VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: Settling Down With Jesus ...!!

A-form O' Godliness
Intellectual Religion
Supposed Hope
AND
Facing Ruin
Used To Be My Perfect Companions
BUT
That Was Back When My Name Was
Heart Not Cleansed!

I Used To Talk The Talk
BUT
I Didn't
Couldn't
Walk The Talk!

Pray Tell, Why Not?!

Well ... It Is Like ... Well ...

Oh ... .

He Couldn't Walk And Chew Gum!

His Walk Was A Lie!

His Talk Was All Head Space!

He Was Going To Fry!

Oh, My!

Surely, You Lie!

What He Said Was True!
I Was Going To Hell!
I Held A Season Of Life's One-Way Ticket
Until The Day
I Landed On My Butt
AND
Struck Hard
My Hard Head  -
It Was A Very Bad Day!
I Cried! I Cried!

We Can Well Imagine!

Having Always Had The Inclination
To
- With Brain Capacity -
Intensely
Everything Intellectualize
I Found Myself
Incapacitated
Barely Able
To Move More Than My Eyes!

You Had been Given Right Proper Time To Think!

Trying To Talk Hurt!
Thinking Hurt More!
My Mind Had Struck Me!
It Was Being A Gully-Bore!

My Mind Kept Hitting A Particular Grove
AND
Refused To Let Me
- In Peace -
To Have A Good Snore!

Peace?! What Peace?!

Exactly!
Of Peace I Had None!
Then
The Dear Savior Came A-Calling
AND
That Interview
Was
- Of Necessity -
Not Fun!

There Were Statements Like:

• Deal Truly With Your Own Soul!
• Be Earnest!
• Be Persistent In Prayer!
• Ask For The Renewal To A Right Spirit!
• How Long Are You Going To Keep Running Away?!

I Was In A Straight Betwixt Two!
I Was Between A Rock
AND
A Very Hard Place!

Flesh And Eyes?!

Yup ... Flesh And Eyes!
AND
Don't Forget
I Was Also Warring
With ...

 ... THE PRIDE OF LIFE!

We Know!
We've All Been There!
It's The Great Test
That All Men Must Face!

Jesus Faced It
And So Will We
And With Grace
- The Power To Face It -
We Shall Overcome
As Valiantly Did He!

I Wrestled!
I Fussed!
I Waffled!
I Cried!
Life's Things Were So Nice
AND
Shiny
AND

To Give Them Up
- THEORETICALLY -
I Thought Without Them
I Would Die!

DING, DING, DING!!

Theory vs. Practice!

12 Rounds For The Win!

Mash-up And Buy-Back
Were Ghoulishly Cheering
BUT
I Saw The Sacrificed
AND
Still Living Jesus
On My Right Wing!

Yeahhhhhhh!

The Faithful Wing Man
Is Our Lord Christ!
His Life Death Living
Tells Us That
By Obeying And Trusting God
We Will Survive The Bitter Strife!

Well ...

My Life Depended On The Win!

I Was Not Going Down
By Default!

In Wrestling With Jesus
I Had Read The Back Of The Book
So
For Life Through Self-Death
Was The Only Way For This Fight To Be Fought!

Isn't It Wonderful?!

It Is!
When You Know You Can't Lose
When You Know That Holy Blood
Earned For You
The Great Win
You Will Put Your Head
On The Life Line
Knowing That
If In Christ You Die
In Him
You Again Will Live!

That Fight Was Brutal!

Satan Threw Everything At Me ...

Sinner

Liar

Thief

Cheat

Faithless

Useless

Unclean

Unwanted By The Lamb

Unworthy

Disgraceful

Lost

Rejector Of Grace

Selfish

AND

A Few Horrible Ones More!

Tears Were Running Down My Face!
I Was Blubbering!
Then I Saw Jesus!!
Love Is In His Face
He Held Up His Hands!
Light Shone Through The Holes
AND
For New Love Of My Now Master
In His Power
Through Love Returned
I Cried:

Create In Me A Clean Heart

Oh, God

Renew A Right Spirit Within Me!

Satan Of My Life Let Go!

Then ...

I Heard My Self Saying
What I Was In My Spirit Hearing ...

Jesus, I Come!

You Promised Not To Cast Me Out!

Bless Me To Do Thy Will!

The Lord IS My Shepherd!

I Shall Not Know Want!

Father, I Cast My Cares On You

For I Know You Care For Me!

Lord, I Confess My Sin!

You Are Faithful And Just -

Forgive Me

And Cleanse Me From All Unrighteousness!

Lord, I'm Coming Home!

Draw Me Nearer!

Jesus,
I, My Cross Have Taken!

I Am Thine, Oh Lord!

Guide Me, Oh, Thou Great Redeemer!

No Turning Back!

Lord Jesus, Plead For Me!

Mine, Mine, Mine!

Jesus Is Mine!

Suddenly ...

I Realized
The Adversary Was

- For The Moment -

Gone!
The Accuser Of My Brethren
Had Been Vanquished
By The Word Of The Holy God On The Throne!

I Rejoiced In My Redeemer
AND, THEN
He Firmly Cautioned Me:

Be Sober! 

Be Vigilant! 

This Is Not Time For Sleep! 

Your Adversary The Devil

- As The Roaring Lion - 

Is Ever Looking

For A Straying Sheep To Eat!

Be Instant

And

Constant

Ever Be In Prayer! 

Call On Me!

Call On Me!

Call On Me!
 I - For You - Care!

Do Not Doubt! 

Do Not Be Double-Minded

And

The Devil Won't Be Able

To Put You In His Mouth!

The Holy Spirit Is Here

To Comfort Guide

Teach And Chide

And

The Holy Angels

To Influence You For Good

And

To Protect!

Call My Name

When You Petition The Father! 

Remember

I Have Paid Your Eternal Expense!

Friends,
I Do Not Say
That Since Then
Life Has Been Easy
For That Would Telling An Untruth
BUT
The Lord
My Savior Redeemer
Is
From Me
Just A Prayer Away!

Temptation Is Rife!
Deceits Flow Like Spice!
Evil Is A War Horse
BUT
I Ever See My Jesus
Branded
With The Marks Of The Cross

That Gave Me New Life!

I Am Satisfied
With My Jesus!
I Am Trusting Him
Day By Day!
I Am Determined To Arrive
At The Gates Of The City
AND
To Hear MY Beautiful Savior Say:

Welcome Home, My Child!

Welcome Home! 

Enter In!

The Feast Is Prepared!

Many Times
Satan Has Had Me On The Ropes!
Many Times
He Butt Me Like A Wild Goat! 

Many Times
Many Times
I Felt A Goat Horn In My Rear
BUT
Thank God Almighty
I Trusted In Christ Jesus!
I Obeyed What He Said
AND
I Did Not Walk In Fear!

Jesus Had Given Me
A Lil' Some'ing Some'ing
That Is Called Daily Grace

AND

Daily Faith

Plus The Good Word Of Truth
AND
Thank God For Jesus
I Threw It Often
In Old Satan's Face!

I Hold On To My Jesus
For Dear, Dear Life
AND
Come Hell And High Water
Jesus Christ IS Mine

AND
I Have In My Grasp The New Life!

I Feel Like Praising
Praising, Praising Him!

Thank You, Jesus!                                             
Glory To God In The Highest!                 
We're Fighting The Good Fight!

By God's Grace

We Shall Attain The Reward!

In The Fulness Of Time

We Shall Be Forever Shuck

Of

That Decimating Old Fraud!

Amen, Lord!
AMEN.