IF JESUS Had Given Them Rest...

 ADVENT MEDITATIONS for 2014

Courtesy of pravoslavie.ru

 Scriptures courtesy of www.biblegateway.com

Isaiah 11: 10 ~  

And in that day there shall be a ROOT+ of Jesse, 

which shall stand for an ENSIGN+ of the people; 

to it shall the Gentiles seek: 

and His+ rest shall be glorious.

Hebrews 4: 6 - 8 ~

Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein,

 and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: 

 Again, HE limiteth a certain day, saying in David, 

To day, after so long a time; as it is said, 

To day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.

 For if JESUS had given them rest, 

then would HE not afterward 

have spoken of another day.

If JESUS had given them rest... 

All those rebellious ones ~ 

... of His+ people, in His+ Camp, in the wilderness, baptized in the waters of the RED+ Sea, eating the Manna sent from Heaven,  under the protection of the ROCK+ that followed them ...   

~ had free choice!  

I Corinthians 10:4

And did all drink the same spiritual drink:

 for they drank 

of that spiritual ROCK+ that followed them:

and that ROCK+ was CHRIST.+

They DIED in the wilderness without being allowed to enter the Promised Land. 

Our LORD has so designed man that EVERY HUMAN BEING is able ... i.e., has the power... to choose WHOM+ or what he will serve with his whole heart, as evidenced in life choices.  

Robots need not apply.  CHRIST JESUS wants no robots. Flesh and blood CANNOT ... is not able... to inherit the Kingdom of GOD; each man , woman, and child must choose it for himself. 

If JESUS would have given those rebellious ones rest, then the rebellious and disobedient forsakers of GOD would have been granted a REST without repentance ! GOD FORBID ! 

Rest WITHOUT  REPENTANCE 

is impossible with GOD. 

It is one thing that GOD will not do for us: repent. We must do this ourselves. 

Those who refuse His+ LORDSHIP ( regardless of church membership rolls ) refuse His+ REST at the same time. 

It is impossible  to enter into His+ Promised Land of peace, joy, and rest without a personal repentance.    

O LORD JESUS, Cleanser of the Repentant, Who+ was made INCARNATE to do that very thing,  lead us to Thy+ cleansing fountain once again. 

Help us to heed Thy+ Call of conviction; take away our blindness to our sin. Help us to see who we are with Thine+ Eyes, O LIGHT+ of the world, for in Thy+ Light, we shall see Light. 

O HOLY FATHER, Who sent forth Thy Only-Begotten SON+ to give the repentant rest in HIM+ Who+ knew no sin, we bless and glorify both HIM+ and THEE. 

We thank THEE+ for the Promised Land, wherein doth righteousness dwell and the souls of men made perfect through the Blood of Thy INCARNATED SON+.

Change our in-born rebellion against Thy+ Word, we humbly ask, as we yield our un-docile and self-willed spirits unto THEE+, for Thy+ great glory. 

O HOLY LIGHT+ made INCARNATE in Our LORD JESUS CHRIST for the suffering of death, fill us with Thy+ same Spirit that we may die to self ... in order for the world to see THEE+ , in Truth.  

In the Name of the Only-Begotten SON+ of GOD, the INCARNATE EMMANUEL... we pray. Amen. 

A LITANY for REPENTANCE...

From Psalm 51

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and

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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,

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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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+

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We have not loved THEE with our

whole heart, and mind , and strength:

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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.

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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.

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

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Against THEE, THEE only, have I sinned,

and done this evil in Thy sight.

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We have not been true to the mind of CHRIST:

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Against THEE, THEE only, have I sinned,

and done this evil in Thy sight.

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We have grieved Thy HOLY SPIRIT:

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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:

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We confess this as sin, O LORD.

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

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We confess this as sin, O LORD.

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We see our self-indulgent appetities and ways:

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We confess this as sin, O LORD.

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We see the times we have taken advantage of others:

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We confess this as sin, O LORD.

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

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We confess this as sin, O LORD.

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We admit to our own anger and temper:

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I acknowledge my transgressions,

and my sin is ever before me.

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And to our envy of those more fortunate than ourselves:

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I acknowledge my transgressions,

and my sin is ever before me.

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We see our intemperate love of worldly goods and creature comforts

and how we cling to worldly values:

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I acknowledge my transgressions,

and my sin is ever before me.

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We see our dishonesty in daily life and work:

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I acknowledge my transgressions,

and my sin is ever before me.

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We admit our negligence in prayer and worship,

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

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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+ .

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

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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...

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

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

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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.

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+ + +

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In the name of THE FATHER,

THE SON+,

and THE HOLY SPIRIT:

both now and forever,

Amen.

The Battle Against SELF-WILL...

~ or~

An ADVENT Message for us

to "Prepare Ye the Way of The LORD"

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It was a sweet card... a Christmas card from an old school chum with the appropriate message about the birth of Our SAVIOR on it. She signed it with "love and prayers" because she fancies herself to be a Christian, having come through a battle with cancer with the help of The LORD.

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So glad she is for the Hand of The LORD touching her life that she has found energy for a new life... by locating a man "who has her interests now" and buying a house together with "her new friend" ... outside the bounds of holy matrimony. Because she is beyond the age of child-bearing, all is well... she thinks.

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Now, she was un-churched growing up and although she is a mother, grand-mother, and great-grandmother, my old school chum DOES know the difference between right and wrong.

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The real problem is she calls herself a Christian.

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Her man friend, whom I do not know, was raised in the Roman Catholic church. At least he knows that confession and repentance are needed before taking of The LORD'S Body and Blood at Communion.

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In another situation, a young man was a musician in a local church. He loved to play on Sundays. They love to have him. His dear mother, a Christian anointed with the HOLY SPIRIT, confided to me that this son is doing well, out of jail, off drugs and alcohol. The only problem is that he is choosing not to live with Mom but rather with his girl friend.

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The minister of his church counseled him about unrepentant sin. But, the young man wouldn't turn from it. So, the church forbade him to play for the worship service [ Bless GOD! ] ... and the minister cried! He urged him, however, to keep on coming to church, but the young man is toying with it.

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The real problem is he calls himself a Christian.

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In yet another situation of a totally different caliber, a Godly, well-seasoned and experienced church leader is pursuing a building scheme to establish his ministry with a name. At one point, this minister LEFT the helm of a huge church in order to reach out to the little poor unreached tribes. Everyone scoffed at him, but Pastor followed The Will of GOD. He now has more than 200 native missionaries under his wing, going to the unreached tribes.

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What happened to this dear Pastor? He became ambitious and full of Self-Will. Problems soon developed as he pursued his will and not GOD'S will. Many words of warning have been lovingly given him. Several Christians have now distanced themselves from him and his ministry. Certain shipwreck is looming on the horizon if this Pastor pursues his self-willed course.

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The real problem is that he calls himself

following CHRIST JESUS.

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In all of these cases, Self-Will is ruling. In all of these cases, the delusion is strong that the pursuit of Self-Will will bring happiness.

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The TRUTH is that Self-Will

will destroy anyone...

...in the Kingdom or out.

The pursuit of GOD'S WILL

is the only way

to avoid certain destruction.

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That is why a daily, private, disciplined time of worship and Scripture reading is so important: it will open one's ears to know His+ Will. That is why seasons of repentance practiced by the ancient church are important for us to re-install today.

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The original intent of the not-so-ancient Advent Season was to establish a season of repentance for the Church awaiting the Incarnation remembrance*. Anything to bring to mind repentance from the human condition is GOOD.

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We all need it.

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O HEAVENLY FATHER, we have erred from Thy Way like lost sheep. We have wandered too far from Thy Fold. We have allowed our hearts to lie to us about "what" makes us happy. Help us to worship THEE+ in Spirit and in Truth in the inner man. Turn us again, O LORD GOD of HOSTS, and we shall be saved.

+ + +

*[ We KNOW this day was arbitrarily chosen for less-than-holy purposes. Even so, we unite with the Western Church in remembering the Incarnation of Our LORD simply so the Church's witness to the Unredeemed ones doesn't become more confused than it already is. ]

The Royal Invitation...

~ ~ ~ R.S.V.P. ~ ~ ~

(ASAP)

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The LORD GOD HEAVENLY FATHER offered an invitation .... one fraught with good will and lovingkindness... at the Incarnation+. HE sent forth HIS SON+ to be born of a humble and lowly Hebrew girl, a virgin of Israel from the hill county, to make solid that Royal Invitation.

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But The LORD gives a warning for Christendom : Do not offer amnesty without repentance. We Christians tend to do that at Christmastime, especially. However, that Royal Invitation does NOT preclude nor eliminate the absolute necessity of repentance... before peace flows from the Heavenly Throne of The LORD towards a man.

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If you offer amnesty without repentance,

My+ Blessing will not be upon it

and all is in vain;

I+ will not look upon

such a one with favor.

It will be with him

as the banquet-crasher

who deigned to come to ME+

at that Great Wedding Feast

improperly clad in his current

filthy clothing and sins.

Remember: that one had ample

opportunity to receive

an appointed and anointed

wedding garment;

My+ supply is limitless.

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Do not substitute fiction for fact,

for you will be accountable.

I+ offer an Invitation

of the Best Goodwill

ever for mankind.

I+ do NOT offer pardon

without repentance.

My+ Blood is sufficient

to cover every sin.

If you do not respond

to the Invitation,

the Wedding Feast will still go on...

without you.

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But remember:

when the door is shut,

it is shut

and no man can open it.

+ + +

In the name of The FATHER,

Who created thee;

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His Beloved SON+,

JESUS CHRIST,

Who+ delivers thee;

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and His Blessed HOLY SPIRIT,

Who sanctifies thee.

To Bring us to CHRIST...

GOD SENT HIS MESSAGE OF "GOOD WILL TOWARDS MEN."

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Historically, Advent is a man-made event. Invented, though it be, as a serious time of fasting and repentance in the 4th Century or thereabouts, the early centuries of Christendom knew nothing about Advent nor its culmination in Christ-mass.

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Advent, from the Latin, means the coming of CHRIST. It marks the beginning of the church year by several denominations. In the Greek, however, Parousia, is the word meaning "advent" and it refers to the Second Coming of CHRIST.

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Advent and the Incarnation ... The LORD JESUS coming to earth as a man... can possibly be used to remind the world of HIM+. But truthfully, I have never known, heard of, or read about a single soul being brought to a living, loving, obedient, faith-filled relationship with The LORD JESUS because of Advent and "Christmas" tide.

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While the carols, hymns, and various church traditions and rituals are comforting to Christians... they are also comforting to worldlings who have grown up with them.

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Year after year, manger scenes are displayed on mantels, the Messiah is sung, and Christmas Eve candlelight services are religiously attended. People look forward to them all and would be out-raged and depressed if such were denied them. Yet, year after year, no lives are changed, no repentances made, no salvations granted as a result of this season of the much-heralded birth of CHRIST the King.

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Thus, it would seem obvious that The LORD'S anointing does not rest upon this seasonal celebration contrived by man.

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Many, many conscientious Christians of every flavor have revealed the origins of the "Christmas" traditions, both religious and secular, yet the Church proper is un-moved by Truth.

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Why?

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To Bring Us to CHRIST is not the ACTUAL and REAL goal of this "religious season" as it should be, but rather to bring us fleshly comfort. Unity and concord flow between most denominations during the Christmas season as they celebrate in unison the birth of CHRIST JESUS. Good Will... from the keepers of Christmas... flows toward all, as an amnesty against the Judgment of GOD upon the unrighteous, the sinners, the teachers of heresy, the apostates.

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Has The LORD ordained such amnesty ?

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With repentance, yes... but there is NO AMNESTY from GOD without repentance. Instead, there is a certain fearful looking for the JUDGMENT of GOD to overtake them.

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If we Christians offer amnesty without repentence we are guilty of mis-representing the character of GOD. We are guilty of offering HIS love-gift, the sacrifice of HIS SON+, to be trampled underfoot by the un-holy.

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This is what spiritually occurs by those who refuse repentance as a means to come to CHRIST... but want HIS+ heart-comforts, especially during this season of GOD'S "Good Will towards men."

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Do we seriously look forward to the Advent, the Parousia, of CHRIST?

+ + +

In the Name of The FATHER,

Who begot us,

His Holy SON+,

Who saves us,

And His Blessed HOLY SPIRIT,

Who sanctifies us.

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. . .

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ADVENT MEDITATION... DAY 6

Advent Day 6
The Journey Towards Bethlehem
Year of Our LORD, 12.6.2008


But My people would not hearken to My voice;
and Israel would none of ME.

So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust:
and they walked in their own counsels.

Oh that My people had hearkened unto ME,
and Israel had walked in My ways!

I should soon have
subdued their enemies,
and turned My hand
against their adversaries.

Psalm 81:11-14

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O Gracious Heavenly FATHER,

to Whom all hearts are open,

all desires known,

and from Whom no secrets are hid:

cleanse the thoughts of my heart

through the in-breathing of Thy HOLY SPIRIT,

that I may perfectly love THEE

and worthily magnify Thy Holy Name,

through CHRIST our LORD.

Amen.
(adapted from the BCP, Communion Service).

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