Self-Denial Is A Blessed Thing!
Repentance Is Good For The Soul!
Living Off The Profits Of Sin Is No Blessing!
Unconfessed Sin Is Sin Unforgiven!
An Unbelieving ManIs Like A Car On Hub Caps Driven!
AND
A Believing Man Is As The Rain Upon The Earth
By Our Heavenly Father Lovingly Given!
The Unbelieving May Seemingly
Be Temporally Blessed
With Backpacks Of The Earth's Bounties
By Carrying The Unwieldy Weight Of Sin
Upon His Chest!
His Few Troubles Seem Surmountable
He Appears To Live The Life Of The Blessed
AND
He Intimates That He IS The Darling Of God
AND
Yet ... At Night
He Get's Neither Peace Nor Sweet Rest!
By Contrast
The Faithful Believing
Oft' Seem To The World
To Be Cursed!
There Is Evil Surmising Against Them
AND
Their Temporal Progress
Seems To Always Be In Reverse!
To Outsiders
Their Prosperity Seems Blighted!
They Don't Glory In Things As Others Do
BUT
They Always Seem To Be Satisfied
AND (Shock)
Happy To Boot!
They Don't Walk Around Uttering Popular Mantras
Boasting Of Living On Ascended Bright Plains
AND
They Don't Take Pleasure In Things Trivial
Speaking Loftily
Like Those By Their Own Hand Self-Made!
The Believing
Faithful Friends Of The Holy God Of Heaven
Bow Humbly Before
Jesus Christ Their Lord
Who Paid For Their Redemption
So That They Won't Perish
In The Raging Sin Flood!
They Recognize Their Dying Condition
They Know That They Own Nothing By Which
Of Themselves
They May Be Saved
AND
They Believe The Words Of Their Master
AND
WILLINGLY CHOOSE
By Perfect Love
To Be Wholly Enslaved!
They Recognize
That Their Life Is As A Crucible!
They Know That They Are Not Their Own!
Their Trials Are For The Perfecting Of Their Character
AND
They Trust Their Maker
Savior
Redeemer
To Get Them Safely To The Heavenly Home!
They Know Not To Hold Tightly
To Things Perishable!
They Know That Prayer Is The Royal Telephone!
They Know That Faith In Jesus Christ Brings Victory
AND
They Know That With Jesus Christ The Shepherd
They Do Not Ever Walk This Earth Alone!
They Confess
AND
Repent Of Known Sins To The Father!
They Thrive In Their Faith
In The Lord Jesus Christ!
They Trust In Their Lord
For Their Daily Provision
AND
Rest In Peace And Safety At Night!
The Faithful Know
That Those Who Will Reach Heaven
That Celestial City
Which Will Be Their Eternal Home
That They Must Be Purged
Of Self
AND
Of Love Of Corruptible Things
AND
Must Have No Truck With The Fraud!
They Know That They Must Be Molded
In Character Like Christ Jesus
AND
They Must Daily Resist
Rebuke
AND
Reject Satan
AND
All Known Demonic Device!
They Lean On The Lord!
They Heed The Spirit's Call!
They Permit Themselves To Be Influenced For Good
By Holy Angels
AND
Humbly
Reverently Bow Before The All-Seeing
All-Knowing
Ever Present
Always Available Holy God!
Faith Is Their Victory!
Hope Is Their Holding Chain!
Grace And Mercy Are Their Prized Shackles
AND
Love Of The Lord Christ
Is Their Controlling Reign!
Their Lives Are Not Measured By Bank Balance!
Their Success Is Not Measured By Earthly Gain!
Their High Elevation Is Not Determined By Proximity
To Ungodly Men
AND
Their Peace Is Not Marred
By Earthly Mayhem!
Their Eyes Are Gazing Toward Heaven
Even Though Their Feet Be Fixed Upon The Earth!
Their Hands Are In The Hands Of Jesus Christ
AND
Earthly Failures
Don't Put Their Faith
Into Automatic Reverse!
We - Faithful Followers -
Trust
Our Heavenly Father!
We - Having Reasoned With Him -
Believe
AND
Trust Him
To Honor His Holy Word!
We Hold To The Covenant
That Says There Is A Prepared Home For Us
In The Glorious Kingdom
AND
Summarily Reject
The Machinations Of Wilful Fraud!
We Know
Our God Is The One Faithful!
The Healer!
The Sealer!
The Helper!
The Hope!
The Only Friend True
AND
We Desire To Attain The Promise
AND
Receive
The White Robe
The Gold Crown
The New Name
The Victor's Palm
AND
The Incorruptible
Immortality, Too!
So ...
Please Don't Pity Us
For Lack Of Positions
AND
Possessions!
We Do Not Envy You!
We Desire Only What Jesus Christ Has For Us
AND
We Pray!
How We Pray!
That You Would Receive Jesus Christ
Who Has A Personal Blessing Of Provision
AND
Heavenly Possessions
Waiting
Just For You!
Won't You Join Us
As We Walk
The Narrow, Rocky, Road Home?
