TURN Ye...

For lo,

they that are far

from THEE+

shall perish:

THOU hast destroyed

all them that

go a whoring*

from THEE+.

Psalm 73:27

"A-whoring" means when you have a husband

and yet cleave unto other menfolk

in a defiling manner.

The Bride of CHRIST ought not to be a whore.

The Bride of The LAMB+ must not

defile the marriage covenant.

+ + +

the PATHS of The LORD...

All

the paths

of The LORD

are

mercy

and

truth

unto such as keep

His+ Covenant

and His+ Testimonies.

Psalm 25: 10

Yes, this is true. We keep His+ Covenant daily by performing the vows of our baptism. Daily we work out the application of our renouncements of :

• the world
• the flesh
• and the devil...

and all his tormenting lies that tell us

to believe him instead of Our LORD JESUS CHRIST,

blessed be HIS+ Name, forever and ever.

His+ Testimonies should be on our lips and tongues, daily. We praise HIM+ when things work out nicely for us. We give HIM+ the praise and glory due unto His+ name.

We DO NOT SHARE His+ glory with natural-minded ways and means... in other words, we do NOT give glory unto mankind and his ways but always, always we return the true thanksgiving and praise unto The LORD for making things to work out properly... making the cars to operate well, the machinery to work right, the medicines to be effective, etc.

We DO NOT DIMINISH His+ praise, though, when things go awry.

HE+ is LORD AND MASTER of this universe. HE+ does NOT turn a deaf ear to our problems and heart-aches. Rather, HE+ expects us to

continue to affirm

Who+ HE+ IS

and was

and evermore shall be

in the face of the struggles besetting us day by day.

<)))><

O LORD our GOD,

THOU+ Who+ loveth mankind,

we praise THEE+ with all that is within in us.

We bless Thy Holy Name and

Thy Son, JESUS CHRIST ,

Ruler of the Universe,

to Whom+ every knee shall bow...

of beings in the Heavens,

of beings on the earth,

and beings under the earth.

We bow the knee of our heart,

LORD GOD,

and yield our lives unto THEE+,

Who+ art worthy of praise at all times.

We pray, do THOU+ accept

the free-will offering of our hearts,

unto the praise and glory

of Thy Holy Name.

Amen.

+ + +

LENTEN MEDITATION 28 ~~~ Iniquity of My Sin

Lenten Meditation 28 ~ ~ ~The Iniquity of My Sin
for the Year of Our LORD, 3.4.2008

I acknowledge my sin unto THEE+,
and mine iniquity have I not hid.
I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD;
and THOU+ forgavest the iniquity of my sin.
Psalm 32:5




Gross injustice and wickedness… is the definition of iniquity.
An offense against GOD… is the definition of sin from Webster’s[1].
The violation of Divine law, going out of bounds or limits…
is the definition of transgression.




Our sin is a stench in His+ nostrils.

Furthermore, The LORD does not play “favorites” among His+ children. When we come to grips with this truth, we develop a healthy fear of The LORD: what HE+ has done to others who did not take His+ Word seriously, HE+ will do to us. The same standard is put upon each one of us and that standard does not bend. This standard is CHRIST JESUS and His+ Holiness… without which no man shall see The LORD.



Acknowledging our sin pleases The LORD. Admitting that our offenses are always done against HIM+, even if others are involved, is truth. As soon as we are aware… as soon as conviction falls upon us for serving Self… we do not run AWAY from GOD but rather run UNTO the LORD.

We do not hide our sin nor do we cloak it with an excuse. We simply and honestly admit it. The LORD knows what we’ve done anyhow; it is from ourselves that we are hiding it or dissimulating.

Thus, admitting our sin is the first step. Then we must go one step further and recognize our iniquity, our lack of innocence, in what we have done or thought.

Our iniquity shows itself when we know better, but go ahead anyhow and do things that are wrong. When we persist in holding opinions contrary to HIS+ word, this constitutes gross wickedness because stubbornness is as the sin of iniquity and idolatry. (I Sam. 15:23)

We have all tasted the loving-kindness of Our Savior. When we refuse to issue that same forgiveness and loving-kindness to others who have offended us, we are in trouble with GOD HIMSELF. (See the prayer The LORD taught His+ disciples when they asked HIM+, “Lord, teach us how to pray.” Luke 11). We have transgressed His+ Holy law of forgiveness… to forgive as CHRIST has forgiven us.

We simply cannot afford to sin against GOD. We cannot afford to practice stubbornness in any area. We cannot afford to excuse ourselves when we persist in our own thinking regardless of what The WORD of GOD says plainly.


HE+ will richly pardon and forgive us if we come clean before HIM+. HE+ will forgive, not only the sin itself, but also the presumption, the stubbornness, the taking advantage of His+ Grace and the violation of His+ Person… when we confess our sin and the iniquity underneath our foul behavior.


But, be careful. GOD cannot be tricked nor mocked.

Even honest confession and admittance of sin can be perverted by our deceitful, human hearts. Here is a true story. One man defiled his marriage bed by bringing other women into the place reserved for his wife. After many struggles, a divorce ensued. In time, this wayward man grew lonely for more stability, a home with a decent wife, and his children. So, he repented and wanted to “return home.” Yes, his repentance was for destroying the marriage and sinning against his wife and children.

But unfortunately, he only wanted the home to be regained for himself. He did not want The LORD JESUS to rule his life nor did he want to promise to abstain from affairs. This is not true repentance. This is expediency. He was ready to make only the outward changes to remove the press of being uncomfortable. Worse, he demanded his Christian ex-wife to take him back into the marriage bed because it was “the will of The LORD.” But the marriage covenant had been broken.

Yes, she forgave him but did not take him back into the covenant relationship of marriage. He hadn’t become that new creature in CHRIST yet. He refused to enter into the covenant of CHRIST and therefore, she could not be yoked unto someone outside of the Covenant of CHRIST. The marriage would have still been unclean. Wise woman!


Dear Gracious Heavenly FATHER, in the name of Thy holy SON JESUS CHRIST I come to You. I confess my sins and abhor the iniquity of them. Keep me from presumptuous sins. I am sorry for taking advantage of Your Goodness. I am sorry for persisting in my thoughts when I do know better. Forgive me for my stubbornness and let not any Self-will take root in my soul.

Now unto HIM+ Who+ is able to do abundantly above all we ask or think, I offer up these my imperfect prayers.

In the name of the FATHER, the SON, and the HOLY SPIRIT. Amen.
+ + +



[1] All definitions come from Webster’s Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, based on Webster’s Third New International Dictionary (A Merriam-Webster Dictionary) , 1965. Lenten Meditation

LENTEN MEDITATION 21 ~ Becoming Acceptable

LENTEN MEDITATION 21 ~ ~ ~ Becoming Acceptable…

a Message for the Redeemed, Those in the Covenant of The LORD JESUS CHRIST.

For the Year of Our LORD, 2.26.2008


Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be
acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14

This message is ONLY for the Redeemed.
It is only for those who are regenerated, born anew from above.

It is only for those New Creatures in CHRIST JESUS.
It is only for those who have entered into the Covenant of GOD through CHRIST JESUS…

for there is no other Covenant
apart from the Blood of Our LORD JESUS CHRIST.


Bishop +Paul Stanley of All Saints Church in Rome, Ga., explains it this way: “GOD has chosen to relate to mankind in a personal way. HE does this through HIS Covenant. HE does not relate to man [in a personal way] outside of HIS Covenant.”


So, throughout this meditation, let us keep in mind we are NOT referring to being born again, anew from above. We are NOT talking about “earning” our salvation by doing good works so that GOD will grant us forgiveness and admission into Heaven when we die.


Indeed, we are not talking at all to anyone
outside of the covenant of GOD.

So now, how do we WHO ARE ALREADY IN THE COVENANT become acceptable to The LORD? Scriptures in several places, including the Psalms, and the Apostles writings, exhorts us to do those things which will make us acceptable unto HIM+.

[An aside: Originally, the Psalms were written by, to, and for the people of GOD who were under the Old Testament or Old Covenant. [Testament means covenant.] These saints were kept safe under the Mosaic Law, the Old Covenant, until the time of the Messiah. The LORD JESUS CHRIST, the Messiah, established the New and Better Covenant… the covenant made through His+ Blood.

We who are not born Jewish have become grafted into the Israel of GOD through The LORD JESUS CHRIST. Indeed, the Jews themselves now must enter into His+ new covenant established by the Messiah. The Old Covenant no longer exists.

The Psalms therefore, including both the promises and the words of exhortation, may be appropriated by all who are in the New Covenant through the LORD JESUS CHRIST. ]

So now, how do we WHO ARE ALREADY IN THE COVENANT

become acceptable to The LORD?

Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from secret faults.

Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me:
then shall I be upright,
and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
Psalm 19:12,13

Becoming acceptable unto The LORD involves good grooming of our soul and spirit. We continuously comb out the tangles. We get out the snags. The twisted nests of knots, hidden underneath, must be brought to the surface and be unsnarled, combed straight, and set free. The comb we use has sharp teeth… it is the standard of Scripture, the very words of The LORD CHRIST.

Thus, we monitor our motives, the thoughts of our hearts, in the light of His+ Word. What agrees with Scriptures, WITH CHRIST’S WORDS, we keep. What disagrees with HIS+WORD, we comb out and untangle. Even if we must use the scissors, we rid ourselves of the hidden twisted nests of knots, in the light of GOD’S word and by the power of the HOLY SPIRIT. The Apostle Paul is a good example of this. He urged the Christians to be imitators of him in this respect, to follow his ways of following CHRIST.

Let us not be content to allow ourselves tangles and twisted knots. We think they cannot be seen by others. But, there is ONE+ Who+ sees all.



Dear Heavenly FATHER, THOU art Holy. I need that holiness in the inner man. Help me to be pure in thought… pure in word … pure in deed. Help me to see my motives and ungracious spirit when I think things unworthy of my LORD CHRIST. I do not want Him+ to be ashamed of me and to always have to tolerate my slovenly ways. Help me not to excuse myself, but to walk in a way that is well-pleasing unto YOU, through your Well Beloved SON our LORD, in the strength of Your Blessed HOLY SPIRIT.

I praise You for Your continual goodness toward me. I thank You for Your patience with my errors. I thank You for Your holiness now and Your holiness when You walked on earth as a man. Help me to become more holy in my innermost being. Help me to follow your example as my LORD+ and MASTER+.

I pray this in the unblemished name of The LORD JESUS CHRIST, Your eternal SON and WORD.
Amen. + + +