AT the FOOT of The Cross ~ John 12:26 ~ LENTEN Meditation for the Preparation of the LAST PASSOVER ~ 2024

 

 If any man serve ME+,

let him follow ME+;

and where I+ , I+ am,

there shall also My+  servant be:

if any man serve ME+,

him will My+  FATHER honor.

^{John 12:26}

+  +  +

Is it hard to discover “where” The LORD JESUS actually is, in your life ?

HE+ is indeed there, waiting for you at the foot of His+ Cross.

Why does HE+ wait for you there ,

at that most uncomfortable place ?

HE+ waits for you to meet HIM+ there . . . so that HE+ help you join HIM+ on the Cross.

Yes, HE+ is our Resurrected SAVIOR+. Yes, HE+ brings us through to Victory over enemies within and without.

His+ Victory came only via the Cross where HE+ crucified His+ LIFE for our sake.

LIKEWISE,

our Victory comes

ONLY through the Cross,

where we die to our Self

for His+ Sake.

 Remember: HE+ does NOT place us onto that Cross.

NO. It is what we freely choose ourselves. We freely choose to pick up our cross and die daily to ourselves . . .

BECAUSE

that is the ONLY WAY

to have Victory in JESUS.

HE+ stands waiting at the foot of the cross for each one of us to ENABLE us by His+ enabling  Grace to join HIM+ on the Cross. 

The LORD JESUS is ready and willing to help us put to death our Self-nature and all that we hold dear as our “identity”.  

HE+ AWAITS OUR PERMISSION TO DO SO.

       THAT is where you will find HIM+ when you are “dry”,     “dull of spirit”, and floundering. When your life has lost    its zest , lost its color, and lost its liveliness, then you      have moved away from the Foot of the Cross.

       HE+ hasn’t moved; you have.

At the Foot of the Cross HE+ is standing,

waiting for you

to be willing to embrace

death to the Self.

That is when you will discover the RESURRECTION POWER of CHRIST JESUS . . . for Resurrection comes only after death.

+  +  +

Let Us Pray:

LORD JESUS, I have avoided coming to meet you at that cross . I have not wanted to die to WHAT I WANT. I wanted to live my life my way.  

O LORD JESUS, I see I was wrong. Help me to embrace that cross and not be afraid that it will “kill me”. 

I know that it will ONLY KILL my natural-man which blocks Your+ LIFE from flowing through me.

              Today, O LORD JESUS, I bend the knee of my heart          at the Foot of the Cross and yield my Self over to                 YOU+.

              Fill me now with Your+ Life anew and keep me         tethered to Your+ Cross, O LORD. 

This I pray in Thy+ Holy Name, O CHRIST. Amen

Worthy is The LAMB+ that was slain !

 

Where Do I Find HIM+ ?

CHRISTMAS EVE.... AWAITING THE ADVENT 

www.pravoslavie.ru

Christmas Eve

Where do I find HIM+ ?

Come to the stable in Bethlehem, kneel down at the manger and await the coming Babe.

Are you despised? HE+ was despised… and rejected of men.

Are you Lonely?  HE+ came unto His+ own… and His+ own received HIM+ not.

Are you afraid ? The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? … For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

Is your Life meaningless?   

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Are you tired and sorrowing?  

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake

Is the situation hopeless?

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

 +  +  +

Hasten!  Come to the Stable in the night.

Kneel at the Manger in the shadow of Light.

Open your heart to the Babe at His+ Appearing.

HE+ is little and helpless, too, so softly appealing.

HE+ brings His+ FATHER’S love to you, 

if your heart to HIM+ be true.

Come unto ME+, 

HE+ says, 

and I+ will give you rest… 

I+ alone.   

TRUE WORSHIP....

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The LORD gave the pattern.

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Our LORD gave us a pattern of how to pray, yes, and also how to worship HIM+ in Spirit and in Truth.

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The "LORD'S PRAYER" in Matthew 6 is a perfect example of how

to WORSHIP HIM+ in an acceptable way.

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Yes, I do believe that HE+ hears the heart-cries of all His+ creation... because HE+ heard mine.

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However, we who are now born again in the BLOOD COVENANT should not be "loose" and irreverent when we come before HIM+.After all, we'd show an earthly ruler (king, queen, president, etc.) proper respect or we wouldn't last long in his/ her presence!

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How much more so is reverence due to the KING of KINGS, the LORD of LIGHT, the ALMIGHTY GOD, the EVERLASTING FATHER, the PRINCE of PEACE! The Hebrew children were strict to conform to a reverent and holy and PROPER order of worship and sacrifice before the ALMIGHTY GOD. They did not play loose and fast with HIM.

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[Recall what happened to Aaron's sons when they offered strange incense upon the altar or what happened to the unsanctified men who steadied the Ark of the Covenant when David was trying to bring it home.]

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But, to return to the point of Matthew 6, the LORD'S PRAYER:

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HE+ gave us that pattern SO THAT we could properly enter into the Divine Presence of both our and HIS+ Heavenly FATHER.

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First of all then, to WORSHIP, WE MUST ACKNOWLEDGE that HE is our collective FATHER; no one person "monopolizes" HIM nor is HE a respecter of persons.

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We acknowledge that HE is FATHER, the ONE in control, HE Who caused us to be born, HE Who provides for us... both things we like and things we would rather not have to deal with. We acknowledge that this Heavenly FATHER has the right to chastise us so that we are not illegitimate children and thus omitted from the promise, the inheritance of the saints. HE has the right to make us afraid of HIS power and might.

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We acknowledge that HE is The FATHER in HEAVEN, not our earthly father.

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We acknowledge that HE is Pure and Holy... even HIS very name is HOLY !

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The first part of the "LORD'S PRAYER" is the very first part of TRUE WORSHIP, either collectively or privately.

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In the next part of the pattern, we forebear mentioning our wants and desires; we FIRST AFFIRM that the FATHER'S KINGDOM and WILL is our greatest desire, above all the issues of our heart.

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We TESTIFY that we WANT HIS Kingdom to come, that we want badly HIS Divine will to be accomplished here on earth the same as it is being done this very minute in HEAVEN.

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This is TRUE WORSHIP, when we affirm that His Kingdom, His Will, as the very best that could ever happen to this civilization and to us, His children. We tell HIM how we long for HIM and for HIS Day to be seen for what it is... WHO is the TRUE RULER OF THE UNIVERSE !

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All this is humbling, to see WHO HE is... and who we are in HIS eyes.

Then, after humbling ourselves and putting away our will, we ask for those things we have need of daily, including forgiveness from HIM and towards others.

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We ask daily for HIS deliverance from evil and from temptation... yes, who among us is so pure that we are not daily tempted with some unrighteous, some impure, some unholy thing or thought?

The last section RE-STATES WHO actually has all the Kingdom, all the power, and all the glory .... ....not only now BUT FOREVER !

When the human heart does all this, true worship takes place.

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HE+ has placed this pattern in His+ Word

so that we who are hungry for HIM+

can find HIM+.

For, the true children of the Kingdom must worship The FATHER in Spirit and in Truth... for The FATHER seeketh such to worship HIM.

+ + +

LORD, have Mercy...

+ + +

O LORD, help me not to take advantage of THEE...

nor of Thy+ mercy.

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Lower my Self-esteem; I'm not always right.

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Grant me enough humility

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To see my weakness,

.

and

.

My own fallibility.

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I don't always know

.

and seldom do I see the whole picture.

+

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Help me be still

.

and quiet before THEE+.

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Help me to wait

.

Upon Thy+ Movement.

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Always Thy+ Grace

.

is sufficient for me.

.

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For, when I am weak,

.

THOU+ art strong.

+ + +

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In the Name of The FATHER,

Who begot thee,

And His Beloved, Only-begotten SON+,

Who+ saves thee,

And the Blessed HOLY SPIRIT,

Who sanctifies thee.

+ + +

A LITANY for REPENTANCE...

From Psalm 51

.

and

.

Adapted from The Book of Common Prayer

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This picture was found in an old tract, perhaps a Chick Tract?

If any viewer knows where it came from,

please email me at the address in the blog header,

so I may give proper credit.

.

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Most Holy and merciful FATHER, In the Name of Thy Beloved SON+, JESUS CHRIST, our LORD:

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We confess to THEE and to one another,

and to the whole communion of saints

in Heaven and on earth and before Thy Heavenly Hosts,

.

That we have sinned by our own fault

in thought, word, and deed;

by what we have done,

and by what we have left undone.

.

+

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We have not loved THEE with our

whole heart, and mind , and strength:

.

Against THEE, THEE only, have I sinned,

and done this evil in Thy sight.

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We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves:

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Against THEE, THEE only, have I sinned,

and done this evil in Thy sight.

.

We have not forgiven others, as we have been forgiven:

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Against THEE, THEE only, have I sinned,

and done this evil in Thy sight.

.

We have been deaf to your call to serve, as CHRIST served us:

.

Against THEE, THEE only, have I sinned,

and done this evil in Thy sight.

.

We have not been true to the mind of CHRIST:

.

Against THEE, THEE only, have I sinned,

and done this evil in Thy sight.

.

We have grieved Thy HOLY SPIRIT:

.

Against THEE, THEE only, have I sinned,

and done this evil in Thy sight.

.

+

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We see our past unfaithfulness to THEE and Thy HOLY WORD:

.

We confess this as sin, O LORD.

.

We see the pride, hypocrisy, and impatience in our lives:

.

We confess this as sin, O LORD.

.

We see our self-indulgent appetities and ways:

.

We confess this as sin, O LORD.

.

We see the times we have taken advantage of others:

.

We confess this as sin, O LORD.

.

We also have taken advantage of Thy Mercy, O LORD:

.

We confess this as sin, O LORD.

.

+

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We admit to our own anger and temper:

.

I acknowledge my transgressions,

and my sin is ever before me.

.

And to our envy of those more fortunate than ourselves:

.

I acknowledge my transgressions,

and my sin is ever before me.

.

We see our intemperate love of worldly goods and creature comforts

and how we cling to worldly values:

.

I acknowledge my transgressions,

and my sin is ever before me.

.

We see our dishonesty in daily life and work:

.

I acknowledge my transgressions,

and my sin is ever before me.

.

We admit our negligence in prayer and worship,

and our failure to commend the faith that is in us.

.

I acknowledge my transgressions,

and my sin is ever before me.

.

+

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O LORD, accept my repentance for the wrongs I have so foolishly done... for all false judgments, for uncharitable thoughts toward my neighbors... for not taking Thy WORD to heart ... for committing these sins which have so grieved THEE+ .

.

Cleanse me, O SAVIOR CHRIST, and create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me.

.

Restore unto me the joy of Thy+ Salvation, and uphold me with a willing Spirit.

.

+

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Almighty GOD, The FATHER of our LORD JESUS CHRIST... O THOU Who desireth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he may turn from his sin and live...

.

I thank THEE for pardoning me, as I truly repent .

.

I thank THEE for giving me through JESUS Thy SON+ the means of Grace and the hope of Glory.

.

And to THEE+, HOLY ONE+, I pray I will learn to please THEE+ and that the rest of my life hereafter may be pure and holy... so that at the last, I may indeed be welcomed into Thy+ Eternal Joy. Amen.

.

+ + +

.

In the name of THE FATHER,

THE SON+,

and THE HOLY SPIRIT:

both now and forever,

Amen.

MY+ INTENTIONS

...for the lost.

.

An abject sinner, trying to justify himself, recently asked me who had suffered from the awful way he lived. His answer was "only himself." However, I answered, " Everyone whose life you touched."

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But upon serious reflection afterwards, I realized the ONE+ Who+ suffered the most from his waywardness was CHRIST JESUS the LORD.

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And thus, The LORD gave me a Personal Invitation to extend to him. In case you know someone else who needs such a Personal Invitation, here it is.

~ ~ ~

.

You see, I+ created you. I+ gave you birth and life. I+ planted you in a good family... better than many. I+ gave you a healthy body and an excellent mind, with lots of natural abilities. I+ allowed you to have more money for fun than millions have for basic necessities.

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Why did I+ do that for one small child?

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For one thing, I+, The LORD JESUS CHRIST, intended that you would follow ME+. That is the reason you exist.

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I+ intended for you to be productive in the Kingdom of GOD... and that does not necessarily mean be a church pastor.

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I+ intended you, so beloved, that you should turn that love towards ME+... in order to receive even more.

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I+ intended for you to become clean, renewed by The blessed HOLY SPIRIT and to be filled with My+ Holy Ways and purity.

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I+ had a marvelous plan for your life, and then, after your Work+ was done, for you to be received in the Heavenlies and live in Eternal happiness and joy.

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This is what I+ intended for your life.

.

But, you took other paths. Now you are no longer young and you have some health issues. Your good abilities are a bit rusted over and your excellent mind is clouded with troubling thoughts.

.

Even so, I+ say , "Come."

Even so, I+ still will renew your life

and cleanse you.

Even so, I+ will allow you

to be fitted into a Work+

for My+ Kingdom.

.

But, you must come.

.

And you must come on My+ terms.

.

If you are willing to be made totally new, cleansed, refreshed, healed in spirit and in soul... and, if you want My+ plan and purpose now for the remainder of your life... then contact one of My+ Servants whom I+ trust to lead you to ME+.

+ + +

.

Servants,

are you ready?

+ + +

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In the Name of The FATHER,

and The SON+,

and the HOLY SPIRIT;

as it was in the beginning,

is now and ever shall be.

World without end.

Amen.

In Honor of Aunt Marie...

We love you, Aunt Marie!

This woman, my dear Aunt, entered into Glory with The LORD

on the 17th of December... just like she lived her life: quietly and uprightly.

As soon as I heard about her death,

The LORD graciously spoke to my heart:

"She is a member in good standing

in the Body of CHRIST."

<(((><

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Such a wonderful commendation from The LIVING LORD! Such a life needs to be examined thoughtfully by anyone who wants to receive the same commendation.

.<(((><

She was not a missionary. She spent her life tending to her family. Sometimes she helped out the slender family budget by doing cleaning and other odd jobs around her small town. So, what did Aunt Marie DO DIFFERENTLY from any regular church-attender?

<(((><

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From my own observations, this is what I saw for nearly 60 years of my life: She picked up her cross...the one appointed to her by The LORD. She learned how to die daily to Self. She was self-effacing when others were demanding... or mocking. She returned good for evil. She did not engage in gossip. She kept herself free from judgment amongst the many family bickerings. She issued kindness to all. She kept her heart free from bitterness when she got hurt.

<(((><

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The family priest commended her for her serious walk throughout the years. And, in times of plenty or poverty, she quietly remained true to HIM+. She trained her children in the way they should go. She remained true to her husband when he was an invalid for a very long time, a couple of years with hepatitis... and there was no income to sustain her or the children. She didn't have to remain faithful, naturally speaking, because she was a beautiful blond of Hungarian ancestry , with beautiful skin to match and a lovely figure. She always had a delicate way about her. But she remained faithful to her husband, to her children, to her vows, AND TO HER LORD.

.<(((><

I remember Aunt Marie cooking over a cook-stove in the middle of winter. Life was NOT EASY for this dear woman. She always was patiently caring for her little flock of children plus her sick husband, and doing it all with good cheer and a peaceful demeanor. No nervous breakdown for this Woman of GOD. She didn't need it; she had her LORD to support her.

.<(((><

We salute you, Aunt Marie, as you leave the Church Militant and enter into the Church VICTORIOUS... in victory over temptation, sin, and heartache. May you rest in the JOY of The LORD now, and for all Eternity.

.<(((><

Let us join in prayer together:

Dear Heavenly FATHER,

We come before THEE in the Name of Thy Beloved SON+ JESUS to thank you for this woman's life, her wonderful example that THOU hath set before us. Grant us the desire to please THEE so earnestly that we too may turn the other cheek, go the second mile, and return good for evil as this dear Daughter of Thine+ did throughout her lifetime.

Help us to become meek and quiet of spirit, self-effacing in the face of the demands of others, following Thy HOLY SON+ JESUS Who+ set before us all the Ultimate Example of Holiness and Purity of heart.

.

LORD, help us to embrace the kind of quiet humilty that only THOU+ seest and the uprightness which pleaseth THEE+ beyond all other sacrifices. Amen.

<(((>< <(((>< <(((><

In the name of The FATHER,

Who created thee;

His Beloved SON+,

JESUS CHRIST,

Who+ saves thee;

And the Blessed HOLY SPIRIT,

Who anoints thee.

+ + +

You've been a good example, Aunt Marie! I hope you enjoy the Paradise of GOD in HEAVEN now, seeing as you always loved gardens here below.

Your flowers were gorgeous here below... I can't even imagine how much more glorious they are in the Paradise of GOD in HEAVEN!

...Until we meet again

Those 3 WILLS of GOD....

...that ye may prove

what is that good,

and acceptable,

and perfect,

WILL of GOD.

Romans 12:2
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At a church picnic last summer, I happened to be sitting near a group of older teen-agers / young adult sisters. One of them was sharing an experience, a situation, that had befallen her and she was troubled and unsure if she had done the right thing. In the midst of their youthful but serious discussion, I heard one of the sisters offer comfort from the Word of GOD.

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In brief, she said there is a GOOD WILL of GOD and then, there is that ACCEPTABLE WILL of GOD , and thirdly, there is that PERFECT WILL of GOD.

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So, in case one misses that perfect WILL of GOD, one should be okay if he or she does either HIS GOOD WILL or HIS ACCEPTABLE WILL ! They all nodded and agreed this was so, for wasn't this so in the Scriptures and teachings that they heard ?

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Aha! So now, Christendom, there are 3 ... yes, three... possible "WILLS of GOD" for any given situation.

.

? ? ?

.

Is this rightly dividing

the Word of GOD?

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From Romans 12:1 and 2 ~

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I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of GOD,

that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,

holy, acceptable unto GOD,

which is your reasonable service.

.

And be not conformed to this world:

but be ye transformed

by the renewing of your mind,

that ye may prove what is that

good,

and acceptable,

and perfect,

Will of GOD.

.

Even a school child can look at these verses, specifically the last phrase of verse 2 of Romans 12, and see that WILL is SINGULAR, not plural. There are NOT 3 different "wills" of GOD in CHRIST JESUS concerning us.

.

The trouble develops NOT because of misunderstanding the grammar. The trouble... and deliberate teaching ... develops because of the REJECTION of our cross. Not HIS+ cross... our cross.

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What is being rejected is exactly what is written in this very verse, directly above the "3 Wills-of-GOD" phrase: and be not conformed to this world.

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Christians become a target for oppression and torments when they ignore this instruction by the Apostle Paul, written under the inspiration of the HOLY SPIRIT.

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The next phrase in this verse says: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.

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How do we "renew" our mind SO MUCH SO that we become transformed ? We learn to separate ourselves from the world's values and the world's systems. Yes, it is GOOD to change our manner of dress so that we give a visible witness of CHRIST. It is good to cease going to movies and worldly concerts and doing other activities (perhaps on the computer ?) that do not reflect CHRIST JESUS.

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But the KEY to renewing our mind is to REJECT the world's values with which we have all been raised ...and replace those values with HIS+ values, what HE+ considers important. For example, when we are in the office, do we learn how to crush others down and exalt our own prowess? Or, do we learn how to speak well of others and promote them, instead?

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Do we point our children to ways of worldly success... or are we content to point them to CHRIST and teach them how to work honestly as UNTO CHRIST... no matter what line of work they prepare to do?

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As we learn NOT to conform (to the world) ourselves, our lives, our dress, and our values that we teach our children, AND REPLACE THESE VALUES with HIS+, then we will have our mind "renewed."

.

And, when we renew our mind in this way, we will be transformed into HIS+ likeness and image, in our heart.

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When we Christians walk in MATURITY and take seriously the need to be transformed by the renewing of our mind, then we will indeed prove what is that ONE...

GOOD, PERFECT, and ACCEPTABLE

WILL

of

GOD

in CHRIST JESUS concerning us.

.

At that point, we Christians may be able, in SPIRIT and in Truth, to actually present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is our reasonable service.

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However ~ until we separate our values and our activities and our ways from the world, we will NOT be renewed in our minds... regardless of how many Scriptures we read... and we will NOT be transformed into HIS+ likeness and image.

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Worse, we will not be able to rightly divide the Word of GOD and will end up teaching and confusing the young CHRISTIANS with absurd renderings ...which will allow them to snuggle up to the world and change nothing.

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So when the CHURCH

teaches

AGAINST the Word of GOD,

is it not ripe for judgment?

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This is but ONE instance of the organized church going directly against the plain teachings of the Apostles and the PLAIN and STRAIGHTFORWARD Words of CHRIST,

and instead teaching for doctrines the compromising thoughts of men.

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When this happens over and over again....

the Church is ripe for chastening of a severe nature, and judgment begins at the house of GOD, not the house of sinners.

THINK on this....

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+ + +

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In the name of The FATHER,

Whose Will was to send forth HIS Beloved SON+

to deliver us from sin and death;

In the name of The SON+

Who+ fulfilled the Will of His+ Heavenly FATHER;

In the name of The HOLY SPIRIT,

Who enables us

to fulfill the Will of CHRIST.

Amen