Serving The Lord With Gladness?!

In Saul
Israel Received A King
After Their Own Heart
Stiff-Necked
Refusing To Follow God's Leading!

In David
Israel Received A King
After God's Own Heart
Penitent
Trusting
Following After The Lord
Hopeful
Pleading!

In Eli
Israel Had A High Priest
Corpulent
Satisfied With Benefits Of
Ill-gotten Worldly Gain
Unwilling To Chastise Those Who 
Willingly Do
God's Holy Name
Profane!

In Samuel
Israel Had A Prophet And A Priest
A True Type Of Christ
Willing
Obedient
Caring For The Souls Of Men
Careful Not To The Holy God
In Any Way
To Offend!

In Judas The Betrayer
We See A Churchman
A Thief
Unconverted
Though Feeding Daily 
Upon The Living Bread Of
The Visible Holy Word
- A Man Self-Deceived!

In John The Revelator
We See A Soul Beloved
Returning The Dear Love
Of His Master
His Teacher
His Lord
Fully Fed
Fully Converted
Choosing
By The King Of Life
To Be Faithfully Lead!

I Am Christian!
You Claim Christianity, Too!
Are We Good Witnesses For Christ
Or
Are We Unto The World
A Plague Of Lice
AND
Locusts
Of Demonic Device?

Are We As Those Faithful
Kind
Loving
Obedient
Walking Holy
Ever True
Or
Are We As Those
Boldly Self-Righteous
Of Corrupting Influence
Liard
AND
Licentious, Too?

Those Who Love
AND
Serve The Lord
Be Not Hardhearted
Presumptious
Nor Obdurate
I Here 
AND
Now 
Warn You!
God Is No Respecter
Of Men
Nor Their Trifling Vanities
AND
Just Because
We Outwardly Appear To Serve Him
He Is Not Swayed By Appearances
For
God Knows How Our Innards Are Working
AND
He Is Not Swayed By Our Inanities!

Obedience Is Better
Than The Burning Of Sacrifice!
Faithfulness Trump's Deceit!
AND
Truth Has No Better In This Life
For With It
We Will That Old Wicked Devil
Truly
Thoroughly
Defeat!

Walk Wholly Holy!
Walk Fearlessly Faithfully!
Be Wisely Hopeful!
AND
Living By Heartbreaking Honesty
AND
Live Right But Not By Sight
AND
God Will Bless You
With Strength For Each Day 
So That You May
Valiantly Fight!

So ...

Do Not Let Love For 
Elevated Positions
Pulsating Power
Heady Praise
AND
Fleeting Worldly Promotion
Scuttle Your Walk With Jesus Christ
AND
Thereby Permit
Lion The Liar
To Glory In Your Overthrow
With Haughtily Proud
Self-Satisfied
Putrifying Gaze!

Put No Idol 
Upon The Throne Of The Living Holy God
For
In So Doing
You Shall Reap
The Reward Of The Fraud!

God Does Not Change
BUT
Fickle Humans Do
So, Please
Live For The Lord Christ
AND
Let His Holy Spirit
Through Living Faith 
Reform 
AND
Uplift You!

Dump Satan 

And

His Pifflers

On His Base Rump

AND

Grow In God's Grace

Even As You Take

Life's Solidly Malicious Thumps
For

Our Almighty God
Always
Lovingly Restores!

VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: Order Our Steps, Lord! + Prayer: Lord Almighty, Lead Us ...!

If I Would To God Be Honest
AND
Tell God's Honest Truth
I Would To The World
Acknowledge Without Fear
That's God's Hand Has Been Upon Me
AND
I Could Recognize It
For It Has Been
Since I Was A Youth!

I Would Tell Of
Spills And Chills
Fun And Frolic
Sadness And Quietness, Too
BUT
No Matter
Sunshine Or Squall
My Heavenly Father
Ever Directing
- Saving Me From Myself -
Was In The Midst Of It All!

Today, As Any Other Day
I Had Not To Ask If I Was Alive!
I Awakened!
I Got Up!
There Was Light In My Eyes!
I Could Hear!
I Could Feel!
I Know That I Know!
I Could Sneeze
AND
Thank God For Grace And Glory
I Had Not Done My Sleeping
In The Elements With Dogs
Avidly Acquiring Biting Fleas!

And, So ...
Here I Pray ...

Father,

In Holy Heaven

I Thank You Today

For The Blessings Innumerable

You Give

No Matter If I Say

"Thank You!"

In Gratitude

Or Just Accept Them

As I Would My Received Pay!

Please Forgive Me

My Bad Manners

My Bad Attitude
For Behaving As Though

I Am Receiving Something

That You To Me Owe!

I Hang My Head In Shame

Because I Know Better!

Lord God, I Beseech You

Help Me

In Blessed Grace To Grow!

I Remember

When I Was A Child Growing Up

Hearing My Old Grandfather Say His Prayers!

We Would Hear Him Say

To The Lord:

"Father, Same As Yesterday!"

We Never Knew What Yesterday's Prayer Was

But It Seemed To Work For Him

But

I Am Plainly Saying To You, Father

Today

What It Is

For What I Am Asking -

I Shall Clearly Enunciate My Prayers 

Day By Day!
Help Me Also To Listen Quietly
For What You Have To Say!

Please, Lord

Bless The Holy People!

Bless Those Who Are Seeking After You!

Have Pity On Our Leaders Of Government!

Father, Open Their Eyes And Hearts!

Help Us, And Them, To Honor You!

Remember Our Mothers And Fathers

Brothers And Sisters

Children, Grandchildren

In-Laws, Friends

And Other Relations, Too!

Visit Each And Everyone, Dear Lord

And Provide 
- According To Your Wisdom -

The Need For Which They Are Asking!

Bless The Church Fellowship

And

Help The Ministers Of The Gospel

To Call Sin By Its True Name

And

Ever In Faithfulness

Speak Your Life-Giving Truth

So That They Will Appropriate 

None Of Your Prerogatives To Themselves

Giving Glory Always To You!

Help Them To Live For Jesus Christ

And

Not For The Praise Of Men

Not For Filthy Lucre

And

Not By Lying Prophesying!

Soften Hard Hearts!

Make Choice The Barren Land!

Provide For The People All
Water

Food

Clothing And Shelter

And

A Plain, Loving, Touch From 

A Holy Spirit-Inspired Kind Hand!
Let There Be Peace In Our Hearts
Even If There Is None In Our Lands
And
Help Us, Lord, Help Us
To Bow In Heartfelt Devotion
To The Holy Son Of Man!

And, Father

If For Some Reason

Some Soul Is Treading The Water Of Doubt

Whisper A Word To Us

Giving Us A Heads-Up

So That A Word Of Truth

May Be Fitly Spoken

So That The Brethren

Would Not From The Coming Kingdom

Be Cut Loose!
Lord, Let Our Prayers Of Faith Rise Up To You!

Lord Almighty,

Order Our Steps!

Pave Our Path!

Lead Us As Promised

With The Shepherd's Staff!

Teach Us Your Ways!

Help Us To Number Our Days

So That We Will Not Be Counted Foolish

Believing 

That We Are Holding Control

On The Reins Of This Life!

Show Us That We Are Mere Men

Who Can't Genuinely Change Our Hair Color

Nor

Extend Our Height

And

Humble Us To Stand Up

To Be In Jesus Christ's Faith Bold

Making Heavenly Salvation
Our One And Only Goal!

Father,

Help To Trust And Obey

To Give Freely Out
Of Our Blessings Each Day

To Walk As Those Wise

Not As Those Who Evil Devise!

Help Us To Watch And To Ever Pray!

Help Us To Look Up

For Heaven Is On The Way!

Help Us To Accept And Hold Firm

To Our Soul's Freely Offered Salvation

Never Accepting

Satan's Gifts

Which Surely Eternally Cost

But Can Never Eternally Pay!

I Love You, Lord

And

I Honor, Bless And Worship You

For

I Know And Accept That

To Live

There Is No Other Profitable Way!

Please Accept These My Petitions

From A Lowly, Trembling Heart

For

In Jesus' Name I Make My Plea

And Stand!

AMEN!

PRAYER: Father, I Trust Your Character!

Father,

I Believe In You

For

I Believe In The Transcript Of Your Character

That Says

That You Are The Holy

All-Seeing

All Knowing

Ever Present

Faithful

Healing

Helpful

Caring

Saving

Sealing

Almighty God

Who Created Mankind

And Who

With A Sacrificial Love

Made A Way

To Heaven

For Us To Rise Up!

Thank You For The Glory To Come!

You Created Us

And You Are Jealous For Our Worship!

You Preserve Us

And Are Jealous

For Our Praise!

You Gave Your Only Son

Your Blessed Best

That We May Be Saved

When Sin Is Repented Of

And Confessed

And

You Are Jealous For Us To Return Home

So You Made Available To Us

Prayer

So That We May Petition For Assistance

And Also Commune With Our God

In The Stillness Of Our Souls!

Thank You For The Blessing!

Father,

Some Of Us Love You

Others Not So Much

But

Your Love For All Of Us

Remains The Same

Even Though There Are Those

Who Choose By Sin

To Remain Enchained!

Forgive Us Our Trespasses!

Father,

You To Me Have Been Faithful!

Help Me To You

Be Faithful Now!

Heal My Eyesight!

Garb Me By You!

Fashion Me A Heart Of Flesh

Suitable For The Dwelling-place

Of The Holy Spirit True!

Unstop My Ears

So That I May Hear

The Gentle Call

To Reverent Worship

And

Guide Me Safely

To The Shore

To The Mansion Where

My Lord Christ

Has Prepared For Me

A Heavenly Resting Place!

What Joy Awaits!

Father, I Give You All My Praise!

Oh, Lord

Most Holy

Kind

Gentle

True

I Give To You

My Will

My Way

And

My Self

In Humility Of Heart

For Your Choice Use!

I Am Your Child

Your Servant

And

A Soldier Of The Faith True!

Bless Me Unto The Great Dawning

For

I Love

Honor

And

Bless You

And

Humble Myself Willingly

In Worshipful Service

Unto You Who Alone Is Holy!

Lord, I Draw Nigh In Jesus' Faith!

Father,

I Seek Not Riches!

I Seek Not Fame!

I Hanker Not For Houses Nor Land

But For The Love Of Shiloh

The Great I Am

The Returning One

In Whom Is No Hidden Agenda

Nor Misdirecting Device!

Great Is Our God!

Oh, Lord

Help Me To Live Clean

Denying The Liar

Even The Token Victory!

Help Me Not To Desire To Be Seen And Heard

Nor To Yearn 

After The Trifles And Enchantments

Of The Goat Herd!

Help Me To Live As A Sheep

Walking Faithfully Behind The Lamb

For The Desire Of My Heart

Is To Reach Heaven's Table Land!

Seal Me!

Save Me In The Day Of Battle

In Jesus' Name, I Stand And Plead!

Grant Me, Lord

The Promised Victory!

AMEN.

HAPPY SABBATH + The Righteous Man

E.  Great
Tha' Goodman, And
D. Pillar
Were The Noteworthy Notables in 
The High-Worth Note Church.

To Hear It Told
These Personages were
Personable
Precious Planks 
AND
Popular Pilgrims 
ON 
The Pathway of Purity!

They were
Dependable
Faithful
Approachable
Generous
Kindly
Helpful
Hopeful
Full of Good Works
AND
Keen To Keep 
The Christians
Constant and Consistent 
In their Ways and Walk 
With The True and Living 
Holy Eternal 
Faithful God in Glory -  Bless His Holy Name!

BUT ...

Lord help you if they have to Correct 
The Wayward Soul who has 
Tripped and Fallen and 
Seems Unable to Get Back Up Again!

You will Hear about 
Their Strength of Character and 
Force of Will and 
Knowledge of Right and Truth and 
The Inward Counsel that has Made Them 
Worthy Soldiers for Christ 
AND 
Able Protectors of The Holy Faith!

They are so, so
So Very Good and 
Saintly and 
Self-Satisfied and 
Serenely Holy and 
Supremely Righteous 
That it made your Skin - at least it made mine - Crawl!

I Didn't Understand 
Why This Should Be The Case for 
They would do Anything for Anybody, and 
Were ... Indeed
Really Good and 
Giving 
Holy People!

They were So Good and 
So Righteous that
Around Them
All Others Were Just 
Raw-boned Sinners!


Wait, them don't go to the toilet like reg'lar humans?!?


You must be meaning that them people Self-righteous!


Hmmmmm ....

Good Righteous People.

THAT is what is Nagging at Me!


I thought that Jesus Christ - Himself - said that Only God IS Good?!


Didn't Jesus also say that Our Righteousness must EXCEED that of The Scribes and The Pharisees?


Isn't it also stated that OUR Righteousness IS AS Filthy Rags?


Why you don't go and tell THAT to THEM People?!


Would you Believe that they have all Stated that IF and WHEN they die that their Epitaphs should all read:

"Here Lies A Righteous Man."

Lord, Help Us!

Didn't God's Word Say that we 
MUST 
Acquire Christ's Righteousness? ##

*******

The Righteous Men

Within The Church
Treated Jesus
Like He Was Lurch
Hunch-backed
Unlovely
Course and 
Rough
And
They Lifted Up Themselves
And In(EX)haled
.... Their Righteousness ....
Brown Snuff!

They Inhaled
They Cleared Their Throats
Hawked Up Phlegm
AND 
Expectorated A Groat
That Was Ugly
Putrid 
Nasty To Behold
As They - High and Mighty
Uttered
"Tin Gold!"

In All Their Ruminations
Treatises
AND
Lofty Utterances
Nary A Word
Of Almighty God 
Jesus Christ or
The Holy Spirit
Escaped 
Fell Out
Spilled Out nor
Was Cast Abroad
For These Sincere Men
Highly Esteemed
Were Of Their Selves
Righteous!
By God!
They Were CLEAN!

They Didn't Need God!
He Was Pedestrian!
He Had Given Them The Word
Now He Must Follow Their Plan
For They Are Leading The Clan!

These White-washed Tombs
Were Select
Elected
Men Of The Holy Cloth
Who Had Drunk In The Book
And, Sadly
Were Selling 
Watered Broth and
Special Occasion Froth!

Beloved!
BELOVED!
Don't Buy What They Sell
For That Purchase
Will Only Land You 
With Satan In Hell!

We MUST Give Up 
Our Own Righteousness
AND
We MUST Seek After 
Jesus Christ's Own
AND
We MUST Not Follow After
Those Who Communicate
Via The Dial-A-Devil Date Phone!

Jesus Christ Died
For Our Sins To Atone
So ...
Get Away From Those
Lying 
Lawless
Deceitful Hireling Shepherds
Who Worship At Self-Lover-Satan
See-Myself-As-God's Throne!

I Met A Man Who Blesses Me!

I Met A Man
Really!
I Did!
He Was Awe-inspiring
And Under His Influence I Slid!

I Met A Man!
He Blessed Me
With A Blessing
Which Stressed Me
And Distressed Me
And Depressed Me
And Made Me Behave As Though 
Old Satan Possessed Me!

I Met A Man
Who Blessed Me
With A Blessing
That Did Not
Upfront
Monetarily Impress Me
That Did Not Socially
Express Me
That Did Not
Politically Profess Me
BUT
Being Holy
Did Wholly
Spiritually
Possess Me!

I Met The Man!
The Man Who Understands!
The Man Whose Love For Me Is Awesomely Grand
And Who Died
So That I Could Reach Heaven's Table Land
To Sit and Eat At God's Banquet Table
AND
To Immortal
Redeemed Stand
For Having Accepted
The Free Offer
In The Free Salvation Plan!

I Met The Man
The Son of Man
AND
Neither My Eyes Nor
Emotions
Could Ingest Nor Express
The Beauty Before Which I Stood!
He IS Good!

I Took Him At His Word!
I Listened And
Accepted As He Made Record
Of His Blessings and Bounties
Holy
Available
To Those Whom
With Him
Walk In One Accord!

I Met God!
I Met God's Son
AND
I Met God's Holy Spirit
Which
After The Meeting
Of Those Worthies Plus Me
Took Up - By God's Grace
Residence In My Heart Place
Jealous For My Soul
To Succeed
To Arrive
At The Heavenly Goal!

I Have Met 
AND
I Have Communion and Consort
WITH
Jesus Christ!

Have YOU Met The Son Of Man?!

Have YOU Met The Great I AM?!