A Herald of Christ the King

A Herald of the King knows this:

Whenever there is a parade, there are always peddlers of wares or "goods" (incl. false religion) and hecklers trying to distract the people of God from worshipping the King -- especially while they are waiting to receive him.

Beware of the wolves.

Matthew 7: 15

Jesus Christ - Be glorified!

Thank you Holy Spirit for teaching me about the supremacy of Christ; for testifying to Christ alone; and for showing me an example of true humility. You are gracious to us (the body of believers) to extend knowledge beyond measure.

O' Jesus Christ - Be glorified!

Now hear my prayer of many days gone past.

Psalm 86

1 Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.
2 Preserve my life, for I am devoted to you; save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God; 3 be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all day long.
4 Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call on you.
6 Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; listen to my cry of supplication.
7 In the day of my trouble I call on you, for you will answer me.

8 There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours.
9 All the nations you have made shall come and bow down before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.
10 For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.
11 Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart to revere your name.
12 I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

14 O God, the insolent rise up against me; a band of ruffians seeks my life, and they do not set you before them.
15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant; save the child of your serving girl.
17 Show me a sign of your favor, so that those who hate me may see it and be put to shame, because you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.

Reflection on Reflections

We are made in his image

So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 1: 27

Therefore, each one of us has the capacity to become like Christ.

For freedom Christ has set us free
-------
By his death on a cross the veil has been torn

And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3: 18

Do I want to look more like Jesus?

Then I must look to Him.

No more dwelling on the things of this world.

He is my maker. I am the clay.

He is my Father. I am his child.

To set the mind on the flesh is death,

but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

Romans 8: 6

Do I want peace? Then I must look to Him.

Do I want to know joy? Then I must look to Him.

Do I want to be self-controlled? Then I must look to him.

Etc. Etc.

We are made in his image. We are his children. Therefore, let us reflect our Heavenly Father.

Even common thoughts on human development can help point the way. A child reflects the one holding them in their hands. It is true. In looking at a parent who smiles, a son or daughter will respond with a smile.

iCommit to Begin Anew: I will turn my head towards him, look up, and boldly gaze into the eyes of God; the one who holds me (& you) in his hands.

It’s a very intimate place to be. Full of love and grace . . . and mercy!

“Hear” are some words from a great song I like to sing. Please follow the link to Jami Smith.com for more.

Wash Over Me

Jami Smith and Janet Hubbell

© 2002 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music/ASCAP

Only You - The Lord who is God - can take this heart

Only You can take this mind

Only You can take this life

And make it look like Jesus

Crucify the Flesh

Romans 6: 6

We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be

enslaved to sin.

• Crucified with Him!
• Made to be an example.
• Our flesh 'hung out to dry'.

When others shouted, “Crucify, crucify him!” Jesus did not save himself. Nor did he defend himself. Instead Jesus chose to write the gospel story of redemption through His blood shed for the remission of sin.

That is Love defined; and not retribution through violent acts of lashing-out, human bloodshed, or even slashing.

Jesus, while on the cross, did not curse them. He was simultaneously blameless (innocent of charge) and blame-less (no pointing of the finger and yes, forgiving). He blessed them. He prayed for them. “Forgive them for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23: 34).

And like a lamb going to slaughter, he willingly laid down his life for you and me.

It may seem upside down in the mind’s eye, but in his dying Jesus Christ showed us how to live. Examine these scriptures: Luke 6: 27 – 38. We are called to avoid sin and we are called to sacrificial living; that is, to Love actively by the laying down of our lives.

Therefore, let us choose to crucify the flesh and live redeemed.

On a personal note:

I smile. One Resurrection Sunday a parishioner angrily said that the white draping on the cross looked like the pastor family’s dirty laundry. At the time these words stabbed. However, knowing more of the love of Jesus and his FORGIVENESS this day, I am better able to forgive . . . and now rejoice.

There is a peace that comes with full understanding that it is my dirty laundry hanging there on the tree!

It’s right where it needs to be . . . and I’m right where God wants me to be.

How Beautiful it is to see

Christ’s Blood Shed for Thee!

FRANK(talk)in(g)Sense

Frank Talk

iGoogled: In researching crushed rose petals I found it very interesting, and personal to me, that Frankincense is also used as a raw material for perfume. It is clear that Frankincense, in addition to embalming and other more common medicinal purposes, is significant to producing a pleasing aroma.

iLearned: Frankincense comes from a tree of the genus Boswellia. The species is called Boswellia sacra or B. sacra with the root word meaning holy.

iSurmise: In addition to what I have been told, Frankincense was given to Messiah to signal His Holiness.

iPonder: How great and good God is!

There is no mistake the Jesus Christ should be given such a gift of Frankincense. He is the one who is Holy.

The aroma of Christ is lovely; it is a fragrant offering of laying one’s life so that others might live.

1 In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 asking, Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage. . . 10 When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11 On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Matthew 2:1-2,10-11

iUnderstand: Wise men in offering a gift of frankincense to Messiah are guided by Wisdom. Wisdom comes only from The Holy Spirit and not an avatar of one’s own making.

iDesire Christ.

iSeek Christ.

iFound Christ.

iWorship Christ.

iLove Christ.

iPray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power.

Now iRejoice. Amen.

Most Precious and Crushed

Crushed Rose Petals are used for the most expensive perfumes.

So while a full bloom rose is deemed beautiful, this is not the end for some. Some flowers are saved to be crushed . . . like a redeeming act of God.

At first glance, it seems like a precious, beautiful, delicate, living thing is utterly destroyed; however, this is not an ordinary affair. The one crushed becomes a useful treasure for the king and the rose is considered nothing short of being highly-esteemed, -valued, -desirable, -prized, and ultimately called “most precious.”

Do you see the parallel?

When a life is poured out it becomes a pleasing fragrance for the King of Kings.

An Example

Pure Nard was used to anoint Messiah. Like a crushed beautiful rose, it flowed from the passionate love Mary had for her Savior (see Mark 14: 3 – 9; Matthew 26: 6 - 13). . . and how much more it flowed from the veins of Jesus Christ in passionate love for his people.

In plain speech, our model is JESUS CHRIST. He showed us how to live and how to die. He willing gave up his life and submitted himself to the will of the Father (Isaiah 53: 10); choosing to be crushed and crucified (not obliged).

This not only represents a costly gift of love, it is LOVE.

Homework

Come close and gaze at the Beautiful and Most Precious Rose

It is He who shed his blood and rose.

Conquering death. A mighty feat.

Such Victory!

Our Scripture Reading:

Isaiah 53: 4 -5; 12

4 Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases; yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed . . . 12 Therefore I will allot him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Our Victory Song:

Jesus Christ poured out for the remission of sin!

Our Battle Charge:

Ephesians 5: 1 – 2

1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, 2 and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Additional reading: 2 Corinthians 2: 14 – 17.

On True Beauty

On True Beauty

I’ll skip the first few steps of script;

Found written in a common garden text.

Because this is what I know:

Jesus Christ aRose.

God speaks the Word; causing things to be.

He gives us growth and flowers to see.

Yet there is still something greater than these;

Ah . . . ‘Tis only when Jesus Christ is seen!