DARKNESS BEFORE DAWN: The Strait Way Struggle!

 

Onward And Upward 

Is 

On The Strait And Narrow Way 

And

We Will Never Reach The Heavenly Home Safely 

If 

We Allow Our Attention From This Path To Stray! 

Beloved, 

There Will Always Be The Way Faster

The Way More Fun

The Way Less Strenuous

And

The Way Where Doing Without Is Just A Song! 

Think! 

If Anyone "Helps" A Butterfly Out Of His Cocoon

He Will Never Fly 

And

He Will Soon Die! 

If A Humming Bird Forgets Who He Is 

And 

Why He Does What He Does

He Will Become The Feast On The Table Of 

The One Who Will Handle Him 

According To What He Shows Himself To Be 

And 

Not By The Reputation For Which He Is Known! 

Dear Ones, 

A Ground-Dove Will Never Rise 

To The Heights Achieved By An Eagle! 

Please Choose To Live In Your Place 

Near To The Heart Of God 

Through The Lord Christ Jesus 

And 

Though Belittled

Denied, Disregarded

And 

Disrespected

Dare To Firmly Hold The Line That 

Leads To Surpassing Glory! 

There Is Always Darkness Before Dawn! 

Jesus Christ Saves: 

Be Strong In The Lord

And

In The Power Of His Might! 

Peace!

Think On Jesus Christ!

Burdens Were Lifted At Mount Calvary 

So That All Of Our Needs Could Be Met

 At The King Of Love's Throne Of Sufficient Grace 

Where Those Of Us Who See Our Soul's Bankruptcy 

May, By Faith, Humbly Approach Boldly To Request A Filling 

From Almighty God's Storehouse Of Great Good And Plenty! 

Pride In Appearance

Confidence In Accomplishments

Contentment In The Praise Of Men

And 

All-Around Self-Satisfaction And Self-Aggrandizement 

Are No Balm To The Soul Seeking The Savior 

And

A Place Near To The Heart Of God 

Where All Is Joy, Peace, Rest, Refreshing, 

And 

True Safety! 

Beloved, 

Being Rich In The Earth's Bounties 

Is 

No Guarantee Of Happy Now

And 

Joy In Jesus Hereafter! 

We Need To Look Beyond What Now Is Evident 

To Clearly See What Shall Be Hereafter! 

Dear Ones, 

Please Remember That Satan 

And 

All The Wicked Who Love And Live In His Ways 

According To His Damned Will In Finite Time

Play The Long Game ... And They Play For Keeps! 

Let Us, Therefore, Who Serve The Lord Jesus In Spirit And In Truth 

Daily Choose To Hold To His Unchanging Hand 

Because 

He Loves Us 

And

Inhabits Eternity! 

Neither Satan, Sin, Self, Nor Selfishness 

Can Enter Eternity! 

Please Do The Committed Christian's Mathematical Exercises 

In The Book Which Can Only Be Written Upon 

With The Pencil Of Truth 

Wielded By The Hand Of Faith 

And

Know That Your Answers In And For Jesus 

Equate To That Blood-Bought Ticket To Surpassing Glory 

For The Saints Of God And Christ! 

Think On Jesus Christ! 

Peace!

VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: Faith's Gotta Work!

Heavenly Gifts Are Daily Given!
Faith, Amongst Them
Requires That We Use What We Have
And
Is That Treasure That We Need To Succeed
And
Is The Gift That We Need To Use
If
We Are Not To Go To Hell 
With Satan And His Angels
And
With That Thing Called Bre'k-Neck Speed!

Faith Without Corresponding Work
Is 

Dead ... Dead As A Door-Nail
And
There Is Not Anything That 
Anyone Can Do For Us Unless And Until
From The Hand Of The Gifter
We Substantially Take Our Fill
And
Start Walking Home ... To Our Father
Who Is In Heaven
That Place Of Rest 
That Is The Saved Man's Haven!

Get A Grip On Yourself ...

We Must Stop Partaking Of 
The Pharisee's Leaven Which Calls 
Faith, Foolish
Love, Cheap
Hope, Hellish
And

Unregenerated Self ... The Chief!

We Are Targets ... 

We Have Bullseye Targets

On Our Backs, Chests

Our Foreheads 

And

On Our Hands And Knees

And, Yet

The Most Efficient Bullseye

Is

The One Covering The Ear

The Covering The Eye

Those Recording Devices Of A Man

That Take Into The Unwary Heart 

The Known-Demoralizing Lie!

The Devil, Satan

The Dragon, The Serpent

That Snake In The Garden Was A Talker

Glib ... Even Unto This Day

Reaching Into The Mind Of Man
Through His Ear, Through His Eye

And

Endeavoring There To Stay

To Play Footsie

To Run Foot-Loose

Mangling

The Certain Truth

Hopeful

To Make A Miniscule Breach

And

Thereby Cause One To Relax Their Hold 

On Him Who Guarantees

Eternal Youth! 

Know The Right ... 

Faith Comes By Hearing The Word Of Almighty God! 

Doubt Comes By Hearing The Word Of Satan

Our Accuser

The Adversary Of Our Souls

That Known Murderer

Who Desires Us To Worship Him

And Thereby
Steal The Prerogatives Of The Holy
The Eternal

The Living, Blessing, Giving One God! 

Watch Unto Pray ... 

Guard Your Heart

For Out Of It Come The Issues Of Life! 

Fix Your Eyes' Focus

And

Focus Totally On Christ! 

Unstop Your Ears

And

Tune Your Antennae

To The Frequency Of Christ

Who, For Your Purchased Soul

Personally, Personally Cares! 

Get Your Soul-House In Order ...

Live For The Life-Giver! 

Walk With The God Wise! 

Speak As A Saint Of The One God Holy

And

Do Not Mother Eve's Error Foolishly Reprise! 

Do Not Choose To Do As Daddy Adam Did

Preferring To Share The Fate Of 
The Disobedient One Loved

Instead Of Obeying The Lover Of Your Soul

Who Has Prepared A Place For You

In The Father's House

In The Heavenly Realm Of Love! 

Stand Up In The Faith Of Jesus!

Rest Upon His Word!

Permit Yourself To Be Influenced By Holy Angels

And

Turn Away From The Ways

The Means

The Pleasures ... The Perversions

Of The Wayward, Wily, Willful

Wastrel, Wandering, Wild-Goat Herd

Which Has Been Had By Him Who Hates

Who Loves To Skate 

Around Truth

Around Righteousness 

Offering That Which Does Not Bless

Does Not Confer Eternal Success 

But 
Stresses, Strands

And

Lands The Unwary Human

In The Barren Land

Where There Is No Light

No Love

No Sweet Fruit Of The Holy Spirit 

No Bread Of Life

And

No Water Of Life

But

Provides Ample Supplies Of Strife, Sorrow

Gnashing Of Teeth

And Inevitably To Follow

Damnation

And

Second Death

Which Is Eternal Separation From The Holy God! 

That Is The Known Unrepentant Sinner's Reward! 

Choose Your Radio Station Carefully ...

Do Not Listen To The Words Of Satan

The Agile, Adept, Adaptable, Known God-Fraud

Nor The Words Of His Minions

Who Are Attuned To His Ways

And
Proudly Pleased With Their Putrifying Profits

Unmindful Of The Facts That

Soon Comes The Day Of The Lord Christ

The Day Of Small Things

The Great Judgment Day

The Day Of The Redeemed! 

Thereafter, Truth Is  Forever Esteemed! 

Hold The Fort Of Faith ... 

Let Your Gift Of Daily Faith Work ... For You! 

Bless The Lord Christ With Your Faith 

Your Trust, Your Hope, And Your Belief 

As He Blesses You With Righteousness
Goodness And Truth! 

The Bottom Line ... 

Give The Lord Christ Your Will

So That He Makes Your Way Plain: 

Keep Your Hand In The Hand Of Mercy!

Keep Your Gait In Step With Grace!

Keep Your Eyes Fixed On Hill Zion

And

Your Hope In Him Who Is Just And Faithful 

Who Will Never Your Faith In Him

Ever, Ever, Ever Disgrace! 

Jesus Christ's Heart Is True

And

He Is The Truth

And

He Lives To Bless Me And You! 

The King Is Coming! 

Get Washed 

And

Get And Stay Ever Ready! 

Amazing Grace And Everlasting Glory Are Free!

Amazing Grace!
Redeeming Love!
Joy And Peace
Sent
From The Throne In Heaven Above
Where
Mercy Is Free
And
Faith ... For The Day
Blessed
By The God Eternal
Was Is Has Been Paid For
By The Innocent Lamb's Blood
Which Is The Cleansing Flood!

Salvation!
Forgiveness!
Blessing!
Truth!
Hope!
These Are Amongst The Graces
That From Almighty God's Love
To Us
Does Float
Free
Easy
Swift To Be Assimilated
By The Seeking One Who
Does Not From On The Path
Want To Be Eliminated!

Truth ... In The Inward Parts!
Heaven In Our Eyes!
Ears Hearing The Call To Life
While The King Of Love
Awaits
Our Affirmative Reply!

There Is No Hard Sell!
There Is No Soft Shoe!
There Is Heaven To Be Achieved
And
The Sinful Life To Be Cast Aside
As From Sinning
We Seek Totally
To Be Completely Relieved!

The Fact Of The Matter Is ...

Jesus Christ 
Is 
My Portion
Is Not 
A Popular Notion
Because 
The World Chooses To Walk Upon 
The Own-Way Ocean
Which Treats To Their Need Of Titillating Locomotion!

There May Be Motion In Your Own Ocean
But
It Doesn't Mean
You're Going The Right Way
Since Your Motion May Be A Whirlpool
Because

Your Prayers Are For Things False

About Which You Had No Real Notion! 

The Bottom Line Is ...

Licentiousness May Be Your Preferred Lotion!

Own Way May Be Your Choicest Body Cream!

Ignorance Of Truth May Be Your Custom-Made Perfume 

And

Your Ready Excuses May Always Be Lean

But

Jesus Christ The Lord 
Is 
Always On Duty
And

Truth Is Always Right And Bright

And

One Day

The Book On Your Life Will Be Opened:

Will You

In Almighty God's Heart

Be

A Blessed Delight!?! 

The Facts Are Plain ...

You Have Free Will!

You Have Free Choice!

You Have The Right To Choose The Eternal Blessing!

You Have The Right To Make The Choice That
Will Have You Among The Souls Cast Out
The Souls Forever Lost! 
Have You Counted The Cost!?!

Will You Love The Lord That Loves You!?!

Will You Choose To Take In Him Your Rest

Or

Will You Walk In Your Own Way With The Devil

Doing Wrong And Being Forever Evil!?!

Profit May Be Mammon!

Profit May Be Heavenly Gain!

Profit May Make You Rich In Christ Indeed 

Or Leave You

In Eternal Shame And Unquenchable Flames!

Think About It ...

Eternal Separation From The Holy God Will Be The Lot

Of Those Who Have Not

By Dint Of Surrendered Will To The Lord Christ

Received

Immortality's Eternal Life's Bloom!!

The Flames Will Finally Go Out

When The Sinner Is All Consumed!

Make Your Decision ...

Choose Your Choice

And

Give Your Voice

To That Which Will Cause You To Live 

In Peace 

With Jesus Christ

Our Lord And King Forever

For

There Will Never, Ever, Ever Be

Neither In Heaven Above

Nor Earth Beneath

An Immortalized Glorified Sinner! 

The Beauty Of The Lord ...!

He Had No Form Or Comeliness
That One Should Desire Him
But Within
Is 

The Beauty Of The Lord
And
We Are To Become Like Him!

Man Looks At The Outward Appearance
But, God
God Looks Ever At The Heart
And This Should Make Our Task Clear
And
From His Ways
We Should Never Depart!

Beautiful Skin ...

Outward Beauty Is Skin Deep!
Against A Quiet And Gentle Spirit
There Is No Law!
Outward Beauty
Having Flaws
Fades
But
Inner Beauty
Is 

The Perennial Joy To Behold
For
The Spirit Of The Lord Indwelling
Makes The Heart ... Gold!

The Beauty Of The Lord

Is

His Character:

His Love 

His Joy

His Peace

His Rest

His Grace

His Faith

His Mercy

His Giving 

His Forgiving 

His Blessing Spirit 

His Heart

His Holiness

Beautiful Savior ...

The Savior

Is

Not Beautiful 

To Those Who See No Profit
In The Gifts That He Bears! 

The Savior Is Not Seen As Beautiful

Because
Their Eyes Are Blinded
By Ephemera
And
Their Ears Blocked To Loving Entreaty
So That They Don't Believe
The Goodness That He Shares!

The Fact Of The Matter ...

Beauty Is In The Eye Of The Beholder!
Beauty Is By Utility!
If I Don't See A Purpose
That Adds To
Aka Blesses Me
Then Your Beauty
To Me
Is Sheer Futility!

You Serve No Purpose!

Such, Then

Is 

The Christ
To Those With The Spirit Of
The Scribes And The Pharisees
The Jewish Leaders
And

The Disciple Turned Traitor Judas
In The Time When Jesus Walked The Earth!

The Proud Were Looking For A Bright King
A Caped Conqueror!
A Loud Leader!
A Lavish Lord!

They Got, Instead
A Calm Commoner
A Helpful Healer
A Teaching Preacher
A Ready Feeder
A Spirit-Filled Crusader
A Change Agent
Who Did Their Hopes Dash
Because, Because, Because
He Wasn't Into Power
And
He Had No Bright Baubles
AndHe Wasn't Slinging The Ready

Aka The Cash!

They Were Spiritual Prostitutes!

Jesus Christ Rejected The Position Of Pimp!

Ergo ...

There Was No Meeting Of The Minds
And
There Was The Drawing Of The Battle Lines!

Swords Were Drawn!

Axes Were Ground!

And

Demons On A Mission
Amongst The Brethren
Were More Than A Few
And
The Lamb ... Silent
Was Slaughtered
In Time
And
On Cue!

However ...

Those Who Looked
Who Longed
For His Appearing
Saw His Sacrifice
And
Cried!

Those Who Looked Not For Him
But Another
Gnashed Their Teeth
And

Adroitly Lied!

Know This For Sure ...

At Time's Coming End 

There Will Be No Fence-Riders

No Hangers-Ons
No Drugged-Out Groupies
And
Only Those Who Love The Marred Face
Hands Feet
And
Spear-Imprinted Side
Will Be Rejoicing!

Everybody Else
Will Be Looking To Hide!

Jesus Christ

Loves His Little Children

And

He Perfumes

Every Heart-Felt Prayer

With

The Fragrance Of Innocent Blood

Spilt

And

Packaged

In

Redeeming Love!

Brethren ...

Almighty God
Looks Not At Our Outward Appearance
So
How About Our
Taking A Verse From The Good Book!
How About Our
Taking A Bold Look At His Heart
And
Then Bidding Sin
Self
And
Satan
From Our Hearts
To Depart!?!

Is Jesus Christ

The Righteous One

** Beautiful **

In. Your. Eyes!?!

*******

Dear Jesus,

Just A Short Note To Say:

You Fill My Eyes!

I Love You!

Yours, Always

Your Child Well-Beloved

VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: Without Him ...!?! + PRAYER: Regenerate Us, Lord!

Without HIM
I Am Lonely!
I Am Sad!
With HIM
I Fear No Evil!
My Heart Is Ever Glad!

Without HIM
I Know No Future!
I Live In The Past!
With HIM
My Lot Is Fixed!
My Future Is Grandly Vast!

Without HIM
Life Is A Burden!
Living Life Means I Must Get!
With HIM
Life Is No Gamble!
I Have No Need To Fret!

Who Is This Him
Who Does So Much For You!?!
Who Is This Him
And, With Him
May I Join You!?!

This HIM Is My Lord
My Savior
My Redeemer
My Friend
My Hope For Heaven
My Blessing
And 

Those Without End!

He Cares For Me
Every Day

And 

In All Ways!
I Am In And On
His Heart
And 

It Is My Prayer
That From Him
I Choose Never To Depart!

His Heart Is Full!
His Hand Is Never Empty!
His Hand Is Full!
His Barns Are Full Of Things In Plenty!
Not Full With Things That Beset
That Bother
That Bring Desperation
But With Things From His Heart
Which Bless My Needy, Longing, Heart!

From HIM
I Will Not Wander
Waiver
Nor, Offended
Depart!

Jesus Christ 

Is 

The Truth
My Way ... To The Light
Where
Life Is Immortal
AndThere Is Nothing There
My Heart To Startle!

Jesus Christ 

Is

My King
My Hope
My Help
My Life
AndI Thank The Father For
To-All Available Grace
AndAccept
His Sovereign Will For
My Life!

I Am Blessed For ...

With HIM Being For Me
I Shall Arrive At The Heavenly Home Safely
And
Out Of
The Carnal Strife

To Enjoy For Evermore

His Eternal Life ...!

... I Desire ... HIM!

Join Me!

He Desires To Bless You!

PRAYER:

Father, Most Holy

Almighty God, Faithful And True

We Come With Hearts Filled With Holy Love

Wanting

Desiring

A Home With You!

Lord,

Bless Us And Keep Us

And

Feed Us Always

With Food Fit Our Healing!

Please Lead Us Day By Day!

Convert Us, Lord

Renew Our Sight

And

Regenerate Us

With Your Great Might

And

Make Us Fit Vessels

Worthy Of Use

By The Living Lord Of Light!

We Believing Come, Lord

Hoping

And

Trusting You

So, Please Hear Our Prayer

And

Bless Us With All Blessing

So That We Will Live With You

In The Everlasting Day!

In The Holy Name

Of

Jesus Christ The Righteous

We Humbly Pray And Plead!

AMEN.