The BreadCast

(Is.48:17-19; Ps.1:1-4,6,Jn.8:12; Mt.11:16-19) "Time will prove where wisdom lies." No doubt it lies with God. It lies with the Son of Man, come for our salvation. "I, the Lord, your God, teach you what is for your good, and lead you on the way you should go." Is it not our essential call to obey His Word, to listen for His voice and follow in His way? Are they not happy who hear the Word of God and keep it? Is this not wisdom, to walk in the way of our Creator, with the One who loves us above all? Does not all our misery stem from disobedience to His sacred commandments? Do we not in this way of our own making not simply lose all love in our hearts? Does this not bring our death? If we would but follow the Lord, our "prosperity would be like a river," no doubt. Our "descendants would be like the sand," for "like a tree planted near running water" we would flourish with the wisdom which comes from the font of life which is the Lord, and one would we become with all the children of His eternal kingdom. We cannot expect the Lord to dance to the tune we pipe or wail to the dirge we sing. It is the height of foolishness for the creature to attempt to impose its will on the Creator. But such is our pride, the source of our wickedness. And so, deaf, blind, and empty are we when we seek to turn the order of the universe back upon our God. For "like chaff which the wind drives away" our own foolish counsels can all but come to naught. The branch cannot grow apart from the vine, nor can the tree bear fruit without the water which gives it life. "Happy the man who… delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on His law day and night." For then the nourishing waters are upon him; then the light of wisdom fills him – then he shall bear fruit a hundredfold and never taste of death. For the Hand of God will be upon him to lead him to the eternal kingdom, where His wisdom will be proven true. ******* O LORD, let us follow your Wisdom, your Word, your way to eternal life. YHWH, let us follow in your way, in the way you call us to walk. Let us not follow in the way of the wicked, the way which vanishes, but walk with you, meditating on your Word, and we will come to life, to life everlasting with you. If we do not listen to your Word, what fools we are, O LORD! If we seek our own designs and to impose them upon you – what greater foolishness can there be? O let us recognize you as God and not ourselves! And may obedience to your voice be our salvation. John appeared neither eating nor drinking to show us the path of sacrifice that leads to you, that enables us to overcome this world and find your kingdom. Jesus ate and drank for He is of your kingdom and calls all to your table on high. O let us witness to your Wisdom at work in all things! a wisdom we cannot gainsay or deny, a wisdom we must accept to find its light. There in your Wisdom let us make our home, dear LORD, and we shall prosper unto eternity.

(Bar.5:1-9; Ps.126:1-6; Phil.1:4-6,8-11; Lk.3:1-6) "All flesh shall see the salvation of God." Yes, at a particular point in time, in the year delineated so precisely by Luke in our gospel, "the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert." The Holy Spirit whispered in his ear, set his heart on fire, and so called him to cry out the coming of the Lord upon the nation. And "John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan," calling all souls to "a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins"; being thus inspired, what else could he do? The Spirit so powerfully upon him, of what else could he think? The long-awaited Savior is finally near – and the people must be ready. And so, sinful flesh is made clean in the Jordan River. And so "the rough ways [are] made smooth," "the winding roads… made straight," for nothing crooked shall meet the Messiah. We do not come to Him in sinful garb. O "Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery; put on the splendor of glory from God forever." Plunge yourself into the waters that make new. Let all of the old man be washed away. "For God will show all the earth your splendor; you will be named by God forever the peace of justice, the glory of God's worship." "See your children gathered from the east and the west at the word of the Holy One, rejoicing that they are remembered by God," joyful that He has come. All the earth shall be blessed through you and the royal tree that grows in your midst. "When the Lord brought back the captives of Zion, we were like men dreaming." How can it be our salvation has come? And now "God is leading Israel in joy by the light of His glory, with His mercy and justice for company." In His Church this day we dwell; into His presence ever we come. Obedient to the cry of the prophet's voice, we turn from our sins and are made anew. And now our daily bread we consume. What joy should fill our hearts, brothers and sisters! that the Lord has come to dwell with us. We eat "the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God," and the strength we find herein He will "complete" on the day of His coming again. Let our hearts be set on fire as was John's. Let us cry out to all flesh that the salvation of God is nigh. Written, read & chanted, and produced by James Kurt. Music: "Please Even Me Out" from Cleansing Human Frailty, fourth album of Songs for Children of Light, by James Kurt. ******* O LORD, tear down the mountains of pride and fill in the valleys of fear that we might come to you on straight paths. YHWH, how shall our flesh see your salvation? How shall we come to your glory, we poor, miserable creatures? Only because you call us to redemption. Only because you desire us to share in your heavenly majesty. And only if we make straight the way for your Son to come into our hearts. O LORD, let us ever increase in knowledge of what is good and lasting, that we might be made pure and blameless for the day of Christ, that we might become as He is, blessed to be called your sons. O let us give glory and praise to you for such a blessing! Restore our fortunes, dear God; may we who have been separated from you and sent into exile be brought back to your holy City, to your mountain. As on royal thrones let us be borne aloft to gaze upon your splendor and glory, O King of all the nations. Great things you have indeed done for us, for now our weeping is turned to joy and we enter your presence bearing great fruit. Alleluia!

(Jer.33:14-16; Ps.25:4-5,8-10,14; 1Thes.3:12-4:2; Lk.21:25-28,34-36) "You are God my savior, and for you I wait all the day." So does David sing of the "just shoot" that will be raised up after him; so does he anticipate the coming of Jesus into our midst. But, though the Messiah has been born, though He has come among us now, yet the Lord will not "fulfill the promise [He] made to the house of Israel and Judah" until Jesus returns on the last day. And so, we too await our Savior. And how should we wait? Brothers and sisters, you know "how you should conduct yourselves to please God," to be found "blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His holy ones." You have been guided in His truth and instructed by the one who "teaches the humble His way." "The friendship of the Lord is with those who fear Him, and His covenant, for their instruction." And you fear Him, and so receive His instruction. Continue to do so. Continue to "increase and abound in love for one another." Let not the sum of your good works diminish in the least, but "strengthen your hearts," and what you have been doing for Him, "do so even more." Until the Day He comes your justice must increase. And "what is coming upon the world" you know as well. The end of the world is upon us and has been since Christ's crucifixion. All is passing away and shall soon be no more. The nations will look, but they will not see the things they trusted in so vainly. Only "the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory" will be known; He will be all that is seen. And will you recognize Him? And will He recognize you? Brothers and sisters, with the Lord's own words I will leave you: "Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man." Wait expectantly. Written, read & chanted, and produced by James Kurt. Music: "Salvation Army" from Bearing the Birth Pangs, tenth album of Songs for Children of Light, by James Kurt. ******* O LORD, in your justice make us blameless in holiness for the return of your Son in glory. YHWH, help us to increase and abound in love even as we await the return of your Son. Though His coming be with great tribulation, let us not fear but welcome Him with open arms and heads raised to His glory. Jesus is the just shoot you have raised up for the House of Israel; He is the fulfillment of your promise to all who strive toward you. He has come and made Himself known with signs and wonders. He has walked among us to show us the way to you. Let us follow Him in humility, LORD, and we shall reign with Him on the last day. Guide us in your truth, O LORD; teach us your way. Let us remain constant on the path that leads to you, conducting ourselves as has your Son. His apostles exhort us to remain faithful at all times, to be vigilant and pray. His love will indeed increase within us, rising unto glory on the Day of judgment, if we do not turn away from His call, from His kindness upon our souls. Soon shall come the end, O LORD; let us indeed be found ready and waiting.

(Rm.10:9-18; Ps.19:2-5; Mt.4:18-22) "How beautiful are the feet of those who announce good news!" Alleluia! We must have "faith in the heart" and "confess with [our] lips that Jesus is Lord"; but how can we believe in Him and call on Him if we have not heard of Him? "And how can [we] hear unless there is someone to preach? And how can men preach unless they are sent?" Thank the Lord that He has sent the apostles out to the ends of the earth, that "their voice has sounded over the whole earth." Where would we be without them? "Come after me and I will make you fishers of men," Jesus says to His first apostles, two brothers. And two brothers Jesus chooses after them, as if He is looking for brothers to call to emphasize our solidarity with Him and with one another. Indeed, we are family in the Lord. We are His mother and His brothers. David's psalm today speaks of Him who would be called his Son, and illustrates the work of His brothers to come. All are one in Him, through time, through space… for He who is the beginning and end truly becomes our brother. I thank God today for Andrew and his brother Peter, their brothers James and John, and all brothers and sisters in the Lord. I thank God especially for their answering His call, their readiness to respond. "They immediately abandoned their nets and became His followers." And so strong in the Lord they would become. And so clearly their words would be spoken of Him who is risen from the dead, of Him in whom our hearts trust – of Him of whom we now speak. A joy fills me this day, and should fill us all, for the beauty of the apostles and of their call. For now our ears ring with the love of our Jesus, the truth of the ages. Now through these faithful disciples we have heard "the word of Christ" and find it abiding in our souls. Let us open our mouths and proclaim Him Lord of all! Written, read & chanted by James Kurt; produced by Roger Fortney. Music by Roger Fortney; used by permission. ******* O LORD, let us follow where the apostles lead, for they follow in our Savior's footsteps. YHWH, help us to abandon our hearts, to leave our moorings in this world that we might follow your Son, that He might lead us to the shores of Heaven. And help us to preach as your apostles have preached, to speak of your salvation to all men, that indeed the message of the Gospel may reach to the ends of the earth and all souls come to believe. O LORD, Jesus has been raised from the dead – let us believe in our hearts that He lives now and confess with our lips that He is Lord, and by our faith we shall be saved and bring others to redemption. The voice of your apostles has indeed gone out to the limits of the world; all peoples are now blessed to hear your Word and so are given the opportunity to believe. May all souls turn resolutely to your Son and follow Him in His way. On the shores of Galilee first came the call from the mouth of Jesus. May He speak to our hearts, LORD, even this day, that we might leave all for your kingdom.

(Rv.20:1-4,11-21:2; Ps.84:3-6,8,Rv.21:3; Lk.21:29-33) "The heavens and the earth will pass away, but my words will not pass." Indeed John tells us of his vision that once "the former heavens and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no longer," he saw "new heavens and a new earth," which are, of course, founded on the Word of God, given life by the breath of His mouth alone. Yes, in the great Evangelist's vision there was "One who sat on" "a large white throne," and "the earth and the sky fled from His presence until they could no longer be seen." Even as the dead whose names are "not found inscribed in the book of the living" are "hurled into the pool the fire," even as they cannot stand before the judgment seat of the Lord, neither can this earth we walk upon or the heavens upon which we gaze, for they too have become as corrupted as their inhabitants: all that has been spoiled by sin must be cast into darkness, into eternal death. For all that is wicked must join the prince of wickedness, whom the angel of God chains up and hurls "into the abyss, which he close[s] and seal[s] over him." And any release from this dungeon is only illusory and brief, for this is the home prepared by the Word of God for him and those who serve him from the foundation of the world. But oh the wonder of the "New Jerusalem, the holy city, coming down out of heaven from God, beautiful as a bride prepared to meet her husband." It is she whom He has indeed prepared for Himself, purifying her as a precious jewel, even from the time she was first conceived in His mind, even since His breath first came upon her. And so it is our "soul yearns and pines for the courts of the Lord," and is not happy until it rests in His house – yes, our soul is like a sparrow which finds its home in Him, and like the swallow which in His altars makes a nest for her young. "Happy they who dwell in your house! Continually they praise you." And in our midst we see your fig tree bloom in the shoot that is your only Son, and your peace does come to reign upon us now. To nothing of this world let us hold but let all corruption pass, that your judgment we may endure, and be found worthy of new life in the Word you speak eternally. ******* O LORD, let us live in your undying Word that we might not know the second death, that we might do your will upon this earth and come to the kingdom of Heaven. YHWH, when the heavens and the earth pass away, when they flee from your holy presence, may we be found worthy to stand before your throne and make our eternal home in your House. Of the New Jerusalem let us be, our souls prepared for the return of your Son. O LORD, we yearn for you, we who are so separated from your glory, from the love that does not pass away. Open our eyes to see your coming, to recognize your presence among us even this day; and make us ready to praise you forever when this winter has passed into spring. O holy LORD, let us die in you; let us die to all the evil of this world and so be made pure as all your saints. Let us not be hurled into the pool of fire with Satan and his minions but be set free from any chain of sin and so be found clean on the coming Day. Let us conduct ourselves ever with your kingdom in mind.

(Rv.18:1-2,21-23,19:1-3,9; Ps.100:2-5; Lk.21:20-28) "These indeed will be days of retribution, when all that is written must be fulfilled." The destruction of the world and the coming of the kingdom is our clear theme today. It is what is written. It is what must be fulfilled. "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!" that "dwelling place for demons," cries out an angel by whose authority and glory "all the earth was lighted up." He calls down the destruction of the evil empire that is the city of this world. And the "assembly in heaven" sing loudly, "He has condemned the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her harlotry," exulting in the salvation and glory and might of the One God, whose "judgments are true and just!" For though "the blood of His servants… was shed by her hand," "the great city" is "hurled… into the sea" like "a huge millstone," "cast down" with such "violence" that it shall never rise again. And so, "happy are they who have been invited to the wedding feast of the Lord," who sing "Alleluia!" to the great and wonderful presence of our God in the kingdom that is to come. And in our gospel Jesus warns of the coming destruction of the city of Jerusalem, and of the final destruction of the earth. Yes, "Jerusalem will be trampled by the Gentiles." Indeed its "devastation is near," a mere thirty-five years from the death of the Lord. But the devastation of Jerusalem will last beyond its destruction by Rome, by the whore of Babylon, around 70 A.D. – it will continue "until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled," until the nations' drinking of the cup of evil to its dregs, and the consequent end of this world brought about by the mighty hand of God. And so the blood of His servants continues to be shed, even as the kingdom is on the horizon. "Those in the heart of the city must escape it." Here is a grave warning. You must rise from the mire of the sin into which the world leads you. For "the powers in the heavens will be shaken"; the walls of the city will be torn down, and you will be exposed and alone. "Flee to the mountains" of holiness; take refuge in "the country," where the Lord pastures His sheep. Do not give yourself to the ways of this world or the mark of the beast – lust not for the gold in its hands. For she is "a cage for every filthy and disgusting bird"; though the appearance may be otherwise, though the cage may be gilded, the horror within shall be revealed in the last days. Brothers and sisters, we must find ourselves standing with those who "sing joyfully to the Lord," who "enter His gates with thanksgiving, His courts with praise." On the last day we must not fear "the roaring of the sea and the waves" because of our complicity with evil, but "stand up straight and raise our heads," ready for our ransom to come at the hands of our Lord. Let His goodness which "endures forever" be fulfilled in our souls. (With arms open upon the cross, we shall find our song.) ******* O LORD, as the great city of this earth is destroyed by fire, let us be welcomed into your kingdom by your Son. YHWH, in you and in your Son our ransom is near at hand, ransom from this world of corruption, ransom to the wedding feast of the Lamb. Your saints have shed their blood at the hands of the great harlot, but never again shall she sing her mocking song – all evil will be silenced before you as you gather your sheep into your arms. Though by the nations your people be trampled, though great signs come in a bloodstained sky and a roaring sea… though it seem like the end has come upon us, it is only the beginning of your reign to come. O LORD, may we let this world pass away in its iniquity as we join ourselves to you! Into your gates with thanksgiving let us come, O LORD; in your courts let us praise your NAME. Let us raise our heads to see your Son coming, even as the earth and its wickedness pass entirely away.

(Rv.15:1-4; Ps.98:1-3,7-9,Rv.15:13; Lk.21:12-19) "By patient endurance you will save your lives." Jesus tells His disciples bluntly: "People will manhandle and persecute you." Some will be "put to death" as they are "brought to give witness on account of" His name – "All will hate you because of me." Yet in their witness He promises to provide "words and a wisdom" to serve as an impenetrable defense against their enemies… and in the end, after persevering through all suffering, eternal life shall be theirs. John's vision in our first reading reveals the fulfillment of the Lord's promise. Even as "seven angels holding the seven final plagues" of "God's wrath" stand ready to cast these culminating tribulations upon the earth, the Evangelist sees "those who had won victory over the beast and its image" – over the illusory power of the evil one – "holding the harps used in worshiping God," and singing "the song of the Lamb" who was slain but now lives forever: "Mighty and wonderful are your works, Lord God Almighty! Righteous and true are your ways, O King of the nations!… You alone are holy." Brothers and sisters, let us "sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done wondrous deeds; His right hand has won victory for Him, His holy arm." Yes, "the Lord has made His salvation known," and as those who stand "on the sea of glass" give praise to God with harps in hand, so does "the sea and what fills it resound," so do "the rivers clap their hands, [and] the mountains shout with them for joy." Let us join their holy song "before the Lord, for He comes, He comes to rule the earth"; His everlasting "justice" is upon us. And though we may have to suffer for a time in this world of darkness and sin, where light is shunned by the sons of men, yet even in our persecutions this eternal joy should take hold of our souls so that we know not the suffering from the rejoicing – for both are done in His name, and soon the former shall pass away. Indeed, the song of the Lord is already upon our lips; we wait now only for its eternal resonance before His throne. ******* O LORD, let your will be done in us and our souls be saved, that we might praise you forever. YHWH, let your song of praise be on our lips for the salvation you have wrought in our midst. With the Lamb let us come into your heavenly kingdom. Through all persecution let us endure with your Word within us. What is our suffering in this life, O LORD, when the eternal life of Heaven awaits us and comes to us even this day. We shall rejoice with the rivers and mountains and all the earth, for we shall win victory with your Son over the devil and his illusions – that battle is being won even as we speak. Be with us, LORD, this day, this hour; every hour we toil on this plane, let us toil only with you and for you. And we shall have nothing to fear at the death of the body or our being dragged before the rulers of this age. For we shall never die! For you who are life never die and our home is in you. Praise you, O LORD our God! Do your mighty works in our midst and we shall glory in your holy NAME forever.

(Rv.14:14-19; Ps.96:10-13; Lk.21:5-11) "Use your sickle and cut down the harvest, for now is the time to reap." Brothers and sisters, you will "hear of wars and insurrections," and "there will be great earthquakes, plagues, and famines in various places, and in the sky fearful omens and great signs." "These things are bound to happen first, but the end does not follow immediately." The end does not follow immediately from the signs, so do not set your hearts upon them – "take care not to be misled" by those whose seed has no root and so jumps up at any indication of travail. There has been travail throughout human history and the end, which is upon us every moment now, will only be fulfilled at the angels' cry. When this will be, be assured you do not know. In John's vision, at the first angel's cry "the one sitting on the cloud wielded his sickle over all the earth and reaped the earth's harvest." At a second angel's cry another "wielded his sickle over the earth and gathered the grapes of the earth… [and] threw them into the huge winepress of God's wrath." And so the end comes. But does John see the future only, the past or the present as well… or a time that exists quite apart from our own? And even the angels did not know the time had come until they obediently acted upon the word of their God. And would you yet listen to the anxious rantings of those without eyes, those whose vision does not approach the heavenly reality? The Lord "shall rule the world with justice and the peoples with His constancy" when "He comes to rule the earth." This you can know even now; of this you can be assured. But when "the heavens [shall] be glad and the earth rejoice… [and] the sea and what fills it resound," none can say – this word is in His mouth alone, and when the Mighty One shall pronounce it is known to His Heart alone. He has spoken once at the coming of Christ, but when He shall speak finally cannot be ascertained; it is but for us to be prepared for that Day. For He will come again, we know, and the angels' sickles shall be sharp, and separate with certainty the wheat from the chaff. The time of harvest is at hand. (In the harvest of the wheat and the grapes of the earth at the end of the age is made perfect this Body and Blood of Christ we eat and drink from our altar today. The saints' flesh and blood become the Lord's own.) ******* O LORD, when harvest time comes, let us not be fearful but rejoice in the return of your Son. YHWH, you rule the world with justice and in the end your justice will be known. There will not be left a stone on another as you reap the harvest you have sown and cast the unrighteous into the winepress of your wrath. Those who love you, LORD, shall rejoice at your coming, at the return of your only Son and all His angels with Him. They shall rejoice that the end has come and your justice will be fully known. And you shall gather them into your barns. But those who are not your own, LORD, will not be able to endure that day, for they will be anxious and afraid at the glory that comes to rule the earth. Turn all hearts from the empty illusion of this passing world and set them on your kingdom which passes not away but is fulfilled in the judgment of your Son on the Day of His return. Let us not fear the violence coming upon the land but look to the peace that follows.

(Rv.14:1-5; Ps.24:1-6; Lk.21:1-4) "They are pure and follow the Lamb wherever He goes." Here is answered most definitively the question David sings: "Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place?" In John's vision, the Lord Jesus, the Lamb of God "was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him were the hundred and forty-four thousand who had His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads." Here are they who are worthy to stand with the perfect and pure One, for their "hands are sinless, [their] heart is clean": "on their lips no deceit has been found; they are indeed without flaw." And so they "receive a blessing from the Lord, a reward from God [their] savior." The greatest blessing of all is theirs – remaining in His presence forever. And these holy ones play the thunderous song of praise "on their harps," "singing a new hymn before the throne in the presence of the four living creatures and the elders." They indeed have found their place as firstfruits of the kingdom of heaven, singing a hymn no one else could learn. And again, it is their purity, their perfection in the sight of God, that brings them to this holy place. All they have given over to the Lamb, and so He makes them like Himself. And in our gospel we see in the simple widow indication of the spirit necessary to enter God's presence. She holds nothing back from the Lord, but gives "every penny she ha[s] to live on." Yes, brothers and sisters, every penny must be paid; all we have and all we are must be given to Him. If we are like this widow and like the holy ones who stand before the throne and give all while here on the face of the earth, we shall come quickly to heaven and find our place in His presence prepared. If not, the purgatorial flames await to take away any flaw in our soul, to remove any selfishness from our hearts – to bring us then to give up all that we yet have to Him, that with Him we might truly be. But the saints tell us these flames are not pleasant. In fact, they say they are much the same as the fires of hell, though they shall come to an end. So let us here and now offer all we have to the Lord; let us seek to serve Him with all our lives, that we might by His grace avoid the cleansing fire and come immediately before Him. Only those in absolute purity follow Him and stand in His place. ******* O LORD, come; send your Son a second time and let us enter your kingdom. YHWH, that we might be able to stand secure before your Son on His coming Day, that great and terrible day that leads to the eternal kingdom! O that we might eat the fruit of the crystal river that flows from your throne and that of the Lamb, that heals us of all our illness and enables us to live forever! O that we might stand in your holy light, that we might look upon your face, your NAME written on our foreheads! O that we might forever reign with you! O LORD, let us sing your praise even this day that we might come to sing your praise always in your kingdom. Let us bow down in our worship and kneel before you who have made us. You are our God, you alone; let our hearts not be set on any of the things of this world but on you who have made them all, that we might transcend this earth and all its emptiness and come quickly into your presence. O let us heed your Word this day and ever serve you faithfully. Glory to you, O LORD our God!

(Dn.7:13-14; Ps.93:1-2,5; Rv.1:5-8; Jn.18:33b-37) "My kingdom does not belong to this world." "The Lord is King, in splendor robed," our psalmist cries. "King" is our word for our great Lord; it is the best our imperfect thoughts and pale vocabulary can utter. But much more than king is our Lord Jesus Christ, for kings do come and go but "His kingship shall not be destroyed"; His "throne stands firm from of old" – it is "from everlasting" to everlasting. More than a king… He is God. "'I am the Alpha and the Omega,' says the Lord God, 'the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty.'" He has no beginning or end but is Himself the beginning and end of all things. He "came into the world to testify to the truth," and now His truth is spoken, and His kingdom is coming. "Behold, He is coming amid the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him. All the people of the earth will lament Him. Yes. Amen." None shall be able to hide from the Truth, from the King of "all peoples, nations, and languages." And the same vision as John has Daniel had so many centuries before: "I saw one like a Son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven," He whom the Ancient One gives "dominion, glory, and kingship." And the testimony of two witnesses holds truth, cannot be broken. He is coming, and all are called to "serve Him." Brothers and sisters, He "loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood," which He offers without a fight before Pilate this day. By His sacrifice He "has made us into a kingdom, priests for His God and Father." And the kingdom we are is not of this earth, is "not here"; and the sacrifice we offer now is heavenly – it comes down to us from above… this miraculous blood we drink and shed ourselves in His Name. Here our King stands before us, standing in the hearts of all His holy ones. He who lives forever now draws us into the kingdom where He ever remains. Not of this world, we come before His radiant majesty. "To Him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen." Written, read & chanted, and produced by James Kurt. Music: "Vision of Children" from The Innocent Heart, first album of Songs for Children of Light, by James Kurt. ******* O LORD, your Son's kingdom is not here, is not of this world, but remains forever in Heaven – let us meet Him in His reign. YHWH, from you Jesus has received dominion, glory, and kingship. From all eternity He is your Son. To Him be glory and power forever, and may we join Him at your side. To testify to the Truth He came into the world, to reveal your presence unto us, dear LORD. And so that we might become holy as He, as you, He died to take away our sins. May our hearts be set upon the Truth you are, the Truth He declares by His very presence among us, and may we follow Him through this world on His way to Heaven. To this world He does not belong, and so should we transcend this place. Its honors and its power are as the dust, but with Him is life everlasting. He is the One who is and who was and who is to come – He is all things, dear God. And with Him we shall be made into a kingdom, and share in your eternal glory.