Prayer: Father, I Know You ...

Father, I know You have a purpose

For me being here and alive

I ask You for the wisdom

To help me to live right, and to thrive!

Help me to strive for the Kingdom

Not for wealth, position, nor fame

Not knowledge, nor power, nor access

Except to the One who alone can save!

Help me not to give a hearing

To those who would make me feel small

For their lives are so petty and trivial

That making me sad would give them a ball!

Father, I am seeking for that City

The City that is built four-square

Where my God, the Lord of the Ages

Has for me a great banquet prepared!

I want to sing with the saints of all ages

I want to walk those streets of gold

I want to praise my God, Hallelujah

When my Jesus Christ I behold!

Pray Is God’s Shield!

Pray is God’s shield

Between us and destruction

Pray is God’s shield

Between us and the Foe

Do not neglect pray

Our Savior prayed - and recommended it

Pray is God’s shield

Stand firm - it can take a blow!

Pray is God’s shield

To keep us from sinning

Pray is God’s shield

To cover our souls

Pray is God’s shield

You won’t go wrong when you’re wearing it

Pray is God’s shield

Hold on - and bask in the Glow!

Pray is God’s shield

Pray now, pray right now, and pray later

Pray is God’s shield

God made us and He is keeping His vow

To watch over us, and protect all His Children

Pray is God’s shield

He won’t leave you! Call Him now!

Dear Ones:

Please, please, please do not neglect your prayer life no matter what is going on in your personal or professional life!

Even if you don’t know what to say, calling upon the name of Jesus Christ will work wonders for whatever is ailing you! The Holy Spirit intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words (Romans 8:26) and, in the name of Jesus Christ, our requests are presented to God!

DON’T FORGET THAT: 

1. We pray to the Father, in the name of the Son, under the agency of the Holy Spirit.
2. Prayer is the key in the hand of faith to unlock Heaven’s Storehouse!
3. Faith is the hand by which the soul takes hold upon Divine offers of Grace and Mercy!
4. We should pray the Promises of God!
5. “Yes!”, “No!”, “Wait!”, and “My Grace Is Sufficient For You!” are all God’s answers to our several prayers!
6. If we received everything for which we pray, we would be viewing our lives from inside the toilet, or worse!

WARNING:

1. God does not answer our prayers if we are holding on to known sin! Your prayer, in this view, is an abomination to God! So... confess your sin and THEN present your petitions!
2. Your Requests and God’s Calendar are not in alignment! It is all in God’s Delivery Time (GDT)! and
3. Never doubt Jesus’ Love for it dishonors God!

Be well, and be gloriously blessed,

BJ

Rambling: Because of Sin

Because of Sin

Because of sin these old bones are a-creaking
Because of sin these eyes just don’t quite see fine
Because of sin I covet, I steal, and cheat the tax collector
And pretend to all that my life here is sublime!

I need a God - the one that can hear me
I need a God that can answer my prayers
I need a God who is always at the ready
The God in whose hands I have been stained!

I’m not into divas for they are  just idols
The only goddess I recognize is potty porcelain
The only God I believe in is the Almighty
For everything else is just plainly profane!

I am sick and tired of being sick, and being tired
I am sick and tired of sin’s humongous cost to me
I am sick and tired of this old world and where it’s headed
And can’t wait for Jesus to come and rescue me!

All around me nothing is what it appears to be
All around me is death, dying and decay
All around me there seems to be no hope for
Mouth giants without substance are holding sway!

Oh Lord, You know that this heart is feeble
Oh Lord, You know that my courage is ready to fail
Oh Lord, help me to stand up on Your Word, and
Give me Your strength to help me to hold strain!

Father, I bless You and, yes, I do reverence You!
Father, I bless You for Jesus taking the blame
For, Father, without Him, without His sacrifice, His dying
I would live my life as though sinning is something really game!

But ... because Jesus Christ took on the form of a servant
But ... because Jesus Christ took off His divinity
Because His heart hurt so badly for humanity
Because He suffered, bled, died and resurrected to Glory
Father, I can come freely unto to thee!

Thank God for Jesus!

Father, please keep us faithful, and ever in an attitude of readiness, for The Day is hastening toward us! Amen.

Bold Sinners

They sin by day, they sin by night

They see no reason not to fight

The Holy Spirit is calling them

To repentance – but He has no hold on them?!

Or so they say!

They please no man, they please no friend

On Jesus Christ they don't depend

They want to know what good for them God has ever done

And proudly walk away seeking more mischief to run!

Against people they believe defenseless!

And when they've filled their cups to overflowing

Almighty God checks their balances to see their owings

And when they see the price to be paid

They think that He has some great mistake made!

God doesn't use accountants! God has Recording Angels!

O fickle fate! A fateful fit

Is what they have, when they receive the initial hit

But proudest sinners that they be

See no reason to bow down to the King, whoever he!?

The King of Love!

So, then, for their pride, their intentional arrogance

The humbling hand of God upon them is felt

Until they acknowledge that God Almighty o'er all rules

The choice is theirs – bow, bend or break – they get to choose!

You love God - Bow before Him!

You know you are a sinner - Bend to His Will!

You are your own god ... Break ... Good night.

Dear Ones: 

Let us be careful how we walk about this earth. All of our decisions have consequences - not just for now, but as it pertains to New Earth. So, I beg you, please answer the Savior when He calls you, while His hand of chastening is light, and while you've got an opportunity your life to renew! We are assuredly running out of "play" time!

HUMBLE YOURSELF BEFORE GOD

FOR

YOU DID NOT MAKE YOURSELF!

January 1, 2015 - The Lord IS My Light AND My Salvation!

A BLESSED and BOUNTIFUL 2015!

May you continue to find your joy in the Lord, Jesus Christ!

Prayer: By Your Grace Lord!

Father,  please help me to let go of 

the bitter taste of yesterday with its sorrows and regrets

for it taints my enjoyment of Your daily provision.

By Your Grace, Lord, help me to affix a 

strangle hold on Your promise of the

tomorrow that is Eternity with Jesus Christ,

and help me to live victoriously in You, today.

AMEN

I Get The Impression

I get the impression

That some people think

That God is a fool

To trot out on occasion

And set down on the center stool

To be used to amuse

Like He's just some cheap tool!

I get the impression

That some people think

That God is a stool

To sit on upon occasion

While we play the fool

Acting all cool

Like we were back in school!

I get the impression

That some people think

That God is a tool

To dig out on the occasion

Of some emergency dire

To be sharpened and e’en inflated

When we face the mire and the fire!

I may be wrong

But impressions do count

For I, too, am guilty

Of neglecting and least counting

The role of the Master

As we tread life’s vale!

He’s here for all seasons

Not just for the soul’s travail!

So, please, join now with me

Let the Master take charge

Let Him be the leader and

In your life loom large!

The fool is what Satan thinks Him!

The tool - it was His cross!

The stool is where we sit by Him

As He tells of the great cost

That He paid to redeem us

To save us - His children - from eternal loss!

Please don’t minimize Him

You can’t Him maximize

He is God - the Creator

In Him our lives we realize!

So bless Him!

Exalt Him!

To His Great Name - give praise!

Sing glory, hallelujah

For soon He will us raise!

John 1:1-5, 10-14 (KJV)

¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

² The same was in the beginning with God.

³ All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

⁴ In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

⁵ And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 

¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

¹¹ He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

¹² But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

¹³ Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

¹⁴ And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Prayer: For Help to Maintain Our Allegiance To The Lamb

Father, we hear daily of fellow believers

who are paying with their lives for their faith 

and belief in the Lord, Christ.

Help us, Father, to hold to our allegiance to the Lamb

In the face of great and studied opposition and animosity.

Help us to stand against the demon-heart encased

In the flesh of a human who would kill us 
For our faith in Jesus Christ.

Help us to keep praying, and obeying

Loving and longing for that home in the realm of the blessed.

Oh Lord, please keep us in Your care, and render us

Willing and able to maintain our allegiance and
At the end, to stand up for: 
the Love of the Lord Jesus Christ;

Right-living;
Faithfulness to, and through, Him 
Who redeemed us for His own;
Liberty of conscience;
The truth that is the Living Word; and
Our living hope of  Eternal Glory.

AMEN.

Prayer To Be Kept From The Sin of Presumption

Heavenly Father, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Father, I come before You, and beseech You to keep me from 

committing the sin of presumption.

Help me, Father, to always remember that there is not anything that I can do, 

that I can do without You. Help me, also, to always keep before me 

that it is because of You, that I have my being; that I am a child, 

a sheep in Your pasture, and that I am to go, and be, 

and do what You require of me. 

Help me to daily seek Your will for my day and my way, and that I will, with

a humble and contrite heart, commit my stubborn will to Your leading. 

Help me, also, to remember that though it seems to this finite mind that You are silent, 

that You always answer the prayers of the faithful, 

whether that answer is yes, no, wait, or Your Grace is sufficient for what 

ever state, or estate, in which I may find myself. Father, help me to stand firm in the

faith of Jesus for, at times, the sufficiency of Your Grace 

feels an awful lot like welcome to the pain. 

Help me to understand, and accept, that 

Your way is not mine, neither are Your thoughts mine,

and please give me the grace 

that I desperately need to be steadfast and true to You

in the midst of my storms. And, Father, for those days 

when I do get ahead of myself, whether in anxiety, fear or distress,

or sheer willfulness, I pray for Your mercy, and forgiveness, 

and plead to be strengthened along the treacherous pathway that is this life. 

Through it all, Father, I offer You my prayers, my praise, and my worship, 

in the blessed name of Jesus Christ, the King, and ask in faith that

You will bless me, Lord, 

so that I may bless another out of Your bounteous hand of provision.

I love You, Lord, and I thank You for hearing and answering my prayer.

AMEN.

A Joyful Hallelujah

(Lynn R. - this is for you!) We sang this in CAMVOL nearly 40 years ago!

SABBATH - An Acrostic

SABBATH

S abbath is a memorial of God's creative work

A llowing those who remember to receive

B lessings from above

B e still, and put away your work and rest, and

A ttend to your Creator

T he Holy One, The King of Heaven, our

H igh Priest – Jesus Christ, the Lord!

Prayer for The Fruits of the Spirit

Heavenly Father,

Have mercy on me because I am not happy.

Father, I am not happy because I just found out that I not only look like my daddy, 

but I also have his character.  

I lie, cheat, steal, and I bear false witness against my neighbors.

I am selfish and disobedient, and often walk in my own way.

I totally lack self-control and am often faithless to those in charity with me.

I may not like making a noise but, oh, how I enjoy causing a good riot.

I am not a nice person and I am asking You, my Heavenly Father

to make me like You!

I ask You, in the name of Jesus Christ the Righteous to

give me Your DNA, Your character. I want, no, I need the fruits of Your Spirit.

Grant me love, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, kindness, forbearance, 

Self-control, and faithfulness. 

Lord, I really need the self-control and

I am pleading for the working of Your Holy Spirit to

help me to will and to do of Your good pleasure.

I don't want to be like my daddy anymore.

I need to become like You, my Father.

Have mercy, and bless.

AMEN.

I Am Not Judging Him!

Dear Ones,

I pray that all is well with you, and with yours!

I am not a happy camper, and justifiably so! I will explain.

I Am Not Judging Him!" is written especially for the ladies amongst the brethren who mistakenly believe that every pastor, elder, lay preacher, teacher, and more, is a vessel specifically chosen by the Almighty God and, as such, are sanctified for His service, and are living circumspect lives, i.e., above reproach. Nothing can be further from the truth!

Many of these so-called ministers of the gospel called themselves, and they are laying siege, and laying waste, to many of members of the Lord's flock, whilst at the same time crying "Touch not the Lord's anointed!" What drivel!

Please, ladies, I beg of you, stop letting these unregenerate  ministers make you believe that you must submit to them no matter what they call upon you to do.

Please remember that the Lord has no fools  (i.e.,  Psalm 14:1 - The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God " They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good.) in His Kingdom.

And, for heaven's sake, stop prefacing every thing you say with: "Pastor said this" and "Pastor said that!" He is NOT Jesus Christ, and he definitely can't do anything to save you!

God Almighty gave you a brain to use for YOURSELF so before you put your mouth in gear favoring these jackals, take your brain out of park, and ask God what HE says!

Rant over.

Be well, and be gloriously blessed,

BJ

I Am Not Judging Him!

I am not judging him!

The Bible said by their fruits we will know them

And he is an ackee tree bearing hog plums!

I am not judging him!

I am not judging him!

He is always preaching to the young people about fidelity

Yet he asked me a “question,” and he also has a wife!?!

I am not judging him!

I am not judging him!

He shouted to me - in front of everybody - to wait for him in his office after service!

Stupid me! I waited, and he pounced, and that heathen even tore my flounce!

I am not judging him!

I am not judging him!

He wanted me to type a letter as he dictated

Said letter to my chest whilst ... and he was inebriated, too!

I am not judging him!

I am not judging him!

What gave him the right to call my house after hours

To ask me to “comfort” him and tell him what "color unmentionables" I am wearing!

I am not judging him!

I am not judging him!

He is creating his own judgment

By being a Judas goat among the Lord's sheep and lambs!

I am not judging him!

I am NOT judging him!

But

Jesus Christ

Will!

Matthew 7:18-23 (KJV)

18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Prayer: Father, Have Mercy On Us!

Father, have mercy on us!

All around us we see that evil is become good,

And good has become evil.

Every where it almost seems as though

Your believing children are forsaken ...

Father, have mercy on us in these harsh

And cruel times where it is already being said

that Jesus Christ is not the only answer

Or the only way Home

And that the Holy Bible is not the Sacred Word!

Father, help us to stand firm on Your inerrant Word

And to keep the Faith of Jesus!

Help us, Father, when they denigrate our belief

And hope, and faith, and love, to remember

And to hold on, and to continue trusting

In Our Beloved Christ and His sacrifice!

Help us always to remember that You have

No godchildren, nor grandchildren, nor stepchildren; that 

You are not blind, nor deaf, nor dumb;

That You neither wear dark glasses, nor pyjamas, and that

You, Father, surely don't like ugly, be it personality or practice or policy.

Until that Great and Dreadful Day, keep us

In Your love for Jesus Christ's sake. 

Father, we love You. AMEN

!

Hold Fast to Your Allegiance

Hold Fast to Your Allegiance

Hold fast to your allegiance

Jesus is coming very soon

Be thou always at the ready

E'er morning or night or noon!

Pray, pray without ceasing

Wrestle, wrestle thou with thy Lord

Bury, bury thyself in the treasury

That treasury that speaks faith and reward!

Dig, dig deep, ever deeper

Seek out its hid treasures each day

Live always the life of the faithful

Please, please don't turn away!

Yon sinner may loudly deride you

Yon sinner may seek even your life

Don't fear him, he cannot really harm you

Your soul is not open to his strife!

Hold fast, hold fast to thy allegiance

Swift help's already on the way

Let no one rob you of your reward for

King Jesus is coming any day!

 IN JESUS CHRIST

WE ARE

MORE

THAN CONQUERORS!

Sabbath Prayer and Blessing

Heavenly Father,

We thank you for another opportunity to come into Your presence on Your Holy Sabbath Day, and to be able to offer You thanks, and give You praise for keeping us through the week now past.

Thank you, Father, for the blessings you have bestowed upon us, for those seen and unseen, known and unknown and for the protection You provided against perils that we never even considered or imagined.

Father, we thank You for the Gift of Calvary which allows us to come to You personally, without fear or trembling, to present our petitions.

We ask you, Father, to help us not to be so contented with the things of this life that we forget You. Help us to not be so concerned with our trials and tribulations that we forget the bounties You bestow each and every day, and the wonders un-imagined that are in store for us when, with the aid and indwelling of Your Holy Spirit, and our hope in the Lord Jesus Christ, we ascend to heights unknown.

Father, we ask a special blessing upon Your children  around the planet whether sick, suffering, dying persecuted or prosecuted for their faith in Our Lord Jesus Christ, in war zones, and in the midst of drought and famine. We ask You to provide for each according to his or her need for food, for shelter, clean water, warm and clean clothing, a kindly word, a thoughtful deed, care, comfort, help and healing.

Father, have mercy on the leaders of our nations, and the leaders of Your flock. Help these men and women not to stray from the straight and narrow path and to do right in Your sight. Help our ministers to teach and preach the undiluted Word and to seek You Face in all their works and deeds.

Father, we invite You to come and abide with us during these Sabbath hours as we take our rest in You.

Oh, Lord, bless, and pour out Your Holy Spirit upon us that we may bear good fruit to Your honor and glory.

We  ask these mercies in the name of Jesus Christ the Righteous, and thank You for hearing and answering our prayer. We love You, Lord.

AMEN

Revelation 3:19 Whom He Loves He Chastens

Revelation 3:19 (KJV)

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: 

be zealous therefore, and repent.

Dear Ones,

I sincerely hope that this note finds all of you in good spirits, and doing well.

I am currently doing a write-up on two of the seven church ages, and the verse above became one of my memory verses.

With this verse in mind, I am encouraged to remind us to remember that our Almighty God loves us better than any human parent can.

Jesus Christ gave His best, His life, so that we can have eternal life.

His sacrifice was not happenstance! It was a plannedstance! He created us, and put contingency plans in place for us weak creatures of the sod. He left not one thing to chance!

Jesus loves us, and because He loves us, He rebukes us AND chastises us, not in the manner to make us afraid of Him, but in a manner which clearly says:

   "Child of mine, I love you

So hearken to what I say

Walk on the straight and narrow, and

Don't let sin carry you away!

Your heart is willing to obey

But your flesh gets in the way

So when you step off the path of right

I'll call you to straighten up right away!

Please don't be dismayed when I rebuke you

Please don't think I'm casting you away

Please don't murmur about your chastisement

Please accept it, repent, and pray!

I rebuke you, My child, because I love you

I chastise you so you will know that I care

About your soul's salvation, and

Perfecting your character for the Courts Above!

I'm coming soon, so prepare me a welcome

Keep your lamp filled with oil and always prepared

Let your light be shed abroad -- be My Ambassador

Let nothing keep you from welcoming your Lord!

So, My child, keep your eyes focused on Me

Study My Word, My Love Letter to you

Keep My commandments and a song in your heart, child

Go on my errands for, indeed, My coming is very near! **BJC**

PLEASE ENJOY THIS RENDITION OF: You'll Never Walk Alone by Wintley Phipps

      

Father, Forgive Me!

Heavenly Father,

I come to You  today with a contrite heart and beseech Your forgiveness.

I ask you, Lord, to forgive me for all the times I did not trust You to make 

a way for me; for all the times I ignored Your wise counsel not to make 

a move and paid a heavy price for disobedience; for all those times that 

I have been willful, and hard-headed and chose to walk in my own wisdom; 

for all those times I chose to ignore  conscience and knowingly did what 

I knew to be  wrong in Your sight. Oh, Father, forgive me! Father, I beseech

You to forgive me for my often lack of faith in You, my Almighty God.

I beseech You, Father, to forgive me for the many times I have given

You my burdens only to take them back and made matters worse.

Father, I am sorry for being an often wayward child, and I ask You to help

me to stay on the straight and narrow path, and to always 

do right even in the face of rabid opposition.  Father, I love You, and I ask

these mercies in the name of Jesus Christ, the Righteous, and I thank You for

hearing and answering prayer. AMEN.