VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: To Do Good IS A Decision

DO YOU KNOW WHAT DAY THIS IS?

Yes! 

It's Saturday! 

Sabbath! Weekend! No work!

And what does that mean?

IT MEANS THAT WE ARE 

ONE DAY CLOSER 

TO 

GOING HOME!!

To Do Good is a decision for
Sinning is the way of this Life
And Living According To One's Nature
Leads always to Constant Trouble and Strife!

Right Living requires Much Effort
Wickedness comes by Rote
And walking that way for many
Doesn't even require the necessary Working Conscience Vote!

But those who have met the Master
Do Right, and live with Constant and Persistent Hope
Real Hope and Hope Springs Eternal, and
Encourage The Faithful to Dwell In God's Light
And they, with The Comfort of the Spirit, and Aided By Holy Angels
Don't give in to Sin for there is always The Fight!

Pray Without Ceasing and Study to Show Thyself Approved
Are Helpers in Life's Battles
And with Grace At Your Side, you know that you Can't Lose
And will win because with Jesus Christ carrying The Tide
You'll know that you did The Right Choice choose!

Oh, My! How You've Changed!?

"Ooh, my! You've changed!"

"Yes, I have! Isn't it wonderful!?"

"Yes, yes! It truly is!"

"All those Yesterdays when I looked in my mirror, I saw Spirit Ravaged With Sin! There were no pretty pictures returning, and it was like looking at ... seeing ... myself through the gloom in some dark-black cave.

Then, on a very recent yesterday, came the Day of Decision! The Day was make it or break it for me as I could no longer stand looking into that mirror - it was either the mirror-me, or really me!

Time for Change had come, and I made a phone call to a Sister of Faith named Pauline who had been trying for months to get me to see The Truth! She was the one I wanted to pray with me so that Heaven would remove the Scales Of Sin that were clouding my sight!

Oh, how that Sister prayed with me throughout that day, and for many, many more days and some besides, and after each encounter with her Jesus, a look in the mirror showed in me a new and different side:

I lost Callous, Cryptic, and Cavil
I lost Rude, Resentment, Riotous Living, and Roaring Risk
I lost Offensive Remarks and Obfuscation
I lost Despondency, Dire Straits, Primping and Prance
I lost Lustful, Loophole, and License to Sinning and Sordid Romance
I lost Ticket to Theft and Trash Talk
I gave up Gluttony, Grifting, and Palmistry
And I took on Bless the Lord, and Comfort - Just Because
And Praying and Love Thou the Least.

I latched on to Gospel's Good News, and Faith Brings Great Victory
I laced on Prayer is Power, and Walk in God's Light
I utilized Confession Is Good for the Soul
And I expended much time in Prayer of Repentance, and
I woke up this morning with Life With Christ Is The Only Goal!

Such change! Such Glorious change has been made in this dying body! Life-altering Change has been wrought upon this old Sinful Soul!"

"And now?"

"Just now, Grace and Mercy are holding my hands and
I am Walking In Faith and pushing
The Work Out Your Own Salvation In Fear and Trembling Plow!"

"Praise be to God!"

"Amen, Amen!"

Reading The Word of The Lord Is A Pleasure

Reading the word of the Lord is a pleasure

It satisfies the soul

It gives great hope and blessed promises

To lead me to my Ultimate Goal!

The goal that I seek is to live in Glory

To be a pillar in the House of My God

To sit with my Jesus upon His Great Throne

As He sits with Almighty God on His own!

What grace and mercy is showed us

What love and light are displayed

What glory will unfurl through the ages

As we learn from the Ancient of Days!

Reading the Word of God provides treasure

That satisfies my longing soul

It feeds, and feeds, without measure

And brings pleasure, and rest, untold.