PRAYER: Have Mercy On Your Church, Lord!

Oh, Lord

I Pray for Your Church

That She Will Not Play The Harlot

Seeking After The World's Costly Array!

I Pray for Her, Father

That She Will Walk Holy

And 

Not With Known Sin and Its Degradations Play!

I Pray, Lord

For The Leaders of Your Church

That They Will Boldly Speak Your Truth

No Matter What The Monied Ones Declare!

I Pray That They Will Walk As Those Holy

And

Have No Regrets At The Coming Great Day!

I Pray, Lord

For The Individual Christian Believer

The Learned, The Unlettered, and The Self-Taught!

I Pray, Lord

That You Will Give To These Faithful

Clear Eyes, and Clean Hearts

Unburdened By What Others Have When They Do Not!

I Pray for Myself

Dear Father

Asking You To Grant This Desire of My Heart!

Grant Me Eyes and Ears

That Only Your Truth

They Will See and Hear

And 

The Living Love of My Master

That I Will With The Brethren Faithfully, Daily, Share!

Oh, Lord

Have Mercy On Us

And 

Bless Us All According To Your Sovereign Will For Each Life!

In Jesus' Holy Name I Plead.

AMEN.

HAPPY SABBATH + PRAYER: Grant Us Strength, Lord!

Oh, Father,

We Come Before You

As Supplicants and Penitents

Thankful For Grace

and

Pleading For Mercy!

Have Mercy, Lord

On The Helpless

The Hopeless

The Careless

And

The Lawless!

Have Mercy, Lord,

On The Wild

The Defiled

The Beguiled

And

The Spoiled!

Have Mercy,  Lord

On The Wretched

The Frowned Upon

The Soul With No Place To Belong

And

The Heart Which Has Lost Its Peace and Its Song!

Have Mercy,  Lord,

On The Fool Who Says

There Is No God!

On The Faithful

Whose God Is The Lord!

On The Wicked

Who Daily Sow Discord

And

On The Soul Seeking

To Be Shuck Of The Old Fraud!

Have Mercy,  Lord

On The Wired

On The Tired

On The Soul From Work Just Fired

And

On The Soul Whose Feet Are In Sin Mired!

Grant Us, Lord

Who Daily Seek Your Face

Courage For The Journey

And

Strength For The Race

And

Grant Us The Strength Of Will

To Walk Ever In Your Way

So That At The Last Day

We Won't Be Cast Out In Eternal Disgrace!

Bless Us, Father!

Do For Us What Is Best For Us

In Your Eternal Sight

And

No Matter Our Distress At Our Mortal Outcome

Help Us To Stand Firm

In Jesus Christ's Faith

So That We Will Attain Heaven's Promised Rest!

Bless Us, Lord, As Only You - Our Holy God - Can!

Oh,  How Your People Love You

Trust You

And

Reverence You, Lord!

AMEN.

WORLD IN A HURRY: Blessings!

World In A Hurry!
World In A Whirl!
Grab Yourself A Blessing
Before Your Stomach You Hurl!

Blessings Bought!
Blessings Bartered!
Blessings Hot!
Blessings Sold!
Blessings!  - Not!!

Blessings and Bounties!
Expeditious Blessing Pickup!
Blessings On The Fly!
Blessings One Need Big Dollars To Esspy!
Blessings Refused!
Blessings Based On The Great Lie!
Blessings Deferred!
Blessings Denied!
Blessings Unwanted!
Blessing Decried!

I Entered The World Division Of Blessing
And, Immediately, My Head Was Turned
For
In This Ginormous Division
There Were Blessings To Match Every Curse
Pocket, and Purse!

Blessings of Peace!
Blessings on The Knees!
Blessings on The Chair!
Blessings in The Air!
Blessings to Counter Fear!
Blessings in Pairs!
Blessings Multiplied!
Blessings Unspecified!
Blessings Even Though Truth Is Butterflied!
Blessings Even As One Cried!
Blessings After Hope Died!
Blessings As You Pray!
Blessings As You Care!
Blessings As You Dare!
Blessings At The End Of The Rope!
Blessings To Help One With Life Cope!

AND,  THEN ...

In A Little Alcove
Plainly Lit 
Stands One Attendant
With Woolly Hair! -
The Lion With The Heart Of
The Sacrificed Lamb!

His Display Is Simple
Truthful
Light
White
And, Oh, So Humble
You Could Fit His Offered Blessing
In The Child's Play Thimble!

I Was Drawn
For There Was No One There Picking Up Buying!
He Seemed So Lonely!
I Was Touched!

He Called Me To Him!
I Answered!
He Introduced Himself
AND
Then His Holey Hands I Touched!

We Talked
About All The Blessings
In The World Division Of Blessing Offered!
I Wondered Aloud
Why He Was Not Bustling
Like All The Rest!
He Sighed
So,  So,  Sadly
And He Told Me
That Everybody Wanted 
The Quick-Fix Blessing
The Convenient Blessing
Not The Blessings Real
Through Sin Confessed!
Nobody Wanted The Blessing Holy
Nor The Blessing Blessed!

He Told Me A Story That Hurt Me
About Blessings Asked For
BUT
Not Received
BECAUSE
People Could Not Be Bothered
To Immediately Be Bestirred
To Grab Hold Of The Blessing
Requested
Sought After
BUT
Un-utilized As
We Were Too Busy With Life
To Take The Moment
To Pick Up What Was Ours
Packaged
Signed
Sealed
Dispatched
Awaiting Our Signature
At The Acceptance Wherever You Are In Life: STOP!

This Statement
Made Me Think Of The Western Union Advertisement!
The Ad For "Money In Minutes!"
That One Often Sees
And I Though Of
Someone Sending Money
To Family and Friends In Distress
And The Recipient
Being Otherwise Too Fully Occupied
With Living Life To Pick It Up
And Say:

"Thanks For The Blessing!
You Saved Me!
My Heart Is Well Pleased!"

Tears Fell From My Eyes For
I,  Too,  Was Guilty
AND
Lackadaisical
Concerning The Blessings Meant For Me!
I Could Buy One Blessing
On Demand
On Command
From The Whirling World Stand
OR
I Could Accept
With Alacrity
The Best Blessing
All In One Package
Just By Saying:

"Jesus Loves Me

So,  Lord, I Bow

In Worship

Forever Before Thee!

Bless, Father!

Bless Thou Me

For My Soul Avidly

Seeks Longingly

After Thee!"

*******

Seek After Earthly Blessings

and

End Up With The False God!

OR

Seek After The True and Living  God

and

Receive Real and Eternal Blessings!

*******

Let's Take Our Correction

and

Change Our Direction!!

Gallimaufry Christianity!

The Bright Light Church Is Spectacular and Blazing Bright!
The Comfy Seats Hold All-Size Bums Nice and Tight!
The Sanctuary Choir Is Quite A Gymnast's Delight!
The Dance Troupe Puts On A Spectacle 
Worthy Of A Heavy-weight Prize Fight!
The Preaching Makes All Bold Sinners Feel Alright In God's Sight
AND
The Offering Plates Would Give A Giant A Goady Not Light!

On Any Given Monday
The Teaching Is About You!
On Any Given Tuesday
The Teaching Is About You, Too!
On Any Given Wednesday
The Teaching Is About Loving You Times Two!
BUT
Every Other Thursday
The Teaching Is On You and Your Boo Loving You!
AND
Don't Forget That This Coming Friday
The Teaching Is About Fabulously Feeding 
You, You and All The Rest Of Some Of You, You!

Now ... 
Saturdays Are Special
For Everybody Is Off Work
And There Is A Morning Class In Hospitality
Teaching How Christians Can Holy Twerk
BUT
Don't Forget Yourself
And Behave Like A Jerk
If You See Any Naughty Bits Pretty, Pretty Perk!

Let Me Stop Here And Advise You
That This Is All About 
Love And Inclusion
Embracing
All And Sundry
AND
Giving Them A Place To Know
That God Thinks Them Well 
AND
Their Designed Life - No Matter How Lived -
IS
- By God
In God
Through God
For God -
Blissfully Delightfully Fine!

All Sermons Are Of On And About God's Love!
All Offerings Are Love!
All Wrong-Doing Is Swept Under
The Hand-tied
Hand Painted
Love Rug
Near The High Altar's
Right Side
BECAUSE
In The Old Testament
The Ark Of The Covenant
Had A Mercy Seat
Where The Left Angel's Illumination Meant 
"No!" or "Punishment!"
AND
The Right Angel's Illumination Meant
"Yes!" or "Life's A Blessed Treat!"

Now ... The Investors In The Business Of
The Beautiful Bright Light Mega-Church
Are Really Truly Bright
For They Have Taken The Best Of
The Teachings Of Myriad Religions
AND
Crafted For Themselves
Illuminated Preachings
Designed To Obscure
Jesus Christ's Divine Holy Light!

The Bright Ones Are Forthright!
Their Words Of Truth Are Colored To Please
AND
Their Words Of Wisdom Are Such 
That Would Give Short Fat Fleas
Round and Nice Bendable Knees!

Within This Lit Bright Man-Crafted Mixed-Mystery Tradition
It Is Totally Not Irrelevant What You Personally Believe!
You Come To That Light
Because Your Life Is As Night
AND
Bright Illumination Provides
Holy-Man Insight 
Eyesight
To Fight Against 
Inconvenient Truths
About Situation and Self
That Frighten and Benight 
AND
True Personal Prosperous Growth Blight!

• Rule ONE: Help Self Then - Maybe - Another!
• Rule TWO: One Of Anything For Self Is Good BUT Two For Self Are Always Better!
• Rule THREE: In All Disputes RULE ONE Applies!
• Rule FOUR: In Charity Work, Make Sure RULE TWO Is Activated BEFORE Gifting!

Now, Strangely Enough ...

When The Giving Band Is On 
The Altar Of Praise

Humbly Requesting Donations

To Feed Clothe

Widow, Orphans and

Those Who Are Slightly Crazed

Much Is Made Of King Jesus

And What He Would Do

BUT ...

Without Missing A Beat

AND
Before Taking Their Seats

The Giving Band

Cites

Rules ONE, TWO and FOUR

For 

Charity Begins At Home

AND

Joyously Shouts: "Self-Denial Is NOT A Hunger Cure!"

Unsurprisingly ...

The Holy Book Is As Custom Made

For Selfishness Is A Virtue

AND

Self-Denial - To Them

IS The Card Overplayed

By Those Old-Fashioned Christians

Of Christendom's Former Glory Days

AND

As Far As The Brightly Lit Are Concerned

Are Passe

AND

De Trop

Which Is Why Old-World Christianity

IS 
A Total Flop

AND
They Have Set It Aside 
AND

Have Embraced It Not!

Self IS The Worship Band!
Feelings Are Fuel and Myriad As Sand!
Jesus IS An Off-Ramp Upon Which Vacationers Stand
AND
Hope For Eternal Glory
IS - If You Are Lucky -
Where A Fleeting Thought May Land!

Repentance IS Perfume!
Confession IS A Hot Tune!
Live As You Like IS Always Right
For God Loves You
AND 
You Are Good As You Are Doing 
In His Heavenly Eye-Sight!

In The Great Getting-Up Morning 

Dawning

Hell's Maw Will Be 

Yawning

When The People Deceived

Will Yell, Cry, Sneeze and Wheeze:

For Gallimaufry Christianity

IS Really All Mish-Mash Sleaze

Compliments Of King Fraud

Master Of All That IS Sin

a/k/a

The Death-Dealing Eternal Disease!

Castles Of The Heart!

One More River to Cross!
One More Mountain to Climb!
Another Valley of Decision to Walk Through!
Another Prayer To be Said!
Another Mouth to Be Fed!
BUT ... In It All
My God Remains The Same
All Life's Seasons Through!

Jesus said:

"Be Not Afraid!

You Believe In God!

Believe In Me!
My Father Has Many Mansions In His House!
I Go Home to Prepare A Place 
Of Rest and Refreshing For You 
My Beloved Espoused!
This Is The Truth!
Were It Not So
I Would Tell You Honest and Plain!
If I Go
Please Know 
That I AM Coming Unto You Again!
I Will Receive You Unto Myself!
You Are Going Home With Me
Nevermore Ever With Sin To Be A Part!
To Be Forever With Me
Nevermore To Be Apart
AND
Residing Eternally
In The Light 
In The Kingdom Of My Loving Heart!"

Our Love 

Should Ever Be 

The Flag Flying High

In The Castles

Called 

Our Repentant 

Regenerated Hearts

For Our Risen Savior 

Redeemer 

Eternal

Only Holy King - The King Of Love

IS

NOW

By God's Great Grace

AND

Perpetual Mercy

In Permanent Residence There!

We Have No Need To Be Afraid!
He Who Promised Eternal Peace
IS 
Eternal
AND
IS 
The Eternally Faithful
Forever Able
Lord God 
Father
Friend
Whom We May Trust 
Never His Truth To Bend
NOR
His Promise To Suspend
SO ...
We May Stand
By Him
AND
In Him
Until Time Shall End!

PRAYER: YOU, Lord, Are My God!

Oh, Lord,

Hear My Call!

Because Sinful Man Does Not Honor You, Lord

Does That Make You The Not-GOD?

Because Sinful Man Does Not Worship You, Lord

Does This Mean Believers Should Elevate The Fraud In Your Stead?

Because Sinful Man Does Not Praise You, Lord

Does This Mean You Are Not To Be Loved? -

Sin Would Have Us Believe Thus!

Today, I Have Decided

That You, Lord, Are My God

No Matter What Others May Say

For You Are Gentle

Kind

The Teacher - My Shepherd

Ever Showing Me The Right Way!

Help Me, Father - By Your Grace - 

To Walk Faithful and Ever True

For

In My Decision

Is Reciprocal Love

Because

You Loved Me First

Even Before Earth's Creation and

Since The Earth-cleansing Flood!

Clean Me, Too!

Father, You Made Your Decision:

Bring The Sinning Children Home!

Father, I Am A Sinful Child

Often Doing Things I Don't Want To

And Not Doing The Things I Should

But

Today, Lord

TODAY

I Choose -

Eyes Open 

Heart Yielded Up -

Nevermore To Roam!

So, Lord, If You Will Carry Me

I Will Let You, and

I - By Faith - Promise

True

To Head For Your Eternal Kingdom

To Spend My Promised Eternal Life

With Eternal You!

I Love You, Lord!

Have Mercy and Bless

In Jesus' Holy Name!

AMEN.

PRAYER: Grant Me This Favor, Lord!

Father,  I May Not In Work Perspire

But

At The Very Least

I Can A Brother Sister Gently Inspire!

Father, I Do Not With The Devil Conspire

To By Lie and Innuendo

Light Hell's Raging Fire!

By Your Grace, Lord

I Will Not Be Crass
Malicious
Fast

Behaving Like 
Greedy Dishonorable Balaam

Needing Stark Admonition 
From The Talking Ass!

So, Father, If You Will Make It Possible

Grant Me This Favor, Please!

Let Me 
In This Fallen World's 
Gotta Have It Sweepstakes
Make No Showing
and, Thus

Come In Dead Last
In
The Despised Last Class!

Thank You, Lord
For Your Everlasting Mercy!
AMEN

Chasing Rainbows?!?

Chasing Rainbows?!?
By Bus?
By Car?
Are They Near Here Or 
Very Far?

Chasing Rainbows!
How Peculiar
For The Child Who Believes
In Heaven
That's Very Near 
BUT 
Physically Far!

The Child Who Believes
In The God of Heaven
AND 
Prays and Pleads
Has No Need to Chase Rainbows
Ever Seeking for Worldly Gold's 
Deceitful Glow
FOR
That Believing Child Knows
The Rainbow is Representative of
The Holy Covenant
Which Holds Nothing
For Those Who Are
*Revenant!
*Returned as a Spirit from The Dead; Ghost!

The Believer Has His Rest
For His Living God Does Best
For His Child
Relieving His Stress
Removing his Hates
AND
Overwhelming Worldly Distress
So that His Child May Stand On Zion's Hill Crest
With All The Redeemed
AND
The Faithful
Blessed
To Receive The Reward
Of A Mansion Of Bright Gold
Gold Crown
White Robe and
New Song
Peace and
Rest
From Jesus Christ
The Lord God Victorious!


So ....?

Rainbow Chaser?

No!

That's for Those
Who Believe
The Living God
Is

An Elegantly Robed Inebriated Clown!

Don't Chase The Rainbow!

Chase After The Living Holy God 
Who Painted
and
Places 
The Rainbow!

VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: Greedy-for-Gain: Jealous Envy! + PRAYER

One Day ... I Had An Epiphany!
It Seems I Had A Dose of The I-Wants
So That I Could Say That I-Have!
BUT
What Was Peculiar About This Condition Was
What I Wanted
I Didn't Even Like
AND
To Make Matters Worse
I Would Have To Say I-Have
About What I-Already-Got!

This Smelled of Covetousness
Covered Up In Greedy-for-Gain
For A Lifestyle Not Able To Be Sustained
But Promoted by The People On The Power-Train
Who Lived Lives Useless and
Not-a-Little Brittle and 
Awfully, Awfully, Awfully Vain!

Was I Exhibiting Jealousy
Or, Perhaps ... Envy?!

With This In Mind
I Repaired To The Lord Divine!

The Answer, Dear Ones
Was NOT To Me Kind
BUT
Take It I Must
If I Wanted Ultimately
To Heaven Climb!

The Lord's Name IS Jealous
AND
He IS Jealous for What is His!

My Life
My Love
My Worship
My Prayers
My Praise
Are All His
AND
Jealousy IS Permitted Over WHAT Is Your Own!

BUT ...

Here Is The Kicker!

I Was Indulging In Envy!

Envy Is Longing For What Belongs To ... Another
AND
Envy IS Sin - A Deadly Sin -
AND
It Was The Very Sin That
PRECIPITATED
Lucifer's
Devolution Into Satan
AND
His Unceremonious Departure From
The Heavenly Home!

People!
I Was In Serious Trouble!

Father, 

Forgive Me!

I Knew What I Was Doing!

I Wanted What The Others Have

Because 

It Would Make Me Appear

Highfalutin!

Father,

I Do Not Need The Excess!

I Just Need Enough!

Enough For Myself 

and 

To Share With Another!

I Do Not Need Things to Store Up

Making My Home Miserable

and

Collecting Dust!

Father, 

Please Clean Out My Cobwebs

and 

The Dusty Thoughts of Glories Past!

Help Me to Solely Lean 

on 

The Rock Of All Ages

So That I May Soar Through 

Unimaginable Heavenly Places!

Give Me Blind Eyes to Worldly Thrills!

Give Me Deaf Ears to Worldly Fears!

Let My Heart to You Repair

and

Keep Me Ever 

In Your Holy Care!

I Love You, Lord!

AMEN.

*******

Create In Me, Lord

A Burning Jealousy 

for 

My Home

In The Eternal 

-  not Magical - 

Kingdom!