The Second Most Important Commandment! + PRAYER: Father, Please Help Me To Love Myself ...!

By

George McD. Greenidge

Guest Writer

The Second Most Important Commandment Says: 

"Thou Shalt Love Thy Neighbor

As Thyself!"

Mark 12:31.

As Strange As It May Sound

The Most Important Relationship You Have 

Is The One That You Have With Yourself! 

Hear Me Out! 

Too Many People Don't Like Who They Are

And They Focus On Their Faults, Weaknesses, And Failures! 

They Wish They Were Taller

Had A Better Personality ... And Looked Like Someone Else 

Instead Of Accepting Themselves 

As The Workmanship Of Almighty God ... A Masterpiece

Made In The Image Of The Eternal Holy God!

As If That Isn't Bad Enough

They Then Wonder Why They Are Not Happy 

And Don't Have Good Relationships 

With Our Heavenly Father, Their Family And Friends

Food, Their Feelings, And Their Finances! 

If You Don't Get Along With You, Then It Stands To Reason That

You Are Not Going To Get Along With Other People 

And Most Certainly Not With The Holy God!

Brethren, You Can't Love Others 

If You Don't First Love Yourself  ... In A Goodly, Godly, Way! 

Please Note That The Word Is Not To Be "In Love With Yourself!" 

With This In Mind, The Best Thing You Can Do

- I Include Myself - 

Is To Be Good To Yourself

Be Kind To Yourself

Be Merciful To Yourself

And Bless God For His Faithfulness To His Word To Us!

PRAYER: 

Father God, 

Thank You For Making Me In Your Image 

With Gifts, Talents, And Abilities To Enjoy Life

While Accomplishing Your Will

And

Also Blessing Others! 

Please Help Me To Love Myself

Despite All Of My Weaknesses And Shortcomings

Which I know I May Give Wholly To You

For You To Change Me

To Be Who You Created Me To Be

In Your Loving Hands!

I Love You! 

Father,

In The Humility Of Faith

I Know And Can Say That

I Am Happy To Be Who You Made Me To Be!

Thank You For Hearing And Answering Prayers

For I Pray In Jesus Christ's Holy Name! 

Amen! 

 

VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: Make Peace, Sue For For Peace: Live In Peace!

The Truth Sets Mankind Free!

Beloved, 

We Have The Choice To Make: 

Yield To The Prompting Of The Holy Spirit Of Truth 

And 

Let Our Our Path ... Our Steps Through Life

Be Designed, Ordered 

And 

Directed By The Lord Of Life Who Loves Us 

So That We Can Make Peace With The Past

Be At Peace In The Present

And 

Live Eternally At Peace With That Faithful Lord Of Life 

In The Certain Future 

OR 

We Can Continue To Be Willfully Unwise 

And 

Bungle Our Way Through Life 

And

Be Perpetually Miserable ... Having No Hope! 

With Our Future Estate Determined By Our Present Actions

Let's Realize That We Are Weak 

And 

Need Help From The Only One 

Who Sacrificially, Infinitely
Unswervingly Loves Us Personally 

And 

Intimately! 

Denounce Pride ...

Let's Humble Ourselves 

And 

Call On The Maker

Our Master, Lord, God And King 

Who Hears Our Pitiful Cries

Cares For Us

And 

Always Answers Our Prayers! 

"No!" Is An Answer:
If We Received Every Last Thing We Asked For
We Would Be Miserable Indeed!

Subjugate Arrogancy ...

Our Days ... Our Years

Are In Almighty God's Holy, Blessed
Preserving, Providing
Ever-Faithful Hands
So Let Us Never Forget
- Let Us Ever Remember -
That We Have The Blessed Hope!

You Need Help: Ask For It!

Pray A Prayer ...

Jesus Christ Saves! 
Let's Run To Him!
Let's Walk With Him
And 
Let's Work Diligently 
And 
Faithfully For Him

And
Rest Assured That

We Will Be Blessed Today And Forever! 

Peace Be Upon You! 

Great Questions For Good Christians + PRAYER: Open Our Hearts, Lord!

Since Jesus Christ Is God
And Jesus Christ Has His Father
For His God
Do We Not Need Jesus Christ
As Our God
To Get Jesus' Father God
As God Our Father?

Since Jesus Christ IS The Word
And The Word Is God
And God Sends The Holy Spirit
Do We Not Need Jesus Christ To Get The Holy Spirit?

Since The Holy Spirit Is The Comforter
And Jesus Christ Said
He Will Not Leave Us Comfortless
Do We Not Need Jesus Christ
To Get The Comfort Of The Comforter?

Almighty God IS The Father
And Jesus Christ Said:
I And The Father Are One!
And
No One Gets To The Father But By Me
And Jesus Christ Is The Son Of God
And You Get To The Father
By Going Through The Son
Do We Not Get God The Father
When
We Get God The Son?
Is Not Almighty God Jesus Christ?

Jesus Christ IS The True Vine!
He Says That We Are The Branches!

Jesus Christ Gives To Every Man 
A Measure Of Faith.

Faith Is A Good Fruit!
Man Must Stay Attached To The True Vine 
To Be Good Fruit!

If We Need Faith 
To Overcome The World
Does It Not Stand To Reason 
That We Need Jesus Christ 
In Order To Bear Good Fruit 
For The Harvest Celebration
Which Comes For Us
Only If We Have The Faith 
Which Is What We Get From Jesus Christ
That We Then Use To Overcome The World
Which Will Cause Us To Shine 
So That Jesus Will Commend Us To His Father 
So That We Are Recipients Of The Award 
Given To Those Enduring Faithful 
On The Receiving Line 
In The Great Day?

Jesus Christ IS Almighty God!
Almighty God IS Faithful!
AND
We MUST Trust Jesus Christ
Who Was Born In A Stable
AND
Walked On The Lonesome Road
AND
Died 
AND
Arose And Ascended
AND
Is Right Now
In The Most Holy Place Of The Heavenly Sanctuary
Interceding
AND
Is Coming Again
For Men Who Trust
Not Those Who Lust
Making A Fuss
Over Things Which Are Soon Dust!

I Trust Jesus Christ!
AND
I Beseech You, Brethren
Trust Wholly In Him!
Trust The Living God's Word
AND
Don't Live In Lust
Like Those Of The Grazing Goat Herd!
Live Blessed On The Holy Word
Digested Read Heard!
Please Do Not Live To Forever Die!
Please Live So That
To Jesus Christ You Will Fly!

PRAYER:

Open Our Eyes, Lord

That We  May See Jesus Christ

As The Savior God

That He Is!

Open Our Hearts

To Receive The Great Blessing

That You Are Willing To Import!

Thank You, Lord

For Imputing Christ's Righteousness

Unto Us

So That We May Boldly Approach

Unto You

For Dear Grace!

 Thank You, Lord

For Not Rejecting

Our Humble Prayers

That We In Jesus' Name

In Faith

Say Unto Thee!

Thank You, Lord

For The Mercy

And

The Grace

And

The Provision

That Assures Us

That In Heaven

You Have Prepared For Us A Place!

What A Blessed Day

It Shall Be When Our Faith

Becomes Sight!

Father,

Lift Us Up

So That We Will - In Faith - Lift You Up

Is The Plea Of Our Believing Hearts

Humbly Petitioning

For Your Favor

For We Truly Love Thee!

Accept Our Prayer

And

Answer

According To Your Will

 And

In Your Way

In Jesus Christ's Name, We Plead!

AMEN.

From This Moment On ...! + PRAYER: I Cannot Live Like This ...! Lord, I Love You!

I Had In My Heart
A Little Jesus
AND
I Had In My Heart
A Lot Of My Self!
There Was A Battling Raging
AND
Each Desired The Other
To Take A Knee
On The Back Shelf!

I Often Talked A Walk
I Was Not Walking!
I Often Walked A Talk
About Which I Was Uncomfortable To Enthusiastically Speak
AND
This Was Making My Life Uncomfortable
AND
I Really Needed Heavenly Relief!

PRAYER:

Lord,

I Can Not Live Like This Any Longer!

Please, Do Something For Me!

Open My Eyes

My Ears

My Heart

My Head

Grant Me Understanding!

Lord, God Almighty

Please Grant Me Some Relief!

I Did Not Hear A Stern Voice Speaking!
I Did Not Even Hear A Soft Voice Whispering Inside My Head
BUT
With The Passage Of Time
I Noticed
That Past Pleasures Seemed Asinine
AND
I Was More Toward Faithfulness
To God's Ways
Steadfastly Inclined!

Nonsense Made No Sense!
Defiance Was No Defense!
Recalcitrance Made Me Seem Dense
AND
I Was Studiously Eager
To Get Off
The Waffler's Shaking Fence!

I No Longer Found Pleasure In Waywardness!
I No Longer Found Pleasure In Walking The Contrarian Way!
I No Longer Found Pleasure
In Arguing For Both Satan And God
AND
Finally Recognized
Realized
That I Did Not At All Like Trying 
Against God
To Be In The Right!

Prayer Changed Things!
I No Longer Wanted With Jesus Christ
A Mere Fling!
I Wanted A Commitment!
I Wanted To Belong!
I Wanted To Be With The Lover Of My Soul
AND
I Wanted The Relationship
To Be Permanently
Enduringly
Forever Long!
I Wanted Us!
I Wanted In Him To Never Grow Old!

PRAYER:

Lord,

I Love You!

You See 

Know

My Heart

Better Than I Do!

Please, Won't You Take Me 
In Your Loving Hand

And

Be To Me
My All And All?

When I Ignore You

I Feel Scattered

And
Bereft!

Please, Hold Me

Enfold Me

Keep Me Close

To That Sacrificial Heart 

In Your Spear-Pierced Side
That Sin Cleft!

Forgive Me

For My Myriad Follies!

Forgive Me

For Giving In To My Lying Wants
Adjudged To Be My Needs

But Was Indeed My Gross Greed!

Forgive Me

For Doubting Your Living Holy Word!

Forgive Me

For From You Looking Away!

Forgive Me

For Giving Place To The Devil!

I Am Sorry, Lord!

Forgive Me!

I Beseech You, Please

Is My Penitent Heart's Humble Pray!

From This Moment On

Help Me

In You

To Be Strong!

Give Unto Me Music

For My Satisfied-With-Jesus Song

So That

In The Day A-coming

I May Joyously Sing 

With The Redeemed

In The Overcomer's Glorying Throng!

Thank You, Lord

For Hearing And Answering My Prayer

Presented In The Name Of My Lord

Jesus Christ The Righteous
In Whose Faith I Live
And Breathe!

AMEN!

PRAYER: Father, Help Me To Look Up To You

Have Mercy, Dear Father

And 

Forgive Me

For All The Times

I Have Raised My Self

Above

My Creator

My Healer

My Helper

My Provider

My Defender

My Protector

My Perfector

My Savior

My Sealer

My Friend To The End

My Lord

And 

My God!

Help Me, Father

To Look Away From Self

And 

Look Up To You

To Step Outside Of Self

And

Step Up To Glory In You

To Give Up Self

And 

Give In To You

To Walk Holy

And 

To Live Wholly For You

In Whom My Hope Rests!

I Pray, Lord

For The Indwelling

The Chiding

And 

The Direction 

Of The Blessed Holy Spirit!

I Also Pray, Lord

That In The Day

That I Must Need Be Chastised

That You, In Mercy

Will Help Me To Accept Graciously

The Reproof 

As A Blessed Child

Of A Loving And Holy Father!

I Also Beseech You, Dear Father

To Help Me

- No Matter The Earthly Reward -

Not To Grieve The Holy Spirit Away!

I Love You, Lord

And 

I Thank You For The Many Blessings

And 

For Hearing 

And 

Answering Prayers

Even With The Unwanted 

Yet Often Necessary

Fatherly "NO!"

In Jesus' Holy Name 

I Come

I Stand

And 

Plead!

AMEN.

Ascending Prayers?! + PRAYER : Lord, Help Us To Be Humble

It Was Week Of Prayer
AND
Lican Pub
AND
i-See Phar
Were Standing Before The Assembly
Sending Up Prayers
To The Great Throne Of Grace!

Before I Proceed ...

I Should Tell You That
These Two Brethren Of The Faith
Were As Different As
Night And Day
Hot And Cold
Nice And Nasty!

Their Occupations
Were As Different As
A Thief And Thunder
A Teacher And A Technician
A Pharisee  And A Publican!

Still Further ...

I Shall Inform You That
One Of These Men Had Almighty God
Preserved
In His Back Pocket
AND
One Of These Men Had Almighty God
Treasured
In His Heart!

One Of These Men 
Believed 
Almighty God Needed To Hear His Self-Praise
AND
One Of These Men
Knew 
That He Needed To Hear A Word Of Healing 
From Almighty God!

I Must Now Offer Up ...

A Word Of Caution
As It Pertains
To Our Uttering Of Our Prayers
AND
The Entering Into God's Ears
Of The Prayers Of Our Hearts:

Humble Is

As Humble Does!

Prayers To God

Should Not Contain The Fuzz

The Fuzz Of The Suppliant

In Love With Himself

Who Believes

He Is Doing Almighty God A Favor

When

Before God

He Self-Lovingly Praises Himself!

Just In Case
You Think I Am Talking Folly
Just Remember That The Living God
Is
All-Seeing 
All-Knowing
Ever-Present
That Is ... Again
The All Mighty!
He Created Us!
He Sees Us!
He Knows Us!
He Records
ALL Our Ways
AND
He Is Not Fooled
- Like Mankind -
By Our Grandiose
Verbose
Yet Triflingly Self-Righteous 
Displays!

Man Looks Upon
The Exposed!
God Looks Upon
Our Concealed-From-View-Hearts
AND
Be It Made Known
That Speaking Down To God
Is What We Do
When We Lift Up To God
Swollen Heads
AND
Puffed-Up Hearts
Sold As Humble Meat Stew!

We Cannot Sell God
On Our Perfection
Like Some Jacked-Up Used-Car Salesman
For 
The God Of Grace And Mercy
Is Well AND Truly Aware
Of All That Is Concealed 
Under A Coat Of Paint
With
The New Mixed With Spent Oil
AND
Our Shamelessly Proclaiming To The World
"We Are Good To Go!"
Just Because
The Ignition Turns
AND
Our Engine Does Start
AND
Our Triumphant Processing Along
The Golden Way
In Full Lying Display!

I Leave You
To Draw Your Own Conclusion

BUT ...

Before I Do

I Leave You With This
Work Of Heart:

i-See Phar
Proud
Arms Uplifted
Head Raised
Praying
With Himself
Said:

"Lord, I Thank You That
I Am Not A Sinner Like Other Men
Like That Publican Over There!"

BUT ...

Lican Pub Prayed
Head Bowed
Not Daring To Raise
Even An Eye To Heaven
Saying:

"Lord, Have Mercy
On Me ... A Sinner!"

I Now Ask You
To Render A Righteous Judgment
To The Question Of:

Which Pray Did Almighty God Accept Into His Ears?"

I Now Ask Us All
To See
AND
Understand
The Method
Employed By
His Wickedness Himself - Satan
To Stop Our Prayers
From Ascending
Unto The Holy God!

I Implore Us All
- When We Physically Bow Before God -
To Decidedly
Bow Our Hearts To God
In Our Prayers And Supplications
So That God Will
In Jesus Christ's Blessed Name
Receive Into Himself
All
Our Petitions!

I Say Unto My Self:

"Physician, Heal Thyself!"

PRAYER:

Father,

Forgive Us Today

Even As We Pray

If A Little Of Self

Gets Into The Way

As To You We Repair!

Lord,

Help Us To Let

The Holy Spirit

Take Control And Lead Us

Even As We Ask You

To Daily Feed Us!

Help Us, Father

To Give Unto You

Our Selves 

As Well As 

Our Fears And Our Cares

And Help Us

To Be Ever Humble

Before You

As We Ask You To Fix Us 

And Our Fumbles!

Pity Us, Lord!

In Jesus' Name We Plead

For We Love You!

AMEN