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Tuesday, March 5th
2024
The Third Week of Lent
·
Daniel 3:25 & 34-43
·
Psalms 25:4-9
·
Joel 2:12-13
·
Matthew 18:21-35
Christians, we benefit nothing by being
unforgiving; yet, Christ Jesus teaches, if there is a trespass
between you and your brethren and he refuses to hear you and refuses
to hear other witnesses and refuses to hear the church, then this
person is to be treated as: a publican or a heathen, as a Gentile or
a tax collector, and Christ Jesus says, to this: “Whatsoever you
shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever you
shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Still, God warns
us of false prophets and therefore also false churches: though a
person may be tricked by deceit and subterfuge, when by lies,
deceits and cunning of greed they bind in heaven or loose in heaven;
however, God the Heavenly Father always sides with what is just and
right and true; for there is no partiality and no respect of men
with God the Heavenly Father and our Lord Christ Jesus: Christ Jesus
being the very image of God the Heavenly Father…. So, yes, we are
to forgive our brethren, when and if they come to us and seek a true
and just and rightful forgiveness, but if their act is merely of
lip-service, so they may continue in their evil designs and ways, we
are to bind the evil way before God the Heavenly Father and pray in
the name of his Son, the Lord Christ Jesus that God the Heavenly
Father’s will, will be done on earth as it is in heaven…. Yes, we
are to bind the evil way as we stand as lights, on a lampstand,
testifying, living, and being in Christ Jesus’s way, truth, and
life: loving neighbor as we love ourselves; for we love the Lord God
the Heavenly Father with all of our hearts, minds, souls and with
all of our strength and we love our neighbor in Christ Jesus:
binding and loosing according to God the Heavenly Father’s Gospel of
spirit and life, that being, Christ Jesus…. So, yes, we are to
forgive our brethren: truly, Christians, Christ Jesus teaches us
that we know a person by their fruits; so, if a person’s fake
repentance is merely lip-service, we will clearly see, that, they
have no heart to forgive, that is, to repent and be forgiven, but
are looking for loopholes and casting aspersions, so that they may
gather strength to either do us more harm or to continue in their
deceit and in their unneighborly fashion…. Jesus Christ also
teaches, behold, that he sends us forth as sheep among wolves: be
you then therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. Now
Christians, it is an interesting irony that Azariah testifies: for
the one thing and the only thing that is truly worthy to God the
Heavenly Father, Azariah, ashamedly, offers: this God pleasing thing
is a true prayer of spirit and life! It is; as if, the eyes, of
that Azariah has do not see and the ears, of that Azariah has do not
hear: for time and time again God the Heavenly Father tells us that
he takes no pleasure in burnt offerings, sacrifices, and other such
things; moreover, God the Heavenly Father never wanted their to be
princes or kings, in the Land of Milk and Honey: Samuel the Prophet
grieved to the bones of his soul, for the impertinence of the
Israelites, seeking a king – like the Gentiles, when now and forever
the love of God is known and manifested by those who walk after the
spirit, the Spirit; yes, the righteousness of the law is fulfilled
in us through Christ Jesus…. Whereas, those who prefer darkness and
their concerns are of the flesh, their wage is the wages of sin and
sinfulness, which is death, and not only a mortal death but an
eternal damnation with their souls cast into the unquenchable fire
that awaits all who choose sin instead of repenting…. Now, Azariah
emphasizes his contrite heart and his humble spirit by praying
aloud: let my prayers, offered, unto you, oh! Lord God of Jacob, be
as the sacrifice of thousands of fatted lambs: Azariah did not know
that all of heaven rejoices when a sinner repents…. Truly,
Christians it is not a light thing, when and if we repent, that is,
when and if we turn away from our sin and sinfulness: Azariah’s
oblation to God the Heavenly Father was a plea to be in God’s
presence that very day, and moreover, a request for truth and grace
to be able to follow God the Heavenly Father, unreservedly; clearly,
when we follow God and the Lord Christ Jesus, unreservedly, this is
not a light thing but is the entire weight of the salvation of our
souls…. Remember, the thief on the cross that this malefactor: how
he sought the Lord Christ Jesus; it being likely the last words from
his lips and offered in heart filled: loving kindness and
obedience…. For this thief did not dodge or mislay his sinfulness,
but acknowledged his sins, saying that he received his due reward
for his thievery and that indeed Christ Jesus was an innocent man,
who the elders did not like – for Christ Jesus spoke the truth, but
they preferred the darkness…. Yes! this malefactor, this thief hid
nothing, but rather witnessed, testified, repented and invited the
Lord Christ Jesus into his life, saying: Lord Christ Jesus, save me
when you come into your kingdom; again, Lord Christ Jesus, remember
me when you come into your kingdom…. Yes, Azariah defines belief in
God the Heavenly Father, by saying: now, we follow you with our
whole heart, unreservedly: Christians, when you read all this that
Azariah has said and acknowledged in this testimony; clearly, we
know that the Israelites were sinning the obvious sins of the flesh
and that Azariah was repenting and had repented of his and in this
singular case also the sins of the Israelites…. Therefore, let us
receive the great gift of repentance that was established by and
through Christ Jesus: by acknowledging our sins, turning away from
our sins, going and sinning no more, repenting of our sins and
sinfulness and thus washing clean our souls, our lives in the blood
of the Lamb, Christ Jesus….
Yes, his, Christ Jesus’s the Messiah’s sacrifice on the
cross, who that did offer himself and has provided, himself, as an
offering for our sins is the eternal sacrifice, which we receive
when we repent…. Now Christians, in the name of the Lord Christ
Jesus let us pray and be thankful…. Amen….
Tuesday, March 12th
2024
The Fourth Week of Lent
·
Ezekiel 47:1-9 & 12
·
Psalms 46:2-3, 5-6 & 8-9
·
Psalms 51:12 & 14
·
John 5:1-16
Christians, our obligation in the Lord
Christ Jesus is to repent and to believe in the Gospel; for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand: so, when we read of this feast, and
that feast, and we think of feasts in our own lives; they are to be
occasions of joy and remembrance, but not of obligation….
Saint Paul, Apostle, goes a long way to stress the importance
of faith and spirit and not the law, so much so that we should also
walk and live in the way that Christ Jesus did: Saint John said: the
person that says they abide in Christ Jesus ought themselves to walk
and live, even as our Lord Christ Jesus did and Christ Jesus said:
if you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love; even as I
have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love….
Now Christians, the Book of Ezekiel gives us
tremendous insight to the love that is God our Heavenly Father….
As well, we get a clear understanding of that God the
Heavenly Father does not let the guilty go unpunished.
Christ Jesus says, if we deny him before others that we will
be denied before the angels of God: The Lord, said to Ezekiel, Son
of man, you have been made a watchman, hear this: if a righteous
person turns away from their righteousness and commits iniquity; he
shall die.
Moreover,
Ezekiel, if you have not warned this person to turn away from their
unrighteousness that his blood will be required, of your hand, and
the righteousness that a person may have done previously, before,
they fell to inequity amounts to nothing….
The righteous person does not sin!
Saint John, Apostle, tells us that the person who does
righteousness is righteous, and that we should not be deceived….
Now the false prophet will tell us: we are righteous;
therefore, all of your sin and sinfulness is not sin, but
righteousness, which, of course, is the false prophet lying.
Yet, Saint Paul teaches us: that he has warned us and warned
us again that those individuals who commit and abide in the obvious
sins of the flesh; will in no way enter into the kingdom of heaven….
More emphatically, Christ Jesus teaches: repent and believe
in the Gospel for the kingdom of heaven is at hand; unless we
repent, that is turn away from our sins and sinfulness in no way
will we enter into the kingdom of heaven.
We have been warned and there are no excuses, the time is
near, so repent and abide, and believe in Christ Jesus’s Gospel;
for, indeed, the kingdom of heaven is at hand….
Yes, Christians, we all have sinned, and fall short of the
glory of God; therefore, we are all in need of repentance: do not
let this teaching -- cause you to believe, since, we are all sinful
there is no need of repentance, which is, of course, the person
deceiving themselves or is, the fiery arrows of the evil one
manifesting, themselves, in our conscience.
Saint Peter teaches us: be sober, be vigilant; because our
adversary the devil is like a roaring lion, seeking to devour
whoever he may.
The
Apostle Peter goes on to say: resist, the sinfulness that manifest,
itself, in our conscience, and be stedfast: knowing that the same
afflictions are also accomplished, that is, being done, in our
brethren throughout the entire world.
In other words, we are all being tempted, so resist and
repent of your sins and sinfulness, seeking, the grace and truth
that does abide in Christ Jesus, that is, when we repent and believe
in the Lord Christ Jesus and his Gospel of spirit and life….
Yes Christians, God the Heavenly Father’s eternal kingdom
awaits and Ezekiel is shown a vision, a partial understanding, of
this kingdom: what we realize is that God the Heavenly Father’s
eternal kingdom is a wonderous and glorious place filled with spirit
and life, Christ Jesus’s Gospel; it is a place that is filled with
abundance; it is a place that is filled with love, which shines so
brightly that the love, itself, is the very light of the kingdom;
God is love….
The thing
that we do not see, as Ezekiel is being shown this vision of God the
Heavenly Father’s temple is the pit, the place of unrepentance: yes,
we should not let ourselves be washed away with this glorious vision
of the kingdom of God the Heavenly Father without also remembering,
that lest we repent, we will in no way enter into the kingdom of
God: we may ask, of what do we need to repent, and the answer is all
the obvious sins of the flesh….
Christ Jesus is the bread of life; Christ Jesus is the word
made flesh; and Christ Jesus gives unto us the water of life: the
person who drinks of his water that Christ Jesus gives unto will
never thirst; moreover, this water that Christ Jesus may give unto
us is a water that shall be a well of water springing up into
everlasting life….
Yes,
Christians, we have been invited to the great wedding feast: the
Holy Spirit and the bride say, Come; and, let the person who hears,
say, Come.
And let the
person that is a thirst come.
And whosoever will, let them take the water of life freely….
Yes Christians, this vision of God the Heavenly Father’s
temple and the river that proceeds from it: may, also be understood
figuratively; truly, so many parables and teachings and alluding’s
to other verses of scripture spring out of this vision, it is
difficult to decide where to begin to pray, meditate, and to give
glory, thanks and praise to God the Heavenly Father and the Lord
Christ Jesus….
Still,
let us never for a moment turn away from praying and giving thanks
to the Lord God our Heavenly Father; and yes, truly, fear of the
Lord is the beginning of all wisdom and keeping ourselves from sin,
with the grace that is in the Lord Christ Jesus is understanding….
Yes, let us remember, as our brethren in Christ Jesus, Saint
Peter and John said: it is impossible for us not to speak of what we
have seen and heard.
As
they prayed, the place where they were gathered shook, and they were
filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God
with boldness….
Yes,
moreover, Saint Paul, Apostle teaches that we are to pray without
ceasing; that we are not to render evil for evil; rather, we must
always shine the light of Christ Jesus’s Gospel: boldly witnessing
and testifying to Christ Jesus’s Gospel doing as the Apostles, Peter and
James, the son of Zebedee, and John, the brother of James;
these were called the sons of thunder – likely for their boldness:
then there was the Apostle Andrew, Philip, and Bartholomew, and
Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and
Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, which also
betrayed him….
Yes,
Christians, let us remember our dear Apostle Peter who said unto us,
Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of the Lord
Christ Jesus for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the
gift of the Holy Ghost.
Now Christians, in the name of the Lord Christ Jesus let us pray and
be thankful….
Amen….
Tuesday, March 19th
2024
Solemnity of Saint Joseph, husband
of the Blessed Virgin Mary
·
2 Samuel 7:4-5, 12-14 & 16
·
Psalms 89:2-5, 27 & 29
·
Romans 4:13, 16-18, & 22
·
Psalms 84:5
·
Matthew 1:16, 18-21 & 21-24 or Luke 2:41-51
Christians the magnificence of the Lord
Christ Jesus is that he is life….
Christians, God the Heavenly Father made Adam and Eve:
separate from the rest of creation, and down through this family –
their falling from grace; to Noah and his sons being the only ones
left -- who were directly descended from Adam and Eve; and then to
Abraham, Father of a nation, to Moses, and the great and wondrous
signs God performed in Egypt; to Abraham’s descendants inheriting
the lands that comprised of Noah’s other son descendants, which God
had the tribe of Jacob, through Joshua, destroy these descendants of
Noah, for they had become spoiled and polluted, and their evil had
ran its course; and then, from the time of judges, to the time of
kings, to the time of the dispersion and then, to the Roman Empire,
becoming rulers of Israel, and Herod being put in charge as king of
Judaea: God the Heavenly Father chose to make himself known through
this family, beginning, with Adam and Eve and on down through the
generations.
God did not
show them any partiality and when they fell to sin, and became
polluted, in their sinfulness, God knew the only cure for them was
to destroy them; yet, leaving a remnant who did know that the Lord
was God and thus we have Daniel and other Prophets, and the
rebuilding of the temple….
This temple was the temple that Christ Jesus referred to,
when he said: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will rise
up!”
Then, the time came
that God the Heavenly Father’s prophecy would be fulfilled: his
prophecy that began with God putting enmity between Satan and the
woman: between the children of darkness and the children of light.
For Satan was made to crawl on his belly and eat dust….
Christians, Saint Peter Apostle tells us that our adversary
Satan is like a roaring lion looking to devour souls and God the
Heavenly Father tells us that Satan will bruise the head of the
children of light, while the woman shall bruise the heel of the
devil….
As well, Christ
Jesus tells us that the angels will be sent to separate the children
of the wicked one from the children of the kingdom of God….
So through all these magnificent and wonderous and glorious
events: one day in the peace of a day, Mary, a descendant daughter
of King David and of Adam and Eve was working in her garden, for
Mary was a carpenter’s wife, Joseph, and not the daughter of a
prince or a king, so she was working in her garden; likely enough
tending and watering the vegetables when, the ArchAngel Gabriel said
to her: “Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is
with thee: blessed art thou among women.”
And then, in this one moment our Lord, the Christ and
Messiah, Jesus was conceived in the womb of this Virgin, Mary….
It is beyond tremendous, Christians, it is life; it
is Christ Jesus: the way, the truth and the life, and again, God
the Heavenly Father affirms his Messiah Son, the Lord Christ Jesus
-- by having his Prophet, Nathan, announce to David, the shepherd,
the soldier; and destroyer of the evil seed Goliath;
David, the merchant for hire, the father of many children,
the husband of several wives, the adulterer and the repentant
adulterer, the king and the man upon whom God the Heavenly Father,
the creator of heaven and the earth did choose to make his royal
throne firm and forever….
Yes,
Nathan, the prophet told David servant of God the Heavenly Father
that his house and his kingdom shall endure forever; truly, God the
Heavenly Father fulfilled this promise through his Son the Lord
Christ Jesus, he who is seated at the right hand of God: awaiting
the time of fulfillment, the end of the age, when all will be
rewarded according to their deeds….
Yes, Christians, the testimony from David to Mary, the
Blessed Virgin Mary, and to her son, the Son of God, the Lord Christ
Jesus is a testimony of people: a people who did either what was
pleasing to God the Heavenly Father or what was evil in his sight….
When the few kings from David to Mary, those who did what was
pleasing in the sight of God; they kept his commandments; and they
did not worship false idols in the high places; they did not
immolate their children, which is passing them through fire to their
death; they did not go from house to house committing adultery; but
they kept the yearly sin offering -- faithfully and performed the other
sacrifices of grain and meal and of the first fruits also
faithfully…. However, when the many kings from David to Mary who
were evil in the sight of God: they did all these abominations; they
did commit adultery and were idolaters; Saint James, Apostle,
testified of the people of his day: You adulterers and adulteresses,
do you not know that the friendship of the world is enmity with God;
whosoever, therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of
God the Heavenly Father.
Yes, Christians, Christ Jesus called us friends, but as Saint James
testifies and declares: if you are a friend of the world, you are
not a friend of God, you are not a friend of the Lord Christ Jesus….
Truly, Christians, we are to first seek the kingdom of heaven
and the Heavenly Father’s righteousness and then the Heavenly Father
will deliver into our hands the things that pertain to our life….
Yes Christians, the Lord knows our needs even before we ask,
so be thankful unto the Lord repenting of your sins and believing in
Christ Jesus’s Gospel of spirit and life….
Now Christians, the psalmist testifies that he will sing of
the promises of the Lord; truly the majesty of the Lord is awesome….
Yes Christians, Saint John, Apostle testifies: this then is
the promise that Christ Jesus did promise: eternal life….
Yes, Christians as the day is; so, too is the kindness of the
Lord God our Heavenly Father; yet, the Lord tells us through his
Ambassador, Saint Paul, Apostle that we are to have no fellowship
with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them….
Yes, Christians: all things that are reproved are made
manifest by the light; for everyone who does wicked things hates the
light and does not come toward the light, so that their works might
not be exposed: still, whoever lives the truth comes to the light,
so that their works may be clearly known and seen and done in God….
Christians, we are to receive Christ Jesus according to his
name, believe in the works for that the Pharisees wanted to stone
him; for Christ Jesus did many good works….
Truly, he, the Lord Christ Jesus, the Son of God, the Messiah
did the works of God the Heavenly Father the Lord of heaven and
earth.
Yes Christians,
if we love the Lord Christ Jesus we will keep his words: then the
Heavenly Father will love us and they, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
will come unto that person and make their standing dwelling abode
with them.
Now
Christians, in the name of the Lord Christ Jesus let us pray and be
thankful….
Amen.
Tuesday, March 26th
2024
Holy Week
·
Isaiah 49:1-6
·
Psalms 71:1-6, 15 & 17
·
John 13:21-33 & 36-38
Christians, the Apostles had their doubts as
to what Jesus had said to them: “that one of them would betray
him!” Still, Christians, we, also, know from Christ Jesus’s
teachings: that there will be two women grinding grains at a mill;
the one shall be taken, and the other one left…. Now, these two
verses illustrate and prove that, although, the Apostles spent the
better part of three years together, night and day and that a person
may work day in and day out with another person; yet, only God the
Heavenly Father knows the heart of the person, whereas, it is very
possibly true that we do not necessarily know the very person next
to us…. Given this: it is also reason, enough that we should not
judge the person next to us; even though we are to know them by
their fruits…. Yes, the Apostles had their doubts and did not
tangibly understand what The Christ was saying unto them, which
suggests, the Apostles thought of themselves as a united body of
twelve men, but history testifies to the truth of the matter…. One
suggestion about Judas Iscariot: factually, we know that he threw
the silver back to the Pharisees, from which it came, and it is
suggested that he said, what have I done, which would be a
confession: these happened before his death. A death that occurred
either by hanging or by bursting open as he fell headlong, with his
bowels gushing out as a sign of a horrible death…. Yes, the
Apostles, as Saint Peter, Apostle testified: thou art the Christ,
the Son of God, and Jesus answered them, it is true that I have
chosen you, but one of you is a devil…. So again, we have the
Apostles spending day and night together for some three years, Jesus
told them that one of them was a devil, and yet, Judas was clever
enough to conceal his true identity from the other eleven Apostles –
not to mention hundreds and thousands of people that they came in contact
with over those three years, but Christ Jesus knew from the
beginning that Judas was a devil…. At the present, Christians, let
us look at these first few verses in the Old Testament, testimony,
from Isaiah and put it alongside the testimony of the Angel Gabriel
announcing unto the Blessed Mary, mother of the Lord Christ Jesus
and quickly notice the difference: with Isaiah, God knew him and
called him from his mother’s womb; whereas, with Christ Jesus, the
testimony is that the Lord Christ Jesus was announced unto the
world; that Christ Jesus was with God before the foundation of the
heavens and the earth; that Christ Jesus is the word made flesh;
that Christ Jesus is the eternal Father and mighty God; that, this
grace and truth, Jesus came into the world to heal not to condemn
and that he will come again to judge the living and the dead: so,
yes let us quickly realize and know the difference in the testimony
about and from Isaiah and the testimony about the Lord Christ Jesus
-- given unto us according to the Gospel, the word of spirit and
life…. Isaiah was made to be a sharp-edged sword and Christ Jesus
is a double edge sword – sharp enough to pierce and cut asunder, the
soul from the spirit, the joints from the marrow; and is a discerner
of thoughts and the intents of the heart…. Yes, the Prophet Isaiah
did expose and reprove the Israelites, saying: how is the faithful
city become a harlot! It was; full of judgment, that is; good
judgment and justice; yes, righteousness lodged in it: truly,
righteousness was at home in Israel, but now, referring too this
time of Isaiah, the city is occupied with murderers. The silver has
become dross or scum, as the Prophet Ezekiel rightly calls it: that
the filthiness of it may be molten in it, that the scum may be
consumed…. Yes, Isaiah was hidden, as a polished arrow in a
quiver. God the Heavenly Father called Isaiah, from his mother’s
womb, saying, you are my servant, Isaiah: to raise up the tribes of
Jacob and to restore the preserved or remnant of Israel: moreover,
Isaiah, also, as Christ Jesus was given as life, Isaiah is to be a
light for the Gentiles: for the Lord God the Heavenly Father is
creator and Lord of heaven and earth, and his salvation is testified
through out all the earth: Thus it is written and thus it is
behooved that the Messiah, Christ, Jesus – born of the Virgin Mary –
was to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that
repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name
among all nations beginning at Jerusalem…. Yes, the Christ says in
his name, that is, in the name of the Lord Christ Jesus, which is a
phrased used frequently by him. For Jesus, the Christ says:
whosoever shall receive this child in my name receives me: and
whosoever shall receive the Lord Christ Jesus also receives God the
Heavenly Father that sent Christ Jesus…. So, when we look at this
phrase, in his name, Jesus’s name, we realize it means according to
his Gospel of spirit and life: for certainly, clearly, we have come
to realize, because of the perversions of some men and women, that
in this world, a child, may be received into a life of trafficking,
torment and immorality, but, however, when a child is received, in
the name, of the Lord Christ Jesus, this child is to be received in
the holiness and in accordance with Christ Jesus’s Gospel of spirit
and life and not, according to this world: for in this world the
perversions of some men and women, they do receive children into
their horrors and abominations of the deepest perversions – no
matter what they themselves think of their behaviors, God the
Heavenly Father calls them abominations and perversions and so too,
does Christ Jesus call such behaviors perversions and abominations.
For Jesus, the Christ, that is, Jesus Christ is the very reflection,
the very image of God the Heavenly Father: they God the Father and
Son, the Lord Christ Jesus being one…. Christ Jesus says this most
interesting testimony: that the blood of all the prophets, which was
shed from the foundation of the world; will be required of this
generation. Now, since, we are still awaiting the second coming of
the Lord Christ Jesus, we are still in the generation of Christ
Jesus, in the same manner as there was a time before Kings and a
time before the dispersion, being as, different generations….
Truly, Christians, Christ Jesus is an eternal sacrifice for
our sins and sinfulness, and we receive his grace -- shed from his
blood from the cross -- when we repent of our sins and sinfulness
and go and sin no more….
Sin is darkness; and God is light and in him there is no darkness at
all….
To say that there
is sin in God, we know is a lie; moreover, Christ Jesus was without
sin and overcame the world even though, he was made to be sin for
us, so that our sins may be put to death, on the cross, with Christ
Jesus….
For now, we are
no longer slaves to our sinful flesh, and if we live after the flesh
we will die; for the wage of sin is death.
Yet, if through the spirit, that is, the Holy Spirit – if we
do put to death the deeds of the body, then we shall live.
Truly, Christ Jesus came into the world so that the
righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, those, who walk
not after the flesh, but after the spirit, that is the Holy Spirit; Christ Jesus’s Gospel is
spirit and life….
Now
Christians, in the name of the Lord Christ Jesus let us pray and be
thankful….
Amen….
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