE

through His+ Name.

Thus, these accounts were recorded so that we might TRUST that JESUS is the REAL CHRIST Who+ was to come into the world.

Now, let's look at another familiar verse , the last verse in the third chapter of John, verse 3:36.

He that believes [ TRUSTS]

on the SON+

has everlasting life:

and [but]

he that believes  not

[ DISOBEYS]  the  SON+

shall not see LIFE;

but [ contrariwise]

the wrath of GOD

abides on him.

Here, then, is a major, MAJOR problem with the translation.

There are two DIFFERENT Greek words used for "believe," but the KJV translators reduced them down to one common word.  

That was MOST unfortunate. The Christian world has paid dearly for that verse's errors.

 [ NOTE: The Aramaic-Syriac Peshitta agrees with the Greek text, both quite early. It seems the KJV translators followed the Latin Vulgate text for this one verse. Why, I do not know. --- sjh ] 

Because the translators were not completely honest in their translating, many, many souls have relegated their walk with GOD to a mere mental "agreement" to an historical event.

By accepting the ERRORS, for instance, a reader might think that BELIEVING was a mental exercise... sort of like agreeing with the FACT of an historical event, that the event took place.  For instance, we believe that Napoleon lived and led his people into wars.  

That is a mental belief, based on trust-worthy historical records.  It requires NO CHANGE OF HEART to accept that as a true fact even though we who are alive now did not experience the Napoleonic wars.

No change of heart is required as long as one holds to the "correct" doctrines, yes ?

NO.  Absolutely NOT.  A change of heart is required. 

Belief is NOT a mere mental agreement to an historical fact or a set of doctrines.

In Scripture the pisteu0 word entails a TRUSTING of one's Self to JESUS CHRIST. That act goes far beyond a mental acceptance as a "belief."

This kind of believing is made effective ONLY BY EXPERIENCE, only when we actively ARE entrusting our lives unto HIM+.

The second word is apeithe0. That is the second "believe (not) " found in John 3:36. 

Now this word is scary ! This verse is terrifying, if read in the Greek.  

This "believe (not)" literally means " to refuse to be persuaded"... and that means "obstinately and willfully refusing GOD'S will even when one knows it."  It means being stubborn... stubbornly un-accepting  GOD'S Truth even though one  KNOWS  HE+  is  right.    

ETERNAL DAMNATION

For that person, the WRATH of GOD abides on ---  remains on ---  sits on him.  He cannot turn to the left hand nor to the right without running head-long into the wrath of GOD.

But these things have been written,

in order that ye might

TRUST

that JESUS is the CHRIST,

the SON+ of GOD;

and that TRUSTING,

ye might have

LIFE

through His+ Name.

+  +  +

Let Us Pray...

O Gracious Heavenly FATHER,

I come to THEE in trembling for all the persons I know who are willfully obstinate in their refusal to bend the knee to THEE and to Thy SON+, The RISEN LORD JESUS.

Grant me, I beseech THEE, an anointing to reach these lost, lost souls for THEE.

Help me to pray with Thine Anointing.

Let the fire of Thy SPIRIT go forth, so that not by might nor by power, but by Thy SPIRIT may their yoke of hardness be broken, O LORD, that they may be saved from facing Thy wrath.

We know, O Merciful FATHER, that it is Thy desire that all should turn and be saved and come to the knowledge of the TRUTH+.   For  it is written,  Turn ye, Turn ye, at MY Reproof, for why will ye die ?  

Therefore, we ask these things in the Name of Thy Beloved SON+ our Risen and Glorified LORD JESUS CHRIST. Amen.

+  +  +

I+ am the resurrection, and the life:

 he that believeth in ME+,

though he were dead,

yet shall he live:

And whosoever liveth

and believeth in ME+

shall never die.

Believest thou this?

Yes, LORD, I+ believe

 that THOU+ art the CHRIST,

the SON+ of GOD,

 WHO+ should come into the world.

+  +  +