Sitting On The Ladder!?

I Was Climbing The Ladder
Up To The Kingdom Of God!
Each Rung Was Equidistant!
Each Rung Anchored By The Word!

Each Day I Learned A New Lesson!
Each Week I Gleaned New Rewards
For
I Was Doing Right In The Name Of The Master
AND
I Wasn't Playing Games With The Fraud!

Some Days Were Filled With Laughter!
Some Days Were Filled With Tears!
Some Days There Were Disappointments
AND
Some Days Were Filled With Cheers

AND ...

Through It All
My Heart Was Rested 
Contented
FOR
I Was Totally Dependent 
Upon The Lord

UNTIL ...

The Day
I Started  Resting More
AND
Climbing Less!

I Really Felt Like A Champion
For
My Cheering Squad
Was Carrying Me

So ... I Felt

There Was No Reason To Walk 
On My Own Feet
When
In Jesus Christ
I Was Blessed And Replete!

This Continued For A While
Until I Noticed Something Strange
I Was On Jacob's Ladder
BUT
I Was Feeling The Heat
From Beelzebub's Flames!

I Had Forgotten
That Faith Without Work Is Dead
Just Like A Body Without A Spirit
Is Nothing More Than Lead!

I Stopped!
I Really Really Stopped
And Took Inventory Of My Self
AND
I Realized
That Instead Of The Ladder
I Was On A Shelf
Surrounded By
Sin Shame
Self Blame
Defection Dejection
Base Hoards
AND
Binding Chains!

My Eyes Flared!
My Heart Raced!
My Voice Croaked!
My Will Waned
AND
I Was In Peril
For I Had Wandered Away
From My God
AND
I Had Become The Perfect Magnet
For
The Decimating Lord!

I Cried!
I Confessed!
I Repented
AND
I Left The Shelf
By The Grace Of The Living God
AND
I Am Again Moving
Toward
The Home Of The Blessed!

I Acknowledge
AND
I Accept
That
In The Service Of The Lord
One Must Keep Moving
Oiled By The Spirit
OR
Like Old Iron
Get Rusty ... But In The Chest!

Iron Needs Lubricating
To Maintain Its Efficacy!
The Worker For The Master
Must Make Him Their Spirit Soul Body-Buddy!
No Connection - No Warmth!
No Heart - Soul Cold!
No Love - Great Lost!
Self-Reassigned To The Goat Host!

If I Should Climb Higher
I Must Keep Away From The Fire!
I Must Keep Looking To The Son
AND
Set Aside That Which Is Modernity's 
Treats And Pleasures
Popularly Called Fun!

No Man Can Serve Two Masters!
A Body Cannot Straddle A Fence
For
A Single Slip
Cuts One Down The Middle
AND
Someone Soon Plays "Taps!"
On The Mourner's Fiddle!

By Pleasing God
I Am Pleased With Myself!
It Will Offend The Other
BUT
I Will Gain The Heavenly Reward
From The Holy One Who Matters!!

Saints Don't Sit!

*********

There Is No Sitting On The Ladder

For

Ladders Are Made For Climbing
So

Get Moving With Jesus

AND

By Faith

Climb!

CLIMB!

CLIMB!!