Although I personally do not recognize or observe the Tradition of Lent, I do understand its purpose. Like Faith, preparation of one's heart should be a year-round event. Every day we should be ready for the Rapture at any given moment, just as we should be mindful that at any given moment, our life can also otherwise end here on earth, if it is G-D's will. We are to live courageously, not in fear. And if we are martyred, let it be for the L-RD Jesus Christ, for the blood of His martyrs is the seed of the Church (as the ancient brother Irenaeus informs us). By our witness and our words of faith in Christ, let us be remembered in echoes and those who have believed because of us, down through eternity.
Meditation : Miracles are wondrous things - Resurrection
Scripture - Gospel of John 12:9-11
9 Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.
10 But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;
11 Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.
When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, the attraction was about as much to the miracle of a resurrection as to that of Jesus Himself.
The people gloried in the miracle. And the chief priests -- knowing that Lazarus was 4 days dead, producing worms out of the nostrils and in stink, and whatever other deteriorations happens at 4 days of death with a decaying body -- gloried NOT in the miracle, and the sign that this WAS Christ, rather moved their hearts to murder Lazarus, in order that they might rule over Israel as religious oppressors and demi-gods, and that Israel might no longer believe into their rightful Messiah, Christ the rightful King, of the seed of King David.
The early Church Fathers tell us that those Jesus raised from the dead (by implication: Lazarus, Tabitha, etc.) would go on to live another 87 years and more, until the reign of Caesar Hadrian, who came to power in 117 A.D.
For many Christians in our day, such miracles are often beyond the scope of belief or comprehension. Why should that be? In America, it seems we have been infiltrated by unbelievers and apostates in both the congregation and in the ministry. The pop-culture of today's modern Churches look to the Christian Church as being just another social network or social club, or place of philanthropy, and insist that the Bible should only be read and believed privately in the home, these should be unwelcomed by believers. Often time, leftist agendas are pushed as if they are Gospel, and the Gospel as if amusing stories of faith to be praised, or manipulated into a humanist message, or simply tolerated and fawned at.
Lent is supposed to be a time of preparation of the remembrance of the Death, Burial and Resurrection of Jesus. It is a definite fact of human history. There is no molding of Christianity into whatever fad or preconceived political agenda we have today...it is entirely opposite. We are to mold our agenda into those parameters and points which the Bible gives us. We are to mold our daily lives and reflections into doing that which pleases G-D and is within the parameters of His will for ours lives. We are to fully believe G-D first and foremost, and daily learn to trust Him more in the areas in which we have difficulty...hence, to be in the world and not of the world system.
This life and born-again experience is meant to be like a resurrection from out of the world system, where we learn in the here and now, as we prepare to be citizens of Heaven upon our departure or death, and later those citizens of Heaven on Earth in the World to Come in Christ's Kingdom.
If we should come to those times when we see miracles of a truly profound experience, far above the many little miracles G-D provides us each and every day and hour in our lives...seek G-D and ask that He would (through the person of the Holy Spirit) give us the eyes and mind of discernment, and the ears to hear what the Holy Spirit says to us, as He speaks in wisdom advising or warning us in the whispers of the mind's ear(s).
Prayer:
Almighty G-D, thank you for the miracles you provide us, great and small, for our benefit and our edification. Help us to always glorify You, Father in Heaven, through Thy dear Son Jesus Chrsit whom Thou hast sent, and who for the saving of and redeeming of our souls and lives, died upon the Cross, paying for our sins, was buried, and rose the Third Day, as foretold in the Holy Scriptures. Help us to know that Thy dear Son's Redemption of all who by faith believe into Thy dear Son, and thereby believe into You, is the greatest miracle of all, for by that act of faith and Your will, our lives are turned from mortal and perishing unto that which is eternal. We are written in the Lamb's book of Life, and our souls are redeemed to You, with the promise of that new eternal body Thou wilt provide us through Thy dear Son Jesus Christ, with whom we shall go with forever and ever. Thank you for the gift and promise of the Resurrection, both in the witness of Lazurus, and that of thy dear Son's eternal Resurrection...now seated at Thy Right Side in Heaven, until You give the word that He should come for His Church, and remove us before the Time of Wrath, and again before the Time of Thy Great Wrath, after the manner of Enoch and Elijah's ascents.
Our thoughts upon Christ hanging upon the Cross, having paid for our sins. Selah.
Thank you for our Salvation, and the payments of all our sins for all time through the shed blood of Thy dear Son. Selah.
Amen.
Meditation : Miracles are wondrous things - Resurrection
Scripture - Gospel of John 12:9-11
9 Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.
10 But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;
11 Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.
When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, the attraction was about as much to the miracle of a resurrection as to that of Jesus Himself.
The people gloried in the miracle. And the chief priests -- knowing that Lazarus was 4 days dead, producing worms out of the nostrils and in stink, and whatever other deteriorations happens at 4 days of death with a decaying body -- gloried NOT in the miracle, and the sign that this WAS Christ, rather moved their hearts to murder Lazarus, in order that they might rule over Israel as religious oppressors and demi-gods, and that Israel might no longer believe into their rightful Messiah, Christ the rightful King, of the seed of King David.
The early Church Fathers tell us that those Jesus raised from the dead (by implication: Lazarus, Tabitha, etc.) would go on to live another 87 years and more, until the reign of Caesar Hadrian, who came to power in 117 A.D.
For many Christians in our day, such miracles are often beyond the scope of belief or comprehension. Why should that be? In America, it seems we have been infiltrated by unbelievers and apostates in both the congregation and in the ministry. The pop-culture of today's modern Churches look to the Christian Church as being just another social network or social club, or place of philanthropy, and insist that the Bible should only be read and believed privately in the home, these should be unwelcomed by believers. Often time, leftist agendas are pushed as if they are Gospel, and the Gospel as if amusing stories of faith to be praised, or manipulated into a humanist message, or simply tolerated and fawned at.
Lent is supposed to be a time of preparation of the remembrance of the Death, Burial and Resurrection of Jesus. It is a definite fact of human history. There is no molding of Christianity into whatever fad or preconceived political agenda we have today...it is entirely opposite. We are to mold our agenda into those parameters and points which the Bible gives us. We are to mold our daily lives and reflections into doing that which pleases G-D and is within the parameters of His will for ours lives. We are to fully believe G-D first and foremost, and daily learn to trust Him more in the areas in which we have difficulty...hence, to be in the world and not of the world system.
This life and born-again experience is meant to be like a resurrection from out of the world system, where we learn in the here and now, as we prepare to be citizens of Heaven upon our departure or death, and later those citizens of Heaven on Earth in the World to Come in Christ's Kingdom.
If we should come to those times when we see miracles of a truly profound experience, far above the many little miracles G-D provides us each and every day and hour in our lives...seek G-D and ask that He would (through the person of the Holy Spirit) give us the eyes and mind of discernment, and the ears to hear what the Holy Spirit says to us, as He speaks in wisdom advising or warning us in the whispers of the mind's ear(s).
Prayer:
Almighty G-D, thank you for the miracles you provide us, great and small, for our benefit and our edification. Help us to always glorify You, Father in Heaven, through Thy dear Son Jesus Chrsit whom Thou hast sent, and who for the saving of and redeeming of our souls and lives, died upon the Cross, paying for our sins, was buried, and rose the Third Day, as foretold in the Holy Scriptures. Help us to know that Thy dear Son's Redemption of all who by faith believe into Thy dear Son, and thereby believe into You, is the greatest miracle of all, for by that act of faith and Your will, our lives are turned from mortal and perishing unto that which is eternal. We are written in the Lamb's book of Life, and our souls are redeemed to You, with the promise of that new eternal body Thou wilt provide us through Thy dear Son Jesus Christ, with whom we shall go with forever and ever. Thank you for the gift and promise of the Resurrection, both in the witness of Lazurus, and that of thy dear Son's eternal Resurrection...now seated at Thy Right Side in Heaven, until You give the word that He should come for His Church, and remove us before the Time of Wrath, and again before the Time of Thy Great Wrath, after the manner of Enoch and Elijah's ascents.
Our thoughts upon Christ hanging upon the Cross, having paid for our sins. Selah.
Thank you for our Salvation, and the payments of all our sins for all time through the shed blood of Thy dear Son. Selah.
Amen.