Take Up Thy Cross ...!?!

What's Going On?!
What's The Meaning Of All These Wooden Crosses?!
Since When Do You Wear A Silver Cross?!

I Have A Gold One!

What Is This?!

Pastor Said That Everybody Must Bear Their Cross!

What!?!

He Asked The Question:

Must Jesus Bear The Cross Alone  ...?!

... And You All Believed He Meant Bearing
Wearing
A Literal Cross!?!

Sure!

He Plain As Day Said:

Now Is The Appointed Time!

Now Is The Day Of Salvation!

Take Up Your Cross

Your Burden

And Faithfully Follow 

Follow After The Lord Jesus Christ!

What's Wrong With You People?!

What Do You Mean?!

Do Any Of You Ever Crack Open A Bible?!
I Quote:

You Obviously
Are Not 
RIGHTLY DIVIDING 
The Word!
AND
You All Ought To Be Ashamed Of Yourselves!

Ashamed For What?!
I Didn't Kill Anybody!

Come On!
What Are You Talking About?!

Didn't Your Pastor Explain What
Taking Up Your Cross And Following Christ Means?!

Sure! That's Why We Are Carrying These Crosses!

Lord, Make Peace!
Let Me Ask You A Question:

What Kind Of Life Did Jesus Live?!

A Life Of Self-Abnegation
Caring For Others
Teaching Others
Healing Others
And Ultimately Dying For Others!

Excuse Me?!
What Is Self-Abegnation?!

Self-Ab-Ne-Ga-Tion!

Jesus Christ
In Self-Abnegation
AND
As Written In Scripture
Was
Meek And Lowly ... Of Heart
Not Proud
Submissive ... In Giving His Will
To His Father
AND
Obedient ... Unto Death
On The Physical Cross!

Jesus Set Aside His Self
AND
In Despising The Shame We Placed Upon Him
Died On The Cross
For Us
Whom He Was Not Ashamed To Call Brethren!

Self-Abnegation Is The Cross 
That Man Should Bear
IF
We Will To Be Like Christ!

This Pile Of Wood 
That You All Are Toting Around Means Nothing!
Those Gold And Silver Crosses You're Wearing
Are ... Are ... Just Decorations
Meaningless
Useless
Good For Nothing But Getting Jewelers Rich!

Whose Character Are You Wearing!
Can The World See Christ In You!
Are You Selfless!
Or Are You
- True To Human Nature -
Totally Selfish?!

Well, Ahhh ...

Ummm ...

Exactly!

Outward Adorning!
White Washed Tombs
Filled With Dead Men's Bones!

You Don't Have To Be So Cruel!

I Am Not Being Cruel!
Somebody Has To Tell You All The Truth!
Who Are You Really Serving?!

Pastor Says ...!

Oh, Lord, In Heaven
Save Us From
Another "Pastor Says!"

Can The Pastor Save You?!

No! Of Course Not!

Then Who Can Save You?!

Jesus Saves!

So What Does Jesus Say?!

To Obey Is Better Than To Sacrifice!

The Meek Shall Inherit The Earth!

Wisdom Is The Principal Thing!

Let No Man Steal Your Crown!

In All Your Getting, Get Understanding!

If You Know All That
What's With This Pastor Say That And That?!

Chagrined, They Held Their Heads Down.

One Voice
Speaking To Their Shame, Said:

I Guess We're Just Lazy Thinkers!

Another Voice:

Brethren,
We Really Should Be Ashamed Of Ourselves!

We Are The Hearers And Not The Doers Of The Word!

Ohhhh!
If I Had My Way
I Would Beat All Of You At The Bottom Of Your Feet!

How Mean!
That Would Really Hurt!

Yes!
But I'd Never Have To Teach You
The Same Lesson Again!

You Do Have A Point!

Lazy Thinking In A Christian
Is A Vile And Abhorrent Thing!
Let's Not Have This Conversation Again, Okay?!

For Real!

Wow! I Feel Better!

I Feel As Though A Burden Has Been Lifted!

It Was!
No More Toting Around This Fire Wood!

AMEN!

Time To Set Aside Self!

Oh, Dear!
THAT, My Friend
Is Hard Work!

Lord, Help Us!

He Will, My Friend! 
You Can Trust Him!

FOOL: Tool

What Is The Point Of Dying
Doing What Your Soul Loves
AND
Not Being With
Nor
Seeing In Peace
Him Who Loves Your Soul!

What Is The Point
Of Having Your Routine
Your Regimen Down Cold
- To Elite Perfection -
AND
Not Being Able
To Defend Yourself
For Your Known Sin
To The Creator Of Your Soul?

What Is The Point
Of Living In Sin
When You Can Be Saved From Sin
By The Savior Of Your Soul

If 

You Invite Him

Your Heart To Live In?

Why Sell Your Unsellable Sinful Soul
To A Bankrupt Death Merchant
When You Can Accept Forgiveness Of Sin
From The Redeemer 

Who Is Your Creator

AND

The One Who Made You A Living Soul?

Why Lose Your Soul's Salvation 

For A Sensation
When Sensation Will Soon Be Lost
BUT

Salvation 

Bought For You
On A Cruel Cross
Can Only Be Lost
When

By Your Own Hand
You Personally Cast It Away
With A Couldn't-Care Swift Toss?

Why Pay
For What Can't Be Purchased
AND
Owe
For What Can't Be Sold?!

So, So, Sooo Close!
You Just Lost Me Right There!!

You Can't Buy God's Gifts!

You Can't Owe For Gifts!

You Can't Pay For Forgiveness And Salvation!
You Can't Owe For Redemption And Heaven!

If You Can Trust From Aka Get Easy Credit
If You Can Owe Aka Promise To Pay
AND
Over Time Pay God
YOU, Yourself
Have No Need For The Sacrifice Of Christ! 

You Are Your Own Surety!

You Are Your Own Security!

However ...

You Can Buy Hell!
AND
You Can Sell Damnation
For
You Make Your Purchase Of Hell And Damnation
By Bartering
Selling
Giving Away
Your Right To Eternal Life
By Listening To Satan
AND
Utilizing All Called
The Satanic Device!

Can't Do That!
Won't Do That!
That Would Make Me A Fool
And To All Intents And Purposes
I Become An Unremunerated
Used-By-Satan
Condemned-By-God
Tool
And That My Brotha
Ain't No Where Near Cool!

All Right Then!

I Rest My Case!

VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: PRAYER: Lord, I Am Sure!

Lord,

I Have Been Foolish!

I Asked You

Often

To Talk To My Hand

Not To My Heart

When I Was Indulging In 

"Self-sufficient Me!" Time

Ignoring The Fact

That

You Are Gloriously Divine!

Please Forgive Me!

Lord,

Like A Giddy-Headed Teenager

I Vowed

Not To Give Away My Whole Heart

To You

So That If Our Relationship Foundered

I Would Not Be Totally Devasted

When You

Tired Of Me

Should Depart!

I Bow My Head In Shame!

Please Raise Me Up!

Lord, Forgive Me

For I Treated You

As If You Are Mere Man

Temperamental

Testy

Of Attention Short-Spanned

Fickle

Unregenerate

Given To Ignoble Deeds

And

Quick

To Kick The Can!

I Repent Of My Folly!

I Disremembered

That You Are Holy

Faithful

Kind

Eternally Loving

Unfailingly True!

I Forgot

That You Are Friend

Soul-Lover

Holy God

Sustainer

Savior

Shepherd

And

Provider So True!

Help Me Ever Remember The Living Truth!

Lord,

I Want Us To Start Over!

I Want To Belong To Only You!

I Can See Your Hand

Being Held Out!

I Can Hear Your Gentle Voice Calling

Which

I Do Remember

Never - Ever -  Shouts!

I Can See Your Face

Tear Stained

Sorrowing

Over My Straying Ways

And

I Feel So Empty

Because

We Have Not Connected

Truly Connected

In These Recent Days!

My Praying Has Been So Shallow, Lord

And I Beseech You Help Me, Please

To Get Out From Under This New Low!

The Things

That I Should Do

Are The Things

That I Don't Do

And The Things I Don't Want To

Are The Very Things Walking About

Wearing My Dress Shoes!

Lift Me Up, Lord

For You Are Able

Not Fable!

Lord,

I Don't Want To Live

Like This Anymore!

I Desire Constant Communion With You

Before I Move A Finger

Before I Walk Though A Door

Before I Make A Decision

Before I Utter To Another

Even A Single Word!

I Desire You

To Be My First Thought

My First Word

My Every Breath

Spent

In Denial Of The Goat Leader

And His Boastful Herd!

I Desire With You

Oneness

My Will Wrapped Up In Yours

And

Your Word

My Every Desire

For

I Yearn

For My Voice

In Heaven's Grand Choir

One Day Soon

To Be Joyfully Heard!

I Am Pouring Out My Heart

To You, Lord

For

I Know That You Care!

I Know That You

To Death

Loved Me

And To Life Will Raise Me

And This Is Why

As A Little Child

I Approach You

Drawing Nigh

Without Fear!

Father,

Fix My Shortcomings

My Backslidings

My Willfulness

My Selfishness 

And

Waywardness

For

My Heart

For You

Is Longing

And I Am Begging ... Please?!

I Love You!

I Desire To Live In Your House!

Help Me To Walk Through Your Open Door!

I Am Ready, Lord

And

Now

I Am Sure!

Oh, Lord, Forgive!

Oh, Lord, Hear And Do!

In The Name Of Jesus Christ The Righteous

I Stand And Plead!

AMEN.