to receive power and riches
and wisdom and strength and honor
and glory and blessing !
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During this season of the preparation for the GREAT PASSOVER of The LAMB+ of GOD, all serious-minded Christians clean house. We search our hearts for the leaven of the world that has crept in unawares. We search our hearts for the leaven of Self-will that has insidiously re-established itself in our lives. In doing this, we honor The LORD JESUS CHRIST, for HE+ was GOD of the Old Testament as well as GOD of the new, The LIVING WORD+ made flesh Who+ dwells among us.
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In the Old Testament, The LORD instructed the Israelites to carry a paddle with them in the wilderness. It was to bury their waste products, so that it would be "clean" when HE walked among them (Dt. 23:13-14). In addition, HE instructed them to rid their dwellings of leaven during the Passover season. They assiduously did this because... NOT TO DO IT MEANT THAT THEY WOULD BE CUT OFF FROM THE PROMISES GIVEN TO ISRAEL (Ex. 12:15).
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Likewise, we must do the same today.
We must make our camp during our earthly sojourn clean,
both from "waste" products ~ what comes out of us ~
and
from what is taken inside of us, what we "eat."
Some like to reinforce both the purging and the consumption
by a strict or restricted form of eating, disciplining the flesh.
It is quite fruitful and very Scriptural to bring the flesh
under submission to the HOLY SPIRIT in this manner.
SOME have found this to be so VERY fruitful
that they have made this a Way of Life.
It draws them closer to The LORD.
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So, where do we want to go ... closer or farther from The LORD?
If we want to come closer to HIM+ [and we are not currently being persecuted and tortured for knowing HIM+] , we must practice a disciplining of our flesh in order to accomplish the goal to draw closer to CHRIST JESUS Our LORD.
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During this season, we refrain from saying "glory" and "HalleluJAH" or "AlleluJAH." We substitute instead: "Worthy, Worthy is The LAMB+ that was slain! " We substitute, "Blessed be GOD: FATHER, SON+, and HOLY SPIRIT, and Blessed be HIS+ Kingdom, both now and forever, Amen" for the Gloria Patri. To replace the HalleluJAHs, we say instead: "Bless GOD!" These are little disciplines which serve to remind us of the great sacrifice of Our SAVIOR+ for the sins of the whole world... specifically, ours.
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Let us pray:
O LORD our GOD, we say we want to walk with THEE+... but we shy away from Self-denial. Help us to value TRUTH so much that we will embrace the discipline, the cross, in order to come closer to HIM+ Who+ is all Truth, Thy Beloved SON+ JESUS CHRIST, The ONE+ Who+ denied HIMSELF+ even HIS+ life's blood in order to give us Life Eternal. Help us to deny our Selves and show us the right way to do it. In the Holy name of Our LORD JESUS we pray. Amen.
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