Prayer For Ukraine

 

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, 

We Thank You For The Gift Of 

Unfailing, Unshrinking, Faith That 

Removes The Spectre Of Doubt That 

Fogs Our Minds And Clouds Our Judgment 

In The Face Of War And The Clutches Of Cruel Death! 

In These Uncertain Times, Lord

In This Hour Of Trial

We Come With Hope, Believing The Word Of Truth

And Plead For Your Hand Of Healing 

Which Turns Bitterness Into Sweetness

Darkness Into Light

Ashes Into Beauty

And

The Certain Hope Into Glory! 

Lord, 

King Solomon Said That He Was A Child 

Not Knowing How To Go Out Or To Come In: 

We Join In This Sentiment 

And

Humbly Ask You To Take Control! 

Please Lead Us, Feed Us

Guard, Guide And Protect Us, Dear Lord

As We Faithfully, Enduringly

Follow After You Who Knows The Perfect Way 

And

Our End From Our Beginning! 

We Trust You, Lord

Because We Believe Your Word That Says 

All Things Work For Our Good! 

We Know That There Isn't Anything That

Happens To Us 

Which Will Surprise You

And

For This Reason, Father

We Ask That You Will Comfort Us

In All Our Present Distresses

And

Help Us To Rest, Strengthened, And Unafraid In You 

Even Though We're Perplexed And Tempest-Tossed! 

Please Speak Peace! 

Please Help Us To Remember That

Your Strength Is Made Perfect

In Our Weakness

And

Help Us To Let Go

And

Let You Take The Wheel!

Lord, Pity Us!

Please Help Us To Trust You And Believe

Hold Hope 

And

Heed The Counsels Against Doubt! 

Please Help Us To Not Be Double-Minded Because 

You Have Said That You Have Nothing 

To Give Anyone So Unstable, Like The Sea

Driven, And Tossed About! 

Thank You For The Shelter That Is 

The Arms Of The Eternal God! 

Please Help Us To Glory In The Cross Of Christ 

Which Bought Us New Life! 

We Confess And Repent Of Our Sins 

And Plead For The Promised Cleansing And Pardon 

As We Desire To Live With You In Paradise! 

Please Deliver Us, Lord, By Your Saving Grace! 

In Jesus Christ's Holy Name 

We Pray And, In Need, Humbly Plead! 

AMEN.

VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: Every Christian Has A Way To Walk!

Witness, Walk, Worship, Work: 

One Took A Day Off! 

One Decided To Twerk! 

All Called The Master's Name 

And

All Held The Living Word 

But

Between Reading And Interpretation

One Eschewed The Good Word He Had Heard! 

Every Christian Has A Way To Walk! 

Every Christian Has A Work To Do! 

Every Christian Is Called To Witness 

And

Every Christian Must On The Mission Given 

Sincerely Follow Through! 

The Way Is Plain! 

The Work Is Hard! 

The Worship Is Wonderful 

And 

The Witnessing Is Not About Leaving A Calling Card! 

Our Life Is A Witness Whether We Believe It Or Not! 

Our Work Is A Witness

A Way To Help To Keep Us From Receiving The Blot! 

Our Walk Is A Witness To Others On Or Seeking The Holy Way

And 

Our Mapped Way From The Master 

Points Us To The Master 

From Whom We Should Never Stray!  

Our Attitude About Our Mission Tells Others 

Aka Witnesses To The Truth Of What

Of How

And 

What We Really Think About Our Master 

And 

Our Lives On The Ground! 

Work, Witness, Walk, Worship Tell A Story 

And

Reveal A Life

So Dare To Be Bold 

And 

Walk To Worship On The Way To Work! 

Christian!?! 

Walk Like One! 

Worship The Son! 

Stay On The Way 

And 

Your Witness Shall Be That For Personal Sin, 

You, Most Assuredly, Shall Not Personally Pay 

Because 

You Walk Under The Banner Of 

Almighty God's Blessed-Forever Only Son! 

Beloved, 

Pray! 

Live For Jesus Christ Today And Always!

Peace! 

VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: Mercy Is Free For Me And Thee!

How Often Have We Wanted, Needed, Desired Something 

But 

Didn't Receive It 

Because 

We Didn't Choose To Humble Ourselves Enough To Ask For It!?! 

Too Often, I Dare Say! 

Beloved, 

We Are Instructed 

To Approach Boldly The Throne Of Grace That 

We May Obtain The Available Mercy! 

If We Don't Ask For Almighty God's Mercy

Then We Will Not Find His Free-To-All Grace

That Unmerited Favor

The Divine Power To Help Us In Our Time Of Need 

Which Is Every Day That Live And Breathe! 

If You're Proud, Humble Yourself! 

If Your Dumb, Speak In Your Heart

Write A Note

Talk Your Talk To The Lord! 

Remember That We Don't Pray As We Ought To 

So, In Mercy, The Holy Spirit Intercedes For Us 

With Groanings Which Cannot Be Uttered! 

Our Joy 

Is 

To Ask 

And 

Almighty God's Love Always Answers With What Is Best For Us 

And

Delivers More And Better Than We Could Have Ever Asked

Anticipated Or Expected! 

Mercy Is A Truly Beautiful Word, Concept, Construct, That 

We Should Gladly Accept 

And

Generously Apply! 

Mercy: 

Meeting 

Each 

Request With 

Compassion For Every 

Yearning Soul

There Is Forgiveness, Benevolence

And 

Kindness Within The Lord's Mercy 

So Big-Up Yourself By Showing Yourself Small

Helpless, Sinful

Needy

Repentant, Reconciled, Redeemed

Blessed! 

Please Put Arrogance And Pride Out Of Your Heart-House 

And 

Actively Seek Kindness From Jesus Christ The Lord! 

May The Blessings Of The Lord Make You Rich Today 

And 

Forever! 

Peace! 

"No!" From Our Almighty God Is A Blessing!

A Proper Parent Does Not Give A Child 

Whatever Their Eyes Or Heart Desires 

Just Because There Is Rage

Tears, Pleading, Or Professed "Need!" 

Our Father In Heaven 

Is 

The Proper Parent Plus 

Because 

He Is Up Above Our Heads Seeing All 

And 

Knowing All Things: 

He Knows Us Better Than We Know Ourselves! 

Our Heavenly Father Knows Our Motivations 

And

He Knows What Is Best For Us 

And

Whether A Thing Is Profitable To Or For Us Now, Later Or Ever! 

Our Kind And Loving God Almighty 

Does Things Either Suddenly 

Or Eventually 

Or Never 

And

No Matter If He Does Or Doesn't Do Or Give Us A Thing

We Should Praise Him Continually Because Of Love 

And 

Not For Loaves And Fishes 

Aka Miracles Of Obvious Abundance Or Favor! 

Beloved, 

Love Must Of Necessity 

And 

For The Perfection Of Our Character Say 

"No!" "Wait!" Or "Lean On Me!" 

Aka "My Grace Is Sufficient For You!" 

And

We, Knowing That The Lord's Love For Us 

Is 

Sacrificial, Eternal

Should Utter A Patient, Enduring, Love-Returned, Faith-Reposed: 

"I Trust You, Father!

Let Thy Will Be Done!" 

The Father Told Our Lord Jesus, His Only Begotten Son  

"No!" 

When He Was In His Agonies 

Prior To The Cross 

And

That Response Purchased For Us Salvation From Self

Sin, Death, The Grave, And Hell! 

What Is The "No!" From The Lord Saving You From 

Or Buying For You Today!?! 

Are You Grateful!?! 

Let's Yield To The Holy Spirit Today 

And 

Joy In The Fact That We Are Greatly Loved 

And 

Infinitely Blessed! 

Think About It! 

Peace!

VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: Sorry-Not Sorry Ain't Christian!

We Ask The Lord For Pardon 

By Saying That We Are Sorry 

But

There Will Be No Pardon For Us 

If 

Our Sorry ... Our Penitence

Contains No Corresponding Humility! 

Beloved, 

Why Would You Say: 

"I Am Sorry!" 

When In Truth And Fact You Are Not!?! 

You Insult The One To Whom You Apologize 

And

Show That Your Credibility 

Is 

Definitely Not In Stock! 

Why Dimish Yourself In This Way Vulgar 

By Using Your Voice In The Manner Crude 

Including Going So Far As To Repent To Almighty God

Using The Faith And Name Of Christ Jesus

When You Know That You're Nothing But A Snot-Nose Fraud!?! 

I Am Genuinely Sorry To Use Such Strong Language 

But

This Behavior Cannot Go Unremarked 

Because

You Place Yourself In The Unenviable Position Of 

Having The Lord Cause You To Be Thrown Into The Outer Darkness! 

Jesus Christ Was Always Humble

Not Given To The Airs And Graces Of Putrid Pride

And

There Is No Way I Tell You Plain And Straight That 

Within The Pearly Gates You Will Abide 

With That Unregenerate Attitude Cozied Up On Your Insides! 

If You're Sorry, Be Sorry

But 

If You're Not, You're Not

So Don't Add Insult To Injury By Adding Perjury 

Because

In So Doing

By The Lord God Almighty

You Shall Surely Be Denied! 

Be Wise! 

Sorry-Not Sorry 

Is Not 

A Part Of The Christian's Bonafides! 

Let An Actively Working Conscience 

Be Your Choice Constant Companion 

And 

On-Board, On-Duty, Faithfully-Enduring Guide! 

Against Satan

And 

In Jesus' Christ Holy Name

Turn Deceit And Destruction's Rip Tide! 

Peace! 

HAPPY SABBATH + STOP LOOKING FOR LOVE IN UNPROFITABLE PLACES: Keep Your Eyes!

There Is No Opportunity To Love Unwisely 

When We Love The Lord Jesus Christ In Whom Is No Variableness 

And 

No Specter Of The Demonic Device! 

Beloved, 

If We Are Truthful As All Christians Should Ever Be

We Will Admit To Having Loved And Lost

And

Have Felt Like The Recipient Of An Angry Horse's Brutal Kick! 

It Is Time That We Learn Once And For All Time That 

Love Is Not A Chemical Given To Reaction 

To Be Turned Up, Down And Off 

Depending On When And How The Recipient Of Our Affection 

Cooperates With Our Then-Current Emotion! 

Love 

Is 

A Decision That Does Not Depend On Atmosphere

Entertainment, Cash, Credit

Grief

Presence, Presents, Or Loss! 

Let's Stop Looking For Love In Unprofitable Places 

And 

Choose To Take The Lord At His Word: 

Put The Lord, First, Last, And Always

Depend Upon His Word

Follow After His Will

Walk In His Way

And

Wait Upon The Lord 

After You Have Asked Him To Provide Your Blessed Companion! 

Samson Loved The Pagan Delilah 

That Lying Money-Grubber Who Took His Eyes! 

King Solomon Loved Many Pagan Women 

Who Turned His Heart Away From The Lord! 

King Herod Loved The Vile, Blood-Thirsty Herodias 

Who Took Fore-Runner John's Head! 

Brethren, Beloved

Character Counts When Companions Call! 

Remember, Remember

Don't Ever Forget ... 

Your Life's Companion 

Will Either Help You To Get Home To Glory 

Or Book You A Free Ticket To Hell!

Samson And King Solomon Came To Their Senses: 

King Herod Did Not! 

Learn From The Errors Of Others 

And

Be Wise! 

Love Sees: 

Keep Your Eyes! 

Peace! 

Believe The Word Of The Infallible God!

Faith! Feelings! Facts! Failings! Future! 

Hmmm... 

The Lord Jesus Gives To Each Of Us A Daily Gift Of His Faith 

For That Day Alone 

But

Our Feelings Bring Up The Facts 

About Our Known Failings 

And

They Are Grounding Our Hopes Of 

A Future In The Father's House 

As Promised To Us By Our Savior Dear! 

Are You Going To Believe The Word Of God

The Truth That Saves

Or Are You Going To Trust Fraught Feelings 

Known Fickle Aka Flighty!?! 

Beloved, 

We Have The Infallible Aka Trust-Worthy Word Of 

The Living God Who Never Changes! 

Our God Is Not A Time-Bound Philosopher

A Paper Tiger

A Plaster Saint

Nor A Lying Man Who Changes His Mind 

As Often As He Changes His Garments 

And 

Direction Of Travel! 

Dear Ones, 

We May Set Our Temporal Clocks 

By The Sun Of Righteousness, The Eternal God

In Whom Is No Variableness Or Shadow Of Turning! 

Today Is The Day Of Salvation 

And 

Our Savior Says: 

"Come Unto Me! 

Come And Dine! 

Make Your Home With Me! 

Trust Me And Obey! 

Take My Blessing 

Because

I Have Taken Away Your Blight

Your Sin! 

Your New Life Is In Me! 

You Confessed And Repented Of Your Sin 

And

Because I Am Faithful And Just

I Forgive You! 

Rest In Me And Be Refreshed! 

Hold My Hand! 

By Enduring Faith, Not Fickle Feelings

Be Anchored In Me! 

I Give You Joy!" 

Beloved, 

A Working Faith Can Never Fail 

So I Choose To Accept The Lord's Unspeakable Gift! 

Do You!?! 

Will You!?! 

Peace! 

YOUR OPEN INVITATION: Ask The Lord Christ ...!

Strict Obedience! 

     Working Faith! 

           Ready Willingness! 

Complete Trust! 

      Unfeigned Worship! 

          Joy-Filled Praise! 

Heartfelt Prayer! 

     Unwavering Endurance! 

Do You Have These Attributes!?! 

Have Lost Some And Gained Others!?! 

Do You Desire Them All To Use Them

In The Service Of Him Who Is Our All And All!?! 

Beloved, 

Our Attitude Will Either Bless Or Blight! 

When We Look Down Despairingly At Dirt 

And 

Look Around Wonderingly At The Disgusting

We Tend To Despondently Look Inward 

Instead Of Hopefully Looking Upward To The Lord! 

When We Are Not Grateful About The Hurdles That 

We Have Overcome By The Lord's Ever-Sufficient Grace

We Deal In Man-Feelings 

And 

Not In The God-Facts Aka Truths In The Living Word! 

Babies Are Amazing As They Learn To Walk! 

They Crawl, Stand, Step

Fall

Get Up, Stand Up, Step Off

Fall Over

Yelp In Frustration

Set Their Hearts With Conviction

Stand Up With Determination

Ignore Possible Humiliation

And Suddenly

Walk With Jubilation! 

We, As Parents, Teach Our Babies These Necessary Skills: 

Physicians!?! 

Let's Heal Ourselves! 

If You Are Able To Teach A Clean-Slate Mind

You Are Well Able To Utilize What You, Yourself, Already Know 

For Your Own Blessing 

By Our Lord's Gifts Of Unfailing, Momentary, Grace 

And

Daily Faith! 

If You Lack Wisdom

Ask The Lord For His Liberal Blessing 

Knowing That You Will Not Be Chastised! 

Boldly, Humbly ... Prayerfully 

Make Your Requests Known Unto God: 

You Have The Open Invitation! 

Peace!

CHRISTIANITY 101: Tired Of Waiting On Almighty God!?!

 

Satan Desires You ... This Very Minute

To Conceive The Idea That 

You Are Tired Of Waiting On The Lord Christ 

To Answer Your Persistent Prayers For Physical Healing

Financial Aid

And 

Emotional And Spiritual Relief 

Aka The Trials And Torments That 

Mark Our Way To Glory! 

Beloved, 

Waiting On The Lord 

Is 

Christianity 101 

All The Way To Christian Sealed 

And

Christian Redeemed: 

It Is Preparation! 

It Is Not Like Waiting On The Bus 

And Frustrated

Starting To Walk 

And 

The Bus Passes You On The Way 

And

You Curse 

And 

Wait At The Next Stop For Another Bus! 

Missing The Way Bus 

At 

The Wait-On-The-Lord Stop 

Has 

Eternal Implications! 

All-For-Christ Christians 

Must Be Able To Handle Delay 

Deprivation, Delay

Denial, Delay

And 

Disappointment! 

Our Ways Of Handling 

And

Our Timing Of Events 

Are Not The Ways And Timing Of The Lord Christ 

And, As Such

Are Not Of His Appointing! 

Remember, 

Waiting, Patience, And Endurance 

Are All The Same 

For And To The Children Of God 

And

We Must Not Endeavor To "Help" Almighty God 

To Fulfill The Mission 

Before The Time Appointed! 

Let Us This Day Be Boldly Humble 

As We Approach The Throne Of Grace 

To Tell Our Dear Lord That 

We Are Going To Patiently Wait On Him For Our Every Need 

Because 

We Have Ample Proof That 

He Delivers After Regular Hours 

And

Know That The Deliveries Are Always On Time

Intact

And 

Perfect For Our Need! 

Please Wait On The Lord: 

Watch The Way-Marks

Await The Blessing

Immerse Yourself In The Word

Tell Another Person The Gospel Truth!

 Peace! 

The Living Word Works To Bless You!

What Does The Eternal Word Of Almighty God Mean To You!?! 

What Are You Doing To Keep The Word Of Truth In Your Memory!?! 

When Something Happens To You Or Someone You Know Or Care For

What Kinds Of Emotion Well Up In Your Heart Because Of 

The Perfect Word That Comes Into Your Mind That 

Meets The Then-Present Situation!?! 

Beloved, 

The Word Of The Almighty God 

Is 

Treasure To Be Discovered

Purchased, Stored

Displayed, Shared

Enjoyed, Discussed

Meditated, Loved

Obeyed, Prayed

Rested On

And 

Sheltered Under! 

However, None Of This Will Happen 

Unless Or Until 

We Choose To Believe The Sender

The Source

The Savior! 

We Do Not Have A Good-Time Savior

A Fair-Weather Sender

Or 

A Seasonal Source! 

We Have The Creator-God Sender 

And

The Savior-Friend Source 

Who Are One ... All-Seeing

All-Knowing, Ever-Present 

And

All-Feeling! 

He Who Sacrificially Loves Us

Loves Us Warts And All! 

He Who Calls Us 

Will Regenerate Us To Be What We Were 

Before The Fall! 

He Who Bids Us To Study To Show Ourselves Approved

Is 

Teaching Us ... By The Holy Spirit Of Truth

Who Leads Us Into All Truth

To Know, Understand

And 

Walk Wisely Through And By The Preserved Word! 

Please, I Beseech Us All

Fortify Your Mind With The Word That 

Works Wonders In The Heart Of Man Who Hungers 

For The Food That Is Always Good For The Soul! 

The Blessed Word Of God 

Is 

A Lamp For Our Feet 

And 

A Light For Our Path! 

Remember, Beloved

The Living Word Will Keep You From Sin 

Or

Sin Will Keep You From The Saving Word! 

The Choice To Be Made, As Usual, Is Personal! 

Be Wise For Your Own Self! 

Peace!

Drop The Sin: Cling To The Son!

We Have A Cross To Bear! 

We Have A Crown To Wear

And 

Bless God Through Jesus Christ Our Lord

We Have His Glory To Share! 

A Word To The Wise ... 

I Can't Bear Your Cross

And 

You Can't Wear My Crown

And 

All Who Share Jesus Christ's Glory 

Will In His Likeness Be Found! 

Beloved, 

Don't Ever Forget That None Will Gain The Kingdom 

When The Inescapable Truths Of The Gospel 

They Deliberately Neglect! 

A Name Won't Elevate You! 

A Beautiful Bank Balance Won't Set You Apart

And 

A Power-Broker Won't Get You Into Heaven 

When All You've Done With Your Life 

Is 

Use And Trade In 

The Compromised Pharisee Leaven Aka Sanitized Lies! 

Do Not Sell Gold And Buy Silver! 

Do Not Use Lies To Rise! 

Do Not Do Wrong To Win Rights

And 

Do Not For Filthy Lucre Aka Dollar Bills 

Your Brethren's Prosperity Blight! 

Think On Christ Jesus 

And 

Give Him Your Sin! 

Be Penitent And Humble

And 

By Working-Faith Enduring

Through The Pearl Gates Of Heaven ... By Right

Confidently Walk In! 

There Is No Profit In Kept Sin! 

Drop The Sin 

And 

Cling To The Son! 

Peace!

CONDITIONED: Breaking Bad!

Salvation 

Is 

About Breaking Bad ... Getting Sin Out

And 

Getting Jesus Christ ... Our Hope For Glory

Into Our Heart For Keeps! 

Have You Ever Found Yourself 

Doing The "Thing" You Hate Doing 

And 

Then Realizing That You're Doing It 

Because 

It Is Familiar Like A Broken-In Pair Of Shoes

An Old Broom That Knows All The Corners

The Pillow That Knows Your Head

That Rut In The Road That Your Tire Always Finds

Or That Itch That You Scratch 

Because 

Your Mind Says That It Will Itch!?! 

Are You Being ... Or Have You Been ... Conditioned 

To Default To "Sin Now!" Instead Of "Pray Now!" 

By Allowing Satan To Encourage You To Believe That 

Sin Is You And Sinning Is All That You Will Do!?! 

Satan Is The Liar! 

We Were Born In Sin 

And 

Shaped In Iniquity Aka Planned Sin 

But

We Do Not Have To Live That Way! 

We Will Be Tempted To Sin 

But

The Lord Will Provide For Us A Sure Way Of Escape! 

Jesus Is Near: 

Choose To Be Aware! 

Sin Cannot Satisfy: 

Don't Fall For Sophisticated Lies! 

Choose To Look Up High: 

See To It That You Do The Devil Defy, Deny 

And

Take Christ's Salvation Full And Free

And 

At The Day Appointed 

Sing With Saints And Angels Most Joyfully! 

Break Bad: 

Mix Unceasing Praying

Faithful Endurance

Willing Obedience

And 

Doing Right 

For The Godly Life! 

Peace!

TAUGHT OF GOD: Are You Cultivating The Teachable Spirit!?!

The Lord, Our God Almighty

Desires That His Children Be Taught 

About Him

His Ways

And 

His Will Which Blesses Our Lives 

When We Choose To Learn The Truth! 

Do You Have A Teachable Spirit!?! 

Are You Amongst Those Who Are Willing To Be Taught Of God 

Or 

Are You Like The Scribes And Pharisees Of Jesus' Day 

Who Knew More About The Law Than The Law-Giver 

And, As Such

Were Guideless, Unbending, Unyielding

Unteachable

And

Unprofitable To Those Over Whom They Had Control 

And, Therefore

Useless To The Kingdom Of The Eternal God!?! 

Beloved, 

Being Willing To Be Taught

To Be Lead 

To Be Used By And For The Lord 

Is 

The Best Condition To Be In 24/7-365! 

An Already Full Cup Of Foolishness 

Cannot Receive The Wisdom That 

It Should, Of Necessity, Contain! 

An Empty Vessel Makes The Most Noise 

When It Is Cast Down From A Lofty Perch! 

An Empty Vessel Needing Filling 

And 

Being Correctly Utilized For Its Stated Purpose 

Is 

Fulfilling Its Calling: 

How Are You Standing!?! 

Are You An Inedible Long, Dry, Macaroni Stick 

Needing Cutting Down To Size To Be Rendered Usable 

Or

Are You A Piping Hot Wet Noodle 

Eagerly Waiting For The Finishing Touches From The Chef 

To Make You A Fit-For-Use Good And Tasty Treat Of A Meal 

Great For The Table Of The King!?! 

Mixed Metaphors Aside

What Purpose Are You Serving!?! 

Who Are You Serving!?! 

Are You Of Worthwhile Service To The King!?! 

Are You Obediently Listening To The Lord Of Life!?! 

Are You Ready Now

Willing Today

Able 

To Be Taught Of The Lord

Our Humble And Hallowed Teacher!?! 

Think About It: 

The Lord Is True And Faithful

And

We Are Nothing Without Him

His Word ... The Truth

The Life Of Every Human! 

Peace!