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Welcome everyone to my blog spot. I hope that you will enjoy the posts that you read and that they encourage, revitalize and empower you in all that you do each and every day, while always remembering to give thanks to our God.



Thursday, January 26, 2012

Sunday of the Priest - “You are The Priest for eternity in the image of Melchizedek.”

Icon of St. Melchizedek
St. Melchizedek Orthodox Icon
Hebrews 7

1This Melchizedek is The King of Shalim, Priest of The Most High God, and he met Abraham when he returned from the massacre of Kings and blessed him. 2And Abraham distributed to him a tenth of everything that he had with him; but his name is interpreted, “King of Righteousness” and again “King of Shalim”, which is, “King of Peace”, 3Without his father and his mother being written in the genealogies, neither having beginning of his days nor end of his life, but in the likeness of The Son of God, his Priesthood remains for eternity.

4But how much greater is This One than the man Abraham, Chief of The fathers, to whom he gave the tithe of the best? 5For those of the sons of Levi who received Priesthood had a commandment of The Written Law to take a tenth part from those people of their brethren, as also they had come forth from the loins of Abraham. 6But This Man who is not written in their genealogies received the tithe from Abraham and blessed him who had received The Promise. 7But without dispute, he who is lesser is blessed by him who is greater than he. 8And here the children of men who die receive tithes, but there, he about whom the Scriptures testify that he lives. 9And as a man, let us say about him that by Abraham, Levi, who receives tithes, was caused to tithe. 10For he was yet in the loins of his father when he met Melchizedek.
11If perfection therefore is by Priesthood of Levi, ( for by it The Written Law was established to the people ), why was another Priest needed to arise in the image of Melchizedek? But does it say that he would be in the image of Aaron? 12But just as there was a change in The Priesthood, in this way there was also a change in The Law. 13For he about whom these things were said was born from another tribe, from which a man never ministered at the altar. 14For it is revealed that our Lord arose from Judah, about which tribe Moses never said anything concerning Priesthood. 15And moreover, again, it is apparent by this that he said that another Priest arises in the image of Melchizedek, 16He who was not by the law of carnal commandments, but by the power of an indestructible life.

17For he testified about him, “You are The Priest for eternity in the image of Melchizedek.”
18But there was a change in the first testament because of its impotence, and there was no benefit in it. 19For The Written Law perfects nothing, but hope, which is greater than it, entered in its place, by which we approach God. 20And he confirmed it to us by an oath.

21For they were Priests without an oath, but this one, with an oath, as he said to him by David: “THE LORD JEHOVAH has sworn and will not lie, that you are The Priest for eternity in the image of Melchizedek.”
22This Covenant, of which Yeshua is The Guarantor, is entirely better.

23And there were many Priests because they were dying and were not permitted to continue. 24But This One's Priesthood, because he is Eternal, does not pass away. 25And he can give life for eternity to those who come near to God by him, for he lives always and offers prayers for our sakes.

26For because this Priest also was right for us: pure, without malice and without defilement, who is separate from sin and exalted higher than Heaven, 27And he has no compulsion every day as The Chief Priests to offer sacrifice, first for his sins and then for the people, for This One did it one time by his Life which he offered. 28For The Law establishes weak men as Priests, but the word of the oath which was after The Law, The Son, who is perfect for eternity.

Gospel of Luke 12 42:48

  41Peter said, “Lord, are You addressing this parable to us, or to everyone else as well?” 42And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time? 43“Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. 44“Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45“But if that slave says in his heart, ‘My master will be a long time in coming,’ and begins to beat the slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk; 46the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers. 47“And that slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes, 48but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.


Friday, January 20, 2012

WEEK OF THE REVELATION OF CHRIST’S MYSTERY TO NICODEMUS

THIRD  SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY
 
 
 
 
John 3:1-16
 
WEEK OF THE REVELATION OF CHRIST’S MYSTERY
TO NICODEMUS

The Apostle said: Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? “Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. This is the truth. Peace be with you