IT MUST BE SAID: Cultivating Gratitude!

I Had A Single Grain Of Gratitude
And I Sincerely Wished For More
So I Put It In A Pot Of Care
And I Placed On A Sunny Shelf
Near My Entrance Exit Door!

I Told A Friend About My Desire
To Have Gratitude Blooming Richly In My Sphere
And I Was Shocked To The Max
At The Words That She Spake
And I Wondered If Cultivating This Friendship
Had Been A Sad Mistake!

She Bitterly Said:

What Do You Have To Be So Grateful About!?!
Your Life Is As Hard Is Mine!
Breaking Up Fractions To Know How To Live
Is A Task That I Roundly Despise!

I Don't Know What It Is That You Want To Be So Grateful For
When Each Day Is As Hard As Every Other
When Money Is Tight
When Health Is No Delight
And Just Looking At Another Person
Is Reason For Them To Pick A Fight!

I Replied:

Aren't You Glad You're Alive!?!
Aren't You Glad You Don't Have Cancer!?!
Aren't You Glad You Have Eyesight
And Your Legs Are Still With You
And No One Has To Push You Around
And In Your House There Is Still Reason For Laughter!?!

The Look I Received Was Chilling To Say The Least
And We Parted With No Words Of Affection!
I Went My Own Way
And To The Living God Said My Grateful Prayers
And Sought To Understand Why Words Of
Thanks And Gratefulness
Were So Hard For Some Of Us To Say!

The Scenario Is Not Real
But The Concept Is Very True
And All We Have To Do
Is To Look Critically Around Us
And We Shall See The Living Proof:

People Discontented With What They Have
Which Is More Than What Someone Has Or Some Other
But A Lot Less Than That Friend
This Brother Or Another!

Discontent Is An Offshoot Of Pride
And A Great Family To Greed
And Believe It Or Not
The Rich Want The Health Of Poor
Who Want The Wealth Of The Rich
Who Want The Peace And Rest Of Those 

Who Have Not Tasted Runaway Success!

We Ask For What We Want!
We Get What We Need
And Then We Blame God
For Not Really Knowing Each Heart
How To Feed!

Ingratitude In The Young Is Ugly!
Ingratitude In The Old Is A Disgrace
And We All Need To Do A Serious Think
About What Would Be The Outcome
If The Lord God Almighty
Loving King Blessing Faithful True
Were To Deal With Each One Of Us
According To Our Practice Of 

Not Returning Words Of Thanks And Prayers Of Gratitude!

We Beg Too Much

And

We Say Thanks Too Little!

Almighty God Does Not Owe Us Anything

But We, Ingrates That We Are

Owe Almighty God Everything!

Thank You, Dear Lord

For Your Untold, Unknown

Unexpected, Unappreciated

Daily Blessings Generously Showered Upon Me!

Thank You, Dear Reader

For Your Being A Part Of This Community!

Thank You, Dear Friend

For Your Kindness Today!

Thank You, Brother, Sister

For What You Do And Say!

Thank You, Mother, Father

For Teaching Me Truth And Right
And, Again
Thank You, Dear Lord

For Giving Christ Jesus Unto Me And My King

And For Guiding Me To Walk Ever 

In The Life-Giver's Light!

Thank You, Lord, Thank You!

I Beseech Of You A Boon!

Please Bless Me To Say "Thank You, Lord!"

Evening Morning Night And Noon!

Life Is A Gift!
Show Gratitude To The Giver ... Today!
Shower Him With A Generous Gift Of

Your Heartfelt Thanks

Willing Praise And Believing-Heart Prayers!

HAPPY SABBATH + What Holy God!?!

... I Don't Have To Get In A Slinging Match With You!

I Am Not Getting In Any Match With You
But
I Will Say This:

Flesh! Be Not Proud
For You Are As The Grass
And
All That You Glory In
Is A The Flower On That Grass!

I Warn You:  The Burning Heat Of The Sun Is Coming!

Who Are YOU To Warn ME?!
Do You Know Who I AM?!

Yes, I Know Who You Are

And

I Am Not Impressed
And
I Know What You Do
And
I Feel Great Sympathy
No! Great Pity For You
And
I Pray The Living God Will Have Mercy On Your Soul!

Sympathy For Me!?!
You Must Be Mad!
I Don't Need Your "Living" God
And I Have No Need Of His Mercy!

The Lord Rebuke You!

**--**--**--**

Man ... A Mere Man
A Creature Created
Unable To Sustain His Own Body
By The Dint Of His Own Will

Declares That
Has No Need Of His Own Creator
The Sustainer Of His Daily-Dying Body
The Preserver Of His Own Soul
The God Who Could Destroy His Body
His Very Soul In ... Hell!

How Did We Get Here
Where A Mere Man
With The Arrogant Assurance Of Ignorance
Says To His Soul

And
To Those Impressed By His Eminence:

I Believe In God

And I Believe In Me: Same Person!

It Takes A Truly Confident
Or A Truly Ignorant 

Even Demon-Indwelt Individual
To Call Himself God!

May The Living God Forgive Us Our Daily Follies
As We Walk Through Life Looking For Jollies
Refusing To Believe
That The Time Clock Is Running Down
And
Treating Our Maker
Our Only Savior
Like He Is A White Boot
Red Nose
Circus Clown

Just To Curry Popular Favor!

The Next Question Asked Was:

What Did Your God Ever Do For Me?!

In Answer ...

If You Will, Let Me Show You:

The Almighty God Has Provided To You
LIFE Health
FOOD Shelter
WILL Way
TRUTH Light
FEET Eyesight
EARS Speech

Blessing Of Rest

Suffered Death For You On Hill Calvary

Purchased Your Redemption With His Own Blood

Calling You To Salvation

Building You A Kingdom Mansion IF You Claim It

Fashioning You A Gold Crown IF You Ask For It

Interceding For You With The Father IF You Desire It

Provides You  With The Comfort Of His Holy Spirit IF You Request It

24/7 Recording Angel 

Grant Of Eternal Life IF You Want It

Escape From The Fiery Indignation IF You Claim It

Flights To Worlds Unknown

Back Up Just A Smidge!

House?! 

Gold Crown ...?! 

Careful Now!

Your Greed Is Showing ...! 

... Recording Angel?! 

Eternal Life?! 

Yes! Eternal Life

Aka Everlasting Life

Life Without End

Eternal Bliss

Eternal Youth! 

I Could Use Some Eternal Youth

Right About Now!

Let's Not Forget That

The Recording Angel Records

Every Single Solitary Iota

That We Do - Good Or Bad -

Every Single Moment Of Every Single Day

No Vacation! 

Oh, Dear!! 

And

There Is No "Some" Eternal Youth!

This Is An All Or Nothing Proposition!

Oh ...! Okay!! 

Do You Still Want To Believe That

You Have No Need For Almighty God?! 

Wellll ... Based On The Preponderance Of

The Provided Evidence Now On The Record

I Reserve Unto Myself

The Right

Even The Privilege 

To Have A Change Of Position

Away From That Of The Gross Illuminated!

What Did He Just Say?!

He Has Had A Change Of Heart

And

He Has Changed His Mind?!

So Why Didn't He Just Say So!

Face Saving Measure! 

He Is Still Proud ...! 

... But Jesus Will Do A Good Work In Him! 

Open Our Eyes, Lord

And

Help Us To See Jesus Christ As He Is

And

Bless Us With Holy Wisdom

So That We May Humble Ourselves

Before You

And

Cast Away Every Idol

And

Choose Life Everlasting

In The Eternal City!!

AMEN!!!

DEPARTING THE FAITH: Making Jesus Christ Cry ...!?! + PRAYER: Remember Us In Mercy, Lord!

Departing The Faith
AND
Giving Heed To Seducing Spirits
AND
Doctrines Of Devils
Were Once Just Words To Me
BUT
In This Day Of
Constant Drift From Holy Truth
AND
Base Denial Of Jesus Christ's Righteousness
I Must Acknowledge That
Departing The Faith
Is 
Nothing But Outright And Vile Treachery!

The Doctrines Of Devils
With Concord To Seducing Spirits
Gives The Lord Christ
A Great Reason To Cry
Considering That He Did
To Our Certain Aid Did Fly
When He Departed From Highest Heaven
AND
Did Consent
In Our Place
To Suffer
Bleed And Die!

How Can We Do It?!
How Can We Deny Our Sovereign Lord?!
How Can We Be So Faithless?!
How Can We Desert Our Own Holy God?!

The Laundry List Of Reasons ...

Comfort!
Convenience!
Profit!
Greed!
Earthly Gain!
Refusal To Be Made Anew!
Refusal To Walk Holy, Wise And True!
These Are The Things
From Which Unwise Men Turn Away
Preferring To Lean On Self
AND
Walk In Their Own Way!

But, God ...

In His Mercy
For Love
In Truth
Refuses To Permit Man
To Live As One ... Ignorant
Of The Facts Of Life
Ignoring 
The Price Of A Sinner's Life
To Live As One
For Whom Demonic Device
Is
The Thing Well And Truly Nice!

Ignoring Facts Don't Make Facts False!
Accepting The False
Does Not Cause Fact To Be Lost!
Believing The Truth
AND
Accepting The Right
Is
The Only Thing That Will Get Us To Live 
In The Heavenly Light!

Be Ye Warned ...

Do Not Ignore Truth!
Do Not Accept Lie!
Do Not Live For Feeling
Else
Before Damnation's Curse 
You Shall 
- Rejected By Jesus Christ -
Be Kneeling!

Devils Lie: That Is Their Way!
Jesus Christ Saves
BUT
They Of The Demonic Domain
Wish From Your Hand
To Take That Blessing Away!
From Their Encroaching Darkness, Brethren
Please Turn Resolutely Away
AND
Indulge Yourself 
In Constant Prayer!

Bottom Line ...

Trust The Lord Of Life
AND
Live In The Immutable Truth
AND
You Shall Deny The Base Liar His Strong Hold
AND
You Shall Have Peace And Rest
AND THAT
With Almighty God's Eternal Gift Of 
Perpetual Youth!

PRAYER:

Father,

I Need You!

I Believe The Living Word!

Help Me, I Beseech You

Not To Turn Unto Fables

And

Walk Unwisely With The Lost Goat Herd!

Spirits Are All Around Us!

The Malevolent And The Benign!

Please Grant Unto Us

The Spirit Of Discernment

And

Help Us To Listen

To The Still Small Voice Of

The Holy Spirit Of Truth

So That We Being Faithful

May Walk In White

In The Glorious Kingdom

And

Enjoy Perpetual Youth

With Him Who Is The Truth!

Grant Your Grace, Lord!

Grant Us Your Peace!

May The Holy Angels

Continue To Influence Us

Ever To Do The Good And The Right

And

Bless Us With All Blessing

So That We Live In The Land

Where There Is No Night!

Teach Us Your Ways, Lord!

Help Us To Live For

And

Ever Love And Worship You

And

Bless Us

Even Unto The Great Day Of Redemption

So 

That We May Rise Up

To Meet Our Savior And Our God

At

The Trumpet's Last Call!

Remember Us In Mercy, Lord

For

You Are God Able And Almighty!

In Jesus Christ's Holy Name

We Humbly Pray

And

Believing

Plea!

AMEN.

VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: CONFLICTING PRIORITIES: Bent Conscience + PRAYER

Creeping Compromise
AND
Pressure To Conform
Are Adopted Children Of
Christian Living By-Faith!
They Are Really, Really, Really Bad Kids
AND
They Don't Care Who Know It!

Good Gracious!
How Did This Happen!

Very, Very, Very Slooooooooowly!

Why Did This Happen!?!

It Happened Because
Christian Living By-Faith
- Conscience Badly Bent -
Became Very, Very, Very Complacent
And Careless
And Ambivalent
And Gainsaying
And Greedy For Gain
And Anxious For Elevation
And Tired Of Waiting ...!

... Tired Of Waiting!?!
For Jesus!?!

Simply Put, Yes!

He Wanted The Wisdom
And The Power
And The Glory
And The Honor
And The Praise ...!

... You'd Better Stop!
You're Saying That He Wanted To Be God!

Pretty Much!

A Christian Wanting To Be God!?!

Another Lucifer In The Camp Of The Saints!

... Lord, Help Us!

How Does This Happen!?!

When A Christian Gets Complacent
About His Daily Prayers
And
Fixes His Focus
On What Brings Carnal Minds Cheer
He Forgets Who Is His Master
And
What His Mission Is
And
He Gets Himself All Tied Up In Getting Things
And
Causes Old Satan To Go Into Actionable Top Gear!

Complacent Christian Becomes Careless
- A Car Without Wheels -
And
Thinks Nothing Of Compromise
Because
His Eye Is On The Corporeal
And Not On The Heavenly Real
And
His Ears Tickle From Tasting
Tender Trite Bold And Base Lies
And
This Happens All Because 
He Is Into The ... I-Feels!

A Committed Christian
Is
A Christian Standing In Truth And On Fact
And
Not A Christian Devoted To Feeling
Because
When Feeling Is Foremost
Fact Suffers Lack
And
A Christian Suffering The Lack Of Facts
Is
A Weak Christian ... Primed 
For Satanic Attack!

A Weak Christian Under Satanic Attack
Indulges
In Ambivalence
Becoming Wishy-Washy 
And As Stable As A Wind-Blown Cloud
And
Subject To The Vagaries Of The Wind
By Which He Is Being Blown About!

The Ambivalent Christian

Then Indulges In Gainsaying

Challenging

The Very Word Of The Eternal Holy God

Not Fearful Of Chastisement

Willing Only Toward The Enticement

That Is The Trojan Horse Gift Of Satan

The Fallen Angel And God-Fraud!

Gainsaying Christian

Then Settles

For The Eyefull Of Current Time

And Foreswears The Bellyful

Promised

By The Lord God Holy Divine

And

Awaiting The Faithful

The Enduring

The Waiting Watching Working Saved

Who Shall Ascend To His Great Glory

And Live

Forever And Always!

With Gainsaying

Comes

Greed For Gain

And

Anxiety For Social Elevation

And

Soon

There Is Outright Rebellion

And

The Stated Tiredness Of Waiting On Jesus Christ

Our Savior, King And Lord

Who Ain't Never Coming Again

Because

He Has Heard That Jesus Was Coming

Since Adam Was A Lad

And

In His Illuminated Mind

He Is Now Become A Fable

A Bedtime Story

A Fad

And

He Is Truly Glad

That He Has Insight And Foresight

And

He Is Getting What's To Be Got

While The Getting Still Is 

The Thing Called Hot!

His Desire Is To Be Among The Have's

Not Among The Have-Nots!

Brethren, Beloved

Listen Closely Unto Me

Waiting On The Lord Is Not Doing Nothing!

It Is Doing Your Assigned Chore

With Humility

Dedication

Commitment To Task

Ignoring The Naysayers

And

Working The White Fields Vast!

He Who Is Cast Out

And Forever Broken

One Satan By Name

Is Uncaring Of Your Acquiring Worldly Gains

As Long As You Join Him 

In Unquenchable Flames!

All Who Are Greedy

Greedy For Gain

Are Pierced Through With Many Sorrows

And

End Their Lives In Abject Shame!

Please Do Not Be In A Hurry For Riches

For Mortal Man's Applause

For Profits' Chains

Because

In The Day Of Vengeance

Profit Is For Only Those Who

Sought The Elevation Of Jesus Christ The Lord

In The Hearts Of Those

Previously In Sin And Lost!

Please Count The Cost!

What Does It Profit A Man

If

He Shall Gain The Whole World

And

Lose His Own Soul!?!

What Will A Man Pay For To Save His Soul!?!

What Is Already Purchased

Cannot Be Bought Again

And

Specifically That Already Bought By

The Glorious King Of Love

The Lord Of Life!

In Him Is Our Only Means Of Survival

Of

The Earthly Strife!

What Jesus Christ Has For Us ... Is Free!

When Jesus Christ Sets Us Free We Are ... Indeed Free!

Heaven Awaits ... The Sin-Free!

Buy Lies

And

Walk To Hell For Free!

Creeping Comprise

And

Rush To Conformity

Are Shoes Best Left 

In Damnation's Free-For-All Store!

Don't Bite The Pretty Lure!

Don't Buy The Musical Lore!

**--**--**--**--**

PRAYER:

Father,

I Thank You

For Your Promise To Me

Of

Life Everlasting

Of

Peace Eternally!

I Bless You, Lord

For My Innumerable Blessings!

I Trust You For My Daily Care!

I Will To Follow Jesus Christ

My Only Savior

And

Wait On Him Faithfully

To Share His Riches

In Paradise!

In Mercy

Please Hasten

The Great Redemption Day!

Please Help Thou My Brethren

In Families Near And Far

And

Bless Them With All Blessing

So That They Will

Steadfastly Walk

To The Glorious Kingdom

Whose Gates, Beckoning

Now Widely Stand Ajar!

Please Hear My Heart's Plea

And

May Your Holy Spirit

Gently Guide Us

Into All Truth

And

The Holy Angels

Stand Perpetual Guard!

Remember Us All, Lord

According To Your Divine Will

And

In Your Holy Way

For

In Jesus Christ's Name

I Pray And Humbly Plead!

AMEN.

PRAYER: Thank You, Lord, and Bless You For The Blessings!

Heavenly Father,

I Worship You!

That Is My Choice

And

I Seek No Recourse!

Please Help Me To Do The Just

The Good The Right

And

Keep Me Quiet In Your Holy Presence

Both Day And Night!

Let Not The Ways Of The Wicked World

Impinge Upon My Consciousness!

Let Not Things Be God To Me

And

Please Help Me, Lord

To Stay On The The King's Highway

Straight And Narrow

Upward Bound

And

Known Holy!

I Plead, Lord

For My Brethren

Those Near, Those Far

Those Who Have Sorrow

Those Seeking Him Who Is The Door

Now Standing Ajar!

Grant Unto Them Insight

Foresight

True And Holy Sight

So That They May Escape The Darkness

By Entering Into The Life-Giving Son-Light!

Remember Also, Lord

Those Who See Not Their Need

Those Who Do Not Yet Recognise Their Need

For Jesus Christ The Lord

Those Who Choose To Live In The Land Of Self

Imbibing At The Hellish Teats Of

Greed And Pridefulness 

Willfulness And Waywardness

And

Caught Up In The Tangled Cords Of

Self-Justification And Self-Righteousness!

Please Help Them To Find Their Way

To The Known Life-Giver And The Heavenly Home!

As For Me, Dear Lord

Let Not Gainsaying Slay Me! 

Help Me To Truly Hear The Still Small Voice

And

Avidly Listen To The One In Whom Is Eternal Life!

Lord,

Please Help Me To Reason Honestly With You

And

Accept Plain Truth

And

With Alacrity

Honor Your Sovereignty

And

Humbly Your Life-Saving

Way-Marking Word Obey!

Please Teach Me!

Lead Me!

Help Me!

Hold Me!

Save Me

And

Seal Me In Your Love

So That In The Great Day, Father Beloved

I Shall In Sweet Peace

And

Grateful Joyfulness

Soul Well Satisfied

Behold Thee

And

Enter The Courts Of The Blessed Above!

I Love You, Lord

And

Ask These Few Mercies

In Jesus Christ's Holy Name!

Thank You And Bless You For The Myriad Blessings

Your Gifts Of Holy Love! 

AMEN.