Where's Your Faith?!

I Was Given A Great Gift!
It Was A Measure Of Faith!
I Touched It!
I Kissed It!
I Tried It Out Once
AND, THEN
I Put It High Up
On The Treasured Items Shelf!

One Day
I Had An Experience!
That Experience Called Into Question My Faith!
I Said To My Self:

"Hey! We Have Faith!"

BUT
Then I Remembered, And Said:

"Ohhh! But It Is At Home
On The Treasured Items Shelf!"

I Got Over That Experience!
Or So I Thought!

Time Passed

And Then ...

Astoundingly
One Experience
AND
Another Experience
Boldly Showed Up
This Time
Right Inside My Front Door!

The Nerve Of These Experiences!

Shocked
Dismayed
Shaken
AND
Nerves Frayed
I Reached For My Gift Of Faith
Only To Realize
Belatedly
That I Had Securely Tucked It Away!

"Oh, Faith!
Where Are You?
I Need You Right Now!
Wherever You Are Hiding
I Command You
To Come Out Right Now!
I'm Having A Conniption
A Calf
AND
A Cow!
Oh, Lord!
Please Help Me!
Lord, Help Me!
I Vow
To Keep Faith With You!
To Keep My Faith
On With Me
Starting ...
Starting ...
Starting ... RIGHT NOW!

I Learned A Hard Lesson!
Faith Is Not For Show!
Faith Is For Exercise!
One Must Let Faith Grow
For
Faith Unused
Is Faith That Is Dead
AND
Unused Faith
Is As Useful As
A Feather Made Of Lead!

From That Day Till This Day
I Have Bound My Faith
To My Life!
I Have To Daily Exercise My Faith
For
Living
In This Life
Is Constant Constant Strife!

I Say My Prayers
To My Father
Humbly 
In Jesus Christ' Name
Exercising The Faith
That He Gave Me
Vowing Daily
To Use This God-Given Measure of Faith
Until I Enter The Day I Enter The Grave!

I Have Needs!

Without Faith

In Jesus Christ

My Faith Is Fruitless

My Striving Is Useless

AND

Salvation For This Sinner Saved

Is Profitless

AND

Waiting For The Trumpet Call Of God

Is Pointless!

Learning Along The Way + Prayer: Help Me, Lord!

In This My Life's Journey
I Have Learned Along The Way
That My God Has A Sense Of Humor
And That He Responds
No Matter What Unbelievers 
Uncharitably Say!

My God Cares For Me!
He Listens Intently To My Requests
And After All My Fits and Starts
He Gives To Me Of His Best!

PRAYER:

Oh,  Lord

Help Me To Trust You More

For You Give The Best Gifts 

Which Are Of Heaven's Stores!

Lord,

There Have Been So Many Times

When My Requests To You

Have Been Denied

BUT

I Have Learned My Lesson True

And I Make My Request

Having Bent My Will To Honor You!

Father, 

I Do Seek You True!

I Seek A Positive Answer From You!

Please Know That I Do Not Ask Amiss

For 

I Desire To Receive Your Promised Bliss!

Help Me, Lord

Not To Weigh My Trust In You

And 

Help Me To Faithfully Stand

In Front Of You

And

Not Fearfully

Behind Sinful, Mortal, Man!

Help Me, Lord

To Rest Secure 

In Jesus Christ's Faith

While I Am Awaiting 

The Sure Answers From 

Your Throne Of Grace!

I Love You, My Father.

AMEN.

HAPPY SABBATH + PRAYER: Grant Us Strength, Lord!

Oh, Father,

We Come Before You

As Supplicants and Penitents

Thankful For Grace

and

Pleading For Mercy!

Have Mercy, Lord

On The Helpless

The Hopeless

The Careless

And

The Lawless!

Have Mercy, Lord,

On The Wild

The Defiled

The Beguiled

And

The Spoiled!

Have Mercy,  Lord

On The Wretched

The Frowned Upon

The Soul With No Place To Belong

And

The Heart Which Has Lost Its Peace and Its Song!

Have Mercy,  Lord,

On The Fool Who Says

There Is No God!

On The Faithful

Whose God Is The Lord!

On The Wicked

Who Daily Sow Discord

And

On The Soul Seeking

To Be Shuck Of The Old Fraud!

Have Mercy,  Lord

On The Wired

On The Tired

On The Soul From Work Just Fired

And

On The Soul Whose Feet Are In Sin Mired!

Grant Us, Lord

Who Daily Seek Your Face

Courage For The Journey

And

Strength For The Race

And

Grant Us The Strength Of Will

To Walk Ever In Your Way

So That At The Last Day

We Won't Be Cast Out In Eternal Disgrace!

Bless Us, Father!

Do For Us What Is Best For Us

In Your Eternal Sight

And

No Matter Our Distress At Our Mortal Outcome

Help Us To Stand Firm

In Jesus Christ's Faith

So That We Will Attain Heaven's Promised Rest!

Bless Us, Lord, As Only You - Our Holy God - Can!

Oh,  How Your People Love You

Trust You

And

Reverence You, Lord!

AMEN.