A Portion of Michaelangelo’s ceiling artwork in the Sistine Chapel: On the left is the image portrayal of humanity, and on the right is the image portrayal of the hand of God, wherewith, Michaelangelo paints with symbolism the effort of humanity as languid, half-hearted and proud; whereas, the portrayal of the hand and finger of the eternal God is outstretched with purpose and ready. The contradiction is great, for it is humanity that needs God as Shepherd and Savior from sin and death.
The haughty & proud heart cannot hear the Lord; it is vain unto itself.
The covetous heart is never content; it is estranged from God.
The deceit of sin makes the mind numb & rebellious, it demands to be set first; it yields no peace, and asks again.
But the preparation of the heart & mind unto God, yields and listens; it proclaims the throne of God set in them as King.
And so, — the oil of gladness, and the love of God enters the meek heart and mind, in accordance to his Word, and that is Truth, in accordance to his Righteousness, and that is the Spirit of His Word.
Yes, according to Jesus, King & Lord, lowly & meek, gracious and kind, plenteous in mercy; the first fruit of them who are called to be ‘holy.’
Truly, the Lord is plenteous in mercy; he is gracious with all; loving and kind; bearing long with us, whom are as vessels before his sight; some of mercy, some of wrath; calling his annointed, holy; setting his Christ in us, that there be an inheritance unto him; vessels of mercy and righteousness called after his name, and unto his house. Establishing his promises through his Word, and that right early, sending his Spirit into the bosom of his preordained, whom he has called, sanctified, justified, and will glorify; his sons and daughters; citizens of Holy Jerusalem, that is from ‘above.’ Whereby, a great remnant of humanity, being called unto holiness from each nation has a citizenship that cannot be changed.
But the Lord, as he sais in scripture in Psalm 90 verse 9 &10, “a prayer of Moses, the man of God,” “for all our days are passed away in wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told. The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.”
Yes, the Lord is gracious and his love surpasses all understanding, but he will no be mocked, nor shall he give his glory unto another; finding folly even in his angels, and therefore, even they who are of the family of the Lord have their peace and joy and love and the anointing of the oil of gladness,according to the effectual working of Truth and Righteousness in them. Christ Jesus, the Prince of God, our Father in Heaven, whom is the Lamb found to be worthy to stand in the presence of God, and as a mediator for us who are ‘called,’ has shown what pattern; what way and form of life we are to emulate, if it be so that we know ourselves to be godly, that we may enjoy the goodness of the gifts of God, whom has anointed this Jesus, Sun of Righteousness, as lowly of mind, and meek of heart in holy obedience unto the Creator of Heaven and Earth.
Yea, the Lord has called Jesus meek and lowly of heart; having chosen to set him as the example, and through his Word, having expressly written unto us through Moses, and the prophets, and the Psalms, how it is that we are stand before him in his sight that we enjoy being gracious and loving, glad, and merciful after the manner of God, and that is— being constant in such diligence, that we assure our standing in his favor and strength. Having shown through the memorialized life of so many in scripture, even all the kings of ancient Israel, that the Lord shall protect and preserve his holiness, insomuch that even the Patriarch David was admonished in the matter of the wife of Uriah, and in his call for a census, when as such, these things were not after the Spirit of the Word. For God is good, and suffers none to dilute the power of his Word or Spirit, even as much as taking nearly all the kingdom from Solomon after his reign, because Solomon was not constant in his meekness unto the Lord, having chosen himself one thousand wives and concubines, of whom he left off following the Lord with all his heart, and setting up places of worship unto false gods. But with Moses, whom he called the meekest, the grace of the Lord remained nearly completely steadfast across the entirety of his life, except when he struck the rock in haste, causing the water to gush forth unto them who were of little faith in the wilderness those forty years. Such action the Lord recompensing swiftly by disallowing Moses to set not even a foot upon the promised land.
Therefore, the Lord is a “Jealous God,” and he preserves his Truth, his Way, and he is the life, keeping his oath of his Word, for the Lord shall not lie, and is perfect in Spirit; yes, he is True and Righteous, and Faithful, the authentic Rock, in whom we can lean upon, full of love, wisdom and understanding; with perfect grace; not being partial unto any, however it might be for he shall keep his Word, and in him we can trust. God, knowing our frame and that our life is but a wisp, does keep mercy, and does long suffer with us in Spirit, that we may understand God is with us, having sent unto us scores of prophets, and of sons and daughters, even his Sun, Jesus, that we might understand what is the way, the truth, and the life that we are to follow; being gentle hearted and merciful, loving and kind as he is also; being found of him at all times constantly keeping our righteousness with all integrity, that he shine through, because of our meekness unto him, and so, that the love of God be clearly seen in those whom he has called. And not only the love of God, but the oil of gladness, which is the heart of thanksgiving; which is that in our holy meekness, and I say, not cowardlines, but in holy meekness as the Lord has expressed in his Word, according to his Spirit, because this world sees not the Lord, nor knows him as he has called us to know him, though he has ‘risen up early and sent his Spirit through his saints,’ being constant in the power of his oath, which is everything fulfilled in the life of Jesus, whom is gracious, loving, and kind; obedient to God in all things. And if obedient, he upon whom the oil of gladness is with, being omnipotent and perfect because of his constant diligence of adherence.
So shall it be for any and all, that according to our constant diligence in holy obedience, shall we have the favor of God; having gladness of heart, and peace of mind, wisdom and understanding in the Christ mind, being strengthened unto goodness, and not the partiality of gain and advantage, nor the vain manner that quiets the fervency of his loving Holy Spirit, but abounding and brimming with love and joy, and that, calibrated in continuity in our meekness, that we not enter into the wrath of God, whom though he be gracious and plenteous in mercy. Because his Word is a double-edged sword, a blessing on one side, and a curse on the other; sharper than any other sword, and constant in its power.
“So teach us to number our days, that we apply our hearts unto wisdom, (Psalm 90:12).
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“Because he hath set his love upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.”
The burden of God being Light; a brightness and glory that is perfect, which exemplifies the oath of his Word; that he is perfect, and he has called his house to be perfect, — and not after the perfection of this world, which can be unmerciful and cold of heart, without love, but after the oath of his Word and the Righteous Spirit of His Word, which he does set in those who turn and prepare their hearts unto him, giving them power to become his eternal sons and eternal daughters, replete with love, joy, grace, truth, goodness, and peace. — That work of ‘turning’ and preparation, being already the sign of the work of thanksgiving in us, which is the proof of the beginning of Wisdom and Understanding, that we are of God because of God, and we love his Spirit, and we read his Word, and we are known of him, and we know him, and are brothers and sisters of his Sun, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Whom having called Moses unto a better life than the life of spiritual Egypt, delivers us in heart and mind unto liberty with strength to have faith in him, and that strength, being constant in our meekness, that we enjoy the oil of gladness as a peaceful people of quiet hearts and sharp minds, and light-heartedness, with understanding of how we must be constant in our goodness as the Lord defines goodness, and constant in our mercy and love, and graciousness, as he Lord defines these invisible gifts; being harmless as doves, and clever as serpents, seeking the accomplishment of the will of God as the Spirit in us, that they whom are in our presence might see the light of God, and therefore, we are these ambassadors of the Lord, whom the world has not known, and of whom the world has forsaken in ignorance, crucifying his Sun of Righteousness, and creating his house spitefully, going its own way, following after vain things, and after the worship of idols, whom are no gods at all, and after the deceit of covetousness which is not gain. All these things which take away gladness of heart, and the merciful Spirit that God has called us to express, and which spoils the love of God we should have and give.
But upon those who learn to be constant in serving God according to the Spirit of His Word, and I say the Spirit of His Word, for that work of constantcy demonstrates ‘faith’ that God is real and good, and has power to keep all his promises, even the salvation and glorification of his sons and daughters; -faith in that Spirit of His Word becomes an anointing oil of gladness showing us and Him, and the world, that we are of the Lord, and not because of our work in being perfectly diligent unto the Word without graciousness, but through faith in that Word that it is perfect. For not all are scholars in the Word whom are of God, but should be, for his Word is his law and it is perfect, but through faith in God, we find ourselves to have some grace. For it is graceful to believe God, and it is a grace to love God, and to be genuine in Spirit, having faith that his Word and Spirit is perfect, profitable unto us in all things, and therefore, our love of diligence to reading and knowing and obeying his Word, which is work, is the after effect of His spirit of thanksgiving in us, which is the proof of the work of god setting in us the power of his Spirit in us, causing faith unto him.
And so, if we love the love and favor and goodness of God; if we love being glad and peaceful, and loving and kind, after His Spirit, let us be constant in Spirit. And how so? Even finding the manner of obedience through the knowledge of his gracious Words unto us, which he has given us to say and sing and read, and that will be a graciousness and mercy we afford ourselves, that we refresh the ‘Christ mind’ in us daily, having faith that our work time in reading and saying and singing and of doing that will and Spirit of God, is good for us and comely, behooving unto us whom are not ashamed to be called the sons and daughters of God; the brothers and sisters of his Sun, Jesus; yes, Christ in us.
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