Meditations
for Pascha
(The Passover Season, 2016)
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Meditations for the Monastic-At-Heart
Now is My+ soul troubled;
and what shall I+ say ...
FATHER,
save ME+
from this hour ?
but for this cause
came I+ unto this hour.
FATHER,
Glorify Thy Name.
Then
came there a Voice from Heaven, saying,
I have both glorified IT,
and will glorify IT again.
John12:27-28
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Meditation Verse
Ephesians 2:1
And you hath HE+ quickened,
who were dead
in trespasses and sins;
Literal
Greek:
And you all being dead in the transgressions and in your
sins...
NOTE:
The words " ... hath HE+ quickened " ( made alive ) is not found in the Greek text in verse 1 as it is in the KJV but rather down in verse 5. The concept is there because verses 1 through 5 are actually one LONG sentence with many qualifying phrases. KJV translators decided to move that phrase ( "... hath HE+ quickened") to the beginning of the sentence. It is repeated in verse 5, where the Greek Text has it.
The words " ... hath HE+ quickened " ( made alive ) is not found in the Greek text in verse 1 as it is in the KJV but rather down in verse 5. The concept is there because verses 1 through 5 are actually one LONG sentence with many qualifying phrases. KJV translators decided to move that phrase ( "... hath HE+ quickened") to the beginning of the sentence. It is repeated in verse 5, where the Greek Text has it.
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Meditation
We all know we are DEAD in our trespasses and sins ... until we
repent and are washed clean by The Blood of the LAMB+ in the
cleansing waters of Holy Baptism. ( See
Acts 2:38, John 3:5, Romans 6:3-4, 1 Peter 3:21).
The Washing of our souls of dead matter is a Supernatural
washing, indeed, and is when our spirits are born anew, from above. Then we
experience TRUE Life and that Life is in CHRIST JESUS.
There is no other way to move from death unto Life, except
through CHRIST.
But, what we may NOT know is:
what is sin.
For instance, persons who practice same-gender physical intimacy
may realize the Bible says it is wrong and churches (some) teach it is
wrong.
What they do not grasp is WHY it is morally wrong. Simply because
"GOD said so"
is not reason enough for sinners.
Sadly, "because GOD said
so" is not reason enough for a large majority of the church
proper across the earth today.
SIN, however, is defined by GOD not man. HE Who shuts up Heaven
against sinners is the ONE we need to hear !
So,
let's hear.
The word sin is formed from the word MARTYR. A martyr is one who bears a correct
witness for The LORD. A martyr shows WHO+ The LORD is, in Spirit and in
Truth. He reflects the true character of GOD.
With a negative particle prefixed to the front of martyr,
making it amartyr, we have the Greek word for SIN.
SIN, then, is DOING something or BEING something that does NOT give a TRUE witness
as to the character of The LORD.
That is the basis of all
morality as found in Scripture. The reflection of GOD'S character is what makes
RIGHT "right" and the inaccurate reflection of Our LORD'S
character makes WRONG "wrong."
When we besmirch the character of The LORD in our words, our
behavior, and our life-styles... we sin.
The First Covenant, known as the Old Testament by some, is full
of commandments which instruct us on how to behave so that righteousness
prevails in society and GOD'S character is reflected to the world .
When we defame the character of GOD in our thoughts, in our
attitudes, in our values... we sin.
The New Covenant, as well as the First, is replete with
instructions on how to forgive, how to deal with our tongues and hearts, how to
treat our neighbors as well as our enemies.
The New Covenant reveals that correct outward
"behavior" must be accomplished inwardly.
Even if our neighbor does not see our hidden lust of the flesh,
lust of the eyes, and our PRIDE of life, these sins are NOT HIDDEN to our
LORD... and to the invisible Watchers.
[ Satan's evil spirits await our every mis-step in order to make
us sin even more . Then, when in sin and out from under The LORD'S protection,
the satan will steal from, kill, and destroy us in one way or another ...
and then, accuse us himself for not
being obedient to GOD!]
Mankind was MADE in the likeness and image of GOD.
We must reflect that image in the purity in which it was
given to us... or we will die in our SINS.
We must NEVER turn a deaf ear to the conviction of the
HOLY SPIRIT when HE is nudging our conscience about sins. HE is working for
our good, alerting us to a danger lurking ahead, trying to ensnare us in sin
and then, injury.
When conviction falls, we must immediately run to ... not away
from... The LORD.
Only through the LORD JESUS CHRIST can our
filthy souls be cleansed.
Being a martyr --- bearing witness, that TRUE reflection, of The LORD'S character
--- is required of us. Indeed, it is required at the hand of ALL
mankind. It is a pre-requisite for entering Heaven.
I+ am HE+ that liveth and was dead,
and behold,
I+ am alive forevermore,
AMEN,
and have the keys of hell and of death.
Revelation 1: 18
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Let
us pray:
O
FATHER GOD, YOU have given us a Way to stop our offenses against Your HOLY nature.
Indeed,
it is the only Way not to offend YOU.
In my
sins, I have defamed Your character.
In my
sins, I have besmirched Your person. I have borne a false witness to the world
as to WHO You are, O Heavenly FATHER.
Forgive me for ignoring the Conviction of sin SO MANY TIMES which
You have sent me through the HOLY SPIRIT.
Help me ... increase the heat, make me hasten ... to admit my sin
to You. Forgive me for covering up my impurity.
Thank You, Holy FATHER, for giving us Your SON+ JESUS CHRIST so
that we have a Way to become clean and new.
Help us walk in Your purity, now.
This we ask in the Name of Thy Pure SON+, our LORD JESUS CHRIST,
Who+ shows us Thy True character. Amen.
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Worthy is the LAMB+.
Worthy is The LAMB+
that was slain.
Worthy is the LAMB+,
slain
from the foundation
of the earth.
Revelation 13:8
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PRAISE and THANKSGIVING
be to The FATHER,
and to HIS
Beloved SON+
JESUS CHRIST,
and to
the Blessed HOLY SPIRIT.
ONE GOD:
FATHER,
SON+,
and HOLY SPIRIT,
both now and forever,
world without end.
Amen.
